[Stones]

I was in Elko last December for some project work. The overnight temperatures at that time were dipping into the single digits. All I could see of the Ruby Mountains was their base, the tops were shrouded in gray leaving too much to the imagination. I’d been fascinated by the Rubies ever since reading about Galen Rowell’s ski traverse of this range in 1975. As luck would have it, I was called back to Elko for another small project and this time I could goose the schedule a little for a “long lunch” taking in a short hike in the Rubies. This time it was now late June and the weather was perfect, or so I thought.

Elko County in December 2008

After wrapping up a short meeting with the Elko County planning director in the morning, I managed to be on the road up Lamoille Canyon by noon. Lamoille Canyon is a classic glacier-carved canyon that forms a perfect catenary curve in cross section (that would be like a U-shape). The Ruby Mountains were the most heavily glaciated mountain range in the Great Basin. Subjectively speaking, I think one of the most beautiful mountains ranges I’ve ever visited.

Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata) and Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides). Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

After a few stops on the way up Lamoille Canyon I reached the trailhead at the end of the road at 8,800 feet. The hiking goal was Lamoille Lake, two miles up the trail and 900 feet higher at 9,700 feet, the classic Ruby hike and a good introduction to the Rubies.

Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

It was clouding up already, setting up for an afternoon thundershower. No sooner than 200 yards up the trail the clap of thunder had me hugging the ground like a scared little girly man. I regained my composure and noticed that half the sky was already blue and the clouds were slowly moving away to the north. So I kept going. The trail loosely followed Lamoille Creek through small meadows and whitebark pine, crossing the creek several times over short, sturdy footbridges. One could easily rock hop over the little stream but the bridges were a nice touch to a well maintained trail.

Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

Whitebark Pine (Pinus albicaulus). Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

California Tortoiseshell

Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

Leucocratic dike

At this elevation, it was still a little early for peak wildflowers. It was evident that the snow had recently melted out in places. White marsh marigolds and subalpine buttercups were out but not much else. Very pretty nonetheless, the marsh marigolds being abundant in wet places next to the creek and tarns.

Marsh Marigold (Caltha leptosepala). Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

Eschscholtz's (Subalpine) Buttercup (Ranunculus eschscholtzii). Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

Marsh Marigold (Caltha leptosepala). Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

California false hellebore/California corn lily (Veratrum californicum). Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

After a mile or so, with the clouds blowing north, the trail switchbacked up rock ledges and steeper slopes leveling off at the Dollar Lakes, a series of small tarns. There were a few slushy snow patches to cross in places, a larger one requiring some minor route finding to relocate the trail. Another series of clouds began to roll in from the south and build up over the Ruby crest. I knew I was close to Lamoille Lake so I kept on going. Before too long, I reached the lake, still melting out and mostly surrounded by snow. I broke out a chocolate chip chocolate muffin for lunch, one of a four-pack I picked up at Albertson’s in Elko.

Dollar Lakes. Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

Lamoille Lake. Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

As the next wave of clouds built up, I packed up and headed down. I ran into a couple from Rotterdam and a young woman with a tribe of kids headed for the lake. The tribe carried virtually nothing except the shorts and T-shirts they were wearing. I mentioned to them that I expected the weather to change for the worse shortly. It was starting to sprinkle and another thunderclap sent me scurrying down the trail. Just as I reached my car it started to cut loose with rain and hail. Timing is everything. I drove back down the canyon out of the rain and made a few stops to take pictures where there were more flowers, balsamroot being one familiar to all of us. The lower elevations were reaching their peak here.

Nuttall's Linanthus (Linanthus nuttallii). Lamoille Canyon. Ruby Mountains.

At the base of the Rubies is the small ranch town of Lamoille. I stopped in there at the Bitter End Tavern for chicken fajitas chased down with a Ruby Mountain Amber Ale. At that moment, life was real good. I had a good laugh when the tribe showed up for dinner with squishy shoes and soaked to the bone. They got caught in the hail storm I just missed.

Bitter End Tavern. Lamoille, Nevada

Near Lamoille. Ruby Mountains.

