June 17, 2011 Pony Express Trail Western Utah

A map showing the Pony Express route (red) in western Utah. It shows some of the more prominent station in western Utah.

After camping at Utah Lake with my wife Tara for a week; she and I decided to follow the historic Pony Express trail in western Utah. We left Utah lake and drove south on I 15 to east Route 6. Drive on Route 6 through Eureka until you reach 36 north. This road will take you to the Faust pony express station. From here Tara and I drove on the Pony Express into Nevada stopping at each station stop. Remember this is desert country and extremely isolated. Carry a spare and know how to use it. Bring extra water and food dayttime temperatures during the summer can be well into the 100s. DO NOT start this trip without a full tank of gas. An atlas of Utah (I use the Benchmark Maps Atlas) will show the route and all the stations. On this particular day Tara and I were on dirt roads for over five hours. The towns of Callao and Ibapah have few services so plan according.

Short history: The Pony Express was founded by William Russell and William Waddell in 1860 to create faster comunications with the west. In the past it used to take approximately six months for a letter to reach California. The mail service began in St. Joseph, Missouri, and ended in Sacramento, California. The men carried saddlebags of mail on ponies between relay stations. Each pony rode at a full gallop for 10-35 miles. The service opened in April of 1869 with ponies leaving Sacramento and St. Joseph at the same time. First westbound trip 9 days 23 hours; easbound 11 days. At its heighth the service had 100 stations, 80 riders, and 400 to 500 horses. However, the service was never profitable and it ended after 19 months because of the completion of the telegraph. (Thanks to ponyexpress.org for this information).

An advertisement for the Pony Express and its guarantee of 10 days

An job advertisment in Missouri for prospective riders

Tara at the Faust station commemerative plaque. The first station we visited on the trip.

Looking east on Lookout pass

The monument for the Lookout pass station. Notice the missing station plaque. The station plaques at Rush Valley and Fish Springs stations were also missing.

The beautiful commemeration for Simpson Springs at the southern end of the Dugway Proving Grounds.

The original station cabin with Tara and Nevada

The Riverbed Station to the west

Remains of the Boyd Station near Callao, Utah.

The Canon station west of Callao, Utah. I skipped Willow Springs in Callao for this post becuase it was featured in this blog last June.

Deep Spring Station site in Ibapah, Utah, right on the Nevada border.

Hike in the Goshute Mountains of Nevada June 8, 2011

Looking south from the top

Today, I decided to hike to one of my favorite destinations near West Wendover, Nevada, which is the Goshutes Raptor Migration study site in the Goshutes Mountains. The view from the top is one of the best in eastern Nevada with 11+ mountain ranges visible in a fabulous 360 view. The range is a major flyway for migrating raptors and during the fall Hawkwatch International conducts banding and aerial surveys.

Directions: From West Wendover travel south on 93A approximately 15 miles until you see a NDOT station on the right side of the road (a pair of binocs will also show the turnoff). Follow the main dirt road straight back into the mountains going over small hill. Follow the pair of binocs to the trailhead. The turnoff for Goshute Peak Trailhead is shown in the picture below. From 93 A it is six miles to where the trail starts.

The hike: Overall, the trail is three miles one way and gains 1500 feet in elevation. It starts off on an old two track going into the Goshutes Peak Wilderness Study Area. After a half mile to mile the trail leaves the canyon and climbs steeply by switchbacks to the site. The views are spectacular the whole way. Vegetation consists of Limber pine, Whitebark pine, White pine and maple in the canyons. Keep your eyes out for raptors especially during the fall. On this particulary day Nevada and I chased a storm out of the mountains making for spectacular desert scenes.

The storm over the mountains two miles from the trailhead. As I was leaving and going back to town.

My favorite desert scenes; the clouds of an isolated storm

Looking north from the Hawkwatch site

One my favorite pics of Nevada except for the jeans in the corner of the pic

Another pic of desert country. This time looking southwest.

