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Wednesday, July 2, 2025

National Trails Day - Bikepacking And Volunteer Work High Rock Canyon

 


June 2025 
It's funny, not ha-ha funny but, you know, kinda strange funny. As many times as I've been to the Black Rock and Sheldon areas I'd never actually been through High Rock Canyon. It was time to change that. 

I joined up with Kurstin on one of his ongoing "Ride With Friends" outings and this one was a mellow 3 day bikepacking trip up through High Rock Canyon to Steven's Camp where we would meet up with Friends Of Nevada Wilderness to perform some stewardship work in conjunction with the BLM.

There were 6 of us all together. Kurstin, Meghan, Shay, Christine, Nikki, and myself.  I'd ridden with everyone before except Nikki. As always it was a very experienced and cohesive group. Nikki, the only one I didn't know from prior rides has many years of outdoor experience hiking, trail running, riding and backpacking. So it was with these 5 other intrepid explorers that I set off into new to me territory. Easy riding led us north.



Kurstin explained the route the immigrants took and then we wandered down to view the Potholes.
Shay. AKA Dora The Explorer.

We got our first views of the ramparts and "Post Office Cave" with old immigrant inscriptions.


Camp for the night was a meadow area with nearby water at the mouth of Mahogany Canyon. I went for an unintentional swim when trying to retrieve water but figured since I was in there, might as well get water for everybody. That bank was treacherous. Definitely the crux of the trip!

Left to right: Shay, Meghan, Christine. P.C. Kurstin

Meghan P.C. Kurstin

Nikki documenting my sacrificial water gather. P.C. Kurstin

Nikki and me. P.C. Shay D.

I headed out a little earlier than the main group the next morning. Wading through some of the water crossings is unavoidable.




After another relatively easy day we arrived at Steven's Camp and met up with Friends Of Nevada Wilderness. Some of our group went to prune overgrowth along Upper High Rock trail, a couple worked with the crew cleaning up the cabin while Kurstin and I went to help the BLM folks dig out an old register kiosk and reinstall a new one. When we all met back at the cabin, the poor ladies that did all the pruning spent a lot of time cleaning ticks from their clothing and bodies. To their immense credit they took it all in stride. Not sure I would have been so calm about it all. That evening Friends Of Nevada Wilderness served up an outstanding dinner for all.

Not being much of a breakfast eater and wanting to beat the heat, I again got an early start on the group. From what I heard later it was another outstanding meal hosted by Friends. 

P.C. Kurstin

The early start had the additional bonus of being able to view a couple antelope and wild horse groups. A 35 mile ride got me back to my truck while still fairly early so I backtracked the route (drove) on good county gravel to check on the group. Afterwards while they finished their ride, I drove out to Gerlach for a burger and a beer! Life is good!


Stats: 72.2 mi, 3893 ft el. gain

Bike setup: Binary Bicycles Kinetik hard tail set up with 29 plus tires, bikepacking bags and rear rack.

Map and GPS: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50440286 

Monday, May 12, 2025

Tying Up The Dark Sky's Route - Gandy

 

"Don't buy upgrades, ride up grades. - Eddy Merckx 
Gandy - a laborer in a railroad section gang - Merriam Webster
 
May 2025
Text to Kurstin: "Had visions of finishing Gandy loop, Dark Sky's."
 
Unfortunately Kurstin was already committed so I planned to get out on my own to finish up our 600+ mile route from last October. But I had projects to complete as well and the weather was not co-operating for outside projects. It was far from certain that I was going to get things done in time. The part we missed on our original route was a little less than 100 miles but to loop it back to my start would make it 135. I had a couple days of good weather and was able to tie up my projects and pack for a quick trip out beyond Ely Nevada.

I started at the base of Kalamazoo Pass. Mere feet from where we camped in October before climbing the opposite direction up to the summit the following morning. Leaving the truck about 4:30 pm I retraced about 23 of the 35 miles of hwy 893 to where we left the route in October and found a place to camp by a creek. 

Schell Creek Range

Camp next to Indian Creek

Then in the morning finished the pavement and got back on route headed across Spring Valley and up toward Osceola and across the Snake Range. 

Snake Range ahead


Osceola Cemetary


Cresting the Snake Range

From the top it was a nice downhill most of the way to the Border Inn where I stayed the night even though I arrived pretty early. 

Wheeler Peak. Highest in Snake Range and 2nd highest in Nevada
 

I gave the Bates Family Ranch a call that afternoon to inquire about a cave tour the following day. They have Crystal Ball Cave on their property and generally give free cave tours. They can also provide cabins, RV and tent sites. Unfortunately for me they weren't offering any tours tomorrow though. I asked if I could still ride up to the ranch for a water top off and they were accommodating. 

