California! Nevada! Utah! Oh! (page 4 of 7)

Hey Michel,

I'm now heading northwest across Nevada toward the Carson City–Lake Tahoe area.

That makes more sense about the route. Cool! Still so many places I don’t know yet. See you soon.

Day 17: Continuing

I leave "Cathedral Gorge State Park" and take US-93 north. A little further on, a left turn leads to Pioche (pronounced "pie-ohsh"), and I arrive in this town named after François Pioche (I pronounce it the French way): he was a French financier and businessman who settled in San Francisco. He invested in mining in the late 1860s, and the town immediately boomed, reaching 10,000 residents within a few years. "Treasure Hill," the hill overlooking the town, was the birthplace of mining (you can see the slag on the hillside).



I enter town from the top, near the upper station of the tramway. It dates back to the 1920s and was used to transport ore from the hill down to the processing site below. It operated by gravity (with just a backup motor), with buckets full on the way down and empty on the way up.



The town isn’t a ghost town—it has about 900 residents and is the county seat (Lincoln County). Main Street still has buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There are no pedestrians or customers on the sidewalks; here’s the store across from the museum (it looks closed).



The museum on the other side of the street is open, as is the adjoining public library.



Visiting a local history museum is a must-do experience. The building housing the museum (an old store) was donated to the county by the store’s owner. The collections are the result of donations from residents—one person donated their grandparents’ dining room, another a photo album, and so on. Many items feel more like a garage sale than a museum, and the display is a bit of a jumble (they want to show everything). You’ll find some surprises.



Here, reality inspired fiction—though maybe the locals don’t know it. As for the "Dalton Gang," did they operate nearby? Was this poster found in a neighboring county or state? I don’t know.

In the 1870s, Pioche was known for its violence. Legend has it that 75 people were buried in the cemetery after violent deaths before the streak was broken by a natural death. Quite a record!

Here’s the old "Lincoln County Courthouse," built in 1871. It’s open for visits. I go inside, and when I reach the second floor, I wake up the guard, who’s fast asleep in a chair at a table, slumped over with his head in his arms.



This building has two quirks: - The street-facing side is the courthouse, but if you go to the back (toward the hill), you’re in the jail. In other words, it was just a few meters from the courtroom to the prison. - The original 1871 plan was supposed to cost $26,400 ($16,400 for the courthouse and $10,000 for the jail). Due to changes, cost overruns, bribes, and loans to cover insolvency, the final cost approached $1,000,000 by the time it was fully paid off in 1937. Today, it’s called "The Million Dollar Courthouse." Construction projects exceeding their budgets happen everywhere, in every era.

"The Thompson's Opera House," built in 1873 from wood, has been fully restored. Over its history, it’s served as a theater, movie house, and dance hall, among other things.



I almost never photograph hotels, but by chance (well, not really—these two hotels are on Pioche’s list of historic buildings), I’ve got two in my Pioche photos (Gilles and Peggy mentioned accommodations). "The Overland Hotel and Saloon," built around 1940, has served as a store and dance hall but is now an open hotel.



"The Mountain View Hotel" is much older and "historic"—President Herbert Hoover (if I remember correctly) stayed here during his term (1929–1933). It’s been closed for a long time.



Rise and fall.

I leave Pioche via Route 322, and 8 km later, I turn right onto the road leading to "Echo Canyon State Park." This road arrives downstream from the dam, built for irrigation on "Meadow Valley Wash" at the exit of "Echo Canyon." Most of the water flowing here disappears into the wash, which heads south for 200 km before reaching "Lake Mead," though apparently, some water occasionally makes it to the lake. There are some lush green areas downstream from the dam—alfalfa fields. The park isn’t spectacular but seems geared toward fishing in the reservoir. The water level is higher than usual, reaching the benches near the picnic tables on the shore. I go for the "Ash Canyon Trail" hike. The trail climbs above the reservoir.



It then follows "Ash Canyon."



