Nevada Trip, Spring 2012

First night at Steven's Camp, High Rock Canyon area.

This trip was over a year in the planning which was mostly due to an unexpected postponement of the original date. Now I have delayed posting for over three months.

My brother, Bruce, and I planned to make a week to ten day camping trip in the Nevada desert (which could be anywhere in Nevada I guess). And we were going to tent camp with two vehicles. I wanted to take the Samurai over so we could visit rougher areas than we could take my truck. I have a tent and large air mattress for the back of the truck and Bruce would tent on the ground. Our desire was not to rough it too much but also get into some rough country. We did that.

The truck and Samurai were stuffed with supplies, tools, fuel, etc. A week or ten days is a long time when there will be no stores to replenish our stocks, or get a shower. I towed the Samurai as it is not a fun ride on a long highway trip.

Holey Rocks!

We began our stay near the upper end of High Rock Canyon at Steven's Camp. There was a nice very small stream and poplar trees. It was cold, windy and a tiny bit wet. We tried to time the trip before the desert got hot so we wouldn't need showers as bad or as often (we did sponge bath in frigid water).

It is a pretty cool ride through the canyon, but you do need some clearance. I used low transfer case gears because first gear in high was a little too fast over the rough rocky road.

Spent three days exploring around this area and rock-hounding.  Many of the roads we wanted to explore are now closed off by BLM. It can't be from overuse as they are deplorable (just what we wanted) and we only saw two other rigs in four days. I guess someone decided it is good to shut us out of most of the area.

Obviously the entrance to Yellow Rock Canyon.

Bruce in the emigrant wagon wheel tracks.

A nice overlook of the meadow to have lunch.

Living room size cave. Blackened with fire smoke inside.

Emigrant graffiti with my watermark :) near the cave.

Bighorn sheep, ewes and lambs.

There were at least five lambs.

On the morning we left this camp it was sleeting, raining, blowing, and dusty all at once. We traveled up into the Sheldon Antelope Refuge at Devaney Springs. It was grassy here but no creek. I'll post the rest of the trip soon. Lots of horses here.

Token Snow Patches

Mary and I made a day trip on Wednesday up to the west side of Lassen Park. Not actually in the park, but not much over a mile from it's west boundary either. I didn't find one road that I couldn't drive because of snow. Even at an elevation of 6,800 feet at times. There were patches of snow here and there though. Poor Mt. Lassen looks like summer.

Of course we were also geocaching and found most of them we looked for. Big ones like this are easy. It's the film canisters that are easy to overlook. Wish Jack was with us cause there was loot in this big one.

The rock formations up here are quite surprising. We found lots of holes, cracks, and figures. They must be fertile rocks too as there are trees growing right out of the middle of many. It seems to be decomposing granite, but who am I to say.

I found a couple of unobstructed views of Mt. Lassen. Most of the time trees block part of it. Might be good for an evening shot with the right clouds, etc.

I plan on going back for more exploration in the summer. The winter days are just too short and usually to deep with snow up there.

Short Notice Geocaching

Close to the top of Bohemotash Mountain with Mt. Shasta in the background.

At about 8:30 this morning Mary and I decided to go for a ride in the Samurai. We chose to take Route 1 from Shasta Dam to Trinity Mtn. Rd. since there is no snow yet. There are some fantastic views up there. We (I) also decided to pickup some geocaches on the way.

The Trinity Alps in the background.

Our last cache of the day. Also where I went down for the count.

A totally great day with my wife.

North of Shasta Lake

_DSC0024, a photo by Jim Arnold (jga154) on Flickr.

Garry and I took a drive today in the Samurai to the north of Shasta Lake. We photographed some mushrooms, found some geocaches, and did some mild wheeling. There is some very pretty country up there as well as at least one high place for a view. We found one of the geocaches at Hogback lookout.

Only saw one Forester and some bear hunters.

I posted more mushroom photos on my Flicker Photostream

Mt. Lassen and Chaos Grags

Mt. Lassen and Chaos Grags, a photo by Jim Arnold (jga154) on Flickr.

I took this in July while on a solo camping trip near Old Station. Solo camping is rather solitary and gets old after three nights out. At least it did for me. Doesn't mean I won't do it again.

I towed the Samurai up and slept in the back of the truck...on a mattress...in a truck bed tent. The Samurai and I went exploring during the day.

Mary won't go tent camping any more. So, if I can't find someone else, I go alone.

A High Spot

A High Spot, a photo by Jim Arnold (jga154) on Flickr.

This is looking north along the Lost Coast near Shelter Cove. Actually we could see Shelter Cove about two miles down as the crow flies behind the Samurai. It is about a hour long, ten mile drive though. This view is from the Paradise Ridge Rd.

The ocean and beaches were foggy all day this day.

Catchin Air

This is what happens when I play with the big boys. About ten inches of air with my left front tire. It got scary a couple of times but the experienced guys didn't look worried. I had a blast and learned a lot about the Samurai too.

Note to Self

Note to self. Next time you are high centered in snow, have a bigger, not rotten handled, shovel. Had a great time up around Miller Mt. today. Met another Samuari owner and we hit the snow drifts. We each got stuck several times and had to dig out once. My old GI folding shovel bit the snow(dust). Now it's just a funky trowel that doesn't work very well.

Needless to say Mary was afretts (haha spell check does not know what afretts is) the whole time.