Nevada Wilderness Project

Fall 2006

Boots on the Ground

As many of you now know, the White Pine and sounds of Washington, DC. Folks toured the
County Conservation, Recreation, and Economic De- monuments at night, explored the Smithsonian Mu-
velopment Act of 2006 was introduced in Senate as SB seum, traveled to the Mormon Temple in Washing-
3772 in early August. The bill calls for the designation of ton and discovered the National Building Museum, a
over 545,000 acres as wilderness, and we are hopeful that place none of the DC veterans had ever heard of.
this can be improved through the continued efforts of our
grassroots base. Letter writing and phone calls are impor-
tant and vital to our efforts, but the month of September
provided an excellent opportunity for us to step up our
grassroots voice by bringing
back several Nevadans to the
halls of Congress so our lead- T. Garrison
ers could hear firsthand from
local Nevadans from across Adventures of the Timber Creekettes!
the state. Over the course of
two weeks NWP and our coa-
lition partner, Friends of
Nine women rendezvoused in Eastern Ne-
Nevada Wilderness, brought
vada during the first weekend of October to camp
eight smiling and bubbly
and explore the “gem” of our White Pine County wil-
faces to Washington to
derness proposal, the Schell Creek Mountains. Gals
speak on behalf of wilder-
traveled from all over the state: Las Vegas, Reno and
M.Banta ness in Nevada.
Incline Village to take in the fall colors of the large
aspen groves on the west side
of the Schells.
Our Conservation Director Nancy Beecher made
her first trip with Karen Winnfield from Las Vegas as part
of the National Wilderness Week efforts put on by our coa- Upon setting up camp
lition partners Campaign for America’s Wilderness and at Timber Creek the first
The Wilderness Society. It was the first time back to night, the storm clouds above
Washington for both ladies, and they did a wonderful job opened up to hail and snow.
of walking the halls of Congress and carrying our message This did not dampen their
of thanks and to give places in White Pine County the pro- spirits or the campfire, hors
tection they deserve through wilderness designation. d’oeuvres and dinner. It was K. Connolly