At one point, I stop to look ahead and see where the trail goes, then turn around to check the path I’ve taken over the last 200 meters. It takes me a good 30 seconds. When I turn back around, I see this animal on a rock shaped like a small wall.



I’m amazed by this lizard’s camouflage (it looks like a lizard to me). I stand there for a full minute, take off my backpack, pull out my camera from a side pocket, and snap the photo. I stay a while longer before moving on (I was there for nearly 5 minutes total). I got as close as about 50 centimeters but didn’t try to touch it. The lizard stayed completely still.



If anyone has any zoology knowledge, could you: 1- Identify this animal 2- Tell me if its appearance changes based on location (camouflage) or not. This one has red bands around its body (not exactly stealthy), yet it blends right into the rock it’s on. 3- Let me know if the behavior I saw (total stillness when someone’s nearby) is typical when you’re not trying to catch it.

I leave the park heading north toward "Ursine" (the name on my maps), but when I get close, the sign says "Eagle Valley"??? A few kilometers north, there’s another park, "Spring Valley State Park," but the road leading to it is closed (flooded). Back to "Cathedral Gorge State Park."

Probably some kind of banded gecko, but I’m no expert at all.

Thanks Fabien, I’ll look for gecko pictures to see if I recognize my critter.

Day 18: Thursday, May 30 (Cathedral Gorge State Park - Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park) Route



I set off under the sun for Caliente, a nearby small town (around 900 inhabitants). The standout building is the "Union Pacific Railroad Station" (1923), which I photograph from the other side of the tracks. Today, it serves as the town hall, library, and museum.



A few kilometers away, I visit "Kershaw-Ryan State Park," located in a small canyon that feels like an oasis—much greener and wooded than the surrounding landscape.



Next, I head toward Tonopah via US-93, then Route 375, and finally US-6. Just after the first small pass of the day (crossing a well-defined range of hills), I think I see the road continuing.



Mistake: it’s a track heading in a different direction toward the next line of hills. The good weather doesn’t last, and the rest of the day follows a repeating cycle: sun, clouds, then a good downpour.





These two photos give a pretty good idea of the landscape and weather until I reach Tonopah.

Tonopah on its hill... I don’t visit the mining museum (I’ve read it has a good reputation) because I want to check out the "Crescent Dunes" dune field. I leave Tonopah via US-95, and after 8 km, I turn right onto "Pole Line Road." Fifteen kilometers later, a track on the right leads to the dunes, but the ruts (after recent rains) are so deep that I have to stop. Here’s a photo of "Crescent Dunes" taken about 2 km from the site.



Just to the north (a few hundred meters for the closest part) is the "Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project," designed to produce electricity from solar power (maximum capacity of 110 megawatts). Over 10,000 mirrors track the sun (heliostats) and reflect solar radiation toward a central tower. The electricity is generated at high temperatures (I’m not sure by what process), and there’s an energy storage system using a phase-change material (a salt that changes state at high temperatures). Here’s the tower as seen from the track leading to "Crescent Dunes."



This project started producing electricity in 2015 but stopped in April 2019. It was a failure that swallowed up huge sums of money. I don’t know what’s become of the facilities now.

I head back to "Pole Line Road." From there, continuing northwest, the road turns into a track leading to Gabbs. It’s much shorter, but it’s a dirt road, and given the weather of the past few days, I’m not sure what to expect. So I choose the longer route (on pavement). I return near Tonopah to take US-95 (Veterans Memorial Highway) west. Coaldale appears on maps, but there’s nothing left alive there: an abandoned gas station and bar, plus some gutted concrete blocks (or lighter material) nearby. That’s it. Just after, when US-95 turns north, look carefully to the southwest. The horizon is dominated by the "Boundary Peak" range (4,003 meters, the highest point in Nevada and the California border), which is impressive.



Sixty kilometers after Coaldale, I turn right onto Route 361 toward Gabbs.



