Ruby Mountains Wilderness (Nevada) 13-Sep-2017

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VanMarmot
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Ruby Mountains Wilderness (Nevada) 13-Sep-2017

Post by VanMarmot » September 22nd, 2017, 8:12 am

This hike was part of a hastily arranged roadtrip to Nevada to escape the wildfire smoke that was smothering Southern Oregon.  It was also an opportunity for me to visit a few localities I'd missed in years past, such as the Ruby Mountains Wilderness, which is located on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest about 30 miles southeast of Elko, Nevada. Almost 40 years ago, I drove into the Thomas Canyon Campground at the mouth of Lamoille Canyon, got out of the car, gazed in wonder at the surrounding glacier-carved escarpments, got back in car, and drove off.  Because, in those days, I believed, with the ineffable hubris of youth, that I had places to be and things to do that were more important than wilderness. Oh, what foolishness.  Well, those other places and other things have now come and gone, and it was finally time to visit this wilderness which I had so easily (perhaps too easily) spurned back in the day.

Paved Forest Road 660, off of Nevada Highway 227 out of Elko, took us directly to the Roads End Trailhead high (at 8,800 feet) in the heart of the wilderness. From there, we planned to hike over Liberty Pass (10,400 feet) and down to Liberty Lake or maybe as far as Favre Lake (if we were feeling unusually spry).  Stepping out of the car at the trailhead - into what was a smoke-free, bluebird perfect day - brought back my memories of that high-walled, glacier-carved valley I'd passed on back in the day. Ah, second chances...

Image Looking up the Lamoille Valley from the trailhead

The Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail starts at this trailhead and climbs gently up the middle of the valley,

Image In the valley shortly after leaving the trailhead

then dodges left (east) to cross Lamoille Creek and begin a steeper ascent of the east wall of the valley. From here, pointy Snow Lake Peak was constantly in view to the west.

Image Snow Lake Peak (11,137 feet) atop the canyon's west wall

After some moderate climbing, the trail leveled out,

Image Leveling-out just before the Dollar Lakes

and soon passed the first of the Dollar Lakes - the one which owes most of its existence to a beaver dam on its northeast margin (we could also see the top of the beaver lodge).

Image The eastern Dollar Lake

Image Dead limbs in the eastern Dollar Lake

We then passed the western Dollar Lake and proceeded almost on the level,

Image On the way to Lamoille Lake

to near the outfall of Lamoille Lake. You'd have to take a use trail to actually visit this lake since the Ruby Crest Trail starts its climb to Liberty Pass at about this point and stays above the lake.

Image Looking down on the outlet of Lamoille Lake from the Ruby Crest Trail

The climb up to Liberty Pass is on a well-graded trail - a steady up with no wildly steep sections.

Image Climbing toward Liberty Pass on the Ruby Crest Trail

Going up, we got great views down toward Lamoille Lake,

Image Lamoille Lake from the Ruby Crest Trail

and out toward the trailhead.

Image Looking north up the Lamoille Valley from below Liberty Pass

We crossed the pass and descended to a huge rock outcropping known locally as the "Liberty Lake Overlook." What a totally breathtaking view! Clear skies (with just a hint of cloud for contrast) and an iridescently crystal clear blue lake framed by rocky ridges and crags - stunning! It made my heart weep to think I'd passed on this lo those many years ago. So sad.

Image Liberty Lake from the overlook

Image Liberty Lake from the overlook

From the overlook, the trail wends its way down the western wall of the lake basin.

Image Descending toward Liberty Lake from the overlook

Once at the lake, we left the Ruby Crest Trail and headed east across its outlet with the idea of taking an alternate trail down to Favre Lake. We got part way down and then decided to return to Liberty Lake for lunch. From our turn-around point, we could see Favre Lake,

Image Favre Lake, with Castle Lake on the bench above it

and down the Kleckner Creek Valley to the desert beyond.

