Nevada’s wilderness has a funny way of revealing itself to you. When I think about my own personal experiences in Nevada’s backcountry, I realize how fortunate I’ve been to have so many unique experiences. A snapshot of trips in the past year: a day hike in the Schell Creek Range in White Pine County, footsteps flushing out bobcat, elk, raptors, and the occasional Peruvian ranch hand slumbering creekside; muffled snowshoe hike to a frozen waterfall in Big Den Can-yon in Churchill County’s Desatoya Range; rainbows appear against a darkened sky in southern Nevada’s Highland Range. The more time you spend out in Nevada, the more you expect to see the unexpected.

Nevertheless, no ex-perience I’ve had in Nevada quite prepared me for a trip that 15 of us took on July 3rd. On short notice and after little planning, we realized a rare opportunity to float a wilderness river in Nevada: the East Walker River! We are fortunate to have an incredible stretch of this wild

river within our proposed Bald Mountain Wilderness, with the river forming part of our proposed wilderness boundary and for a few spectacular miles, it is within the boundary. The East Walker winds its way from the Bridgeport Reser-voir in California, between

the Pine Grove Hills and Wassuk Range, and north into Yer-ington, where it meets the main Walker and continues to Walker Lake.

Normally water levels in July don’t permit a full fledged river trip on the East Walker. However, a big snow year upstream has kept the river flowing. On the Sunday we ran it, the river flowed at 600 cubic feet per second, good enough to make it

a gentle class I-II run with a couple of technical rapids. The river winds through desert badlands, at one point passing through a spectacular canyon with granite out-crops rising above the river.

The two rafts and three kayakers in our party all had a grand time on the day long trip, and especially gained an appreciation for the segment of river that is sur-rounded by our wilderness proposal on both sides. Truly a wild stretch of river, you can find out more about our Bald Mountain Proposed Wilderness by go-ing to our website www.wildnevada.org. A special thanks to Jim Fitzsimmons from UNR’s Rec pro-gram for the equipment and the guiding of our party to safe passage! All boating photos by Jim Fitzsimmons.

Boating in Nevada - pg. 1 Volunteer Spotlight - Chuck Levitan - pg. 2 Business Highlight - Grounds for Change - pg. 2 Wilderness Profile - Burbank Canyons - pg. 3 Wilderness Value Trips - pg. 4 Board Bio’s - pg. 5 Fundraising - pg. 5 WILD Calendar - pg. 6

Nevada Wilderness Project

River Boating in Nevada?

In this Issue:

Summer 2005

NWP Board of Directors Bret Birdsong, Board Director

Kim Jardine, Secretary

Chris Todd

Morlee Griswold

Tori King

Brian O’Donnell

NWP Staff John Wallin, Director

Kristie Connolly, Associate Director

Kevin Mack, DC Representative

Erika Pollard, Nat’l Outreach Dir.

Cameron Johnson, Outreach Dir.

Mackenzie Banta, Development Dir.

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

Volunteer Spotlight: Chuck Levitan

A fixture at Sierra Nevada College for many years, Chuck’s role as a profes-sor and educator has put him in a great position to introduce his students, and himself, to the unique basin and range that make up all “that” land to the east of Incline Village. Through field trips with students, Chuck (and some of his contemporaries at SNC) has been instrumental in helping to dispel the myth that Nevada is a wasteland. Both Chuck and the rest of the Sierra Nevada College community deserve our thanks and praise.

Currently Chuck teaches a seemingly endless variety of subject matter, from calculus to limnology (the study of freshwater bodies). Yet they are all connected as they add to the students gaining an appreciation of the natural world (Yes, even calculus!). Thanks to Chuck’s intellectual curiosity and sense of humor, he is at home staring into the purple sulfur-oxidizing bacteria near some salt flat or high up on the ridges and peaks of central Nevada. Out on a hike with Chuck you are likely to en-gage in conversations as wide in appeal as the classes he teaches. He also knows how to read a map, which is ALWAYS helpful on an outing to the Nevada backcountry! According to Chuck, the mountain ranges in Nevada are “spectacular”. He is particularly inter-ested in the short, ephemeral streams that are lined with riparian vegetation that can be found throughout the state. The places he wants to get to know better: the Shoshone Range AND the Toi-yabe Range. Since he began volunteering for Nevada’s wild places, Chuck has found himself inquiring about road networks in rural county seats and hiking the granite bulbs and outcrops of Lava Beds in Per-shing County. He has a keen sense of how to use GIS and aerial photos to answer on-the ground questions that traditional field inventory has problems with. As a compliment to our ongoing field inventory of Nevada’s wild places, Chuck has been a great asset. Taking a group of college students into the field is one daunting task, but Chuck does not shy from the challenge. Nor does he shy away from the challenge of seeking wilderness status for some of his favorite places. By the way, the non-wilderness spot that most intrigues him in the state? Find a map and take a look at 119’ W 40’N, and let your imagination take over. His favorite place is probably no surprise, Mt. Rose Wilderness. Everyone’s favorite backyard Wilderness with a stag-gering diversity that one day may reveal a bobcat or white-headed woodpecker, the next the glorious sound of silence only broken by wind through the balsamroot.

