tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83373171508975483962024-03-18T17:57:08.936-07:00Moments in Dirt and InkA journal of day hikes and backpacking and random explorations.Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.comBlogger1523125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-59214080643243676752024-03-08T20:00:00.000-08:002024-03-18T11:29:32.387-07:00Hikshari' Trail extension and Eureka MarshEureka City Parks
(map link)
With a second day of sunshine, I decided to check out the trail extension along what will, one day, be a complete Humboldt Bay Trail. This bit has been referred to as the Hikshari' Trail extension or the Bay Trail extension. It's a piece of the Great Redwood Trail where the California Coast Trail follows along. Specifically, it is a mile of paved multiuse trail Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0Eureka Waterfront Trail, Eureka, CA 95501, USA40.7805658 -124.191638540.780464249392644 -124.19177261045074 40.780667350607352 -124.19150438954925tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-30916571567311434042024-03-07T20:00:00.000-08:002024-03-13T15:39:05.410-07:00Me'tsko River and Beach and DunesClam Beach County Park
Little River State Beach
(map link)
I decided the place I wanted to go for this window of sunshine between the rain was Little River State Beach, which I previously visited on an even sunnier June day full of flowers. There aren't quite so many flowers as March starts. It's not very big, so I decided I should take in some of the county's Clam Beach to the south and Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com04851 Clam Beach Dr, Trinidad, CA 95570, USA41.003012000000012 -124.11247841.002607165452957 -124.11301444180297 41.003416834547068 -124.11194155819702tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-18935571259523260722024-02-28T20:00:00.000-08:002024-03-14T13:41:56.890-07:00Baduwa't Flood Plain and BluffsMcKinleyville City Parks and Mad River Bluffs
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As I've compiled the yearly hike list and map, I can't help but notice there's been a distinct lack of interest in presenting much local. I go off to the upper reaches of the Mad River and there's plenty of content, off to Trinity and there's a run of content, out to Nevada and there's a barrage of content. Stay local and there's whole Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0515 School Rd, McKinleyville, CA 95519, USA40.9341263 -124.126709640.933721036010887 -124.12724604180298 40.934531563989118 -124.12617315819702tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-68578695177461573092023-12-31T23:30:00.000-08:002024-03-10T15:59:42.741-07:00Hikes of 2023 Ryan Creek; McKay Community Forest: Jan 1
Hammond Trail; McKinleyville Land Trust and parks: Jan 26
Iaqua Buttes Lookout; Arcata BLM: Feb 15
Beith Creek in flower and snow; Arcata Community Forest: Feb 23
Ku'wah-dah-wilth Restoration Area; private park: Mar 10
South Fork Elk River; Arcata BLM: Mar 16
Ma-le'l Dunes, South and North; Arcata BLM: Mar 26
&Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-12969796014492096692023-12-15T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-28T09:15:25.464-08:00Grimes Point and Hidden CaveStillwater Field Office BLM
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I passed right by Grimes Point on the way out to see the annular eclipse, which quite definitively closes my circle through Nevada that started with the Pony Express and other ruins. (There's an introduction at the Lassen overlook, but that's in California, so that doesn't count.) I wanted to stop this time because there are petroglyphs. These aren't Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0Fallon, NV 89406, USA39.401407 -118.647419211.091173163821153 -153.8036692 67.711640836178844 -83.4911692tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-3604081318151657232023-12-14T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-22T22:54:23.703-08:00Corey PeakStillwater Field Office BLM
(map link)
The sun came up leaving my apparently exposed camp in the shadow of the unnamed bulk north of Buller Mountain. I got to wishing this Trail Sense app didn't just tell me when the sun would come up, but would also show where, or at least give me a bearing. Then I could better plan to have a sunlit morning!
