Ruby Mountains: The Crowning Jewel

The golden eagle that flew over our car, leading the way up the winding canyon road, may have been the first clue that we were entering a special place. Or perhaps it was the two fawns at dusk, still struggling to learn which way their shaky legs would take them. Maybe it was the early morning light that turned the Ruby Mountains to gold, hinting at the riches that miners here once hoped to find.

Beyond doubt, the Ruby Mountains, called Nevada’s Alps, are touched with magic.

We followed in the footsteps and wagon wheel tracks of sheepherders and miners who, in very different ways, believed they had struck it rich when they discovered the glacial canyons and gem-like lakes of this scenic 60-mile-long mountain range.

In the early 1800s, soldiers and other explorers, stopping off on their way to California, panned the streams for gold. Instead of yellow flakes, they found red gemstones that they mistook for rubies, giving birth to the name Ruby Mountains. In fact, those stones turned out to be garnets--common and inexpensive. Still, the name stuck and the beauty of this remarkable range remains undimmed by the passage of time.

The Rubies are mighty, besides being beautiful, with 10 peaks of more than 10,000 feet in elevation. There are year-round snow fields and more than two dozen alpine lakes. Popular Lamoille Canyon is often compared to Yosemite because of its towering peaks and U-shaped valleys.

In late June, a friend and I joined another couple for five days of hiking and sightseeing in the Rubies, a scenic wilderness area that is a leisurely day-and-a-half drive northeast of Los Angeles. Gloria and I planned to meet Bob and Debbie at Thomas Canyon Campground, the only U.S. Forest Service campground in the area. Bob and I had backpacked and hiked in the region from time to time in the past, once getting trapped in a tent for a couple of days because of heavy snow. But this trip was designed to be leisure camping. Our campground had fresh water and a sparkling stream running through it. If we got tired of our own cooking, we could drive down the road to the ranching community of Lamoille for a night out on the town.

Visitors don’t have to be campers to enjoy the Ruby Mountains. Accommodations can be found in Elko, Nev., about half an hour away, or in Lamoille. It is possible to fly from Los Angeles to Elko, the nearest town with an airport. Or to fly into Reno, about 300 miles away.

We decided to drive, catching Nevada Highway 93 outside Las Vegas. Called the Great Basin Scenic Highway, it winds through valleys, mountains and desert, some of which could pass for the sand-swept surface of Mars. Great Basin National Park is readily accessible from this road. The park contains Wheeler Peak, at 13,065 feet the second highest mountain in Nevada, and ancient bristlecone pine trees. There also are caves and hiking trails that have little foot traffic.

As we rolled along, we saw country roads, wildlife refuges, grazing antelope and stretches of highway with not another vehicle in sight. We stopped overnight at Ely, Nev., before pointing the car in the direction of the Rubies. At one point we approached an old railroad crossing and saw a sign near the roadside: “Town for Sale.” Off to the right was a small country store and bar with a cluster of white buildings behind it and a few old cars and a truck in front.

Soon the Ruby Mountains loomed ahead. As they came into view, it appeared as though a chunk of the Sierra Nevada had been plucked from California and dropped into northeastern Nevada. The similarities between the two mountain chains are striking. Both are glacier-carved granite ranges dominated by snowcapped peaks, rushing streams and sparkling lakes populated by hungry trout. The highest summit in the Rubies is 11,387-foot Ruby Dome, short of the Sierra’s 14,495-foot Mt. Whitney.

The Rubies tend to be greener and a bit wetter than much of the Sierra. As hikers, we appreciated a couple of other differences too. The trails are less dusty and less crowded. And there are no bears in the Ruby Mountains. It’s believed that the last black bear was killed by a rancher in 1910. But mountain lions, mule deer, bobcats, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, Himalayan snow cocks, Hungarian partridges and other wildlife abound. Some people even claim to have seen a wolf or two.

We followed wildflower-lined Highway 229, which crossed Secret Pass, then dropped down to a dirt road with a sign pointing toward Lamoille. It is considered the back way in from Ely but is more scenic than the longer, all-highway route through Elko. We passed herds of cattle and clusters of horses grazing in the fields and soon spotted the picturesque town of Lamoille, with the steeple of Lamoille Presbyterian Church visible in the distance.

From there we climbed Lamoille Canyon, as the sound of rushing water echoed through the car’s open windows. We were on the Lamoille Canyon Scenic Byway, a 12-mile paved road that takes visitors to 8,800 feet. The road offers breathtaking scenery and access to various recreational activities, including camping and hiking.

Thomas Campground, eight miles up the highway, is at 7,600 feet. It has 39 well-maintained campsites, 30 of which have tent pads. (The campground officially closes--usually in late September--for the fall and winter, but until the road is closed by snow, some die-hard campers show up to use the grounds anyway.) It took only minutes to put up our tent with Bob lending a hand. We settled into our temporary outdoor home and began mapping out plans for hiking, rock climbing and picture taking.

With our energy restored, we decided to take a stroll along Lamoille Creek as it tumbled through the campground. Indian paintbrush, penstemon, shooting stars, mule’s ears, bluebells and geraniums were everywhere. Gloria happily shot pictures, moving from one group of flowers to the next. That night, under a sky full of stars, sleep came quickly and solidly.

The next morning, as the sun painted the canyon walls in shades of orange and gold, we converted hot water to hot chocolate and boiled more water for oatmeal and fruit. We decided to save the sausage for another morning.

When we were done, we tackled a trail that rose just beyond our campsite. Small meadows provided a green backdrop against rugged canyon walls and more distant mountaintops. Within 15 minutes we were at the first of a series of waterfalls that spill down Thomas Creek. The creek, fed by snowmelt from above, was inviting but flowing much too fast to be entered safely. We felt as if we could hike forever, but the 8,000-foot elevation prompted us to rest and retrace our steps.

