F
Fortymile
Guest
As a way of re-introduction; I'm a pretty avid northern Nevada explorer. This is one of my more recent treks (187 so far):
Land Rover Trek 183 ? 26 April 2010
Sahwave Ridge Top and Seeking the Top of Juniper Mountain
John and I meet a bit before 0730 at The Pioneer Crossing for breakfast. A bit before 0800 we?re out the door and heading down the highway to the Nightingale Junction 17 miles away. We started with almost clean trucks but within 15 minutes both rigs were covered with mud crossing the Hot Springs Flats where the road was filled with muddy puddles of snow melt. For the rest of the day we drove muddy rigs even though we were on fairly dry trails.
By about 0900 we are finally off of the graded mine-haul road and beginning the climb onto the south end of the Sahwave Range. This first part of the trek will mostly be running along the same ridge that I did on trek 180. Just before the old tungsten mines near the Pershing County line (40 degrees north) we take some action shots crossing a narrow steep wash, the one that Ben and I had to go around in December because of too much snow.
We stopped briefly at one of the tunnels in decomposed granite. Brian H. might remember this from two years ago. From there it was west for two miles and then turning north at the other tungsten mine site. For next two miles we gradually climb from 5500 feet to 6200 feet. Then I make a wrong turn and we run for about ? of a mile north-east out to the end of a spur; great views of the mountains to the east.
We retrace our track to the main trail and continue north along the crest. We stopped at a couple of granite outcrops to take some pictures of the trucks amongst the rocks and the two of us clowning around in the granite. The time is now about 1100.
At 1145 we reach the northernmost point that I had done on the 180 trek where I had found the several 1911 and more modern survey bench mark. Now we drive about 2 ? miles east out to the end of a long ridge that culminates in a pair of massive granite knolls. Here we take lots of pictures again clowning around in the granite. I should note that for the past ten miles or so, none of these trails are on the topo maps. They are simply tracks that the ranchers, prospectors and surveyors have made in the past by just driving through the sage brush following cattle and game trails.
It?s a bit past 1200. Now we begin exploring further north in country I haven?t yet trekked. The next 4 miles are uneventful until we cross the graded east-west road. We find a trail that runs north-north-east up Granite Springs Ridge and appears to go in the general direction of my goal, Juniper Mountain. Note: In this part of Nevada, which has a very scarce population of trees, it seems that any time the pioneers found a tree they would name the mountain ?Juniper Mountain?.
Granite Springs Ridge is made up of mostly decomposed granite with prominent outcroppings of granite monoliths. We travelled along it for about 2 ? miles; the altitude steadily climbing, the trail getting progressively more primitive, the off-camber of the trail getting steeper, the loose granite sand under the wheels getting looser. Eventually, at about 1345 when I could feel the tires slip a bit sideways and the lean of the truck getting past thirty degrees; I chickened out. I walked the trail ahead a bit and it was just getting worse. It was about forty degrees off-camber and looked as if there had not been a four wheeled vehicle here for quite a few years. There was a fresh motorcycle track though. John made his typical comment, ?Go ahead Ron. If you survive I?ll follow you up.? Thanks for the confidence John.
We retraced the 2 ? miles to the main trail (actually on the map) and then headed north along the upper reaches of Kumiva Valley. It has been a wet year and the cattle along the trail were fat. A herd of very healthy looking horses ran along the foothills near the creeks coming from the creeks coming from North and South Juniper Springs.
I picked a mapped trail that heads to within ? mile of Juniper Mountain (7472 feet). In about a mile and a half, the trail climbs 2200 feet! Near South Juniper Spring the trail just stops dead against a granite spire at 6727 feet. It was truly a puckery experience turning the truck around on the steep narrow slope. John had been waiting for me about 300 feet lower and maybe 300 yards away. We headed back down towards Kumiva Valley at about 1445.
For the next two hours, we travelled on the graded cattle ranch roads through Kumiva Valley, passing the Selenite Range to the west, the Twin Buttes in the middle of the valley and Dry Mountain to the east. The roads were mostly freshly graded so we were able to do speeds as much as 45 ? 50 miles per hour.
We turned west near the site of Trego and flowed the south edge of the Black Rock Desert to the tiny town of Gerlach. This is the site of the only gas station, the only restaurant, and the only motel for 100 miles in any direction. Gerlach is truly in the middle of nowhere.
It was 1645 and we decided to have dinner at Bruno?s Restaurant in Gerlach. It?s not the greatest cuisine by far but sure tasted good anyway. The next two hours was driving south on NV447 between Winnemucca Lake and the Lake Range, thru the Pyramid Lake Reservation, Nixon, Wadsworth and finally reaching Fernley at 1900. The total trip about 200 miles. Total miles of-road was 111 miles. It was a great day; even with having left my lunch on the kitchen counter at home, one of my walky-talkies dying near where we chickened out on Granite Springs Ridge and having a ?Service Engine Soon? light come on while doing the steep climb up to the dead end at South Juniper Spring.
