This update is effective for guidebooks purchased before 11/01/2017

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*New Reroute on The Nevada Trail - Section 7: Secret Starr Trail #25

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Data leaving Secret Pass now reads:

 

(476.8) 1.1m DR Leave Gardner Creek by descending on a gravel Forest Service access road. Exit FS land. Reach paved NV 229.

 

*Camp Alert: No camping for the next 6.5m as the trail passes thru the Secret Pass Ranch. Access has been granted but gate openings/closings are subject to change, and are based on current grazing patterns. Leave all gates as you found them.

 

(477.9) 2.5m NV Hwy 229 Walk along the shoulder of a scenic and virtually vacant backcountry byway, north to Secret Creek and a signed trailhead for the Secret Starr Trail 25.

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(480.4) 6.5m Secret Starr TR From the NV 229 pullout, the trail reaches a first gate at 0.1m. A second gate is passed thru at 0.7m. At 0.9m, turn left onto the ranch’s private access trail, near an installation. At ~1.5m, pass by 2 muck ponds then at 1.9m, top out on a first view-filled saddle. From it, traverse to a rare saddle-top creek crossing then continue climbing, following Secret Starr Trail signs. At 2.6m, turn left onto a jeep track then follow it past 2 shaded crossings of Dorsey Creek. Surpass a small meadow with a larger installation then climb to an even higher saddle. From it the trail descends then crosses a first fork of Stephens Creek. At 4m, it enters the East Humboldt Wilderness. Cross a second fork then continue to a junction with First Boulder Trail. Avoid. Continue to a junction with the Second Boulder Trail. Turn upstream, onto Second Bounder TR.

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(486.9) 2.4m TR Avoid re-crossing the creek in 0.1m, at a second Second Boulder Trail sign. Go thru an inviting camp then continue up the trail to a signed junction with the Highline Trail.

 

*East Humboldt Highline Trail: Follow this signed but at times hard to follow trail to Boulder Lake Trail.

 

(489.3) 1.5m EHH TR Turn north and climb to a divide. Descend from it then cross Third Boulder Creek, met at a first trail junction. Turn upstream then reach a second trail junction.

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(490.8) 0.8m Boulder Lake TR Climb to Boulder Lake.

 

(491.6) 4m XC Continue east from Boulder Lake, XC. Go over a rocky divide then descend a talus field. From Steele Lake’s outlet, traverse 1m - staying level - then descend along the crest of a sharp ridgeline, avoiding brush as you go. Reach a fenceline. From a rather large white stake in the line, traverse north. Cross a creek then a dry drainage. Reach a fenceline then pass thru a 1-wire gate. In 0.05m, turn onto the Weeks Creek access road.

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*(2m) Hole in the Mtn Peak: To summit the highest peak in the East Humboldt Range, continue to the end of Weeks Creek Rd then follow the traditionally used route, up a prominent gully.

 

(495.6) 2.8m JP/TR Ascend Weeks Creek Rd for ~0.5m then go right at a fork. Follow a jeep road, which crosses Lizzies Basin Creek then narrows and becomes a trail. Pass a highpoint camp then descend gently to a creek crossing. The trail goes upstream for 0.1m then switches back, leaves it, then ends.

 

(498.4) 1.3m XC Until the Winchell Lake-Lizzies Basin trail is finished being built, climb around heavy brush by continuing upstream XC. Climb ~0.5m to a massive boulder then sidehill to Winchell Spires. Downclimb from the spires along the apex of the ridge. 0.1m before reaching Winchell Lake, junction with a trail.

 

(499.7) 3m Winchell Lake TR Follow a well-defined trail from Winchell Lake to the Winchell Lake TH, on Angel Lake Rd.

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The Secret Starr Trail reroute, which was made in cooperation with the Secret Pass Ranch, eliminated 4 miles of road and 4.8 miles of jeep road in favor of 2.5 miles of road and 6.3 miles of trail.

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The new Second Boulder to Winchell Lake option has eliminated travel on the East Humboldt Highline Trail; which was previously the most overgrown section of the entire Hot Springs Trail.

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The Secret Starr, Second Boulder, and Winchell Lake Trails are each worthy of their own weekend exploration. These trail segments are scenic improvements to what was already a scenic section.

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