[John Morrow]

Don't forget to celebrate the Proclamation by President Obama declaring this month, September 2013 "National Wilderness Month". http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/08/30/presidential-proclamation-national-wilderness-month-2013 I chose to visit some new wilderness areas (to me) in celebration of the 1964 Act and subsequent Congressional Act designations. Thus I headed for the Arc Dome Wilderness, Nevada's largest wilderness at close to 115,000 acres after visiting Table Mountain, the state's 3rd largest wilderness. I chose 3 dayhikes, one in the south, one central, and one north. Unfortunately, I cannot recover any pics from day one at the moment. On Saturday I drove from Tonopah (I recommend the Best Western and Mexican restaurant) to the sw corner of the wilderness and spent the day hiking Weeks Creek which barely had a trail and was quite brushy. It faded altogether and I went crosscountry to a saddle with some nice views but I can't recommend it, really. Saturday was the classic day. After camping at the Columbine Campground Friday night, I got a 6:30 AM start for a big 14 mile loop connecting the two trails out of the campground/TH with the Toiyabe Crest Trail, and a spur to the summits of Arc Dome 11,773' and its northern sister Point 11,406' It is a big day with lots of vertical but I would call it a "Classic" hike for sure.

Stewart Creek start

Really early!!!

Shoshone Range in view

nice meadow

Toiyabe Range high country

Arc Dome Wilderness, NV

The Twin drainage

Peak 11,406'

Arc Dome Wilderness, NV. Toiyabe Range; Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest

Summit Arc Dome 11,733'

ViewNorth

on 11,406' with neat basin

Arc Dome Wilderness

Humboldt Toiyabe N.F.; North face of 11,406' IMG_5231

Arc Dome Wilderness, NV. IMG_5238

After having camped again at Columbine, I packed up and drove to Ophir Summit at 10,000 feet on the north side of the wilderness boundary for a pleasant stroll south on the Toiyabe Crest Trail. I detoured to the summit of South Toiyabe Peak 10,895' before backtracking back to the car.

Toiyabe Crest Trail sample

South Toiyabe Peak 10,895'

trail views

Back at Arc Dome ridge

some cragginess

The northern Toiyabe Range

big drop to Smoky Valley

you can drive here!

[meck]

Those are some beautiful pics of some great terrain! Thank you for adding to my "places to visit" list (Nevada and Utah sure do have some cool geography).