The next morning crossing into Utah it was 30 miles of generally flat riding on excellent dirt to the ranch which I knocked out by 9:30 am. 

Looking back on the Border Inn
 
 
I rode into the ranch grounds and met some of the family and even though I didn't really need the water I loaded some up since that was my excuse for visiting. 



One of the older family members showed an interest in what I was doing so we chatted for 30 minutes or so while I cooled off in the abundant shade. It was so peaceful and relaxing it took a bit of effort to get moving again. I might add that the birds around the grounds were so abundant it was like an aviary. After leaving the ranch, the next point of interest was Gandy Warm Spring. A beautiful oasis of gushing spring water and slightly warm. 



I waded into the pool to wet my clothing for what I expected to be a hot day on slow dirt track. Kinda funny the things you think about. I ended up just wetting out my lower legs and taking my shirt off to dunk it. I thought if I fully immersed I might introduce some chaffing 'down under' with the wet clothing. From the spring I climbed through a low gap between the Snake Range and the Kern Mountains and the track I was following remained surprisingly good.

Kern Mountains

Skirting the edge of the Government Peak Wilderness I realized I could easily make it all the way back to my truck today, a thought I had since I wasn't taking the time with the cave tour. Wild Horses, Antelope and many dozens of 'Horny Toads' were my companions. Even saw a Kit Fox hiding behind his burrow.


Foxy keeping an eye on me

After a 15 mile downhill all that remained was a short climb up to hwy 893 and a couple more miles back to Kalamazoo.

Dropping back into Spring Valley

Even though this trip was planned just to close the loop of Dark Sky's, it turned out to be a great stand alone loop of pretty easy riding and interesting points of interest and scenery. I can heartily recommend this route as a not too hard 3-ish day loop. I carried 5 liters of water but could've easily only carried 3. 

Stats according to RWGPS:
Day 1 -  23.1 miles  421 ft climbing
Day 2 - 43.9 miles 2762 ft climbing
Day 3 - 67.2 miles 3030 ft climbing
 
Bike Setup: 
Binary Bicycles Kinetik hardtail with 130 suspension fork, 29+ tires and bikepacking bags and rear rack. 

Map and GPS file: Link



Saturday, April 26, 2025

Spring Rock Climbing At Red Rocks

 

April 2025
Although I'm not much of a climber anymore, I still miss it and try to get out to feel real rock under my hands once in a while. And so a couple of months earlier I had contacted my friend Jeff about a short climbing trip to Red Rocks. Jeff was my primary alpine climbing partner for 10 years when we were doing awesome things in Canada and Alaska. Jeff and I have a somewhat unique dynamic. I generally will pitch an idea, however unlikely, and his short reply is usually, "I'm in." I like that.

Red Rocks is an amazing venue for rock climbing. A short distance from downtown Las Vegas lie thousands of technical climbing routes from easy single pitch sport to mega long, hard as nails trad routes and everything in between. It's supremely scenic and has creeks in some of the canyons. Quite Zion-like.  It's really one of my favorite climbing venues. Seemed perfect for a couple old gray haired gumbies like us.

It was a fine few days of easy grades, great views, hands chock full of cactus needles and awesome rock. 

Day 1. Jeff approaching the belay on P1 of "Physical Graffiti"

Day 2. Beginning the approach up to First Creek Canyon and "Lotta Balls"

 

Riparian creekside oasis

I'm leading the overhang on P1 of "Lotta Balls" P.C. Jeff

Above the overhang on P1 of "Lotta Balls" P.C. Jeff

Jeff above the overhang on "Lotta Balls"

Lotta Balls wall is the dark wall in the middle of the image

Lotta Balls Wall and Strawberry Hill

Last Year it was $2 Hot Dog and beer, this year $3

We had time to visit the 'Speakeasy' under the Mob Museum

Day 3. Looking out First Creek Canyon from the base of Strawberry Hill

Jeff coming up P1 of "Berry Nice" on Strawberry Hill

Jeff leading out on P2 of "Berry Nice". There were 3 more pitches after this.

This is our rappel 3 on the descent. Our rope came up 30 meters short on the first rap so then had to build an intermediate anchor in a crack from a hanging stance. Glad I had some gear on me. To be fair the beta did say bring 2 x 60 meter ropes for the descent but it also said the first rap was 35 meters and we had a 70 meter rope. So there's that... This rap (3rd) was also a sticky pull. We had one more low angle dirty rap after this, then some class 3-4 scrambling to get back to our packs. If you do this route be aware! Also, if you do this route there is a sweet #3 C4 camalot, nut, alpine draw and 'biners about 30 meters down the first rap. Your welcome.

But everything is better with a victory beer. Cottonwood Station in Blue Diamond.