Virginia City, Nevada Chollar Mine July 14, 2012

                              Stamp used in a mill
Tara and I returned to Virginia City, Nevada, to tour the Chollar Mine. The Chollar Mine, later Chollar-Potosi mine, was one of the best producing mines in Virginia City. While operational miners blasted over $17 million in gold and silver. Today the mine is a popular tour in Virginia City. For seven dollars (two for children) visitors are taken 400 feet into the main tunnel.  Information provided on the tour consisted of the history of Virginia City, the concept of square-set timbering, and what mining was like in the 1800s. Visitors see an impressive array of old mining equipment including drills, headframes, and ore carts. I would recommend this tour to anyone visiting Virginia City. Other posts on Virginia City include Queen of the Comstock Lode and the Silver Terrace Cemetery.(Information from www.chollarmine.com and www.visitvirginiacity.com).

                               Headframe on the grounds

                                Ore chute

                                Mine walkway with yellow ventilation

                Tara and I outside mine

                                  Ore cart with surrounding desert
          
Below; Tara next to stamp used at one of the local mines

To the Summit of Mount Rose July 12, 2012

                                      Me at Galena Falls

I returned to the Mt. Rose Summit without Nevada to hike to the top of Mt. Rose. The hike is strenuous: 10.8 miles round trip and over 2,000 feet of elevation gain. During the first two and a half miles the trail takes you by Galena Falls and a small creek which was a nice place to cool off. Vibrant blue lupine were prevalent along the creek bed. After two and a half miles the trail to the summit of Mt. Rose branches off the Tahoe Rim Trail. From this saddle, the trail switchbacks gaining altitude quickly. Make sure to wear a hat and sunscreen as the sun is intense at this elevation. High winds picked up near the summit. If you attempt to hike Mt. Rose in the spring or fall winds and cold temperatures are a major problem.

While on the  summit I talked to two very interesting guys: Harold and Kenny who lived in Carson, City. They were very interesting; having lived and worked in the Tahoe region throughout their lives. We had a spirited conversation about hiking in the west and conservation in the Tahoe Basin.

                         Lupine in wilderness

                                 More lupine pics

                     Looking toward Lake Tahoe near the summit

                      Looking north along the spine of the Carson Range

                     Me on top with Reno in the background

               Lake Tahoe with rocks in the foreground

                           Interesting clouds on top

                                Different colors of lichen on the summit
                       

National Automobile Museum Reno, Nevada July 10, 2012

On this blog I highlight museums throughout Nevada which are worth visiting. One of these local gems is the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada. The museum has a collection of 200 vintage cars from Bill Harrah. At the time of his death, Bill Harrah, owner of Harrah's Casinos, owned over 2,000 vintage automobiles. Holiday Corporation, which purchased Harrah's after Bill's death, donated over 175 cars and a research library in 1989.  Admission is $10 to enter. The museum has an impressive amount of information about each car on display as well as the history of the automobile in America. 

                                The Thomas Flyer; competed in a race from New York to Paris

Mt. Rose Wilderness Loop hike July 9, 2012

                                                Looking toward Relay Peak and Snow Pond

General Information: The Carson Range of Western Nevada offers many recreation opportunities including hiking, snowshoeing and off-road driving. Prominent peaks in the range include Mt. Rose and Jobs and Freel Peaks. Elevations range from 6,400 to a high of 10,776 on Mt Rose. The most popular part of the range is the Mt. Rose wilderness. The wilderness is located southwest of Reno, Nevada. One of the  access points is Mt. Rose Summit on Highway 431 approximately 35 minutes from Reno. Here you can access the Tahoe Rim Trail as well as the trail up Mt. Rose. Major tree species of the Carson Range include jeffrey pine, lodgepole pine, mountain mohagany, whitebark pine and limber pine. Animal species include deer, black bear, mountain lion and raptors.

The hike: Today I left my car at Mt. Rose Summit. The hike today was a seven mile round trip along the Mt. Rose Summit trail and back along the Tahoe Rim Trail. The hike took me by Galena Falls and Snow Pond. Along the way I saw nice views of Relay Peak, Mt. Rose, and Lake Tahoe. The route itself is easy to follow and elevation gain is approximately 400 feet. The only downside of the loop is that the last 2.5 miles from Snow Pond to the trailhead is not in the wilderness and along Forest Service road 051. Temperatures became hot on this section and shade was hard to come find.

                             Looking west toward Lake Tahoe and the Crystal Range

Lake tahoe from the trail

                  Lake Tahoe and Route 431 descending to Incline Village