an indication of our location

The next week was our own Nevada Wilderness
Week. This is a tradition that was started three years ago and elevation: 8800 feet. Continued on pg. 4
and has been made possible through the generous sup-
port of the American Wilderness Coalition. Every Septem-
In this Issue:
ber we bring back a group of volunteers from across the Boots on the Ground- pg. 1
state to speak on behalf of wilderness. By bringing new
people back each year, we are able to show our repre- Volunteer Spotlight & Director’s Corner - pg. 2
sentatives that there is wide support throughout the Feelings from the Field- pg. 3
state for wilderness and we able to put “faces with Gold Butte and continued Adventures of the Tim-
places.” This year, Heather Fisher of Blue Diamond, Pe- ber Creekettes - pg. 4
ter Druschke of Las Vegas, Neil Frakes of Ely, Ross Cooper
of Fernley, Pat Bruce and Andy Mitchell of Reno all made Volunteer Opps, Mormon Mountain Update & Cap-
the trip. Highlights included breakfast with Congressmen tion Contest- pg. 5
Gibbons and Porter and Senators Reid and Ensign in the WILD Calendar - pg. 6
Capitol Building. For many, it was the first trip to Wash-
ington, and we did spend some time taking in the sights
Nevada Wilderness
Project
Northern Office
8550 White Fir Street
Reno, NV 89523
775.746.7850
Southern Office
4220 S. Maryland Pkwy
Suite 402B
Las Vegas, NV 89119
702.369.1871
www.wildnevada.org
A 501 (c) (3) non-profit
corporation
NWP Board of Directors
Bret Birdsong, President
Brian O’Donnell, Vice President
Lynn Schiek, Secretary
Chris Todd
Morlee Griswold
Tori King
NWP Staff
John Wallin
Director
Kristie Connolly
Associate Director
Nancy Beecher
Conservation Director
Mackenzie Banta
Development Director
Cameron Johnson
Northern NV Outreach Director
Cynthia Scholl
Membership Coordinator
Nancy Hall
Gold Butte Organizer
Coalition Partners
Campaign for America’s Wilderness
Friends of Nevada Wilderness
Nevada Outdoor Recreation Assoc.
Red Rock Audubon Society
Sierra Club - Toiyabe Chapter
The Wilderness Society
NWP
Mission Statement:
The Nevada Wilderness
Project is committed to
saving spectacular, rug-
ged-and imperiled-public
lands in Nevada as
Wilderness, the strongest
protection possible.
Page 2
Volunteer Spotlight: Derek Bloomquist
Fieldwork is not easy, and it is about as far removed from glamour
as possible. You are at the mercy of the elements, alone and usu-
ally very dirty. The days are long, and the work can be tedious
and seemingly never ending. And for some reason Derek Bloom-
quist keeps coming back for more. A longtime volunteer, Derek
has worked for several seasons with NWP in all corners of the
state. His first fieldwork trip took him to the Owyhee Desert in NE
Nevada in 2002, and he will be heading out again to finish our
inventory in Washoe County’s wilderness study areas. He has
also spent time inventorying several areas in our current White
Pine County proposal. In fact, his favorite spot is the Antelope
Range, an area that features a variety of topography, relative lush
vegetation and stunning limestone cliffs. As he heads out into
the field again, he will have inventoried approximately
700,000 acres in 2006 alone and well over a million acres since 2002. While out
there, he will be lending some of his expertise to a new fieldworker for us.
Derek has never been shy when it comes to rugged adventure. This past spring, he
completed a successful trip to the summit of Denali in Alaska via the West Buttress, a
serious high elevation endeavor. And most free moments, he can be found either
hanging from a crag or spending time with his new fiancée, Emily. Thank you so
much Derek for all that you do. Your work forms the cornerstone from which our
work for wilderness designation is built.
Director’s Corner
Some years ago, I had the privilege of working for an inner-city
conservation organization in Washington, D.C. called the Earth
Conservation Corps. The organization’s mission is to match
endangered environments with endangered youth who live
there to the benefit of both, or as it says on their website: “As
corps members improve their own lives, they rebuild the envi-
ronmental, social, and economic health of their communi-
ties.”
My boss there was Bob Nixon, a kind and energetic man whose
Diet Coke fueled enthusiasm for the organization and the youth
it served was an inspiration. Bob’s conservation background was deep and varied,
and as the Executive Producer of the film, Gorillas in the Mist, he came to know Dian
Fossey, the legendary mountain gorilla advocate and practioner of “active conserva-
tion.” To prevent poaching, Fossey gave local Rwandans the tools and the resources
to start anti-poaching patrols—most notably, boots to protect their feet on long pa-
trols through rugged, dense forest. Her motto: “It’s not talking about conserva-
tion, its acting. Conservation begins with the boots on your feet.”
Lately, I’ve been thinking of Fossey’s quote because it embodies our approach to wil-
derness work in Nevada. As we head into the final stretch of a busy 2006, we’ve got
an array of “boots on the ground” in Nevada taking action. In this edition, you’ll read
about coalition members walking the marble halls of Congress, learn about who’s
been out sleeping in the dirt doing field inventories, plug into a gals-only wilderness
values trip on the first day of hunting season, and celebrate with our version of Nancy
Sinatra as Nancy Hall laces up her boots in victory and walks all over a terrible Inter-
Connect Tower proposal for the Mormon Mountains.
Thanks to each and every one of you for heeding Dian Fossey’s words—with
your help, we are making sure that we’re acting, not just talking.
www.wildnevada.org Fall 2006
From the field...

“Pressed into a moment in time beyond the fringe near where the real wild
lands begin, the essence of my being stirs the ancestors’ calling.”
These words were written by Christopher Mehne as he conducted field inventory
for the Nevada Wilderness Project. By meticulously ground-truthing wild lands of
Nevada, Christopher took on an important role in our conservation work. Doing
field work out in the middle of nowhere is tricky work, requiring excellent driving
and survival skills on difficult and largely untravelled terrain…
“Camped out on the lower slope which the quad map identifies as
‘Indefinite Boundary’, now ain’t that the truth! Actually, I could turn on
the GPS unit and fix this location to what, a few yards – but then, out here,
a few yards don’t mean a damn thing!”
... a healthy sense of humor and respect for wildlife…
“Finished off Bank Springs Unit, saw an antelope, and as I was exiting Big
Blue [Christopher’s truck] to take one of those never-ending pictures of an-
other dirt track, a small rattlesnake, about 2 foot with 6-8 buttons slith-
ered under the front of the truck and coiled up by the right front tire as if
to say –‘Okay, human, what are you going to do about it?’. So I backed up
and left the critter to his enjoyment.”
... and a free spirit. Little did we know the truly free spirit within Christopher until
he provided us with these excellent excerpts from his journal:
“Half moon brilliant above the shadowy canyon walls, it hangs overhead
backlighting the northeasterly flow of clouds; the cicadas singing together with the bubble of the creek as
harmony – an early September night at the southern end of the Toiyabe Range…”
The Toiyabe mountain range, located in Northern Nye County/Southern Lander County, includes Arc Dome Wilderness
(map inset). Thanks to Christopher and our other diligent temporary field workers, ground-truthing of the Nye County
portions of the Toiyabe Range, as well as a good portion of the Shoshone Mountain Range lying just to the west, has
been completed.
Protecting areas that surround Arc Dome Wilderness is a smart way to do conservation. Not only would we protect
these new individual tracts of land, but we would also protect a larger, connected landscape. Setting aside large con-
nected wilderness areas is important for many reasons, one of which is to provide habitat for large roaming animals that
require room to migrate, disperse, set up territories and exist:
“Seeing a full grown adult mountain lion at Little Meadows was the highlight of my
field work. How about the big horned sheep, right there above Peavine Ranch? In my
sixty years of being, a first wildlife sighting of both species outside a zoo. And ante-
lope. On the western flanks of the Shoshone, numerous animals. A running herd of
six. A grazing couple. An unknown number disappearing into a ravine by a catch ba-
sin watering hole near Merritt Canyon. Coyote songs filled several nights, but not as
often as I thought I would hear. Bat seen foraging at nightfall at Antelope Canyon,
Peavine Canyon and Little Meadows. At Antelope [Canyon], a noticeable number of
large dragonflies, working the area around me for sunset dinner.”
Lest we forget, no animals would be here on earth if it weren’t for plants, and there exist amazing species and communi-
ties of vegetation on our Nevada lands. For example, at higher altitudes you can find aspen groves, their white trunks
and circular leaves are dead give-aways. An aspen tree grows and spreads its roots, and from that root system all of the
other trees in the grove sprout up from the ground. One tree becomes a grove, and the grove is one organism.

