Franktown's Musgrove Canyon Road closed for mountain biking and backcountry hiking?

Lewers Creek, east-side Carson Range, Nevada

The Musgrove Canyon Road climbs away from Washoe Value, skirts the southwest corner of Franktown and leads into the Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park. This gravel-road trail into the Carson Range, popular with mountain bikers and backcountry hikers, connects Washoe Valley with the Tahoe Rim Trail section between Tahoe Meadows and Spooner Summit. However, it is currently interrupted along a short stretch that bends through Franktown territory between the Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park and land of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. After about a one-mile climb, a new gate blocks the road where it is getting close to the canyon stream of Lewers Creek (picture above). A sign says: Private Property | No Trespassing | No Bicycling | No Hiking | No Hunting | No Fishing.

Years ago, Mike White referred to Franktown's recreational-access problems in the chapter Trip 20: Musgrove Canyon Road to Twin Lakes of his hiking guide [1]:

Getting onto public land from Franktown Road around the upscale homes and sprawling estates lining the country lane has been a bit problematic over the years. Residents successfully blocked the state's desire to build a bike lane on the edge of the popular roadway in the past and still don't seem ready to invite any type of recreationists into “their” backyard. Supposedly, the Forest Service has successfully negotiated public access to the Musgrove Canyon Road that travels over their land and onto state park property.

Was this a half-way, only temporary success? A look at the hiking map shows that the design of a few switchbacks through the sagebrush scrub south of the road could solve the problem. This mountainside belongs to the Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park. But I am not aware of any plan to do this. Why is it so difficult to create a great hiking and mountain biking environment around Franktown, while Genoa, another scenic and historic site at the east-side bottom of the Carson Range, has just done that. Genoa is surrounded by a trail system, which integrates this old settlement with nearby points of interest and trails, including the serene Genoa Waterfall, the Discovery Trail, the Sierra Canyon Trail and the River Fork Ranch's East Brockliss Loop and West Fork Trail. 

To access the highlights and remote areas off Franktown in the Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park, there are alternative routes and trailheads—such as the Hobart Road trailhead in the Lakeview Estates Subdivision described in “Ghost of a Sawmill” next to the trail from Hobart Road to Hobart Reservoir. Continuing your climb from the “Ghost of a Sawmill” further up into the Carson Range forest and alongside granodiorite formations, you will get to the Hobart Reservoir and the Red House in Franktown Creek.  From the Red House, you have two trail options to connect with the Musgrove Canyon Road/Twin Lakes trail—you will follow or cross Franktown Creek without ever passing through off-limits Franktown property.

Keywords: recreational access, hiking, backcountry, mountain biking, property rights, Franktown, Carson Range, Nevada, trail networks.

Reference
[1] Mike White: Afoot & Afield Reno-Tahoe: A Comprehensive Hiking Guide. Wilderness Press, Berkeley, 2nd printing November 2008; pp. 269-270, map on page 262.

Cross Peak trail loop west of Reno's Caughlin Ranch neighborhood

Cross Peak's reflection rocks with Peavine mountain in the background

View of Cross Peak from Alum Creek

Cross Peak is a rock-outcrop hill next to the Caughlin Ranch neighborhood in west Reno, Nevada. On its top you'll stand or sit next to the eponymous cross, a two-dimensional tree sculpture and a metal box with a sign saying “Reflection On Cross Peak.” Inside this box you'll find a notebook filled with reflections—and you are invited to enter your own. The cross and the bookbox is a memorial to a Reno family [1]: be respectful!

There are various ways to get to the top of Cross Peak—but no trail posts [1,2]. The easiest way is to follow the paved green-belt trail from Betsy Caughlin Donnelly Park uphill along Alum Creek. This trail underpasses the Mc Carran Boulvard just north of the Mayberry Landing Boutique Shopping Center. Following this trail along the creek you will arrive at a couple of ponds and the “Juniper Trails” board next to the Caughlin Parkway. This location, or the Caughlin Athletic Club further up, would also be good places to start your Cross Peak visit. Going uphill from the Caughlin Club, you will pass an interpretive stand of Jeffrey Pines, walk through a tunnel underneath the parkway and then arrive at a junction, from where the paved trail continues over a bridge to your left and an unpaved trail continues along the creek. Cross Peak is coming into view: the right-side picture above was taken there. Follow the unpaved path winding through the creek between pine trees. After a short distance a narrow trail is branching off. It leads you out of the pine grove and upward alongside the right slope, intersects a dirt road and then takes you straight up to the top of Cross Peak. Time for rock climbing and reflections. From the top, the trail continues downhill on the south slope, connecting you with the creek trail. Turn left along the creek to get back to the paved trail and the Caughlin Ranch green belt. 

