Camping and Hiking at Sacramento Pass, NV

[DonTom]

Over the top of the hill, I went on Weaver Creek Trail for a while:

Many choices:

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

 

[DonTom]

Just before my dinner, I did my usual closer hike around the area, not far.

This place has so many endless trails in every direction, most not shown on the maps.

So @Jackiemac, when will you come here? I know you also enjoy hiking and this place is a hiker's paradise.

I hiked up the hill on the southwest side, but it was already getting a little dark so the photos are not all that great:

Pond from the hill:

Some weird rock formations around here:

My RV from up there:

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

 

[Jackiemac]

I'm not sure if or when we are going back there.

I like a goal on our hikes. Mostly I prefer petroglyphs or ruins. Or wildlife spotting.

I'm less motivated by scenery unless its really beautiful.

 

[DonTom]

I'm not sure if or when we are going back there.

I like a goal on our hikes. Mostly I prefer petroglyphs or ruins. Or wildlife spotting.

I'm less motivated by scenery unless its really beautiful.

Then I assume you have been to places such as Walnut Canyon & Mesa Verde, as I have.

For wildlife here, so far I have seen only common stuff such as deer, pronghorns, cottontail rabbits and sagebrush lizards,

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

 

[Jackiemac]

Then I assume you have been to places such as Walnut Canyon & Mesa Verde, as I have.

For wildlife here, so far I have seen only common stuff such as deer, pronghorns, cottontail rabbits and sagebrush lizards,

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

Yes. Lots to see in the Southwest.

 

[DonTom]

Yes. Lots to see in the Southwest.

The place where I never see any wildlife (other than a few lizards & the shinny black Sonoran Coachwhip in the showers/restroom) is Organ Pipe. Lots of hiking but no wildlife. Perhaps because I am usually there in the middle of winter.

I have seen more wildlife right here at 7K' elevation.

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

 

[Jackiemac]

The place where I never see any wildlife (other than a few lizards & the shinny black Sonoran Coachwhip in the showers/restroom) is Organ Pipe. Lots of hiking but no wildlife. Perhaps because I am usually there in the middle of winter.

I have seen more wildlife right here at 7K' elevation.

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

As you know we saw a lot of snakes the other year (unusual for us). Plenty of lizards too. Bighorn sheep and lots of birds, deer, elk and squirrels.

Most wildlife other than those we've seen in Wyoming so not really Southwest.

 

[DonTom]

As you know we saw a lot of snakes the other year (unusual for us). Plenty of lizards too. Bighorn sheep and lots of birds, deer, elk and squirrels.

Most wildlife other than those we've seen in Wyoming so not really Southwest.

The main reason I do not see a lot of snakes is because I am at the wrong place for the time of year.

BTW, this area has the AZ Mtn Kingsnake.

The map shown is not all that accurate as this is a disjunct spot away from the rest of the range, but that range maps shows it as continuous. It cannot read the state border signs, see the range map here. But it does say in the text that it has a "discontinuous range".

It also didn't mention that it can feed on bats too.

As you can see it is a very colorful snake.


-Don- Sac Pass, NV

 

[DonTom]

Yesterday, I tried to find the Lucky Boy Trail by taking the Sac Pass loop Trail CCW. I was NOT a lucky boy, I never found it. I ended up on the Mine Shaft Trail and came back that way when I could see a clearing to Hwy 50, where no trail was needed. I hiked off trail to get back here from the east, a mile or so east of here above Hwy 50.

Today, I took the Sac Pass Trail CW and I was a lucky boy. I also saw where, why & how I screwed up yesterday.

Yesterday I did not notice these rocks. For those not into hiking, these mean "go this way over the large rocks (because no trail is possible over large rocks). Vertical rocks are usually placed by park rangers to help hikers. Here are those rocks on top of a larger rock:

Horizonal rocks across a trail mean the opposite, do NOT take this trail, look for the vertical rocks to stay on the trial.

But the problem there was the trail was the Mind Shaft Trail so they cannot say do not go this way. IMO, they really need a sign right there, which there is none, so it is easy to take the wrong trail when trying to go there from the CCW direction.

But when I took the Sac Pass Loop trail CW today, I ran into what nobody could miss:

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

 

[Gr8bawana]

Hey DonTom are you seeing any smoke from the Ward mountain fire just outside of Ely?
The crew my son is on was sent there a couple of days ago.

 

[DonTom]

Hey DonTom are you seeing any smoke from the Ward mountain fire just outside of Ely?
The crew my son is on was sent there a couple of days ago.

See here.

Not a trace of smoke here now, but the first day . . . well see the photo took in the above link.

-Don- Sac Pass, NV