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Clark Mountain Additions and Corrections

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cp0915

Untitled Comment

Voted 10/10

I'd have to agree with you, Scotty. I think that's the same approach I took, though I still couldn't get my Corolla beyond the wash without beating it up.

Judging by your photos, I see you made a recent trip down this way.

Posted May 12, 2005 10:54 am

ScottyS

Untitled Comment

Voted 10/10

Ah, yes. During an extra day in the LV area, I sampled a collection of old piñon pine as part of a long-term Great Basin climate reconstruction project. I've been targeting Clark Mt as a collection site for a while, just hadn't gotten the time to do it.

Posted May 12, 2005 1:18 pm

ScottyS

Untitled Comment

Voted 10/10

There is a variation of the road leading to the picnic area that is much faster and easier to travel for light cars than the pole-line road. It uses the same directions for getting off the highway and going towards the tailings, but goes straight at the second junction instead of left. The key to this road is to follow the way that appears to have the most use. Stay close to the tailings, drive down a small hill, and follow the road as it goes up a sandy wash. The wash twists and turns for ~1.3mi until reaching the open hillsides above substation. (see posted map for exact route) Here it joins with the described route.

This route is totally drivable in a low-clearance car until the switchback through the wash. Actually, I drove a recent-model Pontiac Sunfire all the way to the picnic area without grinding the muffler, but unless you really know what you're doing I can't recommend this. A two-wheel-drive pickup would be fine, as long as speed is maintained through the sandy sections.

Posted May 11, 2005 9:58 pm

cp0915

Untitled Comment

Voted 10/10

Posted May 12, 2005 10:54 am

ScottyS

Untitled Comment

Voted 10/10

Posted May 12, 2005 1:18 pm

Matthew Holliman

Untitled Comment

Hasn't voted

I only had the DPS guide with me when I did this, but I ended up doing what it sounds like Scotty did as well. There are many roads and junctions not mentioned in the guide. Here's an updated description and GPS waypoints. All distances are given relative to the previous road junction:

Exit I-15 at Mountain Pass onto Bailey Road, and head north to Clark Mountain Road. Drive west 0.9 miles to a cattle guard at the end of pavement. Continue west for 0.4 miles to a sharp bend in the road (waypoint BEND), where several faint tracks lead off into the desert; continue right on the main road.
At 0.6mi from the bend, you'll see a poor road heading left; ignore it. This is the old powerline road mentioned in the DPS guide, and meets the main road higher up.
In another 0.2mi (0.8mi from the bend), the road forks next to a large mine tailings pile (waypoint TAILNG). Take the left fork. (The right fork heads straight ahead to a large parking area and gate).
In another 1.6mi, turn left at a fork below a large power pylon (waypoint PYLON).
In another 0.4mi, right at a fork (waypoint FORK1). (The left fork heads off towards a hill with a radio installation on top).
In 50 yards, take a left fork (waypoint FORK2). The road drops down and crosses a wash.
In 0.3mi, take a left fork (waypoint FORK3), which leads up to a couple of switchbacks (waypoint SWBACK).
In 1.1mi, take the left fork (waypoint FORK4), which leads in 0.6mi to the picnic/parking area (waypoint PICNIC). The right fork initially looks better, but quickly deteriorates.

Here are waypoints that can be imported into TOPO! or Excel:




TOPO! GPS Data Format Deg NAD83 ElevFeet UTC-Time


BEND,35.47692,-115.54966,4773,11/28/2005,22:47:46,Sharp right turn in dirt road, 0.4mi after end of pavement (indistinct trails heading off here)


PWRLIN,35.48211,-115.53806,4809,11/28/2005,22:47:46,Old powerline road (ignore)--meets main road 1.2mi from waypt BEND


TAILNG,35.48263,-115.53761,4831,11/28/2005,22:47:46,0.8mi from waypt BEND, left fork at mine tailings pile (road straight ahead continues to large parking area/gate)


PYLON,35.50356,-115.54516,5198,11/28/2005,22:47:46,1.6mi from TAILNG, left fork next to power pylon (main road continues right)


FORK1,35.50389,-115.55357,5375,11/28/2005,22:47:46,0.4mi, right fork (left fork heads off towards hill with radio installation on top)


FORK2,35.50410,-115.55409,5397,11/28/2005,22:47:46,50 yards, left fork (main road continues straight), drops into wash and crosses it before reaching...


FORK3,35.50475,-115.55790,5459,11/28/2005,22:47:46,0.3mi, left fork (leads up to a couple of switchbacks)


SWBACK,35.50336,-115.55701,5418,11/28/2005,22:47:46,Switchbacks


FORK4,35.51172,-115.57126,6099,11/28/2005,22:47:46,1.1mi, left fork (right fork initially looks better, but deteriorates rapidly)


PICNIC,35.51580,-115.57819,6176,11/28/2005,22:47:46,Picnic area, 0.6mi from junction

Posted Nov 29, 2005 2:08 am

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