Like so many volunteers, Chuck came to work on behalf of Nevada’s wild places for a very simple reason- “to do good for the state and meet great people.” Well, Chuck has certainly done good for the state. Nevada Wilderness Project is proud to call him a friend and a great resource that is always willing to lend a helping hand.

Thanks Chuck!

Page 2 www.wildnevada.org Summer 2005

Nevada Wilderness Project

8550 White Fir Street Reno, NV 89523 775.746.7850

www.wildnevada.org 501 (c) (3) non-profit

corporation

NWP Mission Statement

Experiencing the beauty of unspoiled wild lands is a precious opportunity deserved by every hu-

man being, present and future. The Nevada Wil-derness Project is com-mitted to saving spec-

tacular, rugged-and im-periled-public lands in Nevada as permanent Wilderness, the strong-est protection possible.

If you’re a coffee drinker and you haven’t yet heard of Seattle-based Grounds for Change, you just found a great new place to buy your coffee. The Grounds for Change mission is, “To support social equity and environ-mental responsibility through fair trade, organic, shade grown coffee.” As a family owned business, Grounds for Change believes “it is our responsi-bility to make our purchase decisions wisely, taking into account the environ-mental, social and economic impacts of our spending.”

What does this have to do with Nevada wilderness? Well, Grounds for Change has engaged the Nevada Wilderness Project in their affiliate program. They generously donate 10% Purchases of their coffee through our website—providing Nevada Wilderness Project members with another great way to support our work, while drinking sustainable coffee products from around the world.

Since we started in the affiliate program last year, coffee purchases on our website have generated over $1000 in additional revenue for our work. We love their coffee, and we really appreciate their help in our work to protect Nevada’s wild. Thank them and help us by purchasing coffee at http://www.groundsforchange.com/partners/NWP/

Business Supporter Highlight:

www.groundsforchange.com

Wilderness Area Profile:

Burbank Canyons Wilderness Study Area

Douglas & Lyon Counties

Nevada Atlas & Gazetteer Page 50

Section A4

This little gem of a potential wilderness area (it is only 13,395 acres as identified by the BLM), is just north of Smith Valley, also very near the communities of Minden and Gard-nerville. While Burbank Canyons is not too far off the beaten path, it does take some effort to get to, and once there you will find lush canyons, wildlife and breathtaking views. Golden eagle, mountain lion, black bear and bobcat are just a few of the critters that call this area home. While some are just visitors, the Burbank Canyons area is a retreat for wild-life that are finding it increasingly difficult region to find a quite place. Whether in the valleys below or along the rest of the Pine Nut Mountains, people are having a big impact on this part of northern Nevada. Off-road vehicles are increas-ingly common in the Pine Nut Range and given the growth in the surrounding communities, it would seem that this use will only increase. Unfortunately, the BLM does not rec-ommend this area for wilderness desig-nation. Rather, they feel the area and its surrounding country is better left to the off-road vehicles and mining interests. Given the small size of this area and the disproportionate amount of land in the Pine Nut range already in use by mining and off-road vehicle interests, it seems another case of the federal managing agency not seeing an opportunity to do the right thing and protect the remaining wild chunk of a heavily used mountain range. Roughly 400,000 acres in size, wilderness designation of the Burbank Canyons area would protect a miniscule 3% of the Pine Nut Mountains. Rather than allow the last few acres to be eaten up by ma-chines, should we not give this southern corner of the Pine Nut Range a chance to remain wild? The BLM has claimed that they need “flexibility” in managing this area and claim that by not protecting the area as wilderness they can still manage for vehicle and non-vehicle recreation. Would the BLM still not have "flexibility" if Burbank Canyons is desig-nated Wilderness, and the remaining 97% of the Pine Nut Mountains remain open to all uses? Nothing short of Wilderness designation for this area will suffice. To do otherwise would be an insult to the hundreds of thousands of people living in northern Nevada and an in-sult to the Pine Nuts, where for far too long, the mountains have been given short shrift.