Needlepoint hike Wendover, Utah June 6, 2011

The view towards West Wendover

Today I decided to hike up a peak in the Leppy Hills called Needle point. It has no snow on it and is close to where I live in West Wendover, Nevada, making it a nice early season hike.

Directions: I started my hike at the Wendover Cemetery near Anna Smith Elementary School. To get to the cemetery take N. Arrien Blvd away from the casinos (main part of West Wendover). The road will gain elevation on its way to the cemetery.

The hike: There is no formal hiking trail up Needlepoint but one can follow dirt roads most of the way up the mountain. I left my car and walked around the outside of the cemetery keeping the mountain on my left. I continued walking through the desert on an ATV road to the north side of the mountain. Here there is a little used dirt road that goes most of the way up the mountain. From its end is about 50-100 feet of skree slope hiking to the top. The trip is no more than two miles one way with moderate elevation gain (600 feet). At the top the wind was blowing extremely hard; making it tough for me to stand up. In fact at one point it blew me over.

Skree slope hiking at the end of the dirt two track

Looking through the "needle point" near the top

The wind kicking up dirt near West Wendover Elementery school

Guzzler Project at Ruby Marshes with NDOW May 21, 2011

Great view looking west towards the Ruby Mountains

Last week on May 21, I volunteered with the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) to help build a guzzler at the Ruby Marshes; approximately 75 miles south of Wells. Guzzlers are man- made containers which trap rain water or snow melt. They are used in dry areas of the west to benifit wildlife during dry periods of the year. Because of guzzlers, places like Nevada and New Mexico can support more wildlife. The NDOW currently manages approximately 1,500 guzzlers in Nevada of which 300 have big collection devices.This particular guzzler will trap rain to fill tanks with water to benefit pronghorn antelope in the valley.

I drove from West Wendover with Steve Dennin, who teaches 4th grade. We arrived at the site at 9:20am and volunteered until 5:00pm. Our job mainly involved shoveling, carrying supplies and other support duties. NDOW supplied lunch and dinner as well. The best part of the project was networking with Nevada biologists throughout the day.

Another look at the snow capped peaks across the valley

The small container which animals will drink out of

The posts for the barb wired fence to keep wild horses out.
Needless to say, these biologists do not like horses. The pipe which carries water from the storage tanks to the guzzler is right underneath me. In theory the guzzler will remain full without human help.

The collection device at the end of the rain catcher. From here water enters huge storage tanks below. Gravity will carry water down a small pipe to the actual guzzler container.

The huge rain catching device

Goldpoint (Hornsilver), Nevada April 6, 2011

Some of the older wooden buildings along main street

My next six blogposts are interesting sites I visited on my spring trip to Southwestern Nevada in early April. Four of them are about historic gold and silver mining communities and two of them are petroglyph sites near Austin, Nevada.

I arrived in Goldfield late in the afternoon after driving from Tonopah. After touring around historic Goldfield I planned to stay camp at the Goldfield RV Park. Unbeknownst to me, the owner had just closed the establishment and was planning on returning to Salmon, Idaho. After talking to the owner, I received permission to stay for $10. This part of Nevada does not have numerous camping opportunities so I was extremely appreciative to be able to stay in town. The wind during the night picked up making for some chilly desert camping. The next day I drove the 25 miles south to Goldpoint. Goldpoint is in the Mohave desert so expect hot temperatures during the summer with much cooler winters.

Directions: From Goldfield take US 95 south approximately 15 miles. Turn onto NV 266 drive until you see the turnoff for Goldpoint.

History: Goldpoint, originally Hornsilver, had the same boom and bust history as most gold and silver communities in Nevada. The first boom occured in 1902 with the discovery of gold; soon an old ranching camp was revived becoming the community of Hornsilver. From the start logistics soon became a nightmare. First silver ore had to be shipped to a mill in Lida for processing. Second, because of the camps remoteness supplies such as, water and food had to be shipped in. Because of these extra costs within a year the settlement was abandoned. A second revival occured in 1905 with the discovery of a rich silver vein close to town. By 1908 businesses had opened and the population had rebounded. However, just like the first boom costly milling, inefficient mining and lawsuits halted the production.

