Wagons Hooooo!

[rusty_tlc]

Since the last meeting I have been thinking about a pretty ambitious run. I'd like to follow the wagon routes across the entire state. The trip wouldn't be on any one wagon train route since many of them are now under I-80 or other highways. The idea would be to stay off pavement as much as possiable. I'd like to do it in the early fall, after it cools off but before it gets to cool for comfortable tent camping.



Still very much a Blue Sky thing right now.


Anybody interested?

 

[locrwln1]

Oooh! Lets get the maps out and start the plans. Darcie and I are always up for some desert running. That's why we sold the rockcrawling 4runner and bought the LX.

Some friends and I did a Nevada Safari a couple of years ago, we left the pavement at Golconda and other than a little pavement at Wild Horse Res., we didn't see pavement until we hit I80 coming down from Jarbidge. We went to Lamoille Canyon worked our way down the rubies and hit dirt again until we came out on US 50, went east a few miles and turned south onto the dirt again. I have since completed the route between US 50 and US 6 all dirt. Some absolutely beautiful country. It was a great trip and would love to do it again, only with a little better route planning.

In fact the picture in my signature is the run from 50 to 6.

Jack

 

[spressomon]

I'm in...as long as it's before the start of Chukar season (usually the second Saturday in October)

 

[krokarthecrooked]

count me in

Deff count me in love to see where dirt roads go and how many places i can go Rofl just say when ill be there hopefully have the 60 lifted and a winch on it by then hehe or my 40 with a small trailer to haul supplies and tent like stuff oughta be pretty cool trip as youll be comming through my neck of the woods at some poitn depending on what routes your following


Dan

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Can I join you guys? I've been thinking about this exact run, east to west across Nevada, no pavement. I've even thought about doing it in lieu of Cruise Moab next spring. Fuel might be the issue, but I think that is probably doable. Keep me in mind, I'll subscribe to this thread.

 

[locrwln1]

Can I join you guys? I've been thinking about this exact run, east to west across Nevada, no pavement. I've even thought about doing it in lieu of Cruise Moab next spring. Fuel might be the issue, but I think that is probably doable. Keep me in mind, I'll subscribe to this thread.

This could get good. Although I would rather do it this year.

Jack

 

[rusty_tlc]

I did a little looking around on Topozone and the interweb last night.
The Wagon routes from the NV/UT border are still mostly off pavment. From Elko to Winnemucca all the routes I looked at followed the I-80 corridor. From Winimucca to CA the Applegate Lassen trail is still largely undeveloped.

The view of the trip from 40,000';

Segment 1 Hastings cutoff,
Pick up the trail on I-80 where the Union Pacific tracks cross, follow it through th Pequop Mountains then over to 93 @SR 229, SR229 to SR767 south through the Ruby Marsh area, back north along Huntington Creek to I-80

Segment 2 Midas/Tuscarora
I have never been in the Midas/ Tuscarora area so I would head north from Carlin. I saw an interesting trail that follows Coal Mine Canyon and kind of meanders in the general direction of Midas. Pick up SR789 at Midas, this is a graded gravel road.

Segment 3 Apple Gate Lassen trail,
Pick up the trail at Winnemucca, Rosebud canyon over to Black rock, across the plya, High Rock Canyon, Vya, end up at Cedarville.

Cruiser Drew, AFAIC you are welcome. As you can see we will cross I-80 a few times so gas will not be a problem. I'm sure the trip could be done without hitting the pavment this much but I kind of want to stick to the Wagon Routes as much as possiable.

I would prefer to do the trip in the fall because the Black Rock Plya can be impassable in the spring.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I'm in...as long as it's before the start of Chukar season (usually the second Saturday in October)

Are you sure? High Rock Canyon is packed with Chukar, I'm pretty sure it is lightly hunted due to it's remote location.

 

[chicago]

How many days are we talkin here...
I might like this one as well, so long.... as....well...its not too long!
I might be able to talk the wife into going too. Its far engouh in advance that she could get the time off of work...
Sounds like a blast!

Chicago

 

[jmkfj60]

This sounds like a great trip. Just got back from the Gerlach this past weekend. Man I love the Desert. If we can get some dates set, so people could plan for the time off, I would be in, so would the family. Anyways hope everybody is having a good new year so far. Josh

 

[rusty_tlc]

This sounds like a great trip. Just got back from the Gerlach this past weekend. Man I love the Desert. If we can get some dates set, so people could plan for the time off, I would be in, so would the family. Anyways hope everybody is having a good new year so far. Josh

Good to hear from you Josh. Still just dreaming at this point. I'm not even sure it is practical to do as a single trip. It would make three nice long weekend trips.

 

[locrwln1]

Good to hear from you Josh. Still just dreaming at this point. I'm not even sure it is practical to do as a single trip. It would make three nice long weekend trips.

Well depending on the routes, I'm pretty sure you could complete it in 4-5 days easy.

So are you thinking about starting in Cedarville or cutting across Smoke Creek to Gerlach, up 34 and over to High Rock Canyon and then from there to the Playa and over to Jungo to Winnemucca? With a decent start, you could make it to Winnemucca or Midas on the first day. Just a thought.

