Brilliant Backpacking in Nevada's Ruby Mountains Wilderness

The Trip

The popular conception of Nevada is that it is flat open desert. In fact, Nevada is the most mountainous state in the country.

The Ruby Mountains in northeast Nevada are probably the most hiked and well-liked range. Perhaps it's because, as the northernmost of the Great Basin ranges, they are the wettest and their climate is more like the Sierra or the Rockies. Perhaps it's because their metamorphic granite-like rock reminds us of Sierra granite. Or perhaps it's due to the abundance of gem-like lakes filling glacial cirques.

The Ruby Mountains extend 100 miles in length, but only 10 miles in width, yet they're punctuated with a string of 10,000-foot peaks, the highest of which is Ruby Dome at 11,387 feet. Here, glaciers were larger and cut deeper than in any other Nevada range, and they left such "hanging" valleys as Yosemite-like Lamoille Canyon, whose sheer walls rise 2,500 feet above the valley floor. Thus the Ruby Mountains will change the perception of Nevada as all desert and sagebrush.

Despite their many charms, however, there are no rubies in the Ruby Mountains -- just garnets of similar color. In 1989, the unique character of the Ruby Mountains was recognized by Congress and designated as Wilderness.

On this trip, we will experience the best of what the Rubies have to offer by hiking all 34 miles of the Ruby Crest Trail. We will hike from south to north, finishing the trip among a cluster of lakes and beautiful Lamoille Canyon.

While the Rubies are generally greener and actually have more lakes and creeks than the Sierra Nevada south of Horseshoe Meadow, the trail’s faithful following of the crest puts us high above any water sources for a 10-mile stretch in the middle of the trip, so we will have one dry camp, on day three.

Our hiking schedule is not rigid and the itinerary described here should be taken as a general plan. Snow in the Rubies typically lingers into early July, and a high snow year or other factors may cause us to alter the route. Flexibility is essential. Sierra Club trips are not solo trips; we will look out for each other and may at times have to compromise our individual goals.

Day 1: After meeting and organizing this morning (see “Getting There” section), we head north on the trail through brush, climbing gradually around the flank of Green Mountain, then enter a beautiful aspen forest with many wildflowers. Breaking into the open, we climb 1,000 feet to the ridge over the south fork of Smith Creek, then drop 1,400 feet to camp back in the Aspen forest by the creek at 7,900 feet. Total climb is 1,700 feet with a descent of 1,800 feet, spread over 8 miles. Lunch today will be the first trip meal. 

Day 2: Our 6-mile day starts off with a climb up and down the ridge separating us from the middle fork of Smith Creek, then we climb 2,200 feet to the ridge overlooking Overland Lake, before dropping down to the lake at 9,450 feet. Total elevation change is 2,500 feet up and 950 feet down. With the short mileage, we should get to the lake in time to enjoy an afternoon swim. This day is rated 5 on our scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most strenuous.

Day 3: Our most challenging day starts off with a descent and contouring past a small waterfall, until we reach the last water source for today at 2.5 miles. After guzzling water and putting at least four quarts (eight pounds) of water in each of our packs, we continue contouring through interesting country, then climb 1,600 feet up to the crest, which is actually a broad sagebrush-covered slope overlooking Long Canyon below us to the west and farm country off to the east. If we stop and camp halfway through the 10-mile dry stretch, we will have a total distance of 7.5 miles with a total climb of 2,600 feet and descent of 1,350 feet. Depending on the time of day, we -- as a group -- may choose to press on to get to water sooner tomorrow. Camp elevation will be over 10,000 feet. This day is rated 5.

Day 4: We continue hiking up and down as we follow the ridge, then follow the trail nearly to the top of Wines Peak, at 10,890 feet the highest point of the Ruby Crest Trail. We then mostly descend, stopping at Furlong Creek for water after 5 miles (or less if we pressed on yesterday). Back among trees, we continue 2 miles to our camp at Castle Lake, which is a short climb off-trail in a bowl overlooking Favre Lake. Total distance of 7 miles with a climb of 1,180 feet and 2,080 feet of descent. We will take a layover day here.

Day 5: Although we are just a day away from the trailhead, it’s just too beautiful to leave yet! We will take a day to relax, explore nearby Favre and Liberty Lakes, or try the unmaintained trail down Kleckner Creek.

Day 6: This is our shortest day with a total climb of 900 feet and a descent of 2,100 feet in 5.5 miles. Getting back on trail near Favre Lake, we pass Liberty Lake, climb the well-graded trail to Liberty Pass, and descend to Lamoille and Dollar Lakes on the way to the trailhead at 8,600 feet and the end of the trip. Our packs will be light, but we’ll be hit by the bittersweet realization that we're nearing civilization. No matter -- going to the mountains has replenished us and nature's power over man has been proven again.

Getting There

We will meet on Day 1 at the southern end of the Ruby Crest Trail, at the Green Mountain Trailhead off the Harrison Pass Rd. and start hiking from there. However, we encourage all participants to camp the night before at the other end of the trip (in Lamoille Canyon) -- either at Thomas Mountain Campground or at the ending trailhead at Roads End. The way to either trailhead is from Elko, NV. Elko is on Interstate 80 between Reno (290 miles away) and Salt Lake City (226 miles). Other cities with major airline service are Boise (235 miles) and Las Vegas (429 miles). It is 26 miles from Elko to Thomas Mountain Campground and 5 miles further to the ending trailhead at Roads End. We will send a trip roster to all participants well before the trip to facilitate ride sharing. Specific driving directions will also be sent before departure.