The Rubies offer a range of hiking trails, several of which can be reached easily from the road that climbs up Lamoille Canyon. Some of the best trails take off from, or near, the parking area at the head of the canyon. These include the trails to Lamoille, Liberty and Island lakes, as well as longer backpack trails to other lakes that dot the region. Many of the lakes are likely to be frozen in spots well into the summer.

Lamoille Lake is an hour’s hike from the parking area. The trail to Island Lake takes 1 1/2 to 2 hours and crosses a tumbling creek that is a good spot to rest. Liberty Lake is a more strenuous climb, taking about 2 1/2 hours. Views down the canyon are spectacular. All of these are good family hikes.

Backpackers enjoy the 40-mile Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail, which begins at the Roads End trail head and follows the crest of the mountains south to Harrison Pass. The first seven miles are the most heavily used. The contrast between the hot valley floor, at 5,600 feet, and the crest, at 11,000 feet, catches many people off guard. The region also is subject to rapid shifts in weather, which sometimes mean violent storms.

Hikers aren’t the only people who enjoy the charms of the Rubies. Swimmers and boaters use Zumino Jiggs Reservoir. Fishermen like the mountain streams. Ruby Lake, on the range’s southeastern flank, is abundant with large-mouth bass all summer and with trout spring through fall.

At the nearby Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, hunters turn out for ducks and geese October through January; shutterbugs shoot less common species, such as trumpeter swans and sandhill cranes.

January through early April, the Rubies offer excellent heli-skiing. The area is known for its deep powder and long virgin runs, which lure adventurers who have the money to buy a helicopter ride up the mountains and enough courage to ski down.

Todd Schwandt, a local businessman, is a big booster of the region. “The Rubies are an undiscovered secret,” he said. “I go to sports shows all over the United States, and people don’t believe the pictures that I show them. This is an unknown wilderness that people fall in love with.”

Schwandt’s great-grandparents homesteaded in the area in 1876. Today he and his wife, Dina, own the JAZ Ranch, Nevada High Country Outfitters and the Pine Lodge Dinner House and Hotel in Lamoille.

One night we decided to sample dinner at the Pine Lodge, where Todd’s 11-year-old daughter, Stacy, bakes the day’s fresh bread. All four of us ordered chicken Diane. If this was an example of cowboy cooking, park me next to the chuck wagon. The downstairs dining room features a diorama of North American wildlife.

The next day we shouldered ropes and climbing gear and headed for the big boulders in Lamoille Canyon for a little rock climbing. The mountains were etched sharply against the horizon as we worked our way up the rocks.

On subsequent days we hiked to Liberty and Island lakes on trails that took us over snow fields remaining from winter.

By the last night, the sound of the stream had become a familiar lullaby and our sleeping bags as snug and comfortable as a down-covered four-poster. The campground was nearly full, but each site was far enough from the next that there was a pervasive sense of having it all to ourselves.

Morning, and packing for the return trip, might break the spell. But for a short time we had sampled the majesty and mystery of the mountains, breathed the fresh, clean air and sipped the cold, clear water. The Rubies may not be the home of precious stones, but they have a value all their own.

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Guidebook: A Gem of a Hiking Experience in the Rubies

Getting there: By air, from LAX to Elko, Nev., connecting service (change of planes) is available on Delta. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $211. From LAX to Reno, nonstop service is available on American; direct service is available on United and America West. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $123.

By car, take Interstate 15 to Las Vegas, switching to Nevada Highway 93 (Great Basin Scenic Highway) north of Las Vegas. Follow it to Ely. Or turn off Highway 93 onto State Route 318 north to Ely.

From Ely, take Highway 93 north to the Hastings cutoff (State Route 229) west over Secret Pass to the Lamoille turnoff. Or continue on SR 229 to I-80 west into Elko.

Where to stay: Pines Lodge Hotel Lamoille, P.O. Box 281550, Lamoille, NV 89828; (775) 753-6363. This old hotel has three rooms and Old West hospitality. It is as comfortable as an old shoe while still making you feel like a guest.

Rates begin at $65 per night for two people. Next door is the Pines Lodge Dinner House, where deer roam on the back lawn. Inside, stuffed game animals share part of the dining room. Open from 5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.

Elko has a wide array of accommodations, from Motel 6, (800) 466-8356 or (775) 738-4337, to casino-based hotels and inns. Most are next to Interstate 80 and readily accessible. Prices range from $28 to $119 per night. Among the choices are Red Lion Hotel and Casino, (800) 547-8010 and Shilo Inn, (800) 222-2244 or (775) 738-5522.

Thomas Canyon Campground is open from May 21 through late September. Late in the season, limited camping is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Call (775) 752-3357 for information. During the high season make reservations by calling (877) 444-6777, www.reserveusa.com.

Where to eat: O’Carroll’s & the Grill, Lamoille; (775) 753-6451. In the heart of Lamoille, O’Carroll’s leans toward the informal with great burgers as well as steak, ribs, chicken and other menu items. Open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, and 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday-Monday.

Elko has a variety of restaurants, and some of the most interesting are Basque. Two popular choices are the Star, 246 Silver St., (775) 738-9925, and Nevada Dinner House, 351 Silver St., (775) 738-8485. Meals are about $15-$25.

For more information: U.S. Forest Service, (775) 752-3357, www.fs.fed.us/htnf/rmtodo.htm.

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Dan Blackburn is a freelance writer and television correspondent based in Los Angeles.