Blue Mass is a BLM designated Scenic Area in east central Nevada very close to the Utah border. It sits in the little known Kern Mountains, north of the better known Snake Range and south of the Deep Creek Range.
I first noticed Blue Mass perusing maps, then found photos of the area which depicted fantastic granite outcrops in high Pinyon - Juniper forest. The BLM web page describes it as a "Scenic wonderland of streams and springs, old cabins, granite cliffs and pinnacles and lush vegetation." Sold!
I planned a three day bikepack starting and finishing at the end of pavement on Highway 893 in Spring Valley. The riding started out pleasant on a gently rising, well graded dirt (White Pine County Road 31 on Google Maps). About eight miles later the route turns east on Road 32 and climbs towards Tippet Pass over the southern arm of the Antelope Range.
The pass was not difficult. Shallow gradients to start then 6% max near the top. A pleasant descent landed me in the vast expanse of Antelope Valley.
Once down in the valley my first order of business was to top off my water supply. I looked for the turnoff to Blind Spring just off Road 32. I could see lush, green vegetation and found a faint two track leading up - which faded into a brushy cow track. The only standing water at the spring was in cattle hoof prints. No flowing water. Plenty of mud and wet cattle dung.
A little more brush bashing and 10 minutes of pedaling brought me to the second spring in the area. Antelope Spring. As I approached I could see a good sized pond, but upon arrival I found a fenced corral filled with at least a hundred sheep.
My first concern was sheep dogs. Great Pyrenees are typically employed to protect herds and they are NOT friendly to approaching strangers. Large sacks of dog food next to a nearby trailer heightened my fear, so I made a lot of racket which startled the sheep, but produced no dogs. Good!
The pond itself was turbid and scummy, so I looked for its source. To my dismay the source was a little rivulet which appeared to emanate from beneath another, separate corral. The water was clear though, so I treated it and topped off my bottles despite the not so subtle odor of sheep crap.
Not ideal! I figured I had another chance to find better water up the road at Tippett, but when I got there I found a funky stock pond surrounded by cattle. The nearby ranch house held a chance, but no one was home and there were no visible spigots or pipes. Ugh!
I had enough good water to drink for the rest of the ride and I figured I could boil the sheep crap water for meals later if needed. So I rode on across the wide expanse of Antelope Valley with the Deep Creek Range behind.
A fine campsite. But no water! Where were the "springs and streams" BLM touted? Ephemeral I suppose!
After boiling the sheep crap water, making dinner (barely palatable), and setting camp I went for a twilight stroll.
Griffin?
Absolutely stunning. Worth the hard effort and the sheep crap water!
The Deep Creek Range at sunset.
By now my initial idea of a three day trip was whittled down to two. Without adequate water I wasn't going to hang around and explore Blue Mass as I originally intended. I got an early, cold start which was ok because the initial climb was steep and I warmed up quickly, soon arriving at the very windy pass.
The long descent into Spring Valley was great fun. Beautiful too.
The USGS topo indicated a structure near a spring on the way down. I stopped to investigate. Cool old cabin!
Crappy spring. It appears the spring was fenced off at one time, but the fence was in ruins and the cattle had decimated the spring.
Alas I arrived at a decent water source. I had been here last December (see here) when it was flowing stronger, but I still was able get good, clean water for the rest of my ride to the truck.
Spring Valley with the Schell Creek Range on the right.