Page 3 www.wildnevada.org Summer 2005

Photo © Andrea Laue

Photo © Kurt Kuznicki

Photo © Andrea Laue

Wilderness Value Trip Highlights

Page 4 www.wildnevada.org Summer 2005

Rock Art in Gold Butte - Southern NV

Happy Hikers on the top of Mt. Limbo

We have covered some serious ground over the past six months, ten trips that lead us through frozen canyons, over alpine ridges and peaks, and to dry desert playas. Sometimes we were cold, other times we were empty-ing scree from our boots, but all trips were filled with laughter. Thanks to everyone for coming along and not deserting us when we made those wrong turns or had to climb those steep canyon walls. Please tell your friends and encourage them to come out with us, your support and par-

ticipation are crucial to our success and sanity!

Hiking through Big Den Canyon in Desatoya WSA

Burbank Canyons WSA - Artist at work Hiking up Mt. Limbo

Highland Range

Photo © Kristie Connolly

Photo © Ron Hunter

Photo © Kevin Day

Photo © Cameron Johnson

Photo © John Wallin

Photo © Gotzone Garay

Photo © Gotzone Garay

Page 5 www.wildnevada.org Summer 2005

NWP Board

Member Bio’s

Since the fall of 2003, the Nevada Wilderness Project has had a fantastic group of dedicated board members helping us with everything from fundraising to organizational development to merchandising. The board is a diverse group of individuals who all care about Nevada’s wild places and remain committed to our mission. Each of them brings a unique perspective to the board along with incredible skills to help us succeed. Thank you to each of our board members for your help in making the Nevada Wilderness Project a stronger organi-zation and for selflessly working to protect more of Nevada’s incredible wilderness!

Bret Birdsong - Board Director - Las Vegas, NV Professor Birdsong teaches Environmental Law at the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He earned his J.D. degree from the University of California, Hastings College of Law in 1993. After clerking for a judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Bret joined the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division, as a trial attor-ney focusing on public land and natural resources litigation from 1994-2000. Since moving to Las Vegas in 2000, he has learned to point his car away from the Strip, where he enjoys the public lands with his part-ner, Anne, and his son, Jacob. He is an avid flyfisher. Kim Jardine - Secretary - Reno, NV Born in California, raised in Northern Nevada, and veteran of a few Montana winters, Kim is a Patagonia employee and works in the envi-ronmental giving program. In the summer of 2003, Kim completed a Patagonia internship for the Nevada Wilderness Project in which she mapped over 200,000 acres of potential wilderness. She enjoys x-country skiing, quilting, gardening and working on her house with her partner Marcial, and many other interesting hobbies. Chris Todd - Ventura, CA Chris heads the online marketing efforts for Patagonia. His love of the desert and wilderness stems from growing up in several National Parks where his father was a ranger. He spent five years in the U.S. Coast Guard and is a registered radiological technologist. He graduated from Sonoma State University in Cotati, California with a degree in econom-ics. Chris currently lives in Ventura, California with his wife Kena and their children, Diego and Delia.

Morlee Griswold - Ventura, CA Morlee is a 4th generation native Nevadan who spent her youth exploring wild Nevada. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Ne-vada, Reno and an MBA from UC Davis. Her career path includes launching a catalog company selling videotapes, working for a catalog creative agency and becoming the first managerial hire for a startup com-pany, SelfCare catalog, which sells health and fitness items. She was recruited and hired by Patagonia in 1998, where she is Director of Direct Marketing. Morlee is an avid whitewater kayaker, a competitive kayak surfer, and a skier. Tori King - Las Vegas, NV Originally from southern California, Tori has lived in Las Vegas for ten years. She is a key account manager for Pepsi Bottling Group in the Las Vegas Valley and also owns Revolution, an interior design and flooring company that provides custom design, consultation, and installation. Tori was instrumental in the passage of the Clark County Lands Bill in 2002. When she’s not busy at one of her jobs, Tori enjoys belly dancing and spending time with her two cats, Toby and Trixie.

