Dixie Valley Nevada – March 2014

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Electronic Warfare Park

We figured friends were seriously starting to doubt our sanity. Our church going friends were probably down on bended knee in prayer beseeching divine intervention for our well being. We were off again into Nevada. What could possibly be out there in that barren wasteland?

We, although, did not have second thoughts as we stopped at the signal light onto Highway 50 in Stateline, Nevada. I gestured toward the casinos and asked the Lady, “Want to turn in here, get a room, feast at the buffets, and gamble away the weekend?” She just looked at me, aware of my joke. That lifestyle boggles our minds.

We had recently explored the Grimes Point Archeological Area. Studying the topo maps for the area, I saw there were possibly other nearby sites to discover.

Although we were gently rocked to sleep with the sounds of fighter jets from nearby Fallon Navy Air Station, morning was quiet and still before sunrise.

We investigated a series of caves and shelters in the area.

The most interesting shelter still had remnants of walls………………

………………………along with a boulder out front with old petroglyphs slowly fading with desert varnish.

We climbed and explored the ridge line, marveling at the terraces marking the ancient shorelines of Lake Lahontan.

We have made several trips into Dixie Valley and we will keep returning. There is always something new to discover and explore out here in this interesting terrain. The US Navy completed its buyout of the entire valley in 1995 and turned it into, according to this article, “The nation’s only Drive-Thru Electronic Warfare Park.”

A spur road leads to Wonder.

Wonder exists as the usual broken down ruins of mills and mining operations, sad, neglected, abandoned. We have been out to Wonder twice before.

This trip we continued north into Dixie Valley. A visible fault scarp/rupture along the base of the Stillwater Mountains on the valley’s west flank. It runs almost the length of the range, testimony to the power of the 1954 earthquake.

We explored up the Little Box Canyon Road. This interesting canyon starts out guarded by a series of high pour overs.

On a hike across the alluvial fan we came upon a monumented section corner.

Our Public Land Survey System was yet another invention of Thomas Jefferson. With this marker we could pinpoint our location – beginning 120 miles north and 204 miles east of California’s Mount Diablo.  

If you aren’t into the trivia of land navigation in the middle of Dixie Valley, other items should catch your eye. The Navy has set up villages resembling Afghanistan.

We ended our day at the now gone site of Dixie Valley, Nevada. It was a spread out ranching community, a haunting place filled with memories.

The homes, the school, the outbuildings are gone. The abundance of artesian/flowing wells remains - water that makes this place an oasis.

There are more recent arrivals, targets for our top gun pilots to acquire.

I’ve operated tracked snowcats so I felt at home with the familiar controls.

We found an excellent spot to spend the night.

Complete with an expansive view for dinnertime.

The half moon was high above in the night sky, perfect for a long night walk. We were surrounded with the songs of coyotes and the luxury of being all alone out here.

It was an amazing night.

And an amazing dawn.

 

The skies were overcast as we pulled out from camp. We continued north stopping at the sprawling Dixie Valley Hot Springs.

The signs left us puzzled. If this area is sensitive habitat and protected, why is it hammered by cattle and the ground covered with cow pies? This is one place I would not want to get my water downstream from the herd.

Our explorations continued and will continue in Dixie Valley……………………………….