Toquima Cave Pictographs

This site in northern Nevada is notable because it's hard to find good pictographs in the high mountains. It's public,  so here are the directions. Go south on 376 for less than a mile from US 50. Go left at a historical marker where there is a sign for the cave. It's around 20 miles of graded road to the crest via Petes Canyon. A free campground is on the crest with a short trail to the site. There is nothing else to do around there unless you have a jeep or OHV in which case you can get to peak hikes just to the south.

The Hunting Scene

Nine Mile Canyon, Utah

Wolfman Panel

The bullet holes can't be addressed because they're "historic". This is in Butler Wash, Utah.

Granite Chief Wilderness Area

                                                English Mountain

• For GRANITE CHIEF el 9000, take 89 north from tahoe city for about 5 miles to Squaw Valley Road at a light. Turn in here and go to the Olympic Valley Inn. The TH is to the right at N39 12041, W120 14299. Hike the trail to a fork for Shirley Canyon at 12170, 14684. Keep right and go to the crest where you meet the PCT at 12638, 16584. Go left on the PCT to the south side of the peak and get on a hiker trail at 11763, 16930 that goes 500 ft to the top at 11897, 17226. 6 hrs, about 3000 gain. The cable car can be used too. In 2010 it was $24 to go up and $10 if just coming down. A hikers route reportedly goes down Shirley Cyn that can provide an alternate route back. I went back to look for it. I came down the north side of Squaw Creek but there's no trail. I crossed over the creek and hit a trail at 12318, 15985 about a third mile below Shirley Lake. So the plan is to come down from the peak and find the best way to the lake. A road goes down to it from the cable car. Look for the trail at the lake and go on down to the upper falls at 12388, 15727. Then proceed to a gully with light brush at 12408, 15623 and go down to the creek. Go upstream a little to cross on big rocks and hit a good trail on the other side. Then walk along the bottom of the valley to get back on numerous trails. A good short hike is to go up the trail to where you can see the upper falls. Then go up the trail higher than the falls and find a route over and come back down the valley. Or take the cable car up and come down.
• For TWIN PEAKS, go south from Tahoe City on 89 to the paved Barker Pass Road next to the Kaspian campground. It's near Tahoe mp 68. Take it to the pass where it becomes dirt. Less than another mile is the PCT TH. Hike the trail north to the TRT. Go right on the TRT to the east ridge at 06668, 13717 then go up. Use a hiker trail for the last bit to the top. 5 hrs, 2300 gain. The trail loses 500 ft along the way. I filled a bottle at a spring on the trail at 05604, 14592. Jeeps can save a half hr and over 300 ft by taking the Barker Pass Road on past the TH and go right at the next jct. Now it's 4wd. Keep left at the first fork then right thereafter to get to the trail on the crest.
• For ELLIS PEAK, the TH is at the end of the pavement near Barker Pass. The trail joins a jeep road near the top. 3 hrs, 1600 gain. The trail loses 300 ft.