The morning sun on Corey Peak, the goal for Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0Lucky Boy Pass, Nevada, USA38.4213118 -118.767360110.111077963821153 -153.92361010000002 66.731545636178851 -83.6111101tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-70519687145505651972023-12-13T20:30:00.000-08:002024-02-20T10:17:42.151-08:00Below Corey PeakHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
Stillwater Field Office BLM
(map link)
I stopped by the Mineral County Library in Hawthorne to do a few things on the web. The stop lasted a bit longer than expected because they have jigsaw puzzles out for working. I managed to head out in good time to find a camp site in the light and getting to the top of the top of Lucky Boy Pass took less time than Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0Lucky Boy Pass, Nevada, USA38.4213118 -118.767360138.420471242984277 -118.76843298360596 38.422152357015719 -118.76628721639405tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-81274390141942614022023-12-13T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-20T10:18:21.185-08:00Lazy Man and Evening Star MinesStillwater Field Office BLM
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The bit of geocaching at the mining areas on the way up to Mable Mountain seemed quite successful, so I set out to find a couple more before stopping by the library in Hawthorne and then finding a new camp with easy access to Corey Peak. They were actually on the menu for the day I drove in, but the faint roads that lead to them proved so hard to see Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0Lazy Man Mine, Nevada, USA38.4424232 -118.397627636.741166017180916 -120.594893225 40.143680382819085 -116.200361975tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-40572967717732154882023-12-12T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-17T22:10:29.642-08:00Garfield Hills High PointStillwater Field Office BLM
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I headed down the good road from camp to another decaying road to hike the high point of the Garfield Hills. I thought I might go up that road far enough to clear the bit of private property around Garfield Flat, but decided against due to the rocks down the middle and just pulled over to park instead. Was that sand? I got out to verify that yep, I'd Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0Garfield Hills, Nevada 89415, USA38.4510346 -118.296513810.140800763821154 -153.4527638 66.761268436178852 -83.1402638tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-11045149760872869172023-12-11T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-16T17:59:39.870-08:00Mable Mountain of the Garfield HillsStillwater Field Office BLM
(map link)
If I could figure out a way to make permanent travel work, I'd have turned south to finish wiggling around Nevada. I've not, so I turned north to finish circling Nevada. However, there were still a few days of good weather left, so I stalled out in the Garfield Hills to check them out. Reports for getting to the high point on Peakbagger indicate GarfieldValerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com085C3CJJQ+6X38.4305173 -118.360043238.43030718549057 -118.3603114209015 38.430727414509427 -118.35977497909852tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-55079929832956191052023-12-09T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-14T21:33:36.199-08:00Monte Cristo CanyonsTonopah Field Office BLM
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I got a late start because, well, it's cold out there. I don't particularly want to deal with the part of the day that's below 20°F, quite frankly. A south facing slope and warming sun can fix it right up in a little time. It's bad enough when water freezes, but when the pancake batter or even the eggs freeze, it is really annoying. When I did start out, itValerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0364V+57 Coaldale, NV, USA38.0554948 -117.756775238.055283599044472 -117.7570434209015 38.055706000955524 -117.75650697909852tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-83300189818714538682023-12-08T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-12T18:39:19.512-08:00Castle Peak and Norman BenchmarkTonopah Field Office BLM
(map link)
I had looked out at the colorful mountains and thought "I want to go there" and then gone off to some mountains that turned out to be a bit south of the ones I was looking at. The Silver Peak Range does have plenty of its own color, it is true, but I still wanted some wandering in the Monte Cristo Range. A little bit, anyway. As I poked at my resources, Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com185C4373G+J238.0540847 -117.724916938.000000053087206 -117.79358145078125 38.108169346912788 -117.65625234921875tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-10375649515227977502023-12-07T20:30:00.000-08:002024-02-14T21:33:48.308-08:00The CraterTonopah Field Office BLM
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"The Crater" proclaims the map as if, although there may be others around, there's certainly none of this stature. I left my camp just north of (or maybe within) the Silver Peak caldera and headed for it. First I stopped at Coyote Spring (a small swampy area beside the road surrounded by parched land) and the Silver Peak cemetery, then north to The Crater. Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0NV-265, Silver Peak, NV 89047, USA37.8223941 -117.642334837.821546554022135 -117.64340768360596 37.823241645977859 -117.64126191639404tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-76079886157230955752023-12-07T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-09T14:09:06.031-08:00Silver Peak CemeteryTonopah Field Office BLM
(Click here for the locaiton.)
