Western NV

[rider914]

Planning a trip for later this year (june/july) and will be heading north through western NV. Thanks to countdown's SMTS file I have some good off-road / dual-sport tracks to use from Fallon northward, but could use a little help filling in some blanks to the south.

Likely will follow Hwy395 up to the Bishop area before crossing into the Silver State. I pieced together a track from there to Hawthorne (Bish2Hawth.gpx), but drawing a blank from Hawthorne up to Fallon. Is there any worthwhile dirt for that stretch, or just hop on 95 for an hour and move on?

Another option would be to bend east over to Mina and then Gabbs. There is an SMTS track from Gabbs to Fallon, but i'm also eye'ing a more direct line from Gabbs to Lovelock via Dixie Valley. Not seeing any obvious clear roads through the Stillwater Range, though.

Any suggestions?

I'll be traveling like this...


Prefer stuff like this...


Okay with some stretches of this... (but boring and tiresome if deep gravel and washboard).


Also no problem with occaisional bits of this... (but eats up time if continues for a longer stretch).


Thanks!

-M

[St.Stan]

Went car camping at Berlin-Icthyosaur park near Gabbs last year. No showers but otherwise nice setting in the "pigmy forest" of Juniper and Pinyon. You can follow the main road up through Ione and eventually come out at 50. It's a pretty area.

[Countdown]

If you e-mail me a GPS file of what you have planned to date, I can tell you if I have any options. Also look at my Invetational rides on GPSXchange.com, I have two rides, one started in Gabbs, the other in Middlegate (used miles of Lincoln Hwy from your picture).

This season I am working on routes from Austin/Eureka to Battle Mt, and Battle Mt to McDermidt.

[rider914]

Jerry-
I've got your Gabbs and Middlegate tracks. I'm sure i'll use those someday, but aiming a little farther west for this trip.

From the SMTS file, i've pieced together the ADV (magenta) and D/S (green) tracks for...
[ Fallon -> Lovelock -> Gerlach -> Soldier Meadow -> Denio -> Fields ]

Just trying to put together something interesting for...
[ Bishop -> Benton -> Hawthorne -> Fallon ] or [ Bishop -> Benton -> Mina -> Gabbs -> Lovelock ]

Thanks,
-M

[Countdown]

Look Bishop/Mammoth 2-day rides at bottom, I have Bishop to Hawthorne and Bishop to Tonopah May not be in SMTS.

[rider914]

Yep, I have those too.

Related question...
The SMTS file shows fuel waypoints at Mina and Gabbs, but I don't see anything on google earth that looks like a recently open gas station, not even from street view.
Are there any reliable fuel stops out there?

-M

[Countdown]

Originally Posted by rider914

Yep, I have those too.

Related question...
The SMTS file shows fuel waypoints at Mina and Gabbs, but I don't see anything on google earth that looks like a recently open gas station, not even from street view.
Are there any reliable fuel stops out there?

-M

I think I have phone numbers in waypoints for all those single stand alone gas stations.

There were two in Mina, now one. At Gabbs you may have to go to the store across parking lot to get attendant.

[Willia61]

If you're still looking for Hawthorne to Fallon, I may have some tracks on my other laptop. I went on a Big Valley Honda MAN2010 2-day ride that took us from Reno->Middlegate->Hawthorne->Reno and there's some pretty reliable tracks all through there. I'd prefer using anything Jerry gives you first as I'm probably considered a beginner, but the guys I went with ride with him...so they said.

Jerry, I forget his name, but he was a shorter guy on an XR400. Any ideas?

[rider914]

Originally Posted by Willia61

If you're still looking for Hawthorne to Fallon...

Always interested in more options

Currently have plotted a route from Bishop > Benton > Mina > Gabbs > Fallon.

-M

[Countdown]

Originally Posted by rider914

Always interested in more options Currently have plotted a route from Bishop > Benton > Mina > Gabbs > Fallon. -M

Sorry I didn't see your track in the first post. I only go west from Hawthorne. Your Benton > Mina > Gabbs > Fallon is the way I go.

[rider914]

Hey Jerry-
Here is what i've stitched together... Bish2Fallon.gpx
Some from your tracks, some from studying maps and google earth.

-M

[Countdown]

Originally Posted by rider914

Hey Jerry- Here is what i've stitched together... Attachment 313289
Some from your tracks, some from studying maps and google earth. -M

Look at my Hawthorne ride, it has the best routes going north of Benton. Last time I was there the road up to Truman Mdws was washed out and nothing but giant rocks. My North bound is much easier than South bound north of Montgomery pass but southbound portion uses T&T RR grade and is interesting.

Caution, East of Mina the truck races have ruined many roads.

[666]

Looks like very interesting ride. I did some of it, but never stitched all together.

[Countdown]

Originally Posted by 666

Looks like very interesting ride. I did some of it, but never stitched all together.

If you stitch all my good stuff, you get: http://mex2can.com/

[rider914]

Originally Posted by Countdown

Look at my Hawthorne ride, it has the best routes going north of Benton. Last time I was there the road up to Truman Mdws was washed out and nothing but giant rocks. My North bound is much easier than South bound north of Montgomery pass but southbound portion uses T&T RR grade and is interesting.

Caution, East of Mina the truck races have ruined many roads.

Thanks, that's the kind of info I am looking for.

Which road to Truman Mdws is washed out with giant rocks?
The one I traced goes up near Truman Cyn. It was shown on a few maps and fairly easy to see on GE. Looks like a mild ascent. Your Hawthorne tracks show another route going up near Montgomery Summit Mine. Looks like it follows the old RR grade part way, then makes a steeper ascent to the top.

I like the old RR grades, but gotta watch out for missing trestles

-M