The longest period of prosperity began in 1927 with the discovery of gold at the Great Western mine. Residents flooded in and businesses reopened. To attract more prospectors and because the mines were producing gold, the name was changed to Goldpoint. Mining continued until the Federal Government closed the mines during World War II. They never restarted. (Thank you to Wikipedia for this information).

Today, Goldpoint is a worthwhile visit because of the number of historic buildings and mining remanents still standing. A visitor can tour the Great Western Mine to the west of town for a small fee. On the weekends a saloon is open and a small RV park accomodates tourists. A local historical society puts on mock gun fights at times during the summer.

Joshua tree in town

Looking up a head frame close to town

A neat picture of mining equipment with the Mohave Desert

Outskirts of town with surrounding desert

Headframe at one of the old mines

Gallows along main street

Belmont, Nevada April 7, 2011

Historic Belmont

After leaving Goldfield and Goldpoint I drove north of Tonopah to visit the historic town of Belmont. The weather was clear with temperatures in the mid 60s; however, I was receiving word of a storm coming in from California which would effect my plans. Belmont has a rich history of boom and bust with a large number of historical buildings to view in town. It is definitely worth a visit.

Directions: Belmont is extremely isolated it is located 46 miles north of Tonopah and 115 miles to the south of Austin, Nevada. From Tonopah take Highway 6 east six miles until the junction for 376. Follow 376 for 13 miles until 82 branches of to the right. Follow road until the town of Belmont.

History: Belmont is worth visiting with many historical buildings and a brillant setting in the Toquima Mountains of Central Nevada. The town had three periods of silver mining 1866-1867, 1868-1873 and a small revival from 1914 to 1922. As a result, the town's population has fluctuated throughout the years depending on mine output.

The first boom began after an Indian discovered a silver deposit in the Toquima Mountains. Soon ten major mines were working in the area including the Belmont which was the deepest, the Arizona and the Highbridge. At the peak of its boom the town population hovered around 5,000. With a growing population, Belmont built a courthouse and became the county seat. At this time there were three newspapers operating in the town. However, the prospect of silver elsewhere in the state caused a drastic decline in population by 1868.

The second revival in the town occured in 1873 with the discovery of rich deposits in some of the biggest mines in the area including the Belomont and Monitor. Businesses opened again and the population rebounded back to 3,000. Stagelines were set up so people could travel to Tonopah and Austin, Nevada. Two major incidents caused the second decline. The first ocurred in 1878 when hoisting and mill works owned by the El Dorado Mining Company were set on fire. The equipment was not insured causing the company to go bankrupt. A boom at Bonnie Clare caused many people and equipment to leave.

The last major revival started in 1914 when the Monitor Belmont Mining Company bought most of the mines in the area. Production increased and a huge mill (the Cameron) powered by a $15,000 power line became operational. A third time businesses reopened and the population rebounded; however, the boom would not last and by 1917 the mill and mines had closed. A few small companies worked tailings until 1922 when the post office closed. Today, there are a number of small claims in the area but no major mining is ocurring. The biggest mines in the district are up at Round Mountain to the north and Silver Peaks near Goldfield. (Thank you to www. nvghosttowns.topcities.com for this information).

The beautiful courthouse; A must see

A Bed and Breakfast in town is operational today


The downtown buildings crumbling; showing the years of neglect.

Goldfield, Nevada April 5, 2011

Downtown Goldfield at its peak

Directions: Golfield is a historic mining comunity in Esmeralda County about 25 miles to the south of Tonopah on US 95. Goldfield is also approximately 195 miles north of Las Vegas.