Image Looking west down the Kleckner Creek Valley

We made Liberty Lake's outlet into our lunch spot - and what a view we had from there!

Image Liberty Lake

Image Liberty Lake

And then, sadly, reluctantly, it was time to head back. After picking up some trash left at the lake by obvious douche bags, we started for the pass.  Climbing back to it proved to be pretty easy - despite the altitude - because the trail is so well graded.

Image Climbing back toward Liberty Pass

Image Liberty Pass from the south

We had been warned that thunderstorms were a possibility and the rapidly gathering clouds over Lake Peak (10,922 feet) seemed to suggest that bolts of lightning were somewhere in the making (they were, but not till much later).

Image Clouds building over Lake Peak

From the pass, it was all downhill.

Image Descending from Liberty Pass

Image Descending from Liberty Pass

Two trails leave the trailhead - a hiker trail up the east side of the valley and a stock trail up its west side. Since no pack trains were in sight on this day, we figured it would be OK if - for a change of pace - we descended the stock trail. The two trails diverge just below Lamoille Lake, with the stock trail crossing the creek here.

Image Crossing Lamoille Creek on the stock trail

The stock trail has a few switchbacks but mostly it's a treeless ramp from the trailhead to the lake. Fine for a descent but not one we would have enjoyed for an ascent.


Image Along the stock trail

Image The trailhead comes into view from the stock trail

A truly excellent hike in an amazingly beautiful alpine environment - one you wouldn't suspect existed given the miles and miles of sagebrush surrounding it. A moderate hike (8.3 miles roundtrip; 2,500 feet of elevation gain) made a little more demanding by it's being all over 9,000 feet. I'm truly glad I lasted long enough to get a chance to spend some time in this area. And doubly glad the LovedOne was along to enjoy it with me (her brave hiker smile and all)!

Image Our track into the Ruby Mountains

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Re: Ruby Mountains Wilderness (Nevada) 13-Sep-2017

Post by justpeachy » September 22nd, 2017, 5:58 pm

Wow, great trip report! Such beautiful scenery! I had NO IDEA scenery like that existed in Nevada of all places. :o

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Re: Ruby Mountains Wilderness (Nevada) 13-Sep-2017

Post by pablo » September 22nd, 2017, 6:03 pm

Neat place & nice photos. I followed that link you provided to get a Google Earth view of the area, wow, a lot of stuff in there - kind of like the Wallowas. I was scouting Nevada earlier this year for some hiking opportunities and I was surprised at all the nice wilderness areas there in those long mountain ranges that go N/S the length of Nevada. I hope to get over there some day although the Ruby Mtn Wilderness is bit of a long drive from Oregon. You go through Lakeview to get there?

--Paul
The future's uncertain and the end is always near.

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Re: Ruby Mountains Wilderness (Nevada) 13-Sep-2017

Post by jessbee » September 22nd, 2017, 6:06 pm

Thank you for sharing! I've been curious about that area so I may need to hit it up this spring :) beautiful photos.
Will break trail for beer.

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Re: Ruby Mountains Wilderness (Nevada) 13-Sep-2017

Post by VanMarmot » September 23rd, 2017, 6:26 am

pablo wrote:Neat place & nice photos. I followed that link you provided to get a Google Earth view of the area, wow, a lot of stuff in there - kind of like the Wallowas. I was scouting Nevada earlier this year for some hiking opportunities and I was surprised at all the nice wilderness areas there in those long mountain ranges that go N/S the length of Nevada. I hope to get over there some day although the Ruby Mtn Wilderness is bit of a long drive from Oregon. You go through Lakeview to get there?

--Paul
Thanks! For us, Highway 140 & Highway 95 to Winnemuca then east on the freeway to Elko. If you want break up the drive, the rugged Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness is just east of 95 on your way. From Elko you can access the Ruby Mtn Wilderness or head north to the Jarbridge Wilderness or southeast to the East Humboldt Wilderness. But the Rubies have most of the lakes.