Jack

 

[jmkfj60]

Good to hear from you Josh. Still just dreaming at this point. I'm not even sure it is practical to do as a single trip. It would make three nice long weekend trips.

Either way I think that this would be an excellent adventure, even if we broke it up. Just traveling out and a bout in the desert is fun. If any of the these wagon trails are like the Mcgrew, its gonna fun.

 

[rusty_tlc]

So I got thinking about how much time would be needed to do this as an enjoyable trip.

Segment 1, Hastings Cutoff;
Day 1 - Unless you got a start at o-dark thirty the better part of a full day just to get across the state.
Day 2 - Figure another full day to sight see, find a route which may be tough unless some one has first hand knowledge of the area. It may take a full day just to make it to somewhere around Shantytown by late afternoon. There is a decent camp ground just south of there. If we got there early enough we could take a tour of the trout hatchery. Spend some time in the evening to do some fly fishing for Tiger Trout in the Banana pond, or casting some plugs off the Brown Dike for Bass.
Day 3 - Follow the Hastings Cutoff around the south end of the Ruby Mountains. About here things get fuzzy, I've followed the main road back to I-80 but never the "Jeep Trail" that parrallels Huntington Creek shown on the topo maps. It could take as little as a half day or as much as a full day to get back to I-80.

If this was a stand alone trip on a four day weekend it would allow some time to explore the Ruby Mountains and still not have a killer drive back to Reno.

Segment 2, Midas Tuscarora;
I have never been in this area, no idea how much or little time would be required to get a feel for it.

Segment 3, Applegate Lassen Trail;
Day 1 - The section from Winnemucca to Soldier Meadows through Rosebud Canyon is described in Dobbs Guide to the Black Rock Desert. He list GPS coordinates and gives a great description of the road. Based on my experience of his description of High Rock he does an accurate job of describing routes. Taking time to play on the plya and check out some of the stuff in Dobbs guide would still leave enough time to make Soldier Meadows and set up camp.
Day 2 - With an early start there would be enough time to enjoy High Rock Canyon and take a side trip to the Petrified Forest, and maybe Leadville, then north toward Vya. There are a lot of good places and explore along the way. There is one neat place where there are some Beehive shaped rocks that looked like it would have some good spots to camp.
Day 3 - Last trip we were running short on time so we kind of boogied from Vya to Cedarvillie, I'd like to check out the area more. There would be plenty of time to explore and still not rush back to Reno.

As a stand alone trip the 2.5 hours drive to Winnemucca from Reno could be done either early on Day 1 or after work the day before. This could be a nice three day trip.


Damn that was a lot of typing. I am probably way off on estimates and missing a lot of things so tear it up guys. I have no pride of authorship.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Well depending on the routes, I'm pretty sure you could complete it in 4-5 days easy.

So are you thinking about starting in Cedarville or cutting across Smoke Creek to Gerlach, up 34 and over to High Rock Canyon and then from there to the Playa and over to Jungo to Winnemucca? With a decent start, you could make it to Winnemucca or Midas on the first day. Just a thought.

Jack

You posted while I was typing. I had envisioned it as following the footsteps of the pioneers, so that why I was thinking east to west. Direction isn't all that important.

 

[locrwln1]

You posted while I was typing. I had envisioned it as following the footsteps of the pioneers, so that why I was thinking east to west. Direction isn't all that important.

East to West works, I just always think about leaving from and returning to Reno. East to West would be cool, just to give it that right feel.

I don't see a problem with your plan. Let's figure out the routes and dates.

Another trip to look forward to.

Jack


P.S. I listed the information on ExPort about the 100 in CC.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

It could be 5-6 days from my standpoint, I just need some warning on dates. East to West sounds appropriate, and for me, the more remote, the better. If you guys fill it up with club members, I'll totally understand, but I love long distance, big effort style trips. I'd like the chance to go.

Last year I was looking at a similar route only North to South. There is great stuff to see in central Nevada too. Two weeks and long range tanks would do it justice.

 

[spressomon]

Are you sure? High Rock Canyon is packed with Chukar, I'm pretty sure it is lightly hunted due to it's remote location.

That's an idea . I could, with a little luck and time, provide sustenance for the group .

 

[spressomon]

It could be 5-6 days from my standpoint, I just need some warning on dates. East to West sounds appropriate, and for me, the more remote, the better. If you guys fill it up with club members, I'll totally understand, but I love long distance, big effort style trips. I'd like the chance to go.

Last year I was looking at a similar route only North to South. There is great stuff to see in central Nevada too. Two weeks and long range tanks would do it justice.

It would be nice to keep the group to 6-8 rigs max...we'd love to have you along Andy!

FWIW: My vote would be to either do a complete trip or maybe two/multiple 4-5 day events.

 

[rusty_tlc]

It would be nice to keep the group to 6-8 rigs max...we'd love to have you along Andy!

FWIW: My vote would be to either do a complete trip or maybe two/multiple 4-5 day events.

I'm actually thinking two trips this year to fill in the blanks on Segments 1 and 2 then the real deal next year.