With the threat of the Dugway Proving Grounds expansion looming, I have been poking around the Dugway Mtns a bit...see 'em while you can kind of deal. The north end is absolutly beautiful with mining claims, a large hidden valley, etc. Any issues with property owners, short of the proving grounds which is fenced, that I need to be wary of? Like to explore, but don't want to offend any land owners either. I have not encountered posted property as of yet. Have not encountered anyone out there either... my favorite part!
Dugway Mtns
- Thread starter RKCRWLR
- Start date
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
Ditto Cody's comments... give me some feature names if you would... I have a map of the area that should tell how much of it is still PP, and if not PP who it is managed by (BLM, SITLA, USFS, USAF, etc).
I have been out there a little bit, but I too want to see more of it.
I have been out there a little bit, but I too want to see more of it.
I have no idea of the names, other than its the Dugway Range (Mountains) depending on the map. I have been skirting the east side of the Dugways traveling north from the PE, turning west into Fandango Canyon, then north again. Looked around a lot on the very north and north west tip of the range, then dropping down to the north toward Granite Peak until I hit the Proving Grounds boundary. Then west and south west towards Fish Springs to the PE. I have been using the Gazetteer to navigate, which is almost useless out there. I am going to have to get the USGS topos and invest in a replacement GPS unit. The little adrenaline rush from getting turned around out there last Sunday after dark still lingers. The evap basins around Fish Springs/Salt desert and the Proving Grounds around Granite peak are all visible from one viewpoint. Got to love the west desert!
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Todd Adams
Grammy's Spotter
- Location
- Salt Lake City
It's been a few years but I have spent some time out there. Watch out, there are open mine shafts all over. There are working claims that we stayed away from. The north end overlooks the bombing range. 10 years before the stealth fighter was made public a friend of mine watched them from there dropping ordinance.
I did see a lot of open shafts and some more recent workings. Bet the bomber was hitting the target grid west of Granite Peak. Thats a very well hidden area aside from the Dugways, which is likely why they would like to have 'em, along wih off site residual contamination and UXO.
Houndoc
Registered User
- Location
- Grantsville
I don't have mu USGS maps with me, but there is a range in that area called the Dugways.
THE DUGWAY MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS
A dry, corrugated range, the Dugway Mountains are a single curved ridgeline gouged by canyons trending east and west. At the north end of the ridge, Castle Mountain rises to 6,700 feet and is the highest peak in the range. Scenic and seldom visited, this 23,100-acre area provides interesting day hikes where a visitor is unlikely to see another person.
Access to the Dugway Mountains is provided by the graveled Pony Express Road, which passes along the south boundary of the area. Two little-used dirt roads leave the Pony Express road at points about 14 and 20 miles east of the Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge boundary. These roads form a loop around the Dugway Mountains.
Panoramic Views
The rugged Dugway crestline offers panoramic views of the Great Salt Lake Desert and mountain ranges stretching into the distance in every direction. At the highest elevations the Dugways are covered mostly with juniper and sage, while the lower hillsides are speckled with blackbrush, shadscale, winterfat, and greasewood. There are small mammals and upland game birds here as well as migrating raptors and an occasional deer.
North of the area proposed for wilderness there is heavy mining damage. In its intensive wilderness inventory, the BLM was uncharacteristically forceful in describe those impacts: "Mining remnants saturate the landscape; tunnels, adits, pits, shafts and dumps lie scattered as bones after the feast; unsteady buildings and newly posted claim markers remind that perhaps the banquet is not yet over." These impacts stop at the edge of the extent of the mineral deposits, which is also our proposed wilderness boundary.
The Utah Wilderness Coalition Proposal
The BLM invoked its own esoteric definitions of "outstanding solitude" and "primitive and unconfined recreation" to eliminate the Dugway Mountains from administrative consideration for wilderness designation. Yet a trip to the Dugway Range will show a visitor virtually nothing but primitive country and solitude. While low-level military overflights are frequent in the area, they do not disqualify these mountains from deserving wilderness designation (see Newfoundland Mountains). We propose an 23,100-acre wilderness. Fourteen miles of ways extend into the area but are seldom used and are insignificant intrusions upon the land.