The official start point is the Green Mountain Trailhead, at the southern end of the Ruby Crest Trail, three miles north up a 4x4 road from Harrison Pass Road. A parking area is located where the 4x4 road leaves Harrison Pass Road, and all cars can easily get to this parking area. The 4x4 road has become eroded in recent years, and a car cannot make it up to the trailhead. The most convenient way to get to the starting trailhead will be for us (as a group) to use one of the commercial shuttle services that serve the Ruby Crest Trail to take us from the ending northern trailhead to the starting Green Mountain trailhead early on the morning of day one. Shuttle cost should be $60-120 per person depending on how well the sharing works out. Other options for getting to the trip meeting point are driving your own 4x4 vehicle directly to the Green Mountain Trailhead or parking at Harrison Pass Road and walking three miles up the 4x4 road the night before to camp at 8,000 feet.

It is more pleasant to camp at Thomas Mountain or in your vehicle at the northern trailhead; the trip meeting point has no services or shade at all. It takes 1.5 hours to drive between the trailheads.

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Although on the last day we should arrive at our cars by 1:00 p.m., booking departing flights later that day is not a good idea because delays do occur and worring about missing your flight will take away your enjoyment of the last day.

Accommodations and Food

All on-trip meals, beginning with lunch on our first trail day and ending with lunch on the last day are included in the trip price. Trip participants will share cooking and meal clean-up duties. The menu will lean toward vegetarian, though some meals will include meat options as well. Our meals are designed for simplicity, lighter weight, and enjoyment. The quality of our meals is of particular interest to the leaders. It is our goal that you will be well-fed and fueled for strenuous days on the trail while maintaining reasonable pack weights. If you have dietary restrictions, please check with us well in advance of the trip about whether we can accommodate them.

Trip Difficulty

This trip is rated 4 on a scale between 1 and 5, with 5 being most strenuous. The 4 rating is an average of the five moving days, and two of the days are rated 5. You should not rely solely on the rating to determine if this or any of our trips are suitable for you, but rather read through this section and the daily itineraries above to assess how the trip will work for you personally.

The total distance, which is all on-trail except a short off-trail excursion to our last camp, is about 34 miles. The altitude of the trip and the elevation changes are the primary contributors to the trip difficulty. The second and third days have the greatest ascents, about 2,500 feet for both. On the third day, we will stop for water after 2.5 miles and from there set off carrying at least a gallon of water (eight pounds) per person for 5 miles and up 2,500 feet to our dry camp. We do not expect to need bear canisters, which will save about 2 pounds per person and help offset the weight of the water carry. Campsite elevations range from 7,900 to 10,700 feet. Prior backpacking experience is required for this trip.

Conditioning is extremely important for both pacing and altitude considerations. We owe it to each other to arrive at the trailhead physically and mentally ready for the trip. You should have a regular strength and endurance fitness routine involving serious day hikes, and leg and core strengthening exercises. Upper-body exercises will ease getting your pack on and off and reduce your overall fatigue. Stretching and balance exercises become more important as we age. We strongly encourage you to complete at least one early-season weekend backpack before this trip.

Camping at either trailhead will help us acclimate to the altitude. You may wish to come early and do some day hiking in the area. Arriving early also makes it easier to recover from a delayed flight or missed connection and make it to the trailhead in time.

The leader will screen participants to help ensure that each individual, and the group as a whole, has the ability to accomplish the trip. To that end, the leader will call each participant to discuss the expectations of the trip and answer questions.

Equipment and Clothing

A detailed equipment list will be sent to all participants, and a general list can also be found at www.knapsack.org/basic_equipment.html. Be prepared for the extremes of our high-altitude environment. Rain is possible; make sure your tent will keep you dry, and don't skimp on rain jacket and pants (no ponchos). At the same time, try to limit your personal gear to 22 pounds or less, which will matter especially on this trip with our water carry. Nighttime temperatures will hover around freezing. You can test out your sleeping bag and layers, and tune-up what to bring, by staying a night or two at the ending trailhead (8,600 feet elevation) or the nearby campground. You will also need good hiking boots with lug soles that are well broken in. The Club will provide commissary equipment, including pots, cooking utensils, stoves, and other essential group equipment. Expect to carry up to 13 pounds of food and group gear that are the size of a filled paper grocery bag.

References

Maps:

• Three 7.5-minute series maps are needed to cover most of the route. The trail is shown remarkably correctly on the topos, but the starting Green Mountain trailhead is not labeled. The three most useful USGS topo maps are:
• Green Mountain
• Franklin Lake NW
• Ruby Dome

• The trip leader can provide a link to two “mytopo” maps that cover the full route.
• Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Map - Ruby Mountains Ranger District

Books:

• White, Mike, Backpacking Nevada.

Conservation

The Sierra Club is focused on the environment. We are concerned about conservation and sustainability of resources, both locally and globally. Volunteers aided and encouraged by a salaried staff accomplish our work. Our outings seek to empower participants toward greater understanding, advocacy, and participation in the goals of the Club.

The area of this trip has a specific current issue. The Forest Service is analyzing a proposal to make 54,000 acres of land in the Ruby Mountains available for oil and gas leasing: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=52443.

The affected areas are outside the wilderness, but abut it to the west of the northern and southern trailheads. Updates will be provided before the trip, and we will discuss the proposal on the trip.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.