Eastern Nevada is beautiful

[kavm]

We love the Ruby mountain wilderness. Incredibly beautiful place not on the busy tourist circuit.

[NW Crow]

What is a rough guide for when you can get into the NE Nevada high country above 7,000 or 9,000 feet, with decent roads & trail conditions, in early summer or fall? How much does slope side matter? Would you say many backcountry roads REQUIRE high clearance or is all wheel drive and caution usually enough? I pushed my luck more when I was younger (in Nevada and elsewhere in west) but less bold a driver these days.

Favorite trails, dispersed camping areas. wildflower meadows, lakes and mountain views?

[ChrisMT]

I’m not as familiar with the NE backcountry to be able to give you solid advice, NW Crow.

NE Nevada has more extreme COLD and long freezes in the winter compared the NW Nevada.

I can say from off-road experience in NW Nevada that most of the old mining roads need high-clearance 4WD or SxS and skid plates to be safe, if your determined to explore the higher elevations. The roads are usually narrow, rocky and often there isn’t much room to turn around if you get nervous lol! There is often water/mud obstacles on mining roads in the Spring and the roads can have wash-outs or downed trees early as well.

In my area snow banks can block roads through June (and longer in the high Sierra) around 7000 foot elevation and at lower elevations in shady ravines and the north side of passes. It all depends on extremely variable weather that is unpredictable from one winter season to the next.

I like using the AllTrails app to locate routes and get first-hand information from others who have explored the area. There are other websites and apps out there that can provide a great deal of information.

[NW Crow]

Thanks. That is about what I expected. Early summer rarely comes early enough.

Yeah, specific trips deserve specific research.

(Long ago I ran up Boundary Peak approach in a 2wd rental car. I would have been in big trouble in 2 ways if I hadn't guessed right on where my tires were every moment. I didn't know that much about the road ahead of time (guide book description didn't make that big a deal), just went for it. 15 of 20 miles in, eventually decided I had to change my mind. Got out ok.)

[ChrisMT]

Lamoille Canyon outside of Elko/Spring Creek is a popular tourist drive in the Ruby Mountains. Great Basin National Park has a tourist drive to the top of Wheeler Peak that is pretty terrifying, but it’s not because the road is rough….it’s all paved and graded…it’s just one of those vistas that turns your stomach over and over as you drive the route. I’m getting butterflies just remembering it! You’ll never forget that view! Then you have the Lehman Caves there to tour and Ely nearby has some other nice camping spots and trails. Heck, Highway 50 has some really cool little hot springs and petroglyph areas out there.

https://travelnevada.com/outdoor-rec...uby-mountains/

https://travelnevada.com/caves/lehman-caves/

https://www.nps.gov/grba/planyourvis...enic-drive.htm

[NW Crow]

Yeah Wheeler is an airy drive and climb. Road often not open til late June or early July (like Going to Sun in MT in that regard).

There are "big name" spots in NE NV. There are also lots of spots virtually unknown except to a few peakbaggers... and people who track their photos down... til they can get there... or perhaps instead of. Tick, tick...

[RMESMH]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I agree, and even better is part between Reno and Lake Tahoe, along the Mt. Rose highway. Before Covid we would go rent a condo every summer at Incline Village. If you haven't been there, give it a try some time. Now if you want to see the worst part of Nevada, take highway 80, between Winnemucca and Elko.

^^^^^.


Apparently some people hiked to ski there after it was abandoned, but I might be the only person on CD who skied at Tannenbaum a couple of times when it was a going concern (it closed in 1981). The old Tannenbaum location is off the Mt. Rose Highway.

Tour - Old Tannenbaum Ski Area

[ChrisMT]

Originally Posted by RMESMH

^^^^^.


Apparently some people hiked to ski there after it was abandoned, but I might be the only person on CD who skied at Tannenbaum a couple of times when it was a going concern (it closed in 1981). The old Tannenbaum location is off the Mt. Rose Highway.

Tour - Old Tannenbaum Ski Area

I learned to ski at Tannenbaum. Lots of great memories…lots of funny falling-off moments from those moving pylons (button lift) and ropes used to transport skiers up the slopes

[TheTimidBlueBars]

Originally Posted by ChrisMT

‘Sky island’ is exactly how I describe the sometimes bare-looking mountain tops to my friends. Here, at around 6500’ to 7000’ feet in the desert ranges, the sage and pinion often merge into fir, aspen, pine and huge manzanita thickets. There are fresh-water springs scattered throughout the hills (sometimes found by following mustang trails). Some areas that look like sage, desert and rock from google earth are actually verdant springs with mustangs and wild game under shady willows and cottonwood tucked into a ravine.

Lived in NV from 2018-19, did much exploring while there, and spent some more time there this past week.

In retrospect, I like how drab and brown most of Nevada is. It keeps the state largely empty, so you can pull off on the side of the road in most places, stare off in any direction, and see almost nothing man-made. Absolute silence besides the occasional car passing by at 90 mph because there's nothing for them to see. I'm glad Nevada isn't all ski slopes and trendy Bend or Bozeman type towns like much of the rest of the interior West.

[recycled]

Originally Posted by TheTimidBlueBars

Lived in NV from 2018-19, did much exploring while there, and spent some more time there this past week.

In retrospect, I like how drab and brown most of Nevada is. It keeps the state largely empty, so you can pull off on the side of the road in most places, stare off in any direction, and see almost nothing man-made. Absolute silence besides the occasional car passing by at 90 mph because there's nothing for them to see. I'm glad Nevada isn't all ski slopes and trendy Bend or Bozeman type towns like much of the rest of the interior West.

Many tourists from more densely populated places like to go the the western USA to experience the feeling of being in a desolate, wild area. Eastern Nevada is certainly a leader in that category, once you leave the handful of small to medium sized towns that are little dots on the map. The dark, clear skies at night are stunning when there is no artificial light coming from any direction, such as in a mountain valley with no town or main road. The absolute silence is also something to behold.