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Clark County & Las Vegas
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Perhaps no other place in Nevada may spark more controversy than Clark County. Nevada's southernmost county sees its fair share of quarrels and has earned its fairer share of dubious monikers that make it stand out against the typical cold sagebrush of Nevada. Clark is Nevada's newest county, created from southern Lincoln County and named after Senator William A. Clark of Montana, builder of the San Pedro-Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railway. Yet at the center of Clark's heated controversy, history remains deep. Ironically, some of Nevada's oldest history, and quite possibly in North America, hides a good distance away from the glitz and glamour of one particular neon city. Amidst its controversy, Clark is still a land crossed by one of Nevada's earliest trails and first ever routes across the state. Among this land is a place called, "The Meadows", though most people today and around the world know it usually by its slang-to-Spanish name. "The Meadows" quickly earned its status as an irreplaceable water source in the dry Las Vegas Valley and our ancestors saw the need for such an oasis in the desert as undoubtful and absolute. The precious water of "The Meadows" was first utilized for a necessary stop on the Old Spanish Trail and the days of Spaniard emigration. Much later, the railroads utilized water from "The Meadows", helping to carve a path for the newly-completed Southern Pacific Railroad across the American West. And in the ways of Nevada, mining might not have possible without such a precious water source. Outposts in a remote Clark County, abundant with rich mineral deposits, still contribute to Clark's financial income and a lasting legacy in southern Nevada. All of these factors upon this even grander equation may perhaps be the only proof that there is real rural Nevada still lingering by within Clark's confined county lines.
Battle Born... And Proud Of It?
1) To people who live outside Nevada: the main perception of "Nevada" is only "Las Vegas."
So, why is this important? People in the North find it no surprise that the majority of state assemblymen, senators, and other statesmen in power come from Las Vegas. Not surprisingly, many of the views sought by Nevadans in power focus solely on population growth, expansion of a tourist base, and the enhancement of jobs in cities alone. While this is well and good, such objectives can seem a little one-sided, especially to rural folk and more specifically, northern Nevadans. When the day is done, the South usually has far more decision-making power than the North because of the South’s two million plus population. Money also plays a large role in the major feud in our mini Civil War. Nearly half of Nevada’s economy derives from Las Vegas’ gambling and tourist base. It is obvious people from around the world flock to the Strip’s dazzling casinos and nighttime extravaganza to partake in that all familiar line, “What happens in Vegas.” Unfortunately to pay for the city's annual tourist rush and economic contribution to Nevada, the south had to look elsewhere in order to maintain this image. This my friends, is where the slope becomes slippery.
Pipe Dreams Come True
Before continuing, I must say this: in all fairness, there is still much promise for Clark County. Please note that it is not my intent to badger the city of Las Vegas, its people, or the county of Clark, but rather sound both fact and opinion based on somebody who has traveled throughout this great state from corner to corner. No matter what part of Nevada you reside in - city, rural, North or South - awareness is the key to our own preservation and the very soil we love and enjoy. Compromise is a must, beneficial to all Nevadans and not just to one select city. May the "North vs. South" continue no longer. May this fued in a quiet draw.
Nevada has coined the nickname, the “Battle Born State” since its founding during the Civil War. Ironically, to the whims of most Nevadans, a Civil War still continues here in this fiercely independant state. This feud of "north versus south" comes complete with opposing sides and conflicting ideal - a battle with views that seem far from resolution. The very basis of this feud is over the very factor that brought life to the region: water. The battle for water can easily (and often does) devastate any Nevadan's livelihood. More interesting, such conflicts are not just about water. First, allow me to introduce to you the participants in this "war." In one corner, the "South", known by another term, "Sin City", has been titled a personal moniker by fierce Nevada northerners: "Lost Vegas". In the other corner is the "North", which encompasses “the rest of Nevada” - every town, small city, and piece of ground outside of Las Vegas.
Before I continue, allow me to elaborate about what I call, "the Nevada Myth." Here's how it works, so pay careful attention: Like Hollywood is to California, like lobster is to Maine, like steak is to Texas, and oranges are to Florida -- Las Vegas is to Nevada. This analogy is the false misconception of what "Nevada" really means. "Nevada" is pictured in these three ways...