Just past Gabbs, a road turns right (east). It crosses a range of hills, then descends into "Ione Valley." In the distance, the "Shoshone Mountains" and "Toiyabe Range" are completely snow-covered (summits around 3,500 meters). The road turns into a track and arrives at Berlin. I drive through the "Ghost Town," then 2 km later, head into "Union Canyon." A fork leads to the campsite. It’s chilly at 2,100 meters, and just before nightfall, it starts raining. This was the day I covered the most kilometers. I crossed part of Nevada, which really shows how empty most of the state is—Tonopah barely reaches 2,500 inhabitants, and Gabbs, about 30 km from here, has just 250 residents.

Hi there,

I followed your Nevada section with particular interest and was waiting for you to reach Tonopah to chime in...

Pioche... Tonopah... Now *that’s* off the beaten path, and in my opinion, it’s a fantastic way to understand the real Nevada—the state that remains the metal-mining capital of the United States, producing around 80% of America’s 250–260 tons of gold, which keeps the country fluctuating between third and fourth place globally. The Pioche district itself is primarily silver. Nevada alone would rank the U.S. fourth in global production.

Yet Nevada is the Silver State, while California is the Golden State... but that’s the legacy of a tumultuous and divergent past!

I thoroughly enjoyed exploring this Western state in a past life—maybe more than others—where traces, sometimes scars, of old mining operations are scattered everywhere. They’re a stronger testament than anywhere else that cattle ranching and mining were(indeed)instrumental in the nineteenth century in getting people to settle here.

Pioche is a pretty typical case...

It emerged during the wave of major discoveries in the Sierra Nevada, sparked by California’s 1849 Gold Rush, followed by Nevada’s 1859 Silver Rush. A flurry of new finds turned Nevada into the Silver State, as prospectors and their burros spread east from the Sierra Nevada and, to a lesser extent, west from Utah.

To understand, here’s a bit of iconography:

All of Nevada is structured around the Basin and Range geological province...



An alternating pattern of mountain ranges (*range*) and flat depressions (*basin*), which hold cultivated valleys and dried-up salt lakes—usually barren and strangely called *playas* in Spanish. For prospectors, playas were useless; they had to cross them as quickly as possible. The sun beat down hard, there was nothing to drink, and you could dehydrate (Hollywood imagery!). Today, it’s a bit different because these playas can contain lithium, which is increasingly useful as demand for electric car batteries grows.

You can really see this alternation when driving east to west!

The interactive map—red dots for “mining towns,” black dots for “mines”— Mines page

sums up Nevada’s mining history from the 19th to early 20th century. Here’s a screenshot:



Lured by the ease of exploiting early Sierra discoveries in 1859—basically, mining Horn Silver, all you needed was a pick, a shovel, and a wheelbarrow (roughly speaking)—prospectors methodically explored every *range*, one after another. When a search paid off, a town replaced the canvas camps and hillside shacks, settling at the foot of the *range* for an uncertain duration. Most became ghost towns, but Pioche survived, and its location at the base of the hills reflects its origins.



“Pioche silver, known to the Paiute Indians for a long time” (a pronunciation exercise, by the way!), was revealed to a Mormon who brought the discovery to the modern world around 1864. Production began in 1869.

In the meantime, François Pioche entered the picture...

He’s one of those fascinating figures the 1849 Gold Rush produced.

Drawn to San Francisco like many adventurers, he wasn’t one of those who broke their backs in the Sierra chasing an uncertain fortune. At the start of the saga, in San Francisco, almost everything was still paid for in gold, and everything cost a small fortune—food, lodging, equipment, etc. So early on, he was among those who chose “to mine the miners rather than the hills”—taking gold straight from the miners’ pockets. It was less risky and... more comfortable! And that’s how lasting fortunes were built...

That’s how John Studebaker started making wheelbarrows (an essential tool for miners) before founding his car company.

That’s how Levi Straussnever managed to sell his stock of wagon canvas from the East and came up with the idea of turning it into blue jeans. The miners themselves had given him the idea—they were unhappy with how quickly their pants wore out in the Sierra’s harsh conditions and had tried using Levi’s canvas. Turns out, Levi Strauss’s jeans were incredibly durable!

