Thirteen hikers came out
for this long trip, some 1600 miles, to bag these Nevada peaks whose beauty is
legendary in, the DPS. On Sunday. July 1, we met for Wheeler at 7 am
(California time) about 550 miles from LA, inside the Great Basin Nationial
Park at the small parking area for hikers. The co-leader, Ron Hudson, and
Hannah North had driven down from Boise, Idaho; some had come a day early to
see the Lehman Caves. Duke and Penny Blakesley had gotten in on a candlelight
tour at 6 pm Saturday, but most of the cave tours were fully booked on this
holiday weekend. The climb of Wheeler involved 3100' gain, 9 miles round trip,
and high altitude (13,063), and we came down in the early afternoon and set off
for the vicinity of Ruby Dome. Many drove over Surprise Pass on 229 from 93 and
camped in Lamoille Canyon at a spectacularly lovely campground that night; one
group stayed in the KOA campground east of Elko. The Elko public swimming pool
closes at 5 pm on Sundays, a disappointment...the $1.50 Fee was less than the
$3.00 many of us paid for showers at various other places in Elko. One car got
into the Spring Creek Campground (the gate was unlocked) and stayed there
overnight. In the morning, this vehicle (Karen, Dale Van Dalsem, and Rheta
Schoenman) turned out to be locked in, and when the others turned up at the 8
am meeting time, Duke Blakesley went and got the key from the Property Owners
Association, successfully persuading them to let us all drive up to the
trailhead for Ruby Dome. (Leonard had failed to line the key up in advance.) We
started around 8:40 am and were back in the late afternoon. The 11,387' summit
involved 4300' gain, and 8-9 miles round trip. The climb was beautiful and the
snow hampered us very little; we went up the left ridge rather than up to the
saddle and ridge to the right of the peak, since that saddle and ridge featured
overhanging snow cornices. Most of us went to the well-recommended Nevada
Basque restaurant in Elko for dinner, but it was closed on Monday so we ended
up at the Star Basque restaurant in the next block. Again some camped in
Lamoille Canyon.
The 3rd of July was an "off" climbing day, but two
tireless pairs (Ron and Hannah and Dale and Rheta) p1anned to climb Jefferson
then. Leonard who had Jefferson, had selfishly planned a day of leisure to
drive the approximately 300 miles between Ruby and Arc Dome, searching for
Diana's Punch Bowl and some hot springs (at least 40 miles south of 50 on the
dirt road to Belmont some 30 miles west of Eureka) so glowingly written about
by Owen Maloy. Owen's letter did not mention distance, so two cars without
topos (Dick Agnos and Karen Leonard, Jim Conley and Jon Manash) gave up and
continued west to Austin for lunch, but Fred Bright and Suzanne Booker found
these marvels, as did Ron, and Hannah on their way to climb Jefferson earlier
that morning. Ron and Hannah dipped in some hot springs and were fiercely
bitten by tiny red mites....George Toby and Gisela Kiuwin were first to arrive
at the Columbine campground, the roadhead for Arc Dome, and it offered plenty
of fish, flowers, and birds to entertain us. By 10 pm that night all had
arrived for a good campfire. The Wednesday hike of Arc Dome (11,773') from the
west involved 4600' gain, 10 miles round trip. We began at 6 am and were back
by 2 pm, coming down the loop trail into a steep brushy canyon, on the way
back. All hikers did all three peaks and the Jefferson hikers were successful
too. These peaks are high and scenic and the views, from roads. Mountains, and
campgrounds, were just great. Thanks to all the participants for a fine time,
and especially to Ron for coming down to lead us on the climbs. |