nvprospector
Adventurer
Total Miles: 740
Time spent on pavement: 30%
Trip Album Link
Belmont Album Link
Started the trip the morning of 10/31/2008 and made my way to Tonopah. After refueling I headed east on SR 6 to the Willow Creek turn off. At the Willow Creek ranch a lot of activity as going on. The people at the ranch where getting ready for a cattle round up before the winter snows hit the area. Since they where getting ready for the round up I did not stop like I usually do to say hello but gave them a quick wave and went on through.
Some Antelope
View along the way
Finally I made it to my first destination, Windy Canyon. Followed Windy Canyon to the Longstreet Mine camp and this is where I setup my camp for the first night. It was cloudy and it looked like a storm was rolling in so I got camp setup as fast as possible. With time to spare and not worrying about the weather I decided to drive up the switch back that is on the north face of a hill to the upper level of the mine operation.
Road up Windy Canyon
Old car near my camp site
Very old makeshift camp site. Don't know the year but this is where I setup camp.
Cabin near the camp site
The mine entrance was collapsed but the rest of the tunnel looked sound. Never one to pass up a chance to climb into a hole in the ground I went in. There where several areas along the tunnel that where caved in but I managed to make it to the end. When moving my way to the end of the tunnel where several very plump bats who where in their winter sleep. Along the floor of the tunnel where the tracks, which where made of logs and cut timber with iron strips affixed to the top. When at the end of the tunnel I noticed that one of the walls had a seep. This seep made very thick clay similar to adobe. After playing around for a little bit I left the tunnel and decided to finish the switch back before it got late.
Note to self: Never do a switch back when night is approaching when you don’t know if you have to back down 900 feet.
Switch back that I needed to back down.
That evening was nice. The wind was in the upper portion of the canyon and was not making it to my area. It was cloudy but that did not bother me.
The following morning I packed up camp and made my way out of Windy Canyon and headed to the next canyon over, Longstreet Canyon. I started making my way up Longstreet canyon. When I was 5 miles from Longstreet ranch I ran into a really bad wash out. I decided to tackle this canyon later so I backed out and turned my attentions to McCann Canyon.
McCann Station was the only stop for travelers moving between Tybo and Belmont. The station buildings are still standing but the original McCann Ranch is no more. The ranch is only marked by a pile of wood. Traveling up McCann Canyon there are some very remote but picturesque ranches.
McCann Station
Other building at McCann Station
Time spent on pavement: 30%
Trip Album Link
Belmont Album Link
Started the trip the morning of 10/31/2008 and made my way to Tonopah. After refueling I headed east on SR 6 to the Willow Creek turn off. At the Willow Creek ranch a lot of activity as going on. The people at the ranch where getting ready for a cattle round up before the winter snows hit the area. Since they where getting ready for the round up I did not stop like I usually do to say hello but gave them a quick wave and went on through.
Some Antelope
View along the way
Finally I made it to my first destination, Windy Canyon. Followed Windy Canyon to the Longstreet Mine camp and this is where I setup my camp for the first night. It was cloudy and it looked like a storm was rolling in so I got camp setup as fast as possible. With time to spare and not worrying about the weather I decided to drive up the switch back that is on the north face of a hill to the upper level of the mine operation.
Road up Windy Canyon
Old car near my camp site
Very old makeshift camp site. Don't know the year but this is where I setup camp.
Cabin near the camp site
The mine entrance was collapsed but the rest of the tunnel looked sound. Never one to pass up a chance to climb into a hole in the ground I went in. There where several areas along the tunnel that where caved in but I managed to make it to the end. When moving my way to the end of the tunnel where several very plump bats who where in their winter sleep. Along the floor of the tunnel where the tracks, which where made of logs and cut timber with iron strips affixed to the top. When at the end of the tunnel I noticed that one of the walls had a seep. This seep made very thick clay similar to adobe. After playing around for a little bit I left the tunnel and decided to finish the switch back before it got late.
Note to self: Never do a switch back when night is approaching when you don’t know if you have to back down 900 feet.
Switch back that I needed to back down.
That evening was nice. The wind was in the upper portion of the canyon and was not making it to my area. It was cloudy but that did not bother me.
The following morning I packed up camp and made my way out of Windy Canyon and headed to the next canyon over, Longstreet Canyon. I started making my way up Longstreet canyon. When I was 5 miles from Longstreet ranch I ran into a really bad wash out. I decided to tackle this canyon later so I backed out and turned my attentions to McCann Canyon.
McCann Station was the only stop for travelers moving between Tybo and Belmont. The station buildings are still standing but the original McCann Ranch is no more. The ranch is only marked by a pile of wood. Traveling up McCann Canyon there are some very remote but picturesque ranches.
McCann Station
Other building at McCann Station
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