Moments in Dirt and Ink

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest ( map link ) The Ward Mountain Recreation Area has a collection of loop trails generally aimed at mountain biking. There are two trailheads. The main/south one, Ward Mountain, is at the far end of the Ward Mountain Campground (Forest Service). The campground is $12 a night, but day use is free. There's water, but it is turned off on September 30 even though the faucets are winterized. On the other side of the highway is Ward Mountain North (Bureau of Land Management). Day use and camping are free, but there's not any place set aside for that camping. Both trailheads have bathrooms, the north has disc golf! These trails connect with the Ice Plant Trails which have trailheads on the southeast side of town. Loops at the main trailhead are clinically marked with a letter designating the area they go around, which does complicate signage a bit. Ice Plant seems to have trails named in cutsie ways evoking the general feel of riding them, as seems...

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (tan line, map link ) DAY 1  |  DAY 2 The wind changed direction by morning and was buffeting away at the tent, but the temperature had barely dropped below freezing. I nommed away at my wonderful ginger chocolate pancakes, then had to work with care so nothing took off down the mountain while I packed up. While very noticeable, the wind wasn't going so hard that it was a fight. The morning light makes the sky blush. Here comes the sun. Still in my puffies, I got moving toward Middle Schell (Schell Creek Peak 3595 on Peakbagger), which wouldn't take long. I found something like a wind shelter on the way, but wasn't sad I had taken the high perch instead. I expect it wouldn't have got me out of the wind quite so much. Um, until the morning, that is. Overlooking Timber Creek, only a couple miles long before vanishing into the ground again. Short, full of spaces, and not quite long enough, but this could shield one fr...

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (red line, map link ) DAY 1  |  DAY 2 I wanted to hike up trail and typical route to North Schell Peak, then along the ridge to South Schell Peak and return, a hike of some 16 miles. Since I seem to be making about 10 miles a day, my plan was to either get up really early for a big day hike or go for an overnight camping high on the ridge. After a brief errand in Ely, I arrived at Timber Creek Campground with some of the morning and all of the afternoon at my disposal. I was hoping to drive another mile or so to the campsites and trailhead at the end of the road where I could pack and plan at my leisure to start the following day. Perhaps I could. There was only one short patch of very rough road, a dense pack of tall stones sticking up all across it, that I wouldn't be able to avoid. Maybe they weren't too tall after all? A peak bagger says a Prius made it a couple years ago. I decided against trying. The campground, on the other hand...

Bristlecone Field Office BLM Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest ( map link ) I was aiming at the trails at the end of Cleve Creek Road, which is supposed to be maintained for cars, but it turned out to have a rough patch that the baby car barely got over and then I caught sight of the slightly deep ford across the creek. Nope. Someone had stuck a big rock right in the middle of the road on the far side, too. I hadn't even got half a mile along and there were at least four to go. I decided to stop in the fancy (and free) Bureau of Land Management campground just outside the National Forest instead. Weather moving through the evening before putting clouds in front of Wheeler Peak. Mount Moriah is hidden away a little more deeply viewed from Cleve Creek Campground. I had thoughts about going up Black Mountain for a big day hike, but not just now. The morning was 5°F (-15°C!) and even with a late start, I was dealing with my pancake batter freezing (which happens around 17...

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (red line, map link ) DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3 Another cold morning for getting up and getting breakfast, but no fight was necessary with my now dry boots just to get them on my feet. I packed up and headed out. Turns out, my little pocket of fairly dry area was something special. The spaces I thought would be dry after a sunny day were still very soggy and no warmer than my sheltered area, especially on an overcast morning. I probably had the best spot. Water flow just below the dry camp. The wide open meadow below is still very soggy. Trail covered in aspen leaves below the nude trees. My shoes got soggy again, but the water stayed on the outside. I was looking for a couple flowers I'd missed photographing in the rain on the way up. There should be a couple of red and a purple. Forest succession snapshot. Hendrys Creek under the cliffs.