A few images from southern Nevada....more that a few of my evening have been spent photographing the Sheep Range

Blue Moon over the Truckee Meadows

Red Rock Rainbow

I'm looking forward to head back to the land of ice and snow....and the Black Rock too. In the meantime here's a glimpse of the Red Rock NCA.

What old pines seem to like may kill them
By Stephanie Tavares

Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009 2 a.m.

Associated press / courtesy of Brooklyn Botanic garden
Some bristlecone pines, researchers have found, are growing much faster than usual.

Bristlecone pine facts■Bristlecone pines live only in a few spots in the mountains of the West and Southwest. One species, Pinus longaeva, lives in Nevada, Utah and California.■Bristlecones have an average age of 1,000 years. The oldest trees can be found near the tree line at between 10,000 and 11,000 feet above sea level. A bristlecone named “Methuselah” in the White Mountains of eastern California, just across the state line from Nevada’s Esmeralda County, is believed to be the oldest single living organism in the world. Based on a core sample, scientists have pegged its age at 4,767.■One secret to bristlecones’ longevity is their extremely slow growth rate — historically just tenths of an inch in girth each year. Their needles can live for up to three decades, which allows the trees to conserve energy and continue to photosynthesize through extreme weather and drought.
Beyond the Sun■High Elevation White Pines: Great Basin bristlecone pines
Nevada’s famous Great Basin bristlecone pines are experiencing a growth boom as temperatures have risen in their high-altitude homes. But the cause of the trees’ heyday could also signal that death is finally coming for the bristlecones, the world’s oldest living things.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/nov/25/what-old-pines-seem-may-kill-them/

First Good Storm...sorta. Woke up early and I took Henry and Lucy out for a hike before dawn.
After all the build up on the news last night I expected a lot more snow, but that's OK it will come. I have big hopes for this winter.

It's great to be back up north for the Thanksgiving week. Since I'm in Reno I thought it would be appropriate to post on Nevada Outside. Anyway here's a few shots of the howling winds from Mineral County. BTW- Old Glory files proudly over US Army Depot, Hawthorne Nevada.

Moving On...

My new job rocks!!! I have been hiking a lot and trying to get some stuff going with the US forest Service in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area near Las Vegas to help increase the wilderness quality of the Wilderness...in short "Keep it Wild". I'm very busy and frankly I been focused in on Wilderness most of my waking hours. So in order to free up some time and keep my blog going I'm starting another blog focused in on the Spring Mountains. I hope you will continue to follow my adventures in the Nevada Back Country. Although, I'm starting a new blog I will still post here time from time , but my main focus will be in the south. I hope you will join me but if not, I understand. Northern Nevada rocks and it will always be home so thanks for following my blog you folks have been awesome and I will miss your comments and encouragement. However if you want to join me in my mid life Wilderness adventure check out my new Blog Southern Nevada Outside ( yeah I know the title is not really original)I hope will have some Good Stuff to post and I hope to read your comments.Link to Nevadahiker's new blog: www.volunteer4wild.blogspot.com