Today was a day just made for Nevada’s Humboldt Range. My friend, Bill B., a 40 year resident of Winnemucca and I met board member DesertJK and Mrs. DesertJK, who came over from the greater Reno area, at the empty outpost of Oreana, Nevada. Our intent today was to take a grand tour of northwestern Nevada’s Humboldt Range.



We planned to tour the ghost town of Lower Rochester and Packard, but our itinerary got screwed up by a wrong turn. But our route still took us to adventure and beauty.

Bill B. knows just about every nook and cranny of this country, and he rode along with me in my 2002 Toyota Tacoma. Myself and DesertJK communicated on channel 13 on the CB radios we each had in our individual rigs.

Bill and I started our day by my picking him up at his house, then a stop at Winnemucca’s own Subway sandwich shop for a foot long Italian sandwich. Then we blasted the hour away southwest along Interstate 80 for Oreana.



The Humboldt Range as viewed along their northern and eastern flanks from Interstate 80 about 15 miles west of Winnemucca.

Within a minute after my pulling off at Oreana, I heard DesertJK hailing me on the CB and soon he and his wife pulled up behind me.



We were originally going to go up to Lower Rochester, but a wrong turn up Limerick Canyon took us up and over the range.



The Humboldt Range from the summit of Limerick Canyon.

So instead we dropped down Spring Valley Canyon to the ghost of Fitting. Mill ruins from old workings still exist along with scattered junk and complete mining vehicles from more modern workings.



Mill workings at Fitting.



The view northwest from the top of the mill workings at Fitting. DesertJK, Mrs. DesertJK and Bill B. can be seen below.

At fitting the creek flowing down the canyon dams up to make a small pond, which green grass and blooming flowers and budding trees made for a nice lunch spot.



A Subway sandwich and a ghost town, what a nice combination!

Afterward, Bill suggested we go to Cinnabar City Mine, about four miles away over a 4x4 trail.



Approaching Cinnabar City Mine.



The view of the eastern flanks of the Humboldt Range from Cinnabar City mine.



DesertJK examines the small rotary kiln at Cinnabar City Mine. Bill B. can be seen above.



Ore cart rails still run out to the dump at Cinnabar City Mine.



The tramway at Cinnabar City Mine is still largely intact.

After our visit to Cinnabar City Mine, we returned to Fitting, then dropped into the Buena Vista Valley, then turned south. Our intent was to climb the Humboldt Range via American Canyon, then top out near the head of Limerick Canyon and drop back down that canyon then around south to Lower Rochester. The ghost town of Upper Rochester is now buried under hundreds of feet of tailings from the operations of the Cour Rochester Mine and is closed to the public. But there is enough of Lower Rochester to make it scenic and interesting.



Looking down American Canyon and into Buena Vista Valley.



A cabin in American Canyon.



A band of wild horses in Rochester Canyon. We found two separate bands of horses on our trip today, along with a couple of antelope that Bill B. and I found along Interstate 80 on our return back to Winnemucca.



Lower Rochester. The water tank is above a large mill. I’m standing on the grade of the Nevada Short Line Railroad, which ran between Oreana and Upper Rochester between 1913 and 1917. The Buck and Charley Mill is seen across the canyon. The town of Lower Rochester and Upper Rochester was Nevada’s second largest producer of silver during the period between 1912 and 1930; having a peak population of 2,500 people between the two towns.



Lower Rochester.



The Buck & Charley Mill, Lower Rochester.

By 5:30 we were all tired and ready to head back to our respective homes. Bill B. and I had about an hour drive, Mr. and Mrs. DesertJK had about two hours. So we drove back down to Oreana to say our final goodbyes.



Saying goodbye at Oreana.

Bill and I sped across I-80 for home. After I dropped off Bill, I drove the last few miles to my abode in the rural country near Winnemucca.



Sunset over Blue Mountain on the way to my home.