A Geologic Legacy: Northwestern Nevada

The Owyhee Desert/Sheldon Refuge was one weekend trip, but I decided it would be better to break it up into two installments (since, geologically, the visits were to two separate proto-Yellowstone volcanic centers).  I procrastinated juuuuust a little bit, and then, like the Soviets with their Sputnik, Scott Oxarart beat me to the Sheldon Refuge punch with his write-up in the Reno Gazette-Journal.  Not that I have the same reach as the paper does, but I felt it was too capricious to put forth my own "blarticle" on my visit to the same sector in the same timeframe.  Then I kinda forgot about it for a while.  Then I got busy.  Then...I don't really remember.  All that's important, though, is that now, in February, I finally got my round tuit and am back to sharing my trips and tales.

And here it is.

The last "Geologic Legacy" ended at the Martin Hotel in Winnemucca (sweetbreads are delicious).  The next morning the wagon was unhitched and the long drive down the Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway began; after the first thirty miles US 95 passes under the Southern extremity of the Santa Rosa Range and passes into the Orovada Rift (the Quinn River Valley).

McDermitt Caldera "ruins" in the far distance.

While acknowledging to myself how incredible it would be to add the Montana Mountains to our ports of call for the day, I recognized it would not be remotely feasible.  So I had to suffice with one bad picture from far to the South to commemorate my perigee to this field.  And from here the Winnemucca-to-the-Sea heads West along NSR 140.

65 miles later 140 takes a hard left toward the Sheldon refuge at Denio Junction, with the town of Denio ahead 3 more miles along NSR 292 at the Oregon state line.  Well it would be fool-hardy indeed to to bypass the opportunity, so...Denio ahoy!

It was for sale!  You know, if you lived here you'd be home by now.

Darker pavement = Oregon.

Three minutes later it was back to the road toward the Sheldon Refuge after touring Denio from both sides of the state line.  Heading West once more 140 passes by Black Mountain before reaching Continental Lake.  

Not even a mirage!

The Northwestern shoreline of Continental Lake is quite striking, presenting plainly delineated volcanic layers occasionally severed by clearly defined faults.

But finding the fishing sub par and a narrow stream of asphalt crying my name, on I went toward the tablelands.

Around the corner was Bog Hot Valley, an inviting, hospitable land teeming with life.

Like Mesopotamia, the Nile Valley, and California's Central Valley
all rolled up together into one magnificent farmland with the
world renowned beauty of North Dakota.

Or the opposite of that.  The broad, clear views and desolation are inspiring, but this is surely not a place you want to break down without water or beer, although this happy li'l fella managed to eke out a living here...

This also brought the first views of the remains of the Virgin Valley Caldera ahead and the entrance to the Sheldon Refuge.

Even by Nevada standards this region of the state is stark.  This is true sagebrush steppe, where trees only exist where planted near water by man.  And it seems to go on and on and on.  If you have a problem with that then I feel sorry for you...it's unfortunate, but this is probably not the best Nevada sector to visit.

Virgin Valley is famous for opal.  The Virgin Valley black fire opal is the Nevada state gemstone, and several opal mines are not only active but also open to the public - for a nominal fare the traveler can try their own hand at exhuming specimens.  I didn't, but you can.

No, there was no "Bates Opal Mine."

There is also a very nice campsite here which was, in fact, the target campsite for spending Saturday night (juuuust a bit too ambitious, but the schedule was nothing if not flexible).

There is water here, too (a number of reservoirs known as the Dufurrena Ponds and ingeniously named things like "Pond No. 13" and "Pond No. 20"), and Virgin Valley forms a true oasis in this expanse of high desert; the surroundings never let you forget where you are, however.

Now this is the point in the post where I truly fail where Oxarart triumphed: Thousand Creek Gorge.  In the photo it looks like little more than a dark spot, but that almost aphotic "smudge" is a canyon of sheer volcanic cliffs cut straight through the hill.  I would be remiss if I didn't include my paltry photo in my humble documentary, though, so...ta daaaah!