In just three weeks, Christopher ground-truthed approximately 180,000 acres of land.

That’s a tremendous amount of work, from which he brought back wonderful data that we’re
excited to analyze. After all of this hard work, we’re sure that Christopher was very sleepy…

“Light is fading fast, dragonflies flitting about, bats swirl in and out amongst the
pinyon. At about 6500 feet, facing east, night descends quickly. A cool chill pours
down the canyon, as the sparkles of stars emerge overhead.”

Sleep tight, Christopher. And Thank You!

Page 3 www.wildnevada.org Fall 2006
Gold Butte Update
Nevada’s Piece of the Grand Canyon Puzzle

Calling on all wild Nevadans!

Now is time to help shape the future of Gold Butte.
The Nevada Wilderness Project is looking for volun-
teers for comments on the Interim Roads Designation
and various service projects. No, the Bureau of
Land Management has not yet released the Envi-
ronmental Assessment for the area. As I reported
before, it should be out for comment anytime.
Meanwhile, there is plenty of work to be done. The
Southern Nevada weather is superb this time of year, N. Hall
so plan on coming out. I am arranging campouts and
hikes to see a few of the most controversial roads. If you are unavailable on the scheduled dates, I will be happy
to work around your schedule.
The committee, Friends of Gold Butte, meets every third Tues-
day of the month in Las Vegas or Mesquite. The meetings fea-
ture a presentation connected to the area and is followed up
with a service project. Anyone interested in attending, please
let me know; I will send a schedule.
While we savor the victory protecting Moapa Peaks’ vista, re-
member it is all of us coming together that makes this happen.
The rewards are tremendous! Fall flowers, glimpses of wild-
life, vibrant sunsets and knowing through participation that
N. Hall making a difference is possible. As our Director, John Wallin,
says, “if you don’t, who will?”

Check out our website, www.wildnevada.org, for more information on the Gold Butte area, photos and opportunities
to get involved. Please feel free to contact me at nancy.hall@wildnevada.org or 702-277-3337.
I look forward to hearing from you!

Adventures of the Timber Creekettes continued...

Also camped at Timber Creek were hunters from the Las Vegas area tak-
ing advantage of opening deer-hunting season – not fall aspen colors! Saturday’s
hike up to the north fork ridge gave the ladies the opportunity to meet the ten
men and twelve horses. Upon the question of, “What are you girls doing here
on opening weekend?” Sue replied, “We are on a mission with
www.wildnevada.org. Have you heard of them?!” Obviously the men had not
heard of the Nevada Wilderness Project and were not wanting to engage with a
gaggle of women enjoying the scenery. After taking in the view of Duck Creek
Valley and the Egan Range to the west with group pictures, the gals turned back
toward camp for an afternoon rest and a glass of wine. As the hunters made their
way down toward their camp, the ladies asked, “Where are you camped?” To
which a man replied through clenched teeth, “Right next to you girls.”
Three of the gals had split off from the group to explore Duck Creek valley from a different vantage point. As they
were driving back from Success Summit to camp, they passed three ATV’s laden with hunters headed out to look for
deer. Directly after them, a 5-point bull elk and cow pranced across the road toward the east. After crossing 30 feet in
front of the ladies, they paused for a photo and then made their way into the trees. The women were excited to share
their viewing with the rest of the gals back at camp over dinner.
Sunday morning found us taking down our camp and writing letters to our Senators regarding their full week-
end and appreciation of the area. Driving out of Duck Creek Valley, the peaks of the Schell’s were dusted in white and
the foothills were ablaze in gold and orange with a brilliant blue sky above. Many thanks to the Timber Creekettes for
their adventurous spirits: Mary Lou Banta, Debra Bookout, Kristie Connolly, Sue DiGrazia, Tory Garrison, Lynn Schiek,
Cynthia Scholl and Maria Tiscareno.