• For TINKER KNOB, take 89 north from tahoe city for about 7 miles to mp 16. Turn left on FR 08. Go just over 3 miles on this good rd to a 4wd road to Upper Pole Creek. This road is closed till Aug 1. Follow this narrow jeep road for 5 miles,keeping right at the one fork. The TH is at 14980, 16745 el 8200. Hike up to the PCT then go right to the peak 14677, 17108 el 8900+. 1 hr, 800 gain. A BETTER 4WD ROAD goes thru a boring logging area and gets nearly as close. Turn off 89 at mp 19 onto the paved Cabin Creek Rd. Go a mile then left on dirt. Go left again at the first fork.In another half mile go right. Go up steeply for over a mile and a half to a fork at N39 16569, W120 14522. Stay right here and keep going uphill to a fork at 16018, 14834. Go right to another fork at 15810, 15395 then left here. In half a mile is another fork so keep left again. Now drive till the trail shrinks too small. It's a short hike along the ridgetop to get to the TH. This road also opens Aug 1 but the gate is at nearly 8000 so it's still easy before Aug. Only OHVs can connect the 2 roads.
• MOUNT LOLA el 9150 is the highest Sierra peak north of I-80. Take 89 north from I-80 for nearly 15 miles to paved FR 07. Go about a mile and a half on 07 then go left on bumpy dirt. Cross a bridge and go another half mile to a 4 way. Go right for 3 miles to a 4wd road on the left at N39 29337, W120 20109. If you go straight another quarter mile you come to the 2wd TH. I went up the 4wd road for 2 miles to a T. Then right for just over a mile to a broken down bridge. Some may want to park here and cross the bridge and use the foot trail on the other side. I rode across then kept left at every fork and parked at 26986, 20907 el 7700 where the road crosses the trail for the last time. It's a 2 hour hike with 1400 gain. Really lazy hikers can start at 8600. There is a fork about a quarter mile before the spot I parked at. Go right at this fork for just over a mile and take a left fork heading toward the peak. A large parking area is at the end and the peak is 1.15 miles away at 25982, 21904. There's no trail but paragliders made it OK with 60 pound packs. A good loop would be to go up the trail then come down the north ridge and aim for the high parking area at 26960, 21629 el 8600 then walk the road back to the trail. The 4 miles of 4wd road going in isn't difficult but it's bumpy and you can expect to get some Nevada pinstriping. Some paragliders took their 3/4 ton Ford Pickup over the broken bridge in 2011. The trail from the 2wd TH is 5 miles long with 2500 gain.
• ENGLISH MOUNTAIN can be climbed from any direction. The SE ridge is easy but complicated. Use the directions for Mt Lola but keep going on FR 07 to Jackson Meadows Reservoir. Go across the dam to the end of the pavement then on to a camp store and rangers quarters. Go a little over half a mile past the store and take a left fork to Catfish and Meadow Lakes.  After 4 miles on this 4wd road you enter a meadow where the road to French Lake comes in on the right at N39 26131, W120 31460. Take this road to a gate in a quarter mile and park el 7050. Hike up the ridge weaving around brush patches. The right side of the ridge has less brush. At 26395, 32186 start walking the right side below the rocky ridgetop. Keep going gently up the right side on easy ground then pass thru a saddle at 26451, 32470 to get on the left side of the ridge.Walk thru the trees till you hit talus and crags. Go left around the edge of the rocks at 26422, 32715 then just walk thru the trees on a broad shelf with the crags and talus on your right. The shelf goes up and down a little then starts to fade. At this point get on talus at 26598, 33075 and go up it then thru a bit of light brush then angle left to 26649, 33079 and keep angling up to a class 2 chute at 26738, 33087. Go up the chute then left to the summit at 26792, 33074 el 8370. 4 hours, 1500 gain. Brush is not a major factor with long pants. You can figure this out without a GPS like I did but it will be harder work than entering all the WPs.