The next stop, which turned into lunch, was Big Spring Reservoir.  There was another impressive canyon here, but given the time of day and accessibility I was fruitless in my attempt to get a photo...this time.  But the short hike attempting to find a proper vantage still yielded impressive scenes.

In this one you can almost make out the elusive canyon.

Big Springs Reservoir

And then it was time to whelp from the Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway and head Southward down a road that would soon go through the the Northwestern end of the so-called Badger Mountain Caldera.

The elevation is much higher here and the broad vistas are even broader.

Looking over the top of Gooch Table with the inappropriately

named Pine Forest Range in the distance.

And pavement is left behind for a good, long while.

Catnip Mountain on the right...this ridge is the edge of the

Badger Mountain Caldera.

Catnip Mountain

Gooch Table from the West

At long last the biome starts to change; the steadfast sagebrush steppe tempers just a bit and begins to co-mingle with that stalwart of the high country, mountain mahogany.  Shortly thereafter we were back in Washoe County (though still a long way from home...only 15 miles as the crow flies south of the Oregon state line).

Note the little stone shelter (or whatever) here.

Note the wild horses.

Blowout Mountain

Leaving the big sagebrush and mahogany behind.

You have the last laugh, Humboldt County.

This was SSR 8A, and the goal was, in about five miles, to head Southeast toward Rodero Flat, eventually ending up at Soldier Meadows via Summit Lake.  After realizing that my driving on the Winnemucca-to-the-Sea Highway was a little too exuberant (read: I drove way too fast and used more gas than I had expected) I rather steered my ever trusty Jeep toward Cedarville by way of Long Valley.  But all was not lost: my father had told me several times about growing up on the old ranch and a few of these stories involved a horse named Bitner.  Bitner was a wild mustang who was captured on and named for Bitner Table, and this route would take me right by.  Seeing Bitner Table had been one of my minor bucket list goals, so at least I had that going for me.

If you've ever looked at Washoe County on a map and wondered

just what is in that long stretch that extends all the way to

Oregon...this is it.

Bitner Table

A cruel reminder of my, ahem, enthusiasm on the blacktop.

Badger Mountain 

And with that the volcanic complex was behind.  I have made a few trips to Long Valley in my life and somehow it is always overwhelming for me.  Perhaps it's that almost trivial fact that I'm still in Washoe County yet 200 miles from home; perhaps it's the solitude; perhaps it's the solemn reminder of massacres and hardships along the Applegate-Lassen Trail which passed through this remote area.  Most likely it's a hearty amalgam of all of those, added to the fact that this is a thoroughly unique and gorgeous part of the state...and one that precious few visit (or likely will ever see).

Long Valley with the Playa of Massacre Lake to the Right

Table Butte

Watering Hole at the Turnoff to High Rock Canyon/Stevens Camp

Painted Point

Hays Canyon Range Across Long Valley

Hays Canyon Range Bluffs at Vya

Old Yella Dog Ranch at Vya

As usual on these trips I made a new friend.
(Curse you, J.J. Abrams and your stupid lens flare!)

Old Yella Dog Ranch at Vya

Old Yella Dog Ranch at Vya

Hays Canyon Range Bluffs at Vya

The Sad Remains of Old Town Vya

The Ghost of J.J. Abrams strikes again!

Long Valley from SSR 8A, Hays Canyon Range

Ditto 

(Painted Point in the Middle Distance)

If you thought the 40 Mile Desert would have been bad during

emigrant times, imagine taking the Applegate-Lassen trail.

Hays Canyon Range over Fortynine Pass

Fortynine Mountain

And with that the great adventure came to a close...more or less  Behind were the volcanic fields of Owyhee, Santa Rosa, McDermitt, Virgin Valley, and Badger Mountain and some of the most stunning and seldom seen scenery in Nevada.  

There was a little more to the story: dinner was had in Cedarville and a short drive to Fort Bidwell was thoroughly enjoyable.  BUT since that was on the other side of the state line...