A hike to see a striking, but rather short, peak. Then on to a taller, but not so striking, peak. The geology of the Esmeralda Formation (I think) dominates interesting patches along the way.

New blog post: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2023/12/castle-peak-and-norman-benchmark.html

#USA #Nevada #GreatBasin #TonopahBLM #MonteCristoRange
#hiking #dayhike #peakbagger #peakbagging #desert #basinandrange #EsmeraldaFormation #geology #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #mountains

Poking around The Crater. Because volcanos are fun!

New blog post: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-crater.html

#hiking #GreatBasin #desert #volcano #nature #landscape #Nevada #TonopahBLM #basinandrange #mountains #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #peakbagging #peakbagger

I set out to get to the top of Silver Peak and finished off Red Mountain too. Who could turn down that ridge walk?

New blog post: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2023/12/silver-peak-and-red-mountain.html

#USA #Nevada #TonopahBLM #SilverPeakRange #SilverPeak #RedMountain #GreatBasin
#hiking #peakbagging #peakbagger #basinandrange #desert #landscape #nature #travel #hike #outside #mountains

Spending a day by the warm water of the Fish Lake Valley Hot Well, looking at the fish and birds and landscape. May have touched the water, too.

New blog post: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2023/12/fish-lake-valley-hot-well.html

#sightseeing #USA #Nevada #GreatBasin #TonopahBLM #FishLakeValley #hotspring #nature #birdwatching #landscape #desert #travel #outside #basinandrange #birds #wildlife

I had tried to stop by White River Narrows on my first pass, but things didn't go well. I tried again. It's kind of overwhelming when you do get to the right places. Perhaps I should have retreated to Narrows I at the end to help quiet the mind?

New blog post: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2023/11/white-river-narrows.html

#hiking #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #Nevada #CalienteBLM #ElyBLM #WhiteRiverNarrows #WhiteRiverNarrowsArchaeologicalDistrict #basinandrange #BasinandRangeNationalMonument #petroglyphs

Crystal Wash isn't exactly "full" of petroglyphs, but two clusters are on a rough interpretive trail and if you have the brochure, you might be able to find them. I did, and I did.

New blog post: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2023/11/crystal-wash-petroglyphs.html

#hiking #petroglyphs #desert #Nevada #ElyBLM #CalienteBLM #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #artifacts #getOutside #optOutside #landscapephotography #basinandrange

Let me introduce you to the simply named Big Rocks Wilderness, where there are some big rocks! I went along a few ravines/washes with the ostensible goal of reaching the high point. I only got so far, then stopped by the spring on the way back.

New blog post: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2023/11/big-rocks-wilderness-and-pahroc-spring.html

#hiking #Nevada #BigRocksWilerness #wilderness #ElyBLM #CalienteBLM #landscape #nature #getOutside #optOutside #bigrocks #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #mountains #spring #desert #basinandrange

It was the moment for a little basin time after so much range. I stopped by the Wayne E. Kirch Wilderness Management Area and spent some time with Hot Creek and its special collection of wildlife.

New blog post here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2023/11/hot-creek.html

#hiking #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #basin #desert #basinandrange #HotCreek #KirchWMA #Nevada #fish #wildlife #hotspring #littlefish #natural