Waking up in Reno and drove a couple of hundred kilometers to the geothermal plant. I then turned right onto a reasonably good unpaved road, which soon became steep and then even steeper. A few sections really required a high-clearance 4WD car. Although it’s not impossible with a mini SUV (I switched to manual gear and made it), these cars aren’t designed for such roads. At one particularly high point, I gave up and left the car at the roadside. A more stubborn driver might make it all the way to the summit.
Approaching the summit on car tracks, I saw a helicopter delivering cargo bags to the nearby communication towers. Expecting solitude, I found this activity unexpected but it made the hike more interesting. The summit features a small stony wind shelter, a log box, and a benchmark. The views are stunning, with Rye Patch Reservoir being particularly captivating.
Soon, a helicopter pilot from Elko joined me on the summit. He was bored, waiting for the maintenance team to fix a solar panel for the fire detection system. It was his first ascent of Star Peak, just like mine. I jokingly asked if he could lift me to my car. He said yes, for $1,900 per hour—not a bad price, considering my journey might fit into 2-3 minutes! After a short conversation, I headed down the same route but took a shortcut directly to the lower road.
It was quite an efficient day, with plenty of time left. I checked the map, found that Mount Lewis seemed easily accessible, and decided to drive towards it to make the most of the remaining daylight.
