2020 July TD News - Off-the-record explorations
Dean Eppley | Published on 7/9/2020
Club events continue to be cancelled due to the pandemic. Some club friends are doing some small unofficial “flash runs” during the less busy weekdays, following social distancing and mask wearing protocols. If you are interested in attending a flash run on a space available basis, or just want the GPX track for some local 4WD runs, please send an e-mail to td4wheelers@gmail.com.
A few of us recently ran the Hunter Lake Jeep Trail starting at the Boomtown off-ramp then heading south into the Toiyabe National Forest. Behind a large solid metal gate at the west end on Garson Road, the route winds up the steep mountain to the communication towers. From the top there are spectacular views of Verdi, Reno and Verdi Peak Fire Lookout. The trail continues south to beautiful Big Meadows. The expansive meadows have ruins of an log dam from previous lumber operations. The trail continues east through the trees bisecting the Mount Rose Wilderness Area on the “grandfathered in” Hunter Lake Road. Eventually a small spur trail on the right turns to Hunter Lake which has is now not a lake at all but rather a pristine meadow. Hunter Lake was also manmade for lumbering operations. The trail down to Reno is rocky, rutted and steep. A stock Gladiator Rubicon made the run without issues. The trail ends in a residential area on Sierra Pine Drive by South McCarran Blvd. For information/membership, please see www.TD4Wheelers.org. Remember, explore with at least two vehicles for safety and tread lightly!