François Pioche set himself up as a wine merchant, importing French wines around Cape Horn and selling them... for a fortune, of course! He later became a banker with an English partner, and their bank ranked among California’s top institutions for at least two decades. He then returned to Paris, where he raised several million francs, allowing him to move up a level and invest in railroads and mining—like in the new Pioche district.

It was... WHEN CALIFORNIA WAS FRENCH.

...

P.S. Incidentally, about the pronunciation—have you really heard locals say it the way you mentioned?

If the syllable “pi” (like the Greek letter, 3.14116) is pronounced “pie” as in “pie,” locals, as far as I remember, pronounce the pi in Pioche roughly like we do—that is, “pee” in English phonetics. So the full name doesn’t sound all that different from how we say it.

About the Western banded gecko: Its Latin name, Coleonyx variegatus, is more telling.

That said, I think some geckos can rapidly change their colors or shift hues with age, but it seems to me that the Western banded gecko’s colors mostly result from permanent adaptation to their environment—like certain rattlesnakes, which are their predators. Especially this one, which thrives in rocky environments!

A Rattlesnake Rattles Loudly. Stock Videos (100 ...

Or this one, which lives in the El Dorado Mountains near Las Vegas on volcanic rocks (Xavier Glaudas):

Hi Jean-Paul, Thanks for your fascinating talk on mining towns and the clever folks who sniffed out the real motherlode! From now on, I’ll always try to locate a ghost town on a topographic or satellite layer in Maps or GEarth to check if the "Basin & Range structure" holds up.

Hi Jean-Paul, thanks for your post. My first thought is about the "basin and range" structure you mentioned and described perfectly with the diagram—I didn’t know the name for this structure. The Caliente-Tonopah route is the perfect example of it: a succession of "basins" and "ranges" over about 300 km. In the end, my three photos really illustrate what you’re explaining.

Hey Cochise,

You’re truly a walking encyclopedia—every one of your posts is a gem worth keeping. Thanks! 😇

Good evening Jean-Paul, regarding the pronunciation of Pioche, I heard the name pronounced twice by locals. 1 - by the hostess at the "Visitor Center" of "Cathedral Gorge State Park." I asked her: how do you pronounce Pioche? In her answer, I heard "paille," which means "pie" in English. I replied: Ah! Like "apple pie" (English). Back home, the word "pioche" exists and refers to a tool. She then told me: but this name is French, and she mentioned François Pioche. 2 - at the museum exit by someone who arrived while I was visiting (likely a member of the local historical society). Your comment makes me try to remember: I think she pronounced it "pee-oach." I just checked the town’s website, which says to pronounce it "pee-oach." I wrote this thinking about my conversation with the Visitor Center hostess; I gave the wrong pronunciation: either she mispronounced it, or I misheard and she didn’t correct me afterward.

Day 19: Friday, May 31 (Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park - Washoe Lake State Park near Carson City)

Route



The rain didn’t last long during the night, but the temperature dropped to 5°C and it’s still very chilly this morning. In Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park, there’s Berlin and there’s Ichthyosaur.

Ichthyosaur: A marine reptile that lived 225 million years ago. Fossils of this species were found in "Union Canyon." The "Fossil House," a large building that protects the site from the elements and visitors, was constructed. The walls have windows through which you can look, but there’s nothing interesting to see. You have to rely on guided tours to enter the shelter. The scheduled tour starts in the middle of the morning, but I skip it (bummer) because it would mean leaving after noon.



Berlin: A "Ghost Town" on the site of a silver mine. As part of a state park, this town is protected under a method called "Arrested Decay." The buildings are left as they are, and interventions are only meant to prevent further deterioration, not to improve the ruins. Is there a term for this method in French? The first prospecting efforts (Union Canyon, Ione, Grantsville) date back to the 1860s. The Berlin mine itself became fully operational in 1895 and continued until 1907 before declining rapidly. Notable features: - The town never had more than 200 to 250 residents. - There was no saloon in Berlin. The "Nevada Company" owned the only store, where prices were high and alcohol wasn’t sold. That’s why many miners went to Ione for supplies. - There was a school in "Union Canyon." I take the walk called "Berlin Town Site Loop."