Page 4 www.wildnevada.org Fall 2006

Volunteer Opportunity — Celebrate the Spirit of Nevada
The Nevada Wilderness Project will be visiting homes of our members this holiday season in Southern and North-
ern Nevada to “celebrate the spirit of Nevada.”
We will be dropping by with beautiful slides and a raffle of free outdoor gear already wrapped and generously do-
nated by outdoor industry companies. This is a chance for your friends and family to see another side of Nevada
and learn more about our work – as well as take home a holiday gift.
We are happy to swing by for a brief time to share our mission.
If you are interested in opening up your home to us, please contact Mackenzie at 775-746-7851.

Volunteer Opportunity — Host a Slide Show

Want to have a party and see all those friends of yours who disappeared over the summer? Want to do something
to help keep Nevada wild? The Nevada Wilderness Project is looking for a few good hosts! Host a party, and let us
give a slide show and quick update about the Congressional Bill for White Pine County. Slide shows last about 20
minutes and are a fun way to help us get our message out by making your party special. If you’re interested,
please contact Cameron Johnson at 775.746.7850.

Mormon Mountain Wilderness Victory

The Bureau of Land Management has announced their Record of Deci-

sion on the Mesquite Tower proposed at the base of Moapa Peak. Inter-
Connect Towers proposal was rejected! The area known as Jack’s
Pocket at the base of Moapa Peak is just outside the Mormon Mountain
Wilderness. It is designated Area of Critical Environmental Concern
(ACEC) for the threatened desert tortoise, and it’s a popular primitive
camp spot and staging area to climb the peak. Thanks to sixty letters to
the BLM in opposition that point out flaws in this project, the hike to the
top of Moapa Peak will continue to be an awe-inspiring experience.
For more information on climbing the peak, check out
N. Hall
www.summitpost.org , or contact Nancy Hall for more information.

Caption Contest

In an effort to inject a little more humor into our

daily lives, we’re asking people to submit captions
for our photos. To the right, you’ll find a photo.
Submit the winning caption, and receive a prize,
as well as your name and caption in print in the
following newsletter. Please email submissions to
cameron.johnson@wildnevada.org.
Enjoy!

“Easy DOEs it” Your caption here!

Tim Bercrik—Ely, NV

Page 5 www.wildnevada.org Fall 2006

 NEVADA WILDERNESS CALENDAR
WILDERNESS VALUES TRIPS & EVENTS
Join NWP staff and volunteers on trips to potential wilderness areas! You can see beautiful
places and help protect them at the same time by writing letters and plugging in to our ef-
forts in a way that’s interesting and fun. All outings are weather permitting.
Please log on to www.wildnevada.org for more information.

Northern Nevada Events

Photo © Kristie Connolly
Please join us for our
monthly volunteer night at
Reno’s Great Basin
Brewery
(www.greatbasinbrewingco.com)
Oct 17, 6-8pm
Nov 21, 6-8pm
Dec12, 6-8pm
October 25—Wilderness Slide Show at Shady Grove Coffee Shop in Gardnerville
October 27-30—Schell Creek Trip—wood cutting and hiking
November 18— Smoke Creek Desert - explore the other playa
December 2—Winter Snowshoe/Ski/Hike in Bald Mountain - weather permitting
Please contact Cameron Johnson at cameron.johnson@wildnevada.org for more information.
Southern Nevada Events
October 21, Gold Butte Campout
This is a great time of year to get out in the desert for sunset and good company. Dinner will be provided
for Saturday night. So, all you need is a couple lunches and a breakfast. The coffee is covered.
November 18, Roads Survey
Join BLM staff and Friends of Gold Butte to review the most controversial roads in the Interim Roads Des-
ignation.
December 2, Hike
This is the time to catch one more hike in the desert before the holidays. Plan on bringing your camera for
great shots of red rocks and Lake Mead.
Please contact Nancy Hall at nancy.hall@wildnevada.org for more information.
Cover Photo by Howard Booth

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