Wild, Wide Open Spaces of Nevada and Idaho

[Jerry]

Trip Report

[Thanks to Marian Johns who wrote the following trip
report for the Desert Explorers group and has
consented to our reposting it here. Desert Explorers
is a very active four-wheel drive sightseeing group
within the Mojave River Valley Museum Association and
anybody interested in backroad or overland exploration
should make a point of visiting their web page:
http://www.desertexplorers.org/ ]



Wild, Wonderful, Wide Open Spaces of Nevada and Idaho
May 26 - June 2 (a few years ago)

Seems Mr. Jaussaud has stood me up again ? but I
forgive him because it was for a most important
reason. This trip was planned on very short notice
(advertised only in the May newsletter) when Bob
suggested I lead another trip to Nevada.
Unfortunately, major eye problems and surgery
precluded the Jaussauds? participation at the last
minute. But six of us ? Tim and Alice Cannon, Ann and
John Fulton, yours truly and current hubby, Neal ?
voted to do the trip anyway. Our thoughts were with
Bob during our Nevada (and Idaho) escapades, and we
sincerely hope that his eye ordeal will be resolved
with favorable results.

Starting in the tiny and quaint burg of Cedarville,
California, that lies in the shadow of the snowy
Warner Mountains, we journeyed east, out across the
sagebrush desert of northwestern Nevada and into High
Rock Canyon where California-bound emigrants traveled
so many years ago. In one spot it is still possible to
see wagon ruts, and we stood in awe and admiration of
their feat which was accomplished with none of our
modern equipment and conveniences. This spectacular
canyon, with its high cliffs and small stream that
required many wet crossings, is definitely a 4wd route
because of a couple of short but steep and rough
scrambles.

As evening approached, we stopped at the Soldier
Meadows Ranch and asked if they allowed camping. It?s
a working ranch that is also a guest ranch, and they
do have a nice spot for tent campers with access to
the bathrooms and showers. The ranch is managed by
(but not owned by) Mac Hedges. Turns out he is an
author ? wrote an excellent prize-winning book titled
?Last Buckaroo?. It?s out of print, but we found a
copy at the Elko Museum a few days later. Mac had us
in stitches as he told us brief accounts of going to
college, courting his wife, Candi, breaking horses and
raising three youngsters, one of whom is still at
home. His 16 year old son uses the internet to
?attend? classes because great distances make
commuting to school impossible. As you can guess, we
thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

The next morning, we drove out to the nearby hot
springs where John Fulton took a dip while the rest of
us, just having had a shower, watched. The rest of the
day, we spent exploring the Pine Forest Range. I saw
nary a pine tree, but we did see some awesome views
from the mountain heights. We ate lunch by a beautiful
stream, followed a steep road up to Onion Reservoir,
and then continued 18 miles on a well-maintained dirt
road around and down the other side. Nightfall found
us at another hot springs ? Bog Hot Springs, which is
actually a hot creek. Several of us had an evening
soak.

Somewhere along the way, Neal discovered two of five
leaf springs broken in the left-rear set. We figured
the next stop had better be an auto shop, so we
pointed ourselves toward Winnemucca. Luckily, we found
a place that was able to take us immediately - they
found a third broken spring - and we were on our way
again by noon. But instead of dashing off into the
boonies again, we opted for a motel that night there
in town and dinner at the old Winnemucca Hotel that
serves Basque meals family-style. We had enough steak
scraps left over to keep Tessa happy for several days.

From Winnemucca, we drove north to Paradise, another
tiny and quaint community. After stopping for photos
of old homes, an old store, and a dead gas station
with one of those tall, round pumps, we headed on up
into and across the beautiful Santa Rosa Mountains. It
had rained recently so we proceeded carefully,
slipping and sliding along the steep mountain road.
The trucks were soon covered with sticky mud. Our
destination that evening was the 45 Ranch, located on
the South Fork of the Owyhee River in the
southwestern-most corner of Idaho. Last year we
reached this ranch from the Idaho side, and this year
I wanted to try it from the Nevada side. On the way,
we found ourselves greeted with a NO TRESPASSING sign
at a ranch on the Little Owyhee (dry). There was no
way around, so we just ignored the sign and drove on
in to the ranch buildings where we found three
friendly cowboys. So much for intimidating signs.
After chatting for a while, they pointed out the steep
two-track up to the canyon rim which subsequently we
took. In another 13 miles, we finally descended into
the South Fork?s gorge ? a remote but beautiful spot.
The river was wide and shallow last year in August.
This year in May, it was even wider and much deeper.
We strapped two of the trucks together (Johns? and
Cannons?) and cautiously ventured out into the
fast-moving water. No problem! We made it easily, and
the Fultons followed. As we drove the last short
stretch to the ranch, we found our way blocked by a
family of noisy killdeer that refused to vacate the
roadway. As mom and dad scurried along the two-track,
they were followed by three tiny chicks that were as
cute as bugs? ears. Needless to say, it was a very
slow half-mile trip to the ranch, and when we finally
arrived, we found it deserted. Not long ago, it was
purchased by the Nature Conservancy. Last year it was
occupied, but this year, the yard was full of weeds ?
no signs of recent occupation. We backtracked the
half-mile ? killdeer family still in possession of the
road - and set up camp along the river.

