Lighthawk (or others who know), Please tell me about Potts hs: Is it a semi-improved like Spenser -- on public land? Is it hot (not just warm)?
Whether or not I get over to the Monitor Valley depends on snow-road conditions.
A couple of years ago on the way home from GBNP (late Dec/early Jan) I had planned to spend the night at Spenser, but that road that takes off from NV376 -- the road that goes by Spenser and on over the Toquima Range to Monitor Valley -- had about 10-12" of snow on it...and I chickened out and didn't venture down to Spenser. Yeah, it probably would have been OK, but I didn't even carry chains (I do now), so I wanted to avoid an unpleasant adventure of being stuck.
Thanks.
Took your advice and headed out south of Austin NV. Really enjoyed it. Been living in the state for over 20 years and never really explored Nevada.
Started out across hiway 50 from Reno to Eastgate, just before the infamous "shoe tree" and south on 361 just north of Gabbs, then across 844 and over Brunton Pass and spent the first night at Berlin/Ichthyosaur State Park. Not a lot of snow but did get down, probably to the upper teens that night. Left there and traveled north to the old mining town of Ione over the summit and south on Forest Service road 018 which was the least traveled road and probably saw the most amount of snow. Followed the west side of Arc Dome Wilderness, then up the Big Smoky Valley to Manhattan, over the Toquima Mtns. and up the Monitor Valley to the old town of Belmont. Nice place, although good dirt/gravel road, there seems to be a lot of retire people there ...... cool old mining town. From there I continued north on SSR 2 up the Monitor Valley to the Monitor Ranch and again, back over the Toquima Range via FR 100 and down into Spencer's Hot Springs where I spent the night. I was the only one there that night and caught the sunrise early the next morning. Beautiful. The Toiyabe Range was a vibrant red .......... cold and clear. Headed down the Big Smoky Valley south to the turn off for Park Canyon and headed up a 4x4 road to the old stamp mill and town site of Park Canyon. Pretty photogenic place, what's left of the old mill and the jagged peaks of the Toiyabe's in the background. Made for a great place to spend the night. Lot more granite and saw toothed peaks than I had thought, a lot like some of the eastern Sierra area but without all the people .......... and unfortunately the water.
Central Nevada is a great place to explore, headed back soon. Think next, I'm going to head to north central NV. and the headwaters of the Owyhee River.
Happy Trails .......
Funstini
Whether or not I get over to the Monitor Valley depends on snow-road conditions.
A couple of years ago on the way home from GBNP (late Dec/early Jan) I had planned to spend the night at Spenser, but that road that takes off from NV376 -- the road that goes by Spenser and on over the Toquima Range to Monitor Valley -- had about 10-12" of snow on it...and I chickened out and didn't venture down to Spenser. Yeah, it probably would have been OK, but I didn't even carry chains (I do now), so I wanted to avoid an unpleasant adventure of being stuck.
Thanks.
Took your advice and headed out south of Austin NV. Really enjoyed it. Been living in the state for over 20 years and never really explored Nevada.
Started out across hiway 50 from Reno to Eastgate, just before the infamous "shoe tree" and south on 361 just north of Gabbs, then across 844 and over Brunton Pass and spent the first night at Berlin/Ichthyosaur State Park. Not a lot of snow but did get down, probably to the upper teens that night. Left there and traveled north to the old mining town of Ione over the summit and south on Forest Service road 018 which was the least traveled road and probably saw the most amount of snow. Followed the west side of Arc Dome Wilderness, then up the Big Smoky Valley to Manhattan, over the Toquima Mtns. and up the Monitor Valley to the old town of Belmont. Nice place, although good dirt/gravel road, there seems to be a lot of retire people there ...... cool old mining town. From there I continued north on SSR 2 up the Monitor Valley to the Monitor Ranch and again, back over the Toquima Range via FR 100 and down into Spencer's Hot Springs where I spent the night. I was the only one there that night and caught the sunrise early the next morning. Beautiful. The Toiyabe Range was a vibrant red .......... cold and clear. Headed down the Big Smoky Valley south to the turn off for Park Canyon and headed up a 4x4 road to the old stamp mill and town site of Park Canyon. Pretty photogenic place, what's left of the old mill and the jagged peaks of the Toiyabe's in the background. Made for a great place to spend the night. Lot more granite and saw toothed peaks than I had thought, a lot like some of the eastern Sierra area but without all the people .......... and unfortunately the water.
Central Nevada is a great place to explore, headed back soon. Think next, I'm going to head to north central NV. and the headwaters of the Owyhee River.
Happy Trails .......
Funstini