More to explore
[1] Ryan Bailey: Cross Peak. Ryan Bailey's Blog, August 5, 2010 [ryanbailey03.wordpress.com/2010/08/05/reno-hiking-cross-peak/].
[2] Summit post: Cross Peak [www.summitpost.org/cross-peak/501039].

Are lakes in Washoe County such as Rock Lake in the Carson Range drying up?

Rock Lake showing its eponymous rocks (March 16, 2014)

Lakes in Washoe County, Nevada, are showing significant variations in their water level—not only seasonably, but also when compared year by year. Washoe Lake, which is a shallow body of water with a maximum depth of just a few feet, has completely dried up in the past. Dry Pond, located southwest of Reno and northeast of Mount Rose, has been seen wet in spring 2008, but less so during spring seasons thereafter. In compliance with its name, Dry Pond mostly stays dry. Church's Pond, a few miles southwest of Dry Pond in the Mount Rose Wilderness, also seems to have, on average, less water each year.

Rock Lake, located in a fragile and mountainous landscape between Washoe Lake and the slide side of Carson Range's Slide Mountain, is known for the beautiful pads of yellow water lilies that cover the water surface between the shoreline and the multitude of rocks that characterize its lake scenery. With lower water marks, Rock Lake's rock are getting more exposed. On March 16, this year, I found the lake shrunken down to puddles, wondering if there will be blooming water lilies this summer.

A large fence going up around the arboretum at Reno's Rancho San Rafael Regional Park

The Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Garden is a mosaic of groves, gardens and interpretive sites featuring native plants and treasures from around the world. The landscaped park contains expensive flora, botanicals, benches and memorial sites. Washoe County parks operations superintendent Eric Crump estimated the value of trees and shrubs at the arboretum at nearly $3 million. Unfortunately, a spruce tree was stolen last December and other types of theft and destruction have occurred. To deter vandalism, the high black fence is constructed—a $30,000 project. Does it make sense? According to information in a recent Question & Answer column in the Reno Gazette-Journal, the park will not be locked and, initially, not completely be enclosed by the fence.

Loving open space? Find parks, preserves, forests and trails at Explore Reno-Tahoe and beyond.

Reference
Ask the RGJ: Why the fence at Rancho San Rafael? Reno Gazette-Journal, February 12, 2014, 3A.

“Beer & Wine” snow sculpture created during Carve Tahoe event, Northstar California

This snow sculpture with the title “Beer & Wine” was created by Team California/Netherlands at the international snow sculpturing event Carve Tahoe: “A dance between an elegant wine opener and a beer can opener. A juxtaposition of masculine and femine.” On a sunny Saturday (Feb. 1, 2014), visitors were strolling and dancing around this snowy juxtaposition and seven other striking creations—all made out of the white stuff that seems to become a rarity in the Reno-Tahoe landscape: Team Tahoe Truckee's The Fish Eaters, Team Yukon Canada's The First Killer Whale,Team Mongolia's Battle, Team Japan's Dream Telescope, Team Finland/Czech Republic's Handicrafts, Team Germany's Reflection and Team USA Wisconsin's Reflection. 

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“Dream Telescope” snow sculpture created during Carve Tahoe event, Northstar California

This snow sculpture with the title “Dream Telescope” was created by Team Japan at the international snow sculpturing event Carve Tahoe. The snow artists—Yoshimasa Tsuchida, Teruyasu Matsumara and Shin Ozaki—introduced their work as follows:

The Dream Telescope can see into the future by sharpening the senses, imagination, and living together with nature. Rather than promote the development of science and technology, how can you create your own Dream Telescope?

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“Handicrafts” snow sculpture created during Carve Tahoe event, Northstar California

The picture shows the snow sculpture named “Handicrafts.” It was created by the binational Team Finland/Czech Republic at the international snow sculpturing event Carve Tahoe. Visitors could walk around this and seven other sculptures standing next to the Northstar Village near Truckee, California.

The artists—Saila Hastrup, Minna Eloranta and Jan Laštovičkar—reflected on their creation by writing:

In a world of machine made items that are less unique, durable and special, this sculpture is designed to remind us of the value and beauty of handicrafts. 

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