Trip Report Part One
Trip Report
Trans Nevada Trek
15 September to 19 September 2006
Day 1 – Friday
The four of us headed up to Alturas, CA from home. In my case from Rocklin; a 290 mile run up I-80 to Reno and then US395 north to Alturas. It was cold and rainy north of Susanville and I started catching a bit of snow as I passed Madeline.
We had all checked into the motel by about 6:00. About 6:30 we decided to try a place called the Brass Rail for some Basque style food. About 2 hours later we were all stuffed. Pretty good food, good service, nice atmosphere.
Day 2 - Saturday
Saturday morning at 6:00 we met for the motels continental breakfast and were underway before 7:00. After a 22 mile highway run we stopped at Cedarville for a last chance fuel top-off and then another 8 miles across the Middle Alkali Lake causeway to the to the end of the pavement at the Nevada state line. A few photos of the trucks clean and the adventure began.
A well maintained graded road took us over Fortynine Creek Pass, past the site of Vya, past the Massacre Lakes and on into the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge. This part of the run is along the old Applegate Immigrant Trail. The road was fairly dry with perhaps 2 inches of snow in the brush alongside and a temperature of about 36 degrees. Along with a few cattle, we spotted a couple of coyotes, some buzzards, hawks and eagles. Everything else must have been still asleep.
Near Fish Creek Mountain we turned off the main road and headed southeast towards Summit Lake following Badger Creek. Near Mahogany Mountain the going got rougher and we stopped to air down the tires. They would stay this way for the next four days. After passing Tenmile Spring, Fivemile Flat, Onemile Spring and the Summit Lake Indian Reservation (pop. 7) we started up Mahogany Creek. We made a brief stop at an old abandoned camp called Stanley. From there at about 5800 feet we started a steep climb up to the top of the un-named pass over the Black Rock Range at about 7000 feet. During the climb we began seeing wild horses and antelope. Somewhere along here we stopped for a lunch break in an aspen grove, after having cut our way through some fallen trees blocking the trail.
A bit south of Bartlett Peak we turned off of our planned route and took an excursion down Pearl Creek passing the abandoned mining town sites of Bartlett Mine, Juanita Mine and Columbia Mine. At the mouth of the canyon we entered the northern end of the Black Rock Desert. Now we began to make some good time out on the flats. We passed through the very nice looking Leonard Creek Ranch, around Windy Point, across the Quinn River, past the Quinn River Crossing Ranch (where we crossed highway 141 to Denio), and headed towards the Bilk Creek Mountains. We've been spotting a lot of wildlife now, especially near water. The Quinn isn't much of a River, at this time of year it's a bit more than what runs down your gutter when you're washing your car; but for Nevada in summer, that's enough.
Coming off of the Bilk Range we dropped down into and crossed the Kings River Valley (less water than the Quinn) and then on over Thacker Pass between the Montana Mountains and Double Mountains. For about 2 miles the trail is part of paved NV283 (bummer) until we reach a turnoff near Sentinal Rock. We had a bit of adventurous trail hunting here as one option was to drive over a forty foot lava bluff a second was to try to navigate a 40 degree washout and finally the third which actually got us past Sentinal Rock and out into a huge sand flat along the west bank of the Quinn (yes, same river that has doubled back on itself a couple of times). After 12 miles and more than two hours we finally make it through the sand and reach highway 95. We do a quick 12 mile run up the highway to McDermitt, gas up and return back down the highway to where we originally left the trail.
At this point, because it's getting very late, I decide to temporarily turn over the Trail Boss responsibility to Brian H. as he was in this area last year and knows the route to the campsite he used last year. It's a spectacular run up the west face of the Santa Rosa Range. From the valley at 4400 feet we steadily climb past many switchbacks to the pass at Windy Gap at 7344 feet. Then it's a lot of winding through spectacular scenery and finally arriving at Lie Creek Campground a bit above 8000 feet. It's 8:00 pm, dark and very cold. We've done about 210 miles today. The tables are covered with ice and snow. All of us do a quick job of setting up camp and Brian M. sets about making dinner. Great job; barbecued ribs, beans and salad! We all get to bed very soon as it's already below freezing.
Day 3 – Sunday
At about O-dark-thirty Brian M. starts his engine and we all get up. It's about 26 degrees. We do two pots of coffee, down a bunch of muffins and frantically pack up, just to stay warm! Around 7:00, I think, we head out towards Hinkley Summit. A gorgeous, sunny, very cold morning! The scenery coming down from the summit (7838 feet) is spectacular. About an hour later we turn east at Paradise Valley (4528 feet). It's a quaint little town with a very photogenic, but boarded up, saloon. A short picture stop, and then across the valley towards the Hot Springs range. The wildlife abounds; I spot deer, quail, pheasant, grouse, a coyote, eagles, hawks, and dozens of buzzards sitting on fence posts alongside the road.
A bit later we arrive at Chimney Dam Reservoir for a break and a chance for me to clean up a bit and change clothes. It was just too cold to undress this morning! Then we head north east along the South Fork of The Little Humboldt River towards the Little Humboldt Ranch. After a bit of searching near the ranch I eventually find the ratty little bridge that crosses the river. After I cross it, the rest of the gang decides it needs a bit of repair before the want to cross, so I wait for them on the bluff on the far side.
After passing Four Mile Butte (don't you just love these creative names?) we enter the Owyhee Desert. For the next 75 miles we'll be crossing this desert; it's nothing but sagebrush and sand: deep sand! Also the BLM and other agencies have widened the trail, actually making the trail worse, to use it as a fire break to stop the Tuscarora Fire that burned this area a month ago. As I recall, the fire consumed about 400,000 acres. We will be passing through burned land for the next 100 miles. We are spread out with almost a mile between each other as that is what it takes for the dust and fire ash to settle after each truck has passed. After about 35 miles we stop for lunch at the burned out Winters Ranch.
There is nothing left of the ranch except for the blackened stone walls of the buildings. The spring is still flowing nicely and a few cattle are grazing the creek bottom vegetation that didn't burn. After lunch we head towards the Bull Run Mountains; passing the IL and VN Ranches. The cattlemen are in the midst of a roundup, probably to move the cattle that survived the fires to better grazing lands. We eventually arrive at Deep Creek; then over Chicken Creek Summit and start looking for the night's campsite at Jack Creek.
The bridge near Jack Creek is burned so we cross the creek at a ford. All the way up the creek and on across the Independence Mountains all of the campsites are burned out so we decide to head on up paved NV225 for Wild Horse Reservoir. We find a nice BLM campsite and set up at about 4:30. We've still got more than an hour of sunlight; it's relatively warm and plenty of time for a leisurely dinner. Brian H. treats us to some great barbecued pork loin, rice, salad and wine. Brian M. breaks out the cigars and another bottle of wine. Life is good!