On my way through, I stopped in Silver Peak. The cemetery is very cute with each site picked out in rocks. Someone seems to have added a huge number of wooden crosses to it recently, perhaps to distract from how many of the plots have been left without a name.
The cemetery at Silver Peak. Although not marked with names, some are singled Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0115 North 115, Silver Peak, NV 89047, USA37.7559033 -117.635451137.755479173847107 -117.63598754180298 37.756327426152893 -117.63491465819702tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-66026819549974176492023-12-06T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-08T17:33:58.202-08:00Silver Peak and Red MountainTonopah Field Office BLM
(map link)
My plan for the day was an out and back to Silver Peak, a little over 3.5 miles distant for the crow. For myself as a land bound creature, it would involve some winding and negotiation of slopes. There are numerous ascents on Peakbagger, mostly involving long 4x4 drives to or near a radio tower south of the peak and a half mile walk up to the top. Some Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0Coyote Hole, NV, USA37.7971525 -117.80537579.4869186638211573 -152.9616257 66.107386336178848 -82.6491257tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-83969433896622894032023-12-05T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-07T22:28:34.327-08:00Rhyolite RidgeTonopah Field Office BLM
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My initial plans for a western approach to the high point of Rhyolite Ridge may have been foiled (perhaps by my own timidity), but I could still find a way up on the east side to bag this 1000 foot prominence peak. The west side sure looks a lot easier. There is a track on Peakbagger indicating it didn't require any class 5.3 moves or anything, so I set outValerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0Cave Spgs Rd, Nevada, USA37.7970906 -117.818479337.79666669354863 -117.81901574180299 37.797514506451364 -117.81794285819703tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-50604275402799059622023-12-04T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-06T23:12:06.316-08:00Cave SpringTonopah Field Office BLM
(map link)
Corral, it says. Cave Spring, it says. Ruins, it says. There's a couple prospects and a building marked too. Okay map, I thought, we can stop there and see what all the fuss is about. That's quite a few little marks.
Cabin, corral, and Rhyolite Ridge.
I did find myself deciding that the way up Rhyolite Ridge was up the valley north of the road and pick Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0Cave Spgs Rd, Nevada, USA37.7970906 -117.818479337.79624283254843 -117.81955218360596 37.797938367451565 -117.81740641639405tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-60396081544900429812023-12-03T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-05T16:00:46.407-08:00Fish Lake Valley Hot WellTonopah Field Office BLM
Location: Fish Lake Valley Hot Well
It's really quite nice camped near Emigrant Pass. It wasn't too far below freezing at night and a bit of early morning sun could bring the temperature up quickly. And this morning, I finished brushing my teeth and turned around to find this bunch looking uncertainly at me.
