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White Pine County
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First off, let's clear things up: There are no White Pines in White Pine County! The term, 'White Pine' was put to use when the "heavy growth of trees thought to be white pine", were actually limber pine found nestled high in the county's three great mountain ranges.
With that said, ask any Nevadan where the 'most scenic areas in Nevada' can be found. No doubt, there will be a tie between Elko and Ely. Allow me to be blunt: White Pine is a scenic wonderland! The county is home to three of Nevada's highest mountain ranges, including Nevada's only year-round glacier, fully contained National Park andsome of the most extensive hunting and fishing areas in the state. If you're an outdoorsman, the country in White Pine is hard to ignore. There is a reason I find myself coming to White Pine's gorgeous scenery every year, just to savor it all over again.
To understand White Pine County is to understand its terrain. The history of White Pine goes hand in hand with its rugged terrain. Highs and lows and "valley to mountains" has had more of a deciding factor for population growth than anywhere else in Nevada. There is a reason why Ely (the population center of the county) is located in the shadow of three mountain ranges, or why copper, not gold or silver, has led the county's economy for close to a century. The Schell Creek Range, spanning over seventy miles from north to south is Ely's eastern backbone, a true island wilderness with year-round streams and mountain peaks nearing the 12,000 foot mark. In White Pine County, the elevation is extreme and the climate is ever-demanding. Without these two factors alone, there would be no water to persuade miners to build small camps along mountain creeks or to find refuge in mountain canyons; camps like Piermont, Berry Creek, Muncy and Kalamazoo lie hidden and isolated within White Pine's deep defiles. The Egans, just on the other side of Steptoe Valley form a solid barrier where elk and mountain lion find haven from the desert floors to the west. Areas like these form prime hunting ground for ancient people; even today a hunter would be hard-pressed to find better hunting than the ranges of White Pine County. However, the highlight of White Pine is the Snake Range; the Snake Range, Wheeler Peak and Nevada's only year-round glacier hold testament to the geologic history of the Great Basin. The Snakes, thought be to isolated blocks of the Rocky Mountains, come complete with Colorado species of plants that end their retreat westward here among the Snake Range's forested slopes. In ranges like the Snakes, geology is mixed together like a giant soap bowl; granite, sedimentary and limestone are all present and accounted for. In turn, men seeking fortunesgrew to learn that rocks containing variation or, "rocks with character" equalled rocks with fortune! Those old timers knew a thing or two. Of course with flat terrain (like the valleys of White Pine County) came avenues for transportation. With the exception of Steptoe Valley, the valleys of White Pine remain some of the most pristine in all of Nevada. Today's Steptoe Valley is a busy avenue for commuters headed from Idaho to Vegas on US 93; about a hundred years ago, the valley was an avenue for a railroad line, providing a means of transportating ores and other material to nearby mining camps. Valleys such as Butte, Goshute and Egan Valleys provided Pony Express Riders with a nice break from the steep mountain terrain. Such valleys remain so isolated and cutoff from the rest of Nevada, today that remnants of these old stations stand preserved and hardly untouched for all to enjoy. So... to understand White Pine County's past, one must understand its terrain.
The Markers
Historical Markers of White Pine County (10)
Everybody who has stepped foot on White Pine's landscape can attest they found a great place to call home, although in many instances, fortunes proved to be shallow or elusive. As a result, most of White Pine's markers deal with the finding and ultimate bust of now-obscure mining camps; camps such as Hamilton, Cherry Creek and Taylor can still be found by today's modern explorer, whereas some camps like Ruby, Treasure City and Ward are barely discernable out of the sagebrush.
Regardless, most of these camps were at one time, full fledged towns within the 'wilderness' of White Pine. An adventure away from the county's US routes proves that fortunes were made far from home. People heading southward from US 50 into the Egans and Pancake Range can find Treasure City, the highest mining camp ever established in Nevada; explorers can enjoy the beautiful ruins and cemetery found at Hamilton! Markers such as #51 and 84, talk about first impressions of the land, perhaps one of the only seventeen counties in Nevada where history can hide without many worries of exposure from a modern world. White Pine County is discernable by three main highways, US 6, US 50 and 93, that all converge then traverse away in every direction from Ely. Ely, White Pine's seat and largest community, carries the throne in terms of services; with friendly people and a cozy "home away from home" atmosphere. However, don't let the US Routes limit your adventures as a marker hunter. More than half of the county's secrets lie away from the paved highway and visitors tend to limit themselves to pavement thanks to Ely's hospitality. White Pine provides some of the best camping in the state, with some sites located days away and others that only take a few minutes to get to from town! Some of my favorite campouts include Ward Charcoal Ovens, Cleve Creek (accessible via Spring Valley) and Strawberry Creek, Lower Lehman and Baker Creeks in Great Basin NP. Other great camps are the Ward Mountain Recreation Area just outside of Ely, the Duck Creek Basin near McGill, Butte Valley, Goshute Canyon east of Schellbourne and the Upper Snakes on Hendrys Creek. Believe me folks. There is too much to see in White Pine to limit yourself to a hotel or lodge. Answer the call: White Pine awaits!
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