The entrance to the mine. The "Berlin mine" and the nearby "Diana mine" together have several kilometers of tunnels.









A general view of the "residential" area.



The mill (ore-crushing plant).



For these last two photos, I’m on the lower slopes of the "Shoshone Mountains" (range). In front of me is "Ione Valley" (basin), and in the distance, I can see the "Paradise Range" (range). Gabbs is just behind that ridge. I’ve added scientific details to my photos thanks to Cochize.

I’ll head back in that direction almost to Gabbs. Highway 361 takes me to Middlegate, where I turn left onto US-50 toward Fallon. I still have two more ridges (ranges) to cross before reaching a much flatter area. Before entering this region, there’s the "Sand Dunes Recreation Area," where a set of sand dunes serves as a playground for off-road vehicle drivers.



The vast, flat expanse of the "Carson Desert."



The Great Basin Except for a southern region drained by the "Colorado River" and a northeastern region drained by the "Snake River," the state of Nevada is part of the "Great Basin." Water here doesn’t flow to the ocean but instead collects in low points, often forming lakes (permanent, temporary, or even dried up). The most important rivers are those flowing down from the "Sierra Nevada" (to the west) and heading east.

The "Carson River" is one of these major rivers. It flows into "Carson Sink," part of this expanse, northeast of Fallon.

A few kilometers before Fallon, the "Grimes Point Archaeological Area" is a site managed by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management). In the publicly accessible part of the archaeological site, a short walk (500 meters to a kilometer) is set up. I pass by basalt boulders covered in a black patina, which serve as the canvas for petroglyphs. Some petroglyphs are cupules: hemispheres or partial spheres carved into the rock, intentionally created by humans using percussion techniques.



The other petroglyphs are more "classic," with symbolic and/or magical meanings. On this site, all were created by removing material from the basalt boulders.









The last photo (a close-up of a design) clearly shows the material removal.

I drive through Fallon and continue to Carson City. I head toward Reno, go up a few kilometers, then turn right (Highway 428, which loops around "Washoe Lake" to the east). The "State Park" with its campground (50 sites split into two loops of 25) isn’t far. One loop is under construction, reducing capacity to 25 sites. Rangers direct the few extra people (2 to 4 setups each night) to a "horse camping" area located 100 meters from the open loop—a campground meant for visitors bringing their horses for trail riding. I’ll stay here for several nights. The shores of "Washoe Lake" are known for being windy, but that won’t be an issue during my stay.

I head back into Carson City for a walk and some errands.

Day 20: Saturday, June 1 Itinerary.



Today, like the following days, I’m staying based at "Washoe Lake State Park" and exploring the area.

A bit of demographics Nevada’s population: 2.8 million in 2013 (estimated at 3 million today). Breakdown: Las Vegas-Henderson area 72%, Carson City-Reno-Sparks-Fernley area 20–21% (with 2% for Carson City). The rest of the state: 7–8%. This situation is unusual enough to be worth noting. One metro area, with nearly three-quarters of the population, that isn’t the capital, a settlement zone (at the foot of the Sierra Nevada) with 20% of the population, and the rest of the state almost empty.

A bit of history The first permanent white settlement (Indigenous tribes have been here for millennia) at the foot of the Sierra Nevada dates back to 1851: Mormon Station (Genoa) in an ideal spot for agriculture. Dayton also claims a settlement around that time, linked to the discovery of gold. Settlements continued through the 1850s, but the rush came in 1859 with the exploitation of the "Comstock Lode," the largest silver deposit ever discovered in the U.S. (there was also gold). A year later, there were about 10,000 miners on the "Comstock Lode." At that time, there must have been a farm on the site of Las Vegas. It was around this time that Nevada became a territory (1861) and then a state (1864). So it made sense for the political capital to be here, on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada: Carson City (probably one of the smallest state capitals, with about 50,000 residents).

