Reconnoitering Trips
Trip 2001
Northern Nevada, Southwestern Idaho
(and a Blip of Southeastern Oregon Thrown in for Good Measure)
June 19 - 28, 2001

Between June 19 and 27, 2001, I undertook a trip throughout northern Nevada, southeastern Oregon and southwestern Idaho in search of ghost towns, adventure and to enjoy the wide open spaces that the Great Basin is known for. Beside myself, there was Alan Patera, of Lake Oswego, Oregon; Graham C., of Campbell, California and Gil S., of Mentone, California. Since we were coming from different points on the map, we elected Midas, Nevada - located in the far western side of Elko County northeast of Winnemucca, as a meeting point. Graham C. and I chose to meet at Hawthorne, Nevada or at Mono Lake, depending on the circumstances of our first morning travels.

My 4x4 rig at the time was my 1996 Chevrolet S-10. It was bone stock, with standard suspension. It was powered by the 4.3 liter V6 with the higher power option; a 5-speed manual transmission; standard, lever activated 4x4 transfer case. The interior sported the LS option package, which included upgraded interior materials. Other options were bucket seats and console. The truck had nearly 100,000 miles on it when we started. It turned over the century mark during this trip, on a dirt road in the wide open spaces of northern Elko County.

Graham C. drives a 1990 Chevrolet ¾-ton 4x4 pickup with a low profile, pop-up camper. The truck is scarcely optioned, running a 350 cubic inch V8 and a 5-speed manual transmission. Graham has equipped the truck over the years for expedition and is well equipped to tackle everything (except frozen smog pumps between Jarbidge and Elko!).

Alan Patera drove his bone stock 1997 Ford Explorer. It's the most stripped Explorer I've seen, virtually no options. It's well used off road and the lack of fluff has suited this rig well.

Gill S. tagged along in his 1990 Pontiac Grand Prix. He slept in it, ate in it and drove it over miles of dirt roads. The car would have escaped unscathed, if not for his hitting a deer on the dirt road between Tuscaurora and Midas after he split from our group on the last day we all were together. He continued to drive his wrecked car for a couple more days, until he stopped to visit friends in Reno.

My camera at the time was one of the original Sony Mavica digital cameras, with a resolution of 640x480. It was in its dying stages at the time. It started acting up on the second day of the trip; completely quit and then inexplicably began working again, then died completely on the last day. I took a 35mm Pentax camera along as a backup, but used old film. None of the photos I took with the Pentax came out, I shot one roll.

Due to the tremendous amount of photos that I have taken while on this trip (more than 700), I will include only a few here on this page. To view my photos of ghost towns and historic locations, hyperlinked text will take your browser to other Web pages that display my photos taken on this trip, as well as photos taken by others; these pages will also have historic information. Simply click on those town or location names that are in blue and underlined and your browser will open these sites in a separate window.

This account is in a paraphrased format, but includes all travel and most experiences. Map below outlines the entire route.

Click to Enlarge

Part 1: June 19-20, 2001 - Trona to Big Pine to Midas to Lye Creek Campground (Santa Rosa Range)

Tuesday, June 19, 2001

Thursday, June 21, 2001.

Videotape Dana narrating use of wagon while standing in front of it. Stand and talk out in yard. B's dog scares up a big bull snake (pine gopher). Graham goes after snake - Graham is Australian by birth and is facinated by snakes. Go back to schoolhouse. I go up to top of hill by cemetery for photographs lost when camera was acting up and to watch for Gil S. who is to arrive at noon. Top of hill is known in Midas as only place a cell phone works, so make a call home. Gil seen driving up canyon at 12:10pm in his blue early '90s Pontiac Grand Prix. All meet at schoolhouse. After Gil gets tour, we leave Midas. Gil uses my spare FRS radio, everyone else has own. Drive back out dirt road for I-80 at Golconda. Rock flies off Graham's back tires and chips my windshield. Drive to Winnemucca. Get gas.

Drive north on US95 to NV290. Drive to Paradise Valley. Photograph old abandoned buildings in old business district. Beautiful valley with high, snow capped mountains on west. Try to find road leading to Spring City and Queen City ghost towns. Get lost - once, twice, three times. Graham and Gil decide to drive north over Hinkey Summit to Lye Creek Campground high in the Santa Rosa Range. Alan and I drive our separate vehicles to Spring City. Axle deep flour dust in the valley floor, narrow and cliff hugging road in mountains. Find Spring City - several stone walls, mill ruins, milling and mining machinery. Walk up into superb bowl with cottonwood trees and super campsite. Drive back to Paradise Valley.

My digital camera suddenly acts up again, refusing to recognize the floppy disks. Loose opportunity to photograph the most wonderful sunset colors on the Santa Rosa Range. Chase Alan up into and over Hinkey Summit (dirt roads). Wonderful road switchbacking up under and over dramatic basaltic cliffs 1,000 feet high. Aspens and meadows all along. Get to Lye Creek campground at dusk. Set up camp in thick aspen grove. Cook supper. Eat and drink. Toast of beer all around (except Gil, who had coffee) to celebrate all of us finally getting the trip started. Set up bed in truck, fall asleep. Gil sleeps in his car (which he does each night of the trip).

Continue to June 22nd

©2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 D.A. Wright
All Rights Reserved

Revised: 08/14/2006