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by John C. Evanoff
June, 2005
Many millions of years ago, a granite spear of
earth grew up from the muddy bottom of the vast Pacific Ocean to
create the Sierra Nevada range. The planet's plates constantly moving
against each other and pressing the land upward along Reno's western
front and along the Carson Range including Slide Mountain and Mount
Rose still moves and is constantly growing and changing the landscape.
Some of the mountains built from these tectonic fault pressures
throughout Western Nevada were created somewhat erratically away
from the main Sierra ridge. Because of the many faults throughout
Nevada, these many mini-mountain ranges make Nevada one of the most
mountainous areas in the world.
One of these erratic fault scarps instead of moving
north and south abutted the massive Sierra fault line and moved
east from Verdi and Crystal Peak to Spanish Springs. What mountain-building
took place is clearly visible from around the Truckee Meadows to
the north as Peavine Peak. This mountain at 8,266 feet, stands alone
as the smallest range in Nevada, but it is by far one of the more
historic and talked about in the area. Many life-long residents
do not plant their tender garden plants until all the snow is off
Peavine.
Peavine has a history that dates back far into
the Pleistocene, a span encompassing 1.8 million years. The bones
of Mammoths, saber toothed cats and other mammals of the period
have been found along the white chalky cliffs on the south side
of the mountain. These cliffs are remnants of inland sea mud and
fossilized shells and fish left there by receding oceans and rivers
and retreating glaciers.
The mountain is biologically diverse including
conifers such as incense-cedar, Jeffery Pine, Ponderosa, hemlock,
white pine, mountain-mahogany, Utah and Western juniper and other
trees and bushes including the Great Basin sagebrush, mountain alder,
dogwood, cottonwood, quaking aspen, bitter cherry, choke-cherry,
elderberry and several varieties of willow. If you look up to Peavine
from the valley, try to imagine the entire hill covered with trees.
Approximately one hundred and seventy five years ago, Peavine was
as wooded as the Dog Valley area above Verdi. Most of the conifers
were cut down for use in the many mines and towns along Peavine's
girth.
The sagebrush, willow and alder were important
sources to early man who lived on Peavine's slopes beginning around
10,000 years ago. Petroglyphs and large granite bowls in granite
outcrops left from early man still remain on the mountainside. The
Paiute Indians in the area known as the Washoe Tribe date back thousands
of years. Several families lived on the southwest side of the mountain
in the vicinity of the Seventh Street pits. They moved around the
hillside and crossed the Truckee River around Mogul in the summer
following the herds of deer, antelope and mountain goat that made
their home in the area or where major migration routes intersected.
The Indians used the sagebrush and willow for their living quarters
along the many streams and springs on Peavine. Indian women made
baskets, foot gear and other garments and appliances with the willow
and Indian men were resourceful in fashioning alder, willow and
slate or obsidian into spears, bows, axes and arrows. The Indian
tribe that lived in the area was said to have as many as 150 members
and traded heavily with the Washoe Paiute of the lower Truckee Meadows
and the Washoe and Carson Valleys. The primary trade items were
unusually well made mud beads produced by the women from natural
black clay indigenous to the area and a form of red obsidian, hard
black slate and jasper quartz found in the area that was napped
by the men for their tools including well made arrowheads. The clay
beads are unusual in that only this tribe had the ingenuity to bake
the beads to harden them. They then painted them to give them color
and were heavily sought after by other tribes in the area. Even
though some Pinion Pine was native to the mountain, most of the
pinion nuts the tribe enjoyed came from trades with the Virginia
and Carson Range families.