I see a few public buildings.

Carson City Hall.



The "Paul Laxalt State Building" (1891). Today, it houses the state’s tourism office.



I’m visiting the "Nevada State Museum."



It’s housed in the old mint (the building in the background). It’s expanded, and the glass section connects several buildings. Three things stood out during my visit: 1. A mammoth skeleton 2. A mine replica 3. A coin-striking machine and a collection of coins. Over $49 million in gold and silver coins were minted here between 1870 and 1893.

In the afternoon, I head toward Lake Tahoe. The road crosses the "Carson Range," the mountain chain east of the lake, and I stop at the pass. A hiking trail, the "Tahoe Rim Trail," passes through here—it circles the lake, staying on the surrounding peaks. I’m doing part of the "Spooner Loop Trail," which goes around "Spooner Lake" (all part of "Spooner Lake State Park").





On the descent from the pass toward the lake, it doesn’t take long before the lake comes into view (I stop as soon as I can).



View toward the southwest (the California side).

I’m struck by the size of the lake, by the fact that it’s entirely surrounded by snow-capped peaks (snow appears just a few hundred meters above the lake’s level). The atmosphere is mild and even warm, with lots of light and sunshine. Distant clouds give an impression of storms in some areas. I stop a little farther on to look at the Nevada shore. View toward the north.





View toward the south ("Cave Rock").



The next stop is "Cave Rock State Park." Near the parking lot and boat launch, there’s a view of "Cave Rock," a volcanic rock formation dating back 3 million years.



This place is sacred to the Washoe people (the tribe that lives in the Lake Tahoe region). The construction of US-50, its widening, and the creation of a tunnel were points of conflict with them. A plaque has been installed with the following inscription: "Cave Rock is one of our famous sacred sites that reflects our traditional values of respect for the land and 'da ow' (Lake Tahoe), the water of life, the center of the Washoe world."

The southern part of the park is a pretty bay lined with fir trees and a small beach.



I go a little farther, to "Zephyr Cove," just a few kilometers from California. Back to Carson City and "Washoe Lake State Park."

Day 21: Sunday, June 2

Route



I head to Carson City, then head east on US50 (toward Fallon) to Silver Springs; the "ALT US95" road on the right leads to "Fort Churchill State Historic Park." Stopping by the "Visitor Center" gives me an idea of the context in which this fort was built.

Thanks for this really interesting and detailed account that introduces us to states less traveled by tourists in a hurry. It's great that you're sharing this with us.

Day 22: Monday, June 3 (Carson City and Lake Tahoe)

Route.



I start by visiting the "Nevada State Capitol." The building was constructed in 1870-1871 in downtown Carson City. Remodeled several times, it no longer houses the House of Representatives and the Senate, which were moved to another building. The Capitol today.



The Capitol in 1871 (model).



This model is located in "Battle Born Hall" (the former Senate chamber), where there’s an exhibit on Nevada’s history.

You’ll find a panel about the "Comstock Lode": the mine went down to 900 meters deep, the silver ore was very brittle, and a German-born engineer, Philip Deidesheimer, invented the "square-set timbering" technique.



A fun fact about jeans.



Another fun fact: in 1864 (for Nevada’s admission to the Union), the state’s constitution was telegraphed to President Abraham Lincoln. It’s said to be the longest text ever sent by telegraph. I read this on-site (maybe at the Capitol), but I haven’t found confirmation. In the adjoining park, there’s a statue of Kit Carson, a figure of the American West. He was a trapper, a guide for John C. Frémont on the three expeditions he led in the West, and more...



Next, I head to the "Nevada State Railroad Museum." This railway museum features a collection of locomotives and train cars.