Desolation Wilderness Hikes

• For TELLS PEAK el 8800,  take the paved Icehouse Road north from 50 for 21 miles or so to the paved Cheese Camp Road. Follow this one lane rd for nearly 6 miles to a gate. The hike starts here. Permits are on a spur road to the right. Hike past the gate for half a mile to a 3 way. Take the middle rd to the Highland Trail at N38 56636, W120 18388. Follow this to Forni Lake. Pick up the now spotty trail on the right of the lake at 57267, 15686 and go up to a meadow. Go left across the meadow to the trail at 57283, 15518. Go up to 57318, 15316 then on to the summit ridge 57381, 15159. Now just go left to the top at 57598, 15276. 6 hrs, 2200 gain.
• For RALSTON PEAK el 9200, go east on 50 from Strawberry for about 3 miles to Sacramento Camp. Turn in here to the north and go a short way up a dirt road to the TH. The trail starts easy then steepens. At 8400 an obvious right fork goes straight up the ridge to the top at N38 49966, W120 06101. But it's easier to stay on the main trail and go up to a jct at 8800 then go right up the west ridge. 4 hrs, 2700 gain.
• The RALSTON/HORSETAIL FALLS LOOP is the best way to see the whole falls area. Go to the jct at 8800 on the Ralston Peak hike. Stay left on the main trail to N38 50731, W120 06522. Start down here thru the trees aiming for a lower trail 50680, 07124 at Lake of the Woods. Then go left to Ropi Lake. The trail crosses open rock where cairns are everywhere. The correct trail is at 50412, 07386. At the lake, the cascades are at the inlet to the right. Go left along the lake and cross the twin dams at 50340, 07762. The dams have gaps. The first had a fat log in 2011 and the second could be jumped by adults. Walk downstream for half a mile along the right side of the creek to the head of Horsetail Falls. A crude hiker trail down is just up on the right. Go down but not too much. Aim for the trail at 49772, 07529 near a fat tree. Move far right on some class 3 slabs at the bottom of the falls then come back left at the bottom of the slabs. The trail enters trees and has many forks that all go. If in doubt, take the fork closest to the creek. It took us 6 hours and 2200 gain to go from TH to TH. Then I rode a bike for a mile and a quarter up 50 to get the car. Start early in case you can't find a good crossing at the creek and want to come back.
• For PRYAMID PEAK/HORSETAIL FALLS HIKE, leave a car at Pyramid Creek TH about 2 miles east of Strawberry on 50. Then go back west nearly 6 miles to the paved Wrights Lake Road. Take that for 4 miles to Lyons Creek TH. Hike 5 miles to Sylvia Lake. Walk right around the lake to an obvious talus gully. Go up that to a saddle then walk the ridge to the peak N38 50696, W120 09475 el 9983. Go down the south ridge to 50034, 08545. I went down here to some class 2 rock at 50109, 08242 just before the bottom. At bottom, go right around a hill of granite then swing left to the rim overlooking the falls at 49845, 07640 el 7700. Go straight down the slope thru light manzanita to the crude falls trail at 49772, 07529 near a fat tree. Move far right on some class 3 slabs at the bottom of the falls then come back left at the bottom of the slabs. The trail enters trees and has many forks that all go. If in doubt, take the fork closest to the creek. It's a chore to find the best trail out because every idiot that comes down the pike has to set up his own route. 7 hrs, 3300 gain. The last 300 ft to the summit is big talus. The ROCKY CANYON TRAIL is just east of Strawberry and is the shortest route the peak. It starts at 48513, 08158 el 5900 on 50 and goes parabolic right out of the gate. There is a tiny parking area 400 feet to the west at an overhanging sign. The trail starts out fuzzy but soon you're on a better trail than many of the maintained ones. No shuttle is required but you might need an ambulance because you have to walk 3/4 mile down 50 to get back from Horsetail Falls. Walk behind the south guardrail. What about a bike shuttle? Forget it. There's no shoulder. They'll mow you down and laugh all the way home. If you're just using the Rocky Canyon trail to come down, pick it up at 49999, 09336 el 8550. This is the hardest hike on this page. Don't try this at home.
• For MOUNT PRICE, start at Wrights Lake. Go east from Kyburz on 50 and turn at the sign for Wrights Road. It's paved to the Twin Lakes TH near the lake. Follow the signs for the Twin Lakes trail. At about an air mile from the start is a sign for Grouse Lake. Turn there and hike to the lake then along the left side and on to Hemlock Lake. Better not drink from this one. The trail goes on and ends at Smith Lake el 8700. The idea is to climb bedrock at the east end of the lake and gain the ridgetop to the right of a peak. Hike along the left side of the lake gradually gaining a couple hundred feet and stay below tree line. Then aim for the bedrock at N38 51529, W120 11129. Go up from there to a wide chute at 51557, 11061 then on to the ridgetop on talus. Now you can see the summit area to the east. I contoured along below the ridge then up easy slopes south of the peak. I couldn't tell if the west ridgetop would work. The peak is at 51841, 10478 el 9975. 6 hours, 3000+ gain. This might be the shortest route to the peak. Coming down via Twin Lakes would make a good loop if the snow ever melts.
• For DICKS PEAK, drive on 89 to Emerald Bay and look for the Bayview CG. The trail is at the back at N38 56606, W120 06051. Follow this past Granite Lake and keep left at every trail jct to arrive at the main saddle 54255, 08346 el 9200. Leave the main trail here and use a hikers trail to go up the ridge. When it steepens,keep to the center. When it gets scary, move left to an easy chute then you're home free to the summit at 54028, 09060 el 9970. 8 hrs, about 4000 gain as the trails loses 4 or 5 hundred feet on the way up.
• For RUBICON PEAK, take 89 north of Emerald Bay to Scenic Drive at Tahoe mp 58.2. Beware that Scenic comes back to 89 again a little to the north. Take Scenic to county 2538 then left to Woodland then left to Manzanita then right to Lakeview then left to Crest then right to Forest View then left to Highview then left to Highland. The TH is at the end of Highland at N39 00627, W120 07386. Hike the old road a few hundred feet then it becomes a trail that soon goes parabolic. At the top,go to the right side of the peak to some easy class 3 rock at N38 59315, W120 08008. 4 hrs, 2200 gain.
• MOUNT TALLAC has a trail to the top. Take 89 and turn just north of Fallen Leaf Lake at the sign for Mt Tallac TH. Follow the trail past Cathedral Lake then it steepens till you're on the main ridge. The peak is at N38 54354, W120 05929. 6 hours, 3400 gain.

  

  Desolation Wilderness as seen from Freel Peak