A collection of pronghorn with different ideas on which wayValerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0Fish Lake Valley Hot Well, Dyer, NV 89010, USA37.8600876 -117.98379637.85331115404253 -117.99237906884765 37.86686404595747 -117.97521293115234tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-47844964590153035032023-12-02T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-04T21:45:47.136-08:00Emigrant Peak from Emigrant PassTonopah Field Office BLM
(map link)
Now it's time to go after Emigrant Peak. The plan would be much the same as the previous day: head out on some low track getting in some canyons, head back on some high track getting in the views. The weather folks were promising a bit of sunshine, but the skies weren't obliging. For the start, I headed north on a different road than the one I drove in on. Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0Emigrant Pass Rd, Nevada, USA37.9158769 -117.880013437.915030564121366 -117.88108628360595 37.916723235878635 -117.87894051639404tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-91001314338560392472023-12-01T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-03T15:25:34.089-08:00Little Canyons and Tops by Emigrant PassTonopah Field Office BLM
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Stopping in the Tonopah Field Office, I found it a lot less tourist directed than Bristlecone (Ely) or Caliente had been. The woman directing the office traffic said she wishes Battle Mountain (their district) had a nice recreation guide like that one from Ely. There isn't. You can find a brochure about a few people buried in the cemetery next to the Clown Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0Emigrant Pass Rd, Nevada, USA37.9158769 -117.880013437.91503036860135 -117.88108628360595 37.916723431398651 -117.87894051639404tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-33216054645629444362023-11-28T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-14T21:34:13.645-08:00Easy Chair CraterTonopah Field Office BLM
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One of the larger cinder cones in the volcano field around Lunar Crater is Easy Chair Crater. There is a thin, but smooth enough, road off the scenic backcountry byway past Lunar Crater at the first (from the north) cow water, then keep left at the Y. There is a small dirt lot and a sign for Observation Point Trail. It's a short route from the parking area Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0Easy Chair Crater, Nevada 89049, USA38.4418768 -116.035046610.131642963821157 -151.1912966 66.752110636178855 -80.8787966tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-13208626549800964132023-11-27T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-03T14:52:40.530-08:00Lunar CraterTonopah Field Office BLM
(map link)
I traveled the Extraterrestrial Highway (NV-375) looking longingly at the several good roads extending north past varied and beautiful mountain ranges. All missed on this trip. It's much more interesting than the area to the south, which is off limits testing grounds and supposedly includes "Area 51". Circling around on US-6 and then following an actual Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com06414 Mcr955900 Rd, Tonopah, NV 89049, USA38.3867768 -116.067999338.386566564926341 -116.06826752090149 38.386987035073659 -116.06773107909851tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-46549436293586563382023-11-26T20:00:00.000-08:002024-02-03T14:52:56.930-08:00White River NarrowsBasin and Range National Monument
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The three rock art brochures I picked up at the Caliente Field Office included one for the White River Narrows. When I had iffy signal, I had seen, but not kept, the printable map from this site. That would have got me to the sites, but the brochure has more to say about them besides don't touch, not even to take a rubbing. (But also, don't touch. Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0NV-318, Nevada, USA37.8431918 -115.026147537.842980007685071 -115.02641572090148 37.843403592314928 -115.0258792790985tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-51546513054653149642023-11-25T20:00:00.000-08:002024-01-26T08:58:34.707-08:00Crystal Wash PetroglyphsCaliente Field Office BLM
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I picked up three brochures for petroglyph sites at the Caliente Field Office including the one for Crystal Wash. Between the rough location of #98 Crystal Wash Petroglyphs on the Ely District Recreation Opportunity Guide (on the wrong side of the highway) and the description in the brochure, which referred to mile markers that have almost entirely Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com1Crystal Wash, Hiko, NV, USA37.5499757 -115.159579937.549125087520274 -115.16065278360595 37.550826312479721 -115.15850701639404tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337317150897548396.post-32419921181930324732023-11-24T20:00:00.000-08:002024-01-23T20:53:55.190-08:00Big Rocks Wilderness and Pahroc SpringCaliente Field Office BLM
(map link)
Camping at the edge of Big Rocks Wilderness by the "Welcome to Mecca!" sign, I decided that my goal for the day would be the Big Rocks Wilderness high point, which is also the North Pahroc Range high point. However, I did not want to walk up the road I had driven, nor did I want to risk driving it again with my inappropriate car, so I wouldn't be starting Valerie Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484251592068749175noreply@blogger.com0Pahroc Spring, Nevada37.6642246 -114.982428237.664118437432805 -114.98256231045075 37.664330762567189 -114.98229408954926