From north of Gabbs we drove over a good dirt road into the lone Valley and to the ghost town of Berlin, the jumping off point for a pleasant and interesting side trip to Ichthyosaur State Park. Then after a climb over another range and a visit to Ione we came to the Reese River Valley. This beautiful valley, filled with green fields, runs along the western base of the Toiyabes. The upper Reese River Valley is a lightly wooded area with narrow side canyons and grassy meadows. The area is covered fairly well by a network of not too distinct trails. The region is so lightly travelled that, trails across the meadows were completely overgrown. There was still a small amount of snow on the higher ridges and each gully was alive with dancing water. The summit is covered with fort-like campsites, probably constructed by the CCC as there have not been many parties to the summit in recent years. Across the Big Smokey Valley is the Toquima Range with its high point, Mount Jefferson. Its summit stretches unbroken for over 5 miles. The vegetation was sparser than in the Toiyabes, but the streams were running equally well. We approached from the town of Round Mountain and followed a poor, even by California standards, dirt road up a canyon to an abandoned mining area. At this point the road deteriorates to a jeep trail. This appears to be a popular area as there were a good number of people camped along the stream. The stream beds are heavily wooded and travel along them is virtually impossible. Over the Fourth of July weekend we drove to the Wheeler Peak Scenic Area. The first day was spent in a tour of Lehman Caves and in general sightseeing. The campgrounds were reasonably full but even on a holiday weekend there was ample space. A new road leads to a campground near l0,000 feet on Lehman Creek, a beautiful setting in the pines. Even after seeing the high country of the Toiyabes we were not prepared for the Alpine beauty to be found in this region. In the upper reaches of Lehman Creek there are springs, lakes, a dense Forest of Bristlecone Pine, and a permanent ice field. The impressive east face of Wheeler towers above the ice field at its feet. This face has been climbed but it required a major effort due at least in part to poor rock. The summit commands a section of Nevada containing many fine peaks, a number of which should be considered for addition to the list. The Snake Range spreads to the south, containing a number of 11,000 foot plus peaks, and assorted lakes and streams. Mount Moriah and the Shell Creek Range cut the sky to the north and northwest. This beautiful area is well worth the rather long drive from Los Angeles.

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