Brian O'Donnell - Durango, CO Brian leads Trout Unlimited’s (TU) Public Lands Initiative. Before join-ing TU in April, Brian worked for The Wilderness Society, where he led campaigns, including those in Nevada, that resulted in the protection of more than 2 million acres of wilderness. Brian also worked to safeguard Alaska’s wild places as Executive Director of the Alaska Wilderness League. He earned a B.A. in Economics from Rollins College in 1993. Brian, his wife Melyssa, and their dog Paco spend their free time exploring the rivers and mountains near their home in Durango, CO.

UPCOMING Nevada Wilderness Project Fundraising Event! Hood to Coast Race:

August 26 & 27

The Fred Meyer Hood To Coast Relay is the ultimate adventure run! The largest relay race in North America, its stretches 197 miles from the top of Oregon's Mt. Hood, down to the Pacific Ocean, in Seaside, Oregon, over 12,000 runners show up to experience this annual event, now in its 24th year. The Nevada Wilderness Project will have a relay team of 12-people participating in the event as a fundraising and outreach opportu-nity for the protection of more Nevada wilder-ness. Stay tuned for more info and check our website (www.wildnevada.org) shortly for more info on the race and making a donation to the event….

Mackenzie Banta is NWP’s new Development Director based in Reno. What does a Development Director do you might ask? Well, Mackenzie will work with our current and future members to give them the kind of customer service that we think our members should ex-pect from us. Her role will include communicating with our members about opportunities for giving and getting more involved in the NWP community of activists. Mackenzie comes to us from a varied background of

work experiences that includes Patagonia (thank you Patagonia!) and the Smith-sonian Institute in Washington DC, where she helped coordinate the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. (If you have to be in DC during the summer, this is the free event that you have to head to on the National Mall.) She grew up for some time in Yerington, Nevada and then headed off to college in Oregon, where she studied art history, art management and event management. She has also spent time living abroad in Denmark and Asia, among other places. We are not sure if she enjoys reading Babette’s Feast and eating leverpostejmad-der, but we are certain she is a great addition to our team. Mackenzie enjoys travel, yoga, cowgirl boots, connecting to the land and can drive a Lincoln TownCar straighter than Shirley Muldowney.

Please join us in welcoming Mackenzie back to Nevada and to Nevada Wilderness Project!

HELP US PROTECT YOUR WILDERNESS

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.

NEVADA WILDERNESS CALENDAR WILDERNESS VALUE TRIPS & EVENTS

It’s easy to help… Cut out this form and mail it to: NV Wilderness Project, 8550 White Fir St; Reno, NV 89523

Enclosed is my donation of: I would like to make a recurring donation:

Monthly

Every 3 months

Annually

$25.00

$50.00

$100.00

$250.00

$500.00

Other Amount: ____________

Comments:

Name Phone Number

Address

Email address

City State Zip

Please include check or money or-der payable to Nevada Wilderness Project.

For secure credit card transactions, please visit

http://www.wildnevada.org

Please join us for our monthly volunteer night at the Great Basin Brewery (www.greatbasinbrewingco.com) every second Tuesday of

each month at 6pm.

Please join us at our booth at the Sparks Farmer’s Market on August 11th

from 4-9pm!

Northern Nevada - Wilderness Value Trips July 30th: Bald Mountain Day Hike Join us for a day hike to summit Bald Mountain, a proposed wilderness in Lyon County with spectacular 360 views of the Sierras, the Wassuk Range, the White Mountains, and more. Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous (Group limit 10)

August 20th - 21st : Highland Ridge Car Camp Leave Reno or Las Vegas on Friday night, and join us for two days in the Snake Range of Eastern Nevada. This spectacular proposed wilderness is on a combination of BLM and FS lands, and forms the southern boundary of Great Basin National Park. Difficulty: Moderate (Group limit 10)

Southern Nevada - Wilderness Value Trips August 20th: Fletcher Canyon Day Hike Beat the heat with an early morning hike in beautiful Fletcher Canyon, an easy out-and-back hike in the Mt. Charleston Wilderness. Approximately four miles in length, the hike features tall pines and stunning canyon scenery. Difficulty: Easy to moderate (Group limit 8)

September 24th: Echo Overlook Hike Another higher elevation gem, the Echo Overlook in the Spring Mountains is a short, steep hike under trees the entire way. Hike takes about 4.5 hours on this well maintained, popu-lar trail segment. Difficulty: Strenuous (Group limit 8)

Photo © Kristie Connolly

Cover Photo by Howard Booth

Printed on recycled paper