The following morning, we made our way back to
civilization, crossed back into Nevada and had lunch
in a Mountain City restaurant. After gassing up, we
turned off into the mountains, first to the east and
then to the north, on another dirt road. Brimming
creeks, fields of wildflowers and pronghorn antelope
abounded. But the highlight of the afternoon was a
huge red-tailed hawk nest occupied by three white,
fluff-ball youngsters that we watched from a
respectful distance through our binoculars. Mama left
the nest just after we stopped, but kept a watchful
eye on us from nearby. Nightfall found us camped in a
lovely streamside spot beneath towering canyon walls
near the Idaho border ? again.

Our morning route of travel was disrupted by an
unexpected locked gate, so we were forced to back
track and reconsider our options. The Idaho DeLorme
Atlas listed some ?Unique Natural Features? that
sounded intriguing, all within 50 or 60 miles of the
Nevada border. So we made an unplanned detour that day
back into Idaho and saw ? 1. Bruneau Dunes ? includes
the largest single-structured dune in North America;
2. Malad River Gorge ? cuts through a lava gorge and
dumps into the Snake River; 3. Thousand Springs -
where many falls ?weep? from the Snake River?s canyon
walls and cascade into the river; 4. Balanced Rock - a
huge, gravity-defying boulder is supported by a tiny,
narrow neck; 5. Shoshone Falls ? was a disappointment
because we came too late in the spring, and it was
dry, all of the water being diverted for hydroelectric
power and irrigation; 6. Caldron Linn ? was the most
spectacular sight of the whole day, where the Snake
River narrows to a width of 40 ft., and the water
thunders and swirls down several falls. We even had
time to drive by the Cannons? old home in Twin Falls.
Late that afternoon, we arrived in Burley where we
relaxed in a motel and showered off the dust collected
over the past couple of days. Even the three trucks
had a bath in a do-it-yourself car wash.

We turned south the next morning, heading for the City
of Rocks, a rock climber?s mecca where towering
granite rocks have weathered into fantastic shapes.
After much photo taking, we moved on down Junction
Valley and off the map, into the unknown. In order to
return to Nevada, we found it necessary to cross the
northwest corner of Utah, but had failed to bring any
maps of that area, since we hadn?t planned on going
there. So.........we pointed ourselves in the
direction of Nevada and took a dirt two-track west,
through an unlocked, and unsigned, gate. Though it was
unlocked at the moment, there was a chain and shiny
lock hanging at the side, as though someone might have
temporarily unlocked it with intentions of returning
and relocking it when they left. This was a
disconcerting dilemma, but we forged on hoping for the
best (no locked gate somewhere on ahead).

Turns out we were on the old California Emigrant
Trail. We topped out at Granite Pass and continued
left on the ridge road that had the most used tracks.
On and on we went, taking the most used road whenever
there was a choice, still wandering in ?unmapped?
territory. The uncertainty caused bitten fingernails
and rising blood pressures. Eventually, we thought we
saw our road (at least we hoped it was ours) far below
in an area of old mines. Sure enough, down, down we
went, past the mines to the last gate. And like the
other, it had a chain and shiny lock ? that was
unlocked! Never mind the ?Keep Out? signs that were on
the far side of it; we were not going back!

In honor of our success, and this being our last day
together, we pigged out at the truck stop buffet in
Wells, Nevada. After saying adios, John, Ann, Tim and
Alice drove on to Elko, while Neal and I camped in
nearby Angel Creek campground which is on the slopes
of the still-snowy northern Ruby Mountains. The
campground was nice, with only a few people there;
that was the problem, we already missed the great
company of the Fultons and Cannons on this scenic
trip.

by Marian Johns