This tribe also spear fished the Truckee River
in the spring during the runs of the giant Lahontan cutthroat trout,
a landlocked salmon species. I spent many days fly fishing along
the same areas they frequented and imagined the Indian braves from
this tribe bringing out dozens of fish in the twenty to thirty pound
range. The tribe was also very resourceful during deer, antelope
and rabbit hunts. They normally left early in the morning moving
up the hill where the white painted "R" is now positioned
on the hillside and hid a line of young braves along the many lava
outcroppings along the ridges. Then, a band of braves would move
the deer up the trails that went next to the outcroppings providing
easy access to arrow and spear shots. These hunts provided all the
game meat the tribe needed for an entire month or more. Much of
the meat was dried for the winter and the hides were thoroughly
scrapped and stretched to provide garments and protection from the
winter and spring winds. Strips of hide were also used to produce
the twine needed to place their heavy well-made axes on alder wood
staffs. Along with the amazing strength and heartiness of the tribe
members and these axes and other weapons, some of the deadliest
ever brandished by western Indians, this individual tribe became
one of the more respected in the entire region.
When white-man first visited the area, they were
only interested in the grasses of the valley restoring their animals
to further their pursuit of California riches. In fact, Peavine
got its name from the purple and white Lupine type flowering shrubs,
inedible by livestock, which grew in abundance across its upper
slopes in the spring and early summer. It wasn't until the riches
of the Comstock were unearthed in the 1860's that men moved into
the area and began to look for silver, gold and other important
medals. The gold, copper, and iron deposits found on Peavine are
the result of hydrothermal activity forming veins of quartz and
minerals. The faults along both the north and south sides of Peavine
are still active and earthquakes happen from time to time to remind
us of their presence.
Several mining towns sprang up along Peavine's
girth including Wingfield, where the Desert Research Labs and Truckee
Meadows Community College now reside; Poeville on the backside of
the mountain just above the Stead area; Keystone on the southwest
side near the Seventh Street pits and Copperville near Anderson
Hill. All of these mining ventures lasted no more than a few decades.
Poeville, which was originally Peavine City, had a population of
over 500 at its peak production and had several hotels, bars and
churches. Keystone had a population of over 200 and four bars and
two churches. An assortment of narrow gauge railroads and stage
coach roads moved miners and rock to and from smelters and mines
in the area. A toll road moved goods from Reno to Peavine Valley
which is now called Lemmon Valley and up the mountain to Keystone.
It took three hours to make the trip to Poeville and two hours to
make the trip to Keystone. The Paymaster and Golden Fleece mines
near Poeville were once noted as the next Comstock but because processing
was almost impossible because of lack of water most of the year,
the town of Poeville went belly up. Copper remained as the number
one mineral of note and a smelter just above White Lake on Anderson
Hill produced tons of the metal through the early 1900's.
Another point of history is on the southwest side near McCarran
Blvd and Seventh Street. That area was the location of the first
air field and landing strip in the region. The area around the hillside
just above Mogul is also noteworthy because it was where the California
trail went over the Donner Summit by way of Verdi Peak. That same
area is also part of the original Lincoln Highway and the first
steep grade for the railroad over the pass.
Today, Peavine is a favorite with off-road enthusiasts
and trail bikers as well as hikers and horse riders. The top of
the mountain where several communication and microwave towers now
stand can be reached by a service road off old 395North between
the Stead and Red Rock exits. The view from the top is spectacular
and a highlight is the Dog Valley area west of the peak. Many people
like to hike the area in search of quartz crystals and other rocks
and others appreciate the many canyons full of wildlife.
Several new large developments along Peavine's
southwestern edge have compromised deer, bear and mountain lion
migration routes. Several golf courses and thousands of homes have
been built and more are on the way. Some residents have taken up
the fight to save those routes and much of the mountain from more
encroachment but as the area grows, only a few spots on the mountain
will remain undeveloped because of forest service protection.
Fifty years ago, my father and I used to hunt sage
grouse, chucker, quail, dove, deer and rabbit when the area only
had a little used access road where Seventh Street now goes up the
hill from Keystone Avenue. The dirt road was single lane and full
of ruts but the trip was always worth it because we always filled
our bag.
The memories are many of this majestic mountain
peak and if you have a chance, you should take a walk, ride a mountain
bike or drive an off-road vehicle along the many forest service
roads to explore it more. Peavine Mountain will grow on you as you
learn of its many secrets.
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