Desert / Ghost Town Trek #46

Stayed Saturday night in Winnemucca, NV to get close before hunting out a camp site on Sunday. Went north of Ontario, OR on Hwy 84 through this arid extent of the Great Basin, where the Snake River separates Oregon from Idaho.

Took Hwy 30 through the tiny town of Huntington, OR then to this mining ruin site of Lime, OR. This photo was taken after the eclipse. At 3pm on Sunday when we arrived there were people camped anywhere a flat spot would allow.

We didn't plan to stay at the mine site, we planned to go up the windy roads I had scoped out behind it via Google Maps months before. Again this photo was taken next day. When we arrived, there were many more cars, some National Guard were posted here, and the access road going up the right was blocked off with a Road Closed sign.

Undeterred, we went around the sign and way up the hill to a tiny ledge that only one 4W Drive vehicle could fit on. Beyond that was an unlocked gate that led to our intended BLM lands. Some people were going through the gate, we were unsure of how to play it since we had a secure spot.

Took this one picture on our happy perch on Sunday before the Sherriff came and shooed away those who were daring to pass the sign. A debate ensured between the local law and BLM rangers who wanted to open up the road.

The really nice BLM rangers told us about another entrance a few miles up the highway that was not blocked by private property. It also had a National Guard unit posted, but they kindly waved us in.

Climbing high, high up Lookout Mountain from the distant mining camp ravine below. Steep terrain and limited safe parking without starting a grass fire meant every possible pullout was occupied by a camper.

I took a rough spur that would outfox any non-4W drive cars down to a little pullout. The main dirt road you see above my open passenger door had vehicles streaming in all evening and even sporadically all night.

We got really lucky. Only about five vehicles dared come down this little spur (some in the middle of the night), and either turned back, our found another tiny patch a few hundred yards away from us. This stressful day was followed by a pretty sleepless night.