Nevada’s best backcountry

Ruby Mountains, Nevada – In the world of Nevada skiing, California generally dominates the conversation. As great as the Sierra Nevada may be, rather than 45-minutes West, it’s actually 4-hours East of Reno where Nevada’s best backcountry lies. The Ruby Mountains are like a little Yosemite but without the horrendous crowds and offer up a great weekend of sick lines and sweet powder.

Despite the fact that Nevada has more distinct mountain ranges than any other state, outside of flying to Reno to visit Tahoe, it doesn’t have a reputation as a ski destination. Though the Mt. Rose Wilderness Area provides great access to sick lines only 20 minutes from the airport, most people still think Cali and the Sierra Nevada when it comes to skiing. Few if any would think about venturing out into the vast and seemingly desolate Great Basin Desert in search of snow. The lack of traffic is one of perks of Nevada backcountry, you pretty much know that you’ll have the mountains to yourself.

The Ruby’s are out by Elko, a small casino and mining town right off of Highway 80. Follow the signs from downtown out past the town of Spring Creek and in half an hour you’ll find yourself driving up Lamoille Canyon. Save for the road, Lamoille is like a scene straight out of an old Western movie. Towering cliff walls, creek beds, jagged snow covered peaks and a feeling of wilderness that is hard to get in the more settled Sierra Nevada. Being in the Ruby’s is like traveling back in time.

Not far up the Lamoille Canyon Road is a turn off leading to a Lion’s Club run campground with a number of A-frame cabins, a cook house and bathroom facility. This is right at the base of the South Fork Lamoille Canyon and the best access point unless you have a snowmachine, in which case you can continue up the road another 8-miles or so and access the peaks with less of a climb.
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A word of caution: hike up the left side of the canyon. I followed a trail heading up the right side, not seeing the trail on the otherside, and it turned into a hellacious bushwack. To put it simply, I got my ass kicked. It was pretty the whole way don’t get me wrong, and I got to see up close some awesome frozen waterfalls, but it took me forever and completely sapped my energy. Once I got up above tree line I continued following that stupid trail up a couloir that abruptly ended in another cascade of ice. While up there I watched as a few other mid-week ski bums skinned up the left side of the canyon and on back towards the goods with ease.

Frustrated by my ineptitude, I decided to cut my losses and get back to work. The turns I got were nice until I had to plunge back into the bushes and get whipped in the face by passing branches. I have to admit, as much as I love successful days in the mountains, I may love the ass wupping reconnaissance missions even more. Nature, more than anything other than maybe women has a way of humbling me and yet invigorating my need for exploration. I now know how to access Nevada’s best backcountry, and if it took a yelling-cursing-face whipping to do it, I gladly accept my humble pie with the knowledge that I’ll be back soon.