Ah, Wilderness
Another, larger horse camp is located at the south end of Wolf Creek Meadows about two miles farther down the road. From here, you can travel up Wolf Creek and access the center of the 160,000-acre Carson-Iceberg Wilderness.
This horse camp is spacious, shaded by a large group of pines, and situated next to Wolf Creek. However, it had been sadly misused by thoughtless riders. We saw rotten hay piles, manure piles, and broken beer bottles everywhere.
To keep horses welcome, hay should be raked up and packed out. Trash should be collected. Horse manure should be removed or scattered for more thorough decomposition. It's easy to imagine how a non-horseman, seeing a mess like this, would campaign against horse use on public lands.
The trail up Wolf Creek begins by going past interesting bluff formations, through open meadows, and then enters a wooded stretch for several miles. About 3.5 miles up the trail, we came to a severely washed-out section, but blue ribbons led us on a detour around this section.
We rode six or seven miles up the trail and came into more beautiful open areas. We noticed a tree that had been struck recently by lightning, testifying to the sheer force of nature. This trail divides into several other trails and eventually leads to the Pacific Crest Trail. Anyone's wilderness quota can be happily met in this country.
Ranch Relaxation
We'd been traveling for a month with Buddy and Scout; we continue to be amazed at how easy it is to travel with horses. They never beg, whine, or ask, "Are we there yet?" However, once in a while, we enjoy taking a break from traveling. Our next stop was one such place.
Nestled in a small valley just north of Virginia City, Nevada, is the Seven Mile Canyon Guest Ranch, also a bed-and-barn. Guests are allowed to bring their horses to the ranch where spacious barn stalls and turnouts are provided.
For lodging, there are several cabins from which to choose. Each cabin has a fireplace and satellite television. Some have hot tubs and kitchenettes. Breakfast (included) is delivered each morning to your cabin in a basket. Relax in the hot tub while watching a western sunset and wild mustangs grazing along the ranch perimeter.
The ranch owners are more than happy to give you ideas on where to ride. Some folks even ride from the ranch into old historic Virginia City. This is more safely done in the evening when tourist traffic has significantly decreased.
Virginia City is a great place to visit. This was the site of the historic Comstock Lode, one