Desert Survivors NV Desert Trail Dispatches
This page will have the dispatches from the Desert Relay as they are sent in from the Trip Leaders.
DISPATCH FROM THE 2004 NEVADA DESERT TRAIL RELAY
This page contains Segments H, I, J, K.
Dispatch from Desert
Trail Segment H – Garfield Hills
May 17-19, 2004
By Craig Deutsche
There were three participants on this section of the Desert Trail in addition to myself: Steve Perry and Lasta Tomasevich had been hiking for nine days previously and continued on for this and the next section. Lori Bledsoe arrived from Houston via a rental car, which she picked up in Las Vegas, and I (Craig Deutsche) had driven from Los Angeles. The guidebook was very good for this section, and curiously our only uncertainty was in spotting the cars for the shuttle.
We left a car at the north trailhead exactly as the guidebook suggested – somewhat off of highway 95 about a mile northwest from the town of Luning. When we later picked up the car one of the residents across the street mentioned that he had nearly called the sheriff to report an abandoned vehicle. He recommended telling someone living nearby about the vehicle and suggested leaving the car instead at the rather large truck parking area in Luning. He felt the car would be safer there and that the post office could be informed.
The walk on the first day was largely across a flat lakebed and then a short distance into a canyon. Mercifully the sky was partly clouded. The distance was 8.5 miles. On the second day we took the recommended detour to climb Mable Peak. Although there was something of a radio antenna on the summit, we built a cairn and left a register indicating the Desert Trail with a first entry by Desert Survivors. The trip then turned into one rather long day to reach our spotted car. Steve and Lasta, who had been walking ten consecutive days, were hoping for a layover day, and if we pushed a bit, then there would, indeed, be a day between the sections H and I for some recovery. While it was never consciously planned this way, the group just kept walking. When we were wondering about making a camp the car was only two miles away, and so we finished the trip in two days instead of three.
The high point of the trip, literally and figuratively, came between Mable Peak and the descent into what had been named “Mine Canyon.” The route traveled about two miles along a high ridge with wonderful views in all directions. Largely we were following old horse trails along this section. The descent from the ridge, according to the guidebook, is marked by a cairn, some trash, two old tires, and an immense pile of horse manure. Everything was exactly as expected except that the horseshit was gone. We respectfully submit to Steve Tabor that organic trail signs are not entirely reliable. Of more interest, however, were the old mine, which lies about half a mile north of the ridge. The rest of the day was entirely downhill. In all we covered 13 miles in 11 hours.
Perhaps it should be reported that the layover day was spent variously. Steve and Lasta did washing, shopping, and eating in Hawthorne. Lori accompanied them. I drove to the Berlin-Icthyosaur Park north and east of Gabbs for sightseeing. In all, the hike went very smoothly.
Pictures from Desert Trail Segment H – Garfield Hills
Picture 1: Three hikers: Lasta, Steve, Lori
Picture 2: Desert Trail pennant on Mable Peak
Dispatch from Desert
Trail Segment I – Gabbs Valley Range
May 20-23, 2004
By Craig Deutsche
This segment of the Desert Trail also had three participants in addition to myself: Steve Perry, Lasta Tomasevich, and Bob Ellis. Lori Bledsoe returned to Las Vegas after the previous segment.
As on the previous segment, the matter of spotting a car at the end of the route proved to be rather interesting. When we left a car at the north trailhead (the road east from 361 to Rawhide) we happened to meet a lady along the road who was owner of the Diamond A ranch. Her name was Dama. She suggested that we leave the car on her property about 1.0 miles farther west and 0.2 miles north (on another dirt road). She felt it would be safer there – “you don’t know what some of the teenagers might do.” She and her husband had been raising alfalfa for two years but found the soil to be too saline and were giving it up. As they had water rights and a good well, their next venture was to be fish farming for tilapia. In addition they were planning to create something of a wetland for migratory birds. Who knows, the next travelers on the Desert Trail may find gourmet dining east of Gabbs.
Along the route over the Gabbs Valley Range there were some uncertain moments in navigation, although we never lost the trail. The first day was somewhat warm going across Soda Lake Valley. We began at the truck parking flat in Luning and crossed 361 only a mile or two before entering Sphinx Canyon. We camped at about mile 8.0 between the Sphinx and Two-tone Peak. This was about the last convenient camping place with some flat ground before going into the narrower canyon near Banks Spring. There was, indeed, a bit of water here, but it was only a trickle and probably should not be considered reliable.
In the second day we traveled to a camp about a quarter mile south of Redrock-Paint Rock pass. The climb to the pass above Petrified Canyon was not particularly difficult the guidebook was accurate and helpful. As we approached the checkpoint #8 (Fork in Petrified Canyon at mile 10.1) we had some confusion. Although the guidebook does not mention it, the road goes right and north nearly as far as the “Cliff Spring” that appears on the map. As the book notes, that spring seems not to exist on the ground. At this junction we used the GPS rather carefully to determine which of the various drainages on the right was correct. The subsequent route to Ferguson pass was clear. Bob and I (only) climbed the ridge to peak 7946, and we left the register there with a note indicating that (1) this was not Ferguson Peak, and (2) if someone else later goes on to Ferguson Peak please take this register along and plant it correctly. We left this register in a cairn that is quite visible, so it seems likely that it will be found, and perhaps forwarded to the main peak. We simply didn’t have time to make the hike and still make sufficient progress along the Desert Trail for the day. The route from Ferguson Pass to the “Fork near Redrock Narrows, checkpoint #11” was clear. We did not scout Redrock Spring and don’t know if there was water or not. The route from there to our camp was reasonably clear, although we did use the GPS to confirm our position.
On the third day we traveled to checkpoint #16, detoured to get water at Paint Rock Spring, and then continued about one mile beyond Ants’ Pass where we camped. Paint Rock Spring had a great deal of water. There were some cows, but the water was not badly trashed.
The fourth day was an easy 7.0 miles down Superstition Canyon and we reached the car by 11 AM. Steve and Lasta made plans for shopping and a (real) meal before meeting the next group for segment J. Bob and I started driving for home.
This section of the Desert Trail is truly delightful. It winds through washes, follows ridges, and crosses two passes. Views are good, there is water in the middle of the third day, and only one section requires a significant ascent.
Pictures from Segment I, Gabbs Valley
7. Water At Paint Rock Springs
Continue On To Read Segment L and On.