Snagged this from SUWA's site, it was the first thing that came up when I googled it.
My Step Dad, was a Security gaurd out to dugway with Top Secret & Classified clearance, anyways he picked up the hobby of rescueing golden eagles as well as arrow head hunting, think he mentioned them purple crystal rocks (I think they are called Geods or something like that).
I guess I will call him and see if I can get some details on this mountain range.
Found this site as well desertislands.org
I think I would like to take a day and go mess around out there and see what there is to see.
Enjoy it while you can. more on this story.
Here is a bit more on them Geodes scroll down to the Dugway article.
Found this PDF on the mountain range.
Dugway Mine This range sounds cool, I hope a group gets together and goes, I would like to check it out before the US Gov annex's the land and make un accessable to the public.
A dry, corrugated range, the Dugway Mountains are a single curved ridgeline gouged by canyons trending east and west. At the north end of the ridge, Castle Mountain rises to 6,700 feet and is the highest peak in the range. Scenic and seldom visited, this 23,100-acre area provides interesting day hikes where a visitor is unlikely to see another person.
Access to the Dugway Mountains is provided by the graveled Pony Express Road, which passes along the south boundary of the area. Two little-used dirt roads leave the Pony Express road at points about 14 and 20 miles east of the Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge boundary. These roads form a loop around the Dugway Mountains.
Panoramic Views
The rugged Dugway crestline offers panoramic views of the Great Salt Lake Desert and mountain ranges stretching into the distance in every direction. At the highest elevations the Dugways are covered mostly with juniper and sage, while the lower hillsides are speckled with blackbrush, shadscale, winterfat, and greasewood. There are small mammals and upland game birds here as well as migrating raptors and an occasional deer.
North of the area proposed for wilderness there is heavy mining damage. In its intensive wilderness inventory, the BLM was uncharacteristically forceful in describe those impacts: "Mining remnants saturate the landscape; tunnels, adits, pits, shafts and dumps lie scattered as bones after the feast; unsteady buildings and newly posted claim markers remind that perhaps the banquet is not yet over." These impacts stop at the edge of the extent of the mineral deposits, which is also our proposed wilderness boundary.
The Utah Wilderness Coalition Proposal
The BLM invoked its own esoteric definitions of "outstanding solitude" and "primitive and unconfined recreation" to eliminate the Dugway Mountains from administrative consideration for wilderness designation. Yet a trip to the Dugway Range will show a visitor virtually nothing but primitive country and solitude. While low-level military overflights are frequent in the area, they do not disqualify these mountains from deserving wilderness designation (see Newfoundland Mountains). We propose an 23,100-acre wilderness. Fourteen miles of ways extend into the area but are seldom used and are insignificant intrusions upon the land.
Snagged this from SUWA's site, it was the first thing that came up when I googled it.
My Step Dad, was a Security gaurd out to dugway with Top Secret & Classified clearance, anyways he picked up the hobby of rescueing golden eagles as well as arrow head hunting, think he mentioned them purple crystal rocks (I think they are called Geods or something like that).
I guess I will call him and see if I can get some details on this mountain range.
Found this site as well desertislands.org
I think I would like to take a day and go mess around out there and see what there is to see.
Enjoy it while you can. more on this story.
Here is a bit more on them Geodes scroll down to the Dugway article.
Found this PDF on the mountain range.
Dugway Mine This range sounds cool, I hope a group gets together and goes, I would like to check it out before the US Gov annex's the land and make un accessable to the public.
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VERY interesting. The desertislands.org is even more interesting. Thanks for the wealth of info. I am going to spend a bit more time out there myself, as well. Cruiseroutfitter mentioned earlier in the post that he was interested in the area. Maybe we should put together a group and head out for a long expedition day in the near future.
radjeeper
"Why You Say"
- Location
- Salty City
I lived on base at Dugaway about 12 years ago. The west desert is a wild and beautiful place. There are many places to explore and I wish I had more time to do so. When living out there I took a couple of old roads from Simpson Springs, one went east in to an old mining area. The other went south along the west side of the range. I was by myself but out there you should really have another vehicle with you. There are also some good trails north of Tera on the west side of the Stansbarry Range. There is a lot of sand out there so go prepared.