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VanMarmot
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Re: Ruby Mountains Wilderness (Nevada) 13-Sep-2017

Post by VanMarmot » September 23rd, 2017, 6:28 am

jessbee wrote:Thank you for sharing! I've been curious about that area so I may need to hit it up this spring :) beautiful photos.
Thanks! For a Spring trip, be sure to check snow levels (unless you want a hike on snow). Most of these ranges are high enough to get quite a bit of the white stuff.

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jessbee
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Re: Ruby Mountains Wilderness (Nevada) 13-Sep-2017

Post by jessbee » September 23rd, 2017, 6:57 am

VanMarmot wrote:
jessbee wrote:Thank you for sharing! I've been curious about that area so I may need to hit it up this spring :) beautiful photos.
Thanks! For a Spring trip, be sure to check snow levels (unless you want a hike on snow). Most of these ranges are high enough to get quite a bit of the white stuff.
Yes I will be sure to do that. I'll be passing through the area in spring, so... It would be a shame not to explore something. I'll have my snow gear in the car :)
Will break trail for beer.

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Ruby Mountains Wilderness (Nevada) 13-Sep-2017

Post by Don Nelsen » September 23rd, 2017, 4:41 pm

I think I see a calendar shot or two! Nice - thanks for showing us such a beautiful place.

dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

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Re: Ruby Mountains Wilderness (Nevada) 13-Sep-2017

Post by arieshiker » September 24th, 2017, 5:59 am

Awesome report of one of my favorite locations VM.....Back in my working days, I did random projects with Nevada Highway patrol, and a trooper told me about the Ruby Mountains area. He also suggested the route as a good shortcut from the Elko region to Ely and Great Basin NP. A bit lonely of a drive, but when you're sure of your vehicle, it's a nice, long, lonely drive - even scenic from time to time. The trail you were on is also accessible from the south, although as a round trip or shuttle, probably a bit taxing. Harrison Pass Road (HPR -which goes over Harrison Pass of all things!) is the cutoff route after you leave road 227, and take 228 on SE. It (HPR) comes out on the Ruby Valley Road, which is on some maps, not on others. The drive down Ruby Valley Road is long and tedious and, like on numerous Nevada wild roads, you wonder if it actually goes somewhere you want to be. But, it eventually comes out on Highway 50 (Loneliest Road in the U.S. by designation) and just thirty or so miles west of Ely. Going through the various high areas, numerous small motor homes (travel trailers?) or pickups with camper shells were wedged as much out of sight as possible. I suspect more than a few had been in their perch for months??? You picked the absolute best time to hike though - and got lucky at that, so well done. Spring melt out is very unpredictable, with the unpaved roads being equally unpredictable. Usually the local NHP or NDOT can tell you road conditions with decent accuracy. For some further serious adventure, although lacking in serious hiking options, SW of Austin and south of Ione on roads that also don't appear on every map) is Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park. Berlin being an old mining ruins and Ichthyosaur being a large marine mammal in almost full skeleton in an enclosed quarry building. Apparently one of the many dinosaur creatures inhabiting the ocean when it covered Nevada and other locales. The park has (or had) a smallish campground with lightning shields covering the tenting area, which was a first for me. Very unnerving to sit out a lightning storm under them, but better than the option no doubt. And there's no place else to hide. It was 20+ years ago that I visited the area, so things might be changed??? Nevada is such an under-rated state for excellent wilderness hiking, although safety issues are obviously a bit different from hiking in the Cascades.

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VanMarmot
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Re: Ruby Mountains Wilderness (Nevada) 13-Sep-2017

Post by VanMarmot » September 24th, 2017, 7:05 am

Don Nelsen wrote:I think I see a calendar shot or two! Nice - thanks for showing us such a beautiful place.

dn
Thanks, Don! But would a Nevada (!) shot be acceptable to the OregonHikers calendar? If so, it would certainly widen our horizons...

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