[yew]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the first trip report of the Ruby Mountains, NV on nwhikers.net! That's some nice mountains and flowers. I remember drooling at the Rubies from the interstate en route to a backpacking trip and to fight fires in southern Utah. You probably know, but the Himalayan snowcock was introduced to the Rubies for hunting and wildlife viewing. It'd be neat see one of these fowl in Nevada assuming it doesn't directly displace native chicken-like birds.

[Quark]

What's the rockology of Ruby Mtns? Lots of rubies there? They look gorgeous, Stones! If I ever feel like getting out of Washington for some time off, I might have to check it out. Lovely flowers, too.

[Stones]

I'll claim the first nwhikers report on the Rubies and hope to be back for more reports. I could spend easily two weeks exploring there. It's a 13 hour drive by car or four daily flights between Elko and Salt Lake City (air service only by way of SLC on Skywest). I had read about the Himalayan snowcock but did not see any. I've seen a few chukars around Carson City, another Asian introduction. Quark - The geology was tough to figure out. According to the geologic map of the Rubies where I hiked was a hodgepodge of "foliated limestone marble, calc-silicate rock, and some mica schist, amphibolite, and gneiss." I suspect that the geologist who did the mapping got frustrated and just made it all one color. I was a little early for peak flowers but I could see things sprouting that suggested a much better show to come.

[Quark]

Ah! Yes. Foliated limestone marble, calc-silicate rock, and some mica schist, amphibolite, and gneiss was my guess, but I wasn't too sure.

[Soccer_Dad]

Wow. You people are taking me way back. I went to grad school in Salt Lake City, and the Rubies were one of my "long trip" destinations - I went there three times. These pictures are from 1983. They are scans of prints of slides, so you have to take what you can get.

Liberty Pass

Liberty Lake

My recollection is that Liberty Lake, just over the pass, was the prettiest of the lakes. We went all the way to the far lake in the cirque directly in the center of the second picture. My recollection is that the trail continued over that next high plateau in the picture. John

[ree]

I had to look at a map to figure out exactly where Elko is! I've been to Winnemucca and Wells, but not that stretch of I-80 between them, missing Elko. Very nice area to explore, I see! Nevada has some hidden treasures, not only in the casinos! I like this picture a lot because it really captures the vast miles of isolated country in the west. There's remnants of human presence, but all that's left are ghosts.

Nice trip report, Stones. Thanks for sharing.

[Scrooge]

Coffee table work on this one, Stones.

But shame on you for laughing at the poor, wet children.

[Dean]

I love that area. I had the chance to hike/climb Ruby Dome about 4 years ago and did it in October when the colors were peaking. I have a page at Summitpost for Ruby Dome and a Trip Report and pics are posted there as well: http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/152623/Ruby-Dome-NV-.html I had a chance to climb Mt Pilchuck last week so I do get back to Washington. Still a lot of snow but a neat snow hike to the lookout.

[Stones]

Great shots Soccer_Dad. You can see how easy it is to get around on the Ruby crest, very open like the Sierra. Are you related to the sign holder? I wanted to make it to Liberty Pass but given the weather it wasn't possible. Ree, you'd like Elko. All the funkiness of Nevada, ranching and mining, a stuffed polar bear in the Commercial Casino, and a Thunderbird Motel (free wifi). Nice people, too. Dean, I read your Ruby Dome report on SummitPost soon after I returned. I was thinking it would be nice if you chimed in on this trip report and I'm glad you did. I need a coffee table camera Scrooge but my little Canon S3 does OK (thanks btw). I know a few folks here have that camera.

[Soccer_Dad]

[puzzlr]

Enjoying being introduced to some new areas

[El Puma]

Great reads, everyone! I flew heliskiing in the Rubys for three years the mid-90's (one of the best jobs I've ever had - working with the greatest bunch of people!) and have always wanted to go up in there in the summer. I still know a few people in Lamoille, so (other than the approach-drive) have no excuses... If anyone is heading down there and would like some contact info, feel free to PM me!

[Stones]

Awesome Puma! Dream job. I'll bet that snow is lighter than air.