2) To people who live outside Nevada: there is ONLY Las Vegas.
3) To people who live outside of Las Vegas: the only part of the Nevada that is NOT "Nevada" is Las Vegas.
The city of Las Vegas fueled Nevada’s "north versus south" relationship further in 2005, when the city constructed pipelines that spider-webbed throughout the Great Basin. These pipelines, like anacondas squeezing tightly around their prey, tapped countless sources of available water found in the North; pipelines snaked their way into delicate mountain watersheds to siphon water southward - water necessary to fuel Las Vegas's oh-so familiar line. Mountains ranges like the Egans, the Schell Creeks and Snake Ranges have fallen under attack by these vicious pipelines. If that weren't enough, these pipelines began to squeeze even tighter, even tapping into life-giving springs that wildlife depend on for water! To this day, the city of Las Vegas continues to buy countless water rights from rural Nevada land for the sole purpose of siphoning streams southward. This impact slams not only Nevada, but strikes other states as well; long-generation ranches in Utah's west desert have fallen under attack by the South’s thirst and necessity for water. Many old-generation ranchers continually lose court battles to keep their land and water rights. Ranchers like "Bill" who I met in Ely a few years back, barely acquires enough water to support his cattle and pay his dues, for example, while dolphins leap freely from dancing fountains three hundred miles away. In Nevada, where every ounce of water is priceless, the city of Las Vegas feels an obligation to consume every drop, requiring an unbelievable 350 gallons of water per person, per day to sustain its paradise-in-the-desert scheme. "What happens in Vegas..." Now, I guess we know. Few people think about the sacrifices northern Nevadans make to sustain the Strip’s dazzling light shows. To be quite honest, northern Nevadans at least deserve a long-awaited "thank you." One thing is certain: the people of Las Vegas have a long road ahead of them should they ever wish to achieve peace with the rest of their Silver State brethren.
The Markers
1) "The Mainland", might take you the longest to conquer. "The Mainland" is the county comprising everything north of Lake Mead. This includes the I-15 corridor, a few spur markers (such as #102 in Goodsprings), the SR 160 corridor and the highlight of your trip -- the two markers within Valley of Fire State Park!
In case you wonder about such things, I did pay careful attention conquering each area before moving onto the next to conserve my gas mileage. In three days, I spent forty dollars in gas with Clark's average price in March of 2009 at $1.99/gallon! Make your own gameplan, and however way you choose to tackle this piece of Nevada, may your views be wide and your stories be true. Just remember, what happens in Vegas is thanks to the North.
In terms of markers, Clark County rates as one of the best counties for conquering! Unfortunately, the county is also home to more MIA's than any other part of the state, all due to urbanization that has taken place over the past twenty years. The good news is you won't have to be solely stuck within the boundaries of Vegas to conquer Clark's markers. Expect this as a general rule: less than half of Clark's markers are within the city limits vastly spread out across the Mojave Desert. In other words, game on! Prepare to kick back and let the Creosote tag along while cruising Clark's fast-paced highways. However, don't expect to conquer the county in one day. Although you can conquer the markers in two days, three days is a a much wiser plan and ideally, a full week if you want to enjoy yourself. A full week's time will allow you to split the county up into parts, visit a few parks and see other things of interest at the same time. For my own convenience in conquering these markers, I split Clark into three individual regions. You might find this helpful as well in your journey.
2) The Cities of Las Vegas and Henderson themselves make up their own region. I took a full day to tackle these obnoxious markers accounting for traffic, breaks and pit stops. Even though Las Vegas and Henderson are not terribly difficult to navigate, the markers' distribution make conquering the cities a challenge. Expect a few instances where you're forced to double-back, especially if you wish to scout out any of the MIAs for yourself.
3) "The Needle" is the actual "point" of Nevada that extends south from the cities along US 95. This is an enjoyable drive, but prepare to drive it twice. There is no alternate return route back to Las Vegas unless you want to come back through California or Arizona. "The Needle" holds a few MIA's and some of Clark's more interesting markers, including a few superlatives!
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