Land Rover Trek 183 ? 26 April 2010
Sahwave Ridge Top and Seeking the Top of Juniper Mountain
John and I meet a bit before 0730 at The Pioneer Crossing for breakfast. A bit before 0800 we?re out the door and heading down the highway to the Nightingale Junction 17 miles away. We started with almost clean trucks but within 15 minutes both rigs were covered with mud crossing the Hot Springs Flats where the road was filled with muddy puddles of snow melt. For the rest of the day we drove muddy rigs even though we were on fairly dry trails.
By about 0900 we are finally off of the graded mine-haul road and beginning the climb onto the south end of the Sahwave Range. This first part of the trek will mostly be running along the same ridge that I did on trek 180. Just before the old tungsten mines near the Pershing County line (40 degrees north) we take some action shots crossing a narrow steep wash, the one that Ben and I had to go around in December because of too much snow.
We stopped briefly at one of the tunnels in decomposed granite. Brian H. might remember this from two years ago. From there it was west for two miles and then turning north at the other tungsten mine site. For next two miles we gradually climb from 5500 feet to 6200 feet. Then I make a wrong turn and we run for about ? of a mile north-east out to the end of a spur; great views of the mountains to the east.
We retrace our track to the main trail and continue north along the crest. We stopped at a couple of granite outcrops to take some pictures of the trucks amongst the rocks and the two of us clowning around in the granite. The time is now about 1100.
At 1145 we reach the northernmost point that I had done on the 180 trek where I had found the several 1911 and more modern survey bench mark. Now we drive about 2 ? miles east out to the end of a long ridge that culminates in a pair of massive granite knolls. Here we take lots of pictures again clowning around in the granite. I should note that for the past ten miles or so, none of these trails are on the topo maps. They are simply tracks that the ranchers, prospectors and surveyors have made in the past by just driving through the sage brush following cattle and game trails.
It?s a bit past 1200. Now we begin exploring further north in country I haven?t yet trekked. The next 4 miles are uneventful until we cross the graded east-west road. We find a trail that runs north-north-east up Granite Springs Ridge and appears to go in the general direction of my goal, Juniper Mountain. Note: In this part of Nevada, which has a very scarce population of trees, it seems that any time the pioneers found a tree they would name the mountain ?Juniper Mountain?.
Granite Springs Ridge is made up of mostly decomposed granite with prominent outcroppings of granite monoliths. We travelled along it for about 2 ? miles; the altitude steadily climbing, the trail getting progressively more primitive, the off-camber of the trail getting steeper, the loose granite sand under the wheels getting looser. Eventually, at about 1345 when I could feel the tires slip a bit sideways and the lean of the truck getting past thirty degrees; I chickened out. I walked the trail ahead a bit and it was just getting worse. It was about forty degrees off-camber and looked as if there had not been a four wheeled vehicle here for quite a few years. There was a fresh motorcycle track though. John made his typical comment, ?Go ahead Ron. If you survive I?ll follow you up.? Thanks for the confidence John.
We retraced the 2 ? miles to the main trail (actually on the map) and then headed north along the upper reaches of Kumiva Valley. It has been a wet year and the cattle along the trail were fat. A herd of very healthy looking horses ran along the foothills near the creeks coming from the creeks coming from North and South Juniper Springs.
I picked a mapped trail that heads to within ? mile of Juniper Mountain (7472 feet). In about a mile and a half, the trail climbs 2200 feet! Near South Juniper Spring the trail just stops dead against a granite spire at 6727 feet. It was truly a puckery experience turning the truck around on the steep narrow slope. John had been waiting for me about 300 feet lower and maybe 300 yards away. We headed back down towards Kumiva Valley at about 1445.
For the next two hours, we travelled on the graded cattle ranch roads through Kumiva Valley, passing the Selenite Range to the west, the Twin Buttes in the middle of the valley and Dry Mountain to the east. The roads were mostly freshly graded so we were able to do speeds as much as 45 ? 50 miles per hour.
We turned west near the site of Trego and flowed the south edge of the Black Rock Desert to the tiny town of Gerlach. This is the site of the only gas station, the only restaurant, and the only motel for 100 miles in any direction. Gerlach is truly in the middle of nowhere.
It was 1645 and we decided to have dinner at Bruno?s Restaurant in Gerlach. It?s not the greatest cuisine by far but sure tasted good anyway. The next two hours was driving south on NV447 between Winnemucca Lake and the Lake Range, thru the Pyramid Lake Reservation, Nixon, Wadsworth and finally reaching Fernley at 1900. The total trip about 200 miles. Total miles of-road was 111 miles. It was a great day; even with having left my lunch on the kitchen counter at home, one of my walky-talkies dying near where we chickened out on Granite Springs Ridge and having a ?Service Engine Soon? light come on while doing the steep climb up to the dead end at South Juniper Spring.
