November, 2012
By John Evanoff
This is two columns in one dealing with what a lot
of people believe Northern Nevada does not have in abundance but
which is far from the truth. Water is certainly scarce in the high
desert and some of the mountain ranges in Northern Nevada’s
interior, but it can be found in abundance if you know where to
look. This column provides some information of the many current
and past pools of hot mineral water people have in the past and
still bathe in as well as the ponds, lakes and rivers which freeze
over thick enough in mid winter to skate on in Northern Nevada.
First, let’s take a look at the hot water famous
in Nevada. Northern Nevada has more than 220 naturally occurring
hot springs and many of them are now being plumbed for geothermal
energy. Some of the largest geothermal sources in America are still
untapped in Northern Nevada, but several huge companies have purchased
leases on land and have already or will begin drilling and site
construction. For that reason, Nevada leads the nation in geothermal
energy development including Beowawe and Clayton Valley in Eureka
County; Brady, Desert Peak, Dixie Meadows, Salt Wells, Soda Lake
and Tuscarora in Churchill County; Faulkner in Humboldt County;
Homestretch in Lyon County; Jersey Valley and McGinnis Hills in
Lander and Pershing County; Galena, Richard Burdette and Steamboat
Hills in Washoe County; and Tuscarora in Elko County. That’s
a lot of jobs and watts produced in and for Nevada.
Some of these hot water pools are closed because
of geothermal energy production, but in the late 1800’s and
early 1900’s, hot springs and spas were big enterprises valued
for their supposed healing properties and were located in the Black
Rock Desert, the 40 Mile Desert and just south of Reno. These were
closed because visitors just stopped coming or the maintenance of
the systems just got too expensive. In the Black Rock, Black Rock
and Double Hot Springs north of Gerlach had hot pools and tubs where
the water was taken from the main pools by bucket for bathing for
many years since the water was too hot at more than 140 degrees
to swim in. Both of these areas of extremely hot pools in the Black
Rock were fenced and closed to the public because their heat can
kill bathers from third degree burns in seconds. Bog Hot Springs
near Denio and Kyle Hot Springs east of Unionville are also dangerous
to bathe in because of extreme temperatures. The pools north of
Pyramid Lake were closed by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Indian Tribe
since they were a liability and people trashed the area over the
course of decades of misuse. The Brady’s Hot Springs Spa along
Highway 80 about 15 miles east of Fernley had six pools and a couple
large bath houses until the mid 1940’s when people stopped
coming and maintenance became too expensive. If you take a right
at the Nightingale exit on Highway 80 and go to the road leading
to the onion dehydration plant you will see some of the pools left
from that era. The Steamboat Hot Springs pool and spa at the corner
of the Mt. Rose Highway and Highway 395 South in southern Reno had
the largest hot water swimming pool on the West Coast during the
1930’s thru early 1950’s. Steamboat’s history
as a source of hot water goes back to the Washoe Indians who used
the waters to clean the pitch off their pinion pine nuts every fall
and for many other uses as well. I wrote another article about Steamboat
for this site and you’re welcome to go
back and read it for more information on its history and importance.
The Steamboat Hot Springs still has a Spa and tubs but it is much
smaller than when first built at its present site and the adjacent
monster public pool and site up on the hill a half mile to the west.
Of the pools and spas still open and doing business
in Northern Nevada, one of them dates back to 1862 on the Jacks
Valley Road leading south from Carson City and Highway 395 towards
the town of Genoa. Walley’s Resort and Spa not only has a
beautiful setting next to the Sierra Nevada overlooking Minden,
Gardnerville and the Carson Valley, but also overnight accommodations,
dining and a large mineral pool. We enjoyed Walley’s because
it has a resort atmosphere and the sightseeing is fantastic. Carson
Hot Springs in Carson City on Old Hot Springs Road has been enjoyed
by bathers since the late 1800’s. Three outdoor pools and
10 private baths give bathers different temperatures to choose from,
ideal to comfort sore bones and muscles. Carson Hot Springs is unusual
in that the sulfur smell so prevalent at other resorts is not as
intense. We always enjoyed Carson because it was close to Reno and
not as stinky. Some hot springs are what they are, primitive and
off the beaten path, but they present a short and enthusiastic hike
to the tourist looking for something different. These include Spencer
Hot Springs in Austin and Alkali Hot springs northwest of Goldfield.
Both have hot water pools or tubs enough to relax and enjoy after
hiking in the area.
Now, for the ice, but let me make this clear, ice
can be dangerous no matter how thick and it’s important you
get information relating to the safety and thickness of the ice
from the county or state park service or the Nevada Forest Service
in charge of these areas before ever attempting skating, crossing
or entering these areas. In the 1950’s, the two ponds at Idlewild
Park, the pond at Lake Park in Northwest Reno, Manzanita Lake at
UNR, Virginia Lake in southwest Reno and even the Truckee River
were used by anyone who wanted to ice skate. There were also ponds
that froze well enough for skating near Washoe Lake and just east
of Galena. Lakes and ponds near Fallon, Fernley, Carson City, Yerington,
Gardnerville and Elko were also used to skate during the winter.
Now though, most of the ice skating is done on rinks although on
some occasions, the county park services allow ice skating. One
of these facilities is below Slide Mountain 20 miles south from
Reno on old Highway 395 at Davis Creek Regional Park. Be sure to
call Washoe County Parks for conditions permitting ice skating and
for more information before making the drive at (775-823-6501).
The pond at Davis Creek is large at more than two and a half acres
and is a very well managed facility when open for ice skating. The
park allows fires in the picnic area around the lake and campground
facility and restrooms are available. Davis Creek Pond is a natural
lake fed by Ophir and Davis Creek and was used by the Winters Ranch
as a reservoir and to harvest ice. Washoe County Parks and Recreation
spent a lot of time and effort making Davis Creek Park what it is
today and the pond was deepened in 1998 to improve fish habitat
for the black bass and rainbow trout which are regularly stocked
there. Like I say, be sure to call to make sure the pond is open
for ice skating ahead of time and bring lots of friends who enjoy
the outdoors because this lake harkens back to the days when ice
skating was adventurous and as outdoorsy as it can get.
For those who are really adventurous, you could put
your snowshoes on and take the Ophir Creek Trail out of Davis Creek
Park as far as you can. If you go the entire way up 4,000 feet of
elevation to the Tahoe Meadows, be sure to have someone pick you
up there so you don’t have to tramp through the snow all the
way back. This snowshoe hike is extreme and should not be attempted
by anyone other than expert hikers with winter trail knowledge of
the area.
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