History: Goldfield and Tonopah would be the kingpins of the silver and gold industry in the 1900s. From 1901 to 1940 the production of the gold mines in Goldfield would be $90,000,000. The most important mine the Mohawk #2 would produce approximately 9 million in ore. At its peak the gold camp would have over 20,000 people and four railroads. Goldfield's claim to faim would include the winner of the 1908 Around the World Auto Race from New York to Paris and the longest boxing match of 47 rounds.

Early beginnings: Jim Butler, kingpin of silver industry in Tonopah, Nevada, employed two prospectors Harry Stimler and William Marsh to locate the place where gold had reportedly been found to the south. December 1902, the men made three claims (Sandstorm, Kruger and May Queen) and they named the new dustrict Grandpa. October 1903 a group of 36 men established a town site and changed its name to Goldfield to attract settlers. Soon 19 additional claims would be found. After Jim Butler backed out of the investment Stimler and Marsh received interest from a Winneucca banker named George Nixon.

Boom years in Goldfield: Shipments of highly concentrated ore to smelters created a rush in thousands of prospectors and investors to Goldfield between 1905 and 1907. In 1905 a sleepy town of ten had grown into one with over 10,000 people. The richest shipment of ore to a smelter in San Fransisco helped to facilitate the boom of Goldfield (shipment was 47 tons and had a 609.610 ounces per ton in gold percentage).

By 1907 Goldfield had a population of 20,000 with all the amenities and four railroads. The town had fancy restaurants, hotels, theaters, social groups, athletic groups, unions, and a red light district. In fact, eastern newspapers were claiming that Goldfield had the finest hotels west of the Mississppi. Goldfield would become the county seat in May of 1907. By 1907 there would be four railroads operating in Goldfield including the Tonopah and Goldfield, Tonopah and Tidewater, The Bullfrog and Goldfield and a local line owned by a mill. The towns main building boom occured in 1907 because of a miners strike. At this time, the town boasted an astounding 49 saloons, 27 restaurants, 22 hotels, 84 attorneys among many others.

In 1907 George Nixon and George Wingfield became donimant powers in Goldfield buying almost all the mines and creating the Goldfield Consolidated Mines Company. This Company would oversee the mines and its employees until many of them closed in the 1940s.

Decline and today: A number of disasters would cause the decline of Goldfield. The first was a major flood which occured in September of 1913. This flood damaged railroads lines and destroyed homes. A devasting fire occured in July of 1923 completely destroyed 25 blocks of the Main Street area. The town would never recover from the devastating effects of this fire. A second fire which occurred in 1924 destroyed more important buildings.

Today, Goldfield is a reminder of one of the most important gold booms in Nevada. A visitor to the town will be able to see many original structures. Be sure to visit the cemetery which is very interesting and has many historic headstones. Mining is limited to a few small claims and companies. In town today their is a small grocery store, gas station, cafe and saloon; however, amenities are few. (Thanks to the Goldfield Historical Society for this posts historical information).

One of the best producers the Mohawk Mine of Goldfield; owned by Hayes and Monnette

Inside the Goldfield Hotel

Station for the Bullfrog and Goldfield Railroad in Rhyolite, Nevada

Downtown Goldfield today

Original Pioneers of Goldfield. These graves were moved from downtown by men calling themselves "ghouls" because the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad did not their station to be next to a cemetery.

The cemetery today

Old headframe near the mines

Collapsing cabin with the old mines in the Background

Headquarters for the Goldfield Consolidated Mining Company

The famous Goldfield Hotel today. Reported to be one of the most haunted buildings in the world. Legend has it that George Wingfield got a prostitute named Elizabeth pregnant with his child. Worried about his image he chained her to a radiator in room 109 until she gave birth. It is unknown whether she died during childbirth or was murdered. Her baby was then thrown down a mineshaft. Today many visitors claim to see Elizabeth in the hotel and hear a child crying.