The locomotives, mostly in black, are displayed in a hangar. Taking photos is tricky (it’s too dark). You can also follow the story of the first transcontinental railroad, illustrated on the floor. The "Central Pacific Railroad" started in Sacramento (California) in October 1863. The "Union Pacific Railroad" began in Omaha (Nebraska) in July 1865. The "golden spike" was driven at "Promontory Summit" (Utah) in May 1869, completing the railroad across the continent.



I leave Carson City and head toward Lake Tahoe. After the pass (Spooner Summit), I turn right (Route 28) and stop almost immediately at "Spooner Lake State Park." I end up near the lake, opposite the side where I took a short hike the day before yesterday.



Route 28 gradually descends until it reaches the lakeshore at "Sand Harbor State Park." I park in the lot and walk around this spot with its headlands, coves, rocks, beaches, and an outdoor theater.













The sun is out, the temperature is high (just a slight drop during a light shower), and the water temperature is surprising for a lake at 1,900 meters elevation fed by snowmelt streams. It’s not warm, but it’s swimmable. I head back onto Route 48 and drive to "Incline Village" (along the lakeshore).



If I remember correctly, the lake access points here (docks) are private. I turn around, pass "Sand Harbor SP" again, and when the road rises above the lake, I park on the roadside (about ten spots on the shoulder). I take a short hike down to the lakeshore at "Chimney Beach."







In peak season, I think Route 28 has traffic restrictions. Near "Spooner Lake," vehicles are only allowed to descend toward the lake (Sand Harbor) if there are available spots in the park’s lot (roadside parking is strictly prohibited along the lakeshore). There were no issues today, either in the lot or on the roadside, but the area must be packed in the middle of summer given these rules.

Back to "Washoe Lake State Park."

Hi, I’m picking up this travel journal along with your Death Valley (DV) exploration—I only made a quick 24-hour stop there back in 2016. So this is vicarious sightseeing for me. One little note, if I may: I get the feeling you’re underexposing your photos. At least in DV, because it wasn’t as noticeable in Alabama Hills. Is that a deliberate choice? Patrice

Thanks for this really interesting and detailed account that introduces us to states less visited by tourists in a hurry. It’s great that you’re sharing this with us.

Hi Brigitte, thanks for the compliment. Generally, I make sure to set aside time to explore places outside the heavily visited sites that almost always require a reservation. I always add a bit of improvisation to these parts of the trip (in choosing routes and places to visit, and how much time to spend in each spot). On this trip, everything between "Zion NP" and "Yosemite NP" was done that way.

Day 23: Tuesday, June 4 (Reno - Squaw Valley - Lake Tahoe)

Route.



This morning, I head toward Reno, entering the city via Virginia Street, the classic road coming from the south (it’s not a freeway). I make my way to the automobile museum and park in the lot (easy to find on the right bank of the "Truckee River"). This museum is built around part of Bill Harrah’s collection, who made his fortune in hotel-casinos (as the owner, need I say). It took about ten years after his death to put together and open the museum. Three things stood out during my visit: - The sheer number of car manufacturers in the early 20th century (very few made it past the 1920s–1930s). It’s the same story as in Europe, just with different brands. - The "Franklin 1911" (4-cylinder, air-cooled). This car competed in fuel-efficiency races. In 1913, with one gallon (about 3.8 liters), it covered 83.5 miles. Americans used to organize these kinds of races! To put it in perspective: that’s 2.8 liters per 100 kilometers (at an average speed of around 15 mph).



- A custom build on a "Ford T 1921" called the "Kampkar" (6 seats, 4 beds, a 2-burner stove, an 8-gallon water tank): the ancestor of the RV. I couldn’t get a clearer photo because of the lighting.



After leaving the museum, I take a walk downtown. The city’s motto on the "Old Reno Arch" (Lake Street).



Reno wants to be a mini Las Vegas: here’s "North Center Street" with Harrah’s hotel in the background.



Another downtown street.