One area I've always wanted to explore is the Oniqi Mtns. which are the just south of Johnson's Pass. Some of the wild horses summer up there. In fact, I've seen more wild life out in the west desert than in the Wasatch Mtns. which I have live by almost all of my life. I have seen deer, antelope, bald and golden eagles, hawks, owls, fox, cyote, couger, and mustangs.
What ever you do don't wander on base! Some times a fence can be down and it could be tempting but with the current military envionment you would be setting your self up for a very long ordeal.
Also, it's a smart idea to take extra gas, tires, supplies, etc. The only services, other than on base, are the Goshute Indian reservation with very unpredictable hours of operation, the town of Vernon, and I believe Penny's north of Vernon. I'm sure the towns to the west of Fish Springs also have fuel and some services but I never made it that far. I helped a guy out there once who had gotten two flat tires just driving on the sharp shale on the roads.
One time when I was out there between Simpson Springs and Fish Springs I stoped to check out a strange noise coming from my Jeep. As I was doing so a lady in a Volvo sation wagon with her small children in the back stopped and offered assitance. It was so wierd. Here I was out in the middle of nowhere and this nice lady in a station wagon stops to see if I need help. Turns out her husband was the ranger at Fish Springs. I think it was that same day that I saw a herd of wild mustangs and as I drove by a black stallion reared up just like out of a Zoro movie. No foolin. If you can't tell I like the west desert.
One area I've always wanted to explore is the Oniqi Mtns. which are the just south of Johnson's Pass. Some of the wild horses summer up there. In fact, I've seen more wild life out in the west desert than in the Wasatch Mtns. which I have live by almost all of my life. I have seen deer, antelope, bald and golden eagles, hawks, owls, fox, cyote, couger, and mustangs.
What ever you do don't wander on base! Some times a fence can be down and it could be tempting but with the current military envionment you would be setting your self up for a very long ordeal.
Also, it's a smart idea to take extra gas, tires, supplies, etc. The only services, other than on base, are the Goshute Indian reservation with very unpredictable hours of operation, the town of Vernon, and I believe Penny's north of Vernon. I'm sure the towns to the west of Fish Springs also have fuel and some services but I never made it that far. I helped a guy out there once who had gotten two flat tires just driving on the sharp shale on the roads.
One time when I was out there between Simpson Springs and Fish Springs I stoped to check out a strange noise coming from my Jeep. As I was doing so a lady in a Volvo sation wagon with her small children in the back stopped and offered assitance. It was so wierd. Here I was out in the middle of nowhere and this nice lady in a station wagon stops to see if I need help. Turns out her husband was the ranger at Fish Springs. I think it was that same day that I saw a herd of wild mustangs and as I drove by a black stallion reared up just like out of a Zoro movie. No foolin. If you can't tell I like the west desert.
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
I have been out in the area quite a bit, but I am always up for more. We are heading to Sheeprocks this weekend (South of Vernon), but lets plan another trip out there too!
Todd Adams
Grammy's Spotter
- Location
- Salt Lake City
So what are you going to do out there? Just explore? I spent a few years hunting the area, as I remember you don't want to go if it is muddy.cruiseroutfit said:I have been out in the area quite a bit, but I am always up for more. We are heading to Sheeprocks this weekend (South of Vernon), but lets plan another trip out there too!
Todd
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
Todd Adams said:
Yup, going with the UOOC & GRE guys... come join us... should be pretty dry this weekend. I think the plan is to hit up a couple mine sites.
ZUKEYPR
Registered User
- Location
- 651.78 miles East of the Rubicon
There is a fairly decent size geobed in that range that you all are talking about. Careful though the rattlers are huge in that area and very onry. As for Dugway's expansion, it's going to happen, it's just a matter of when (insider info) and to echo what was already said don't make the mistake of inadvertently wondering on their grounds. You will most definitely regret it. I used to work there as well many moons ago.