I don’t spend much more time in downtown Reno. I do see the new "Reno Arch", though. I head back toward the banks of the "Truckee River" near "City Plaza." The "Truckee River" comes from the Sierra Nevada; it flows out of Lake Tahoe, heads north, then east (entering Nevada) before emptying into "Pyramid Lake", a low point in the Great Basin. It’s got a strong flow during snowmelt season.



On a plaza (right bank) stands a contemporary performing arts center, the "Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts."



So my view of Reno was limited: the car museum, the Truckee River banks, and a quick foray into downtown. There’s probably more to see.

Leaving Reno, I follow the "Truckee River" upstream to Truckee (California). Population-wise, it’s a city, but it feels more like a long village stretched along the railroad tracks. Big parking lots are under construction at the east exit—the paving isn’t done yet, and the toll booths are already installed. The obsession with paid parking isn’t very welcoming, especially compared to Virginia City. Is the village packed in summer? Maybe... It was a major station on the transcontinental railroad, sitting at the foot of Donner Pass, where the line crosses the Sierra Nevada. I photograph the tracks, which feel symbolic of the village from my perspective.



I continue along the "Truckee River" with two goals: try a hike if possible, and check out "Squaw Valley." I pass the "Squaw Valley" intersection and drive to the one leading to "Alpine Meadows." This resort, associated with (but not connected to) "Squaw Valley," is a day-use area with a big parking lot, ski lifts, but no on-site lodging (it’s clearly closed now). I consider hiking the "Five Lakes Trail" in this little valley (Bear Creek), though I’m not optimistic due to the snow. Starting point (halfway between the intersection and the resort).



Sure enough, shortly after starting, the ground is soggy (from melting snow), and it’s clear the trail will be snow-covered before reaching the 350-meter-high plateau. I don’t push it and head to "Squaw Valley" instead. For my generation, the 1968 Grenoble Olympics marked skiing’s arrival in mainstream sports. I remember hearing that the skiers (and ski racers) of that era (Killy, etc.) had precursors, like Jean Vuarnet (inventor of the "egg position"), who won Olympic gold in 1960... at "Squaw Valley." The intersection leading to "Squaw Valley."



The resort (it’s an integrated one).



The ski lift departure area.



The resort (closed on weekdays) announces it’ll reopen next weekend for the high-altitude terrain (skiing down to the resort won’t be possible anymore). A little downstream, they’re already watering the summer golf course.



Back in the car, I drive to "Tahoe City" (California), take a short break by the lake, then follow the northern shore back into Nevada. I pass "Sand Harbor" and stop a little higher than I did two days ago (roadside or small parking lot—I don’t remember which). I end the day with a short hike to the lake’s edge: "Creek Beach," I think.





Return to "Washoe Lake State Park."

I haven’t mentioned the weather since arriving in Carson City. It’s gradually improved (fewer showers) with rising temperatures each day—today was beautiful and hot.

Hi Patrice, I looked up the settings on my photos to answer your question, since I’m neither skilled nor particularly attentive when it comes to the technical side of photography. I use a basic point-and-shoot camera (Nikon Coolpix A300) on automatic mode for my shots—I don’t even know all its features. I rarely edit my photos (though I do sometimes) when selecting them while putting together a travel journal. I have to hand it to you—after checking, I realized I’d tweaked the brightness setting by one notch during the day at Alabama Hills (it was really bright that day), which ended up underexposing the shots. When you shoot in automatic mode, the setting stays locked at the adjusted value. I forgot to reset it afterward, so all the later photos were taken with that modified setting. So there’s some underexposure from that change (I can’t explain it any better), but it definitely wasn’t intentional.

Hello and thank you! It's always a pleasure to read and see others' journeys—it helps enrich our own travels and inspire new ideas. So, I’m also planning an adventure in the American West this July with my 15-year-old daughter. Can’t wait… 😎 I have a quick question about Death Valley: what’s the closest parking spot or the name of the trail to take to find "The Wave" and "Pastel Canyon"? And how much time should we plan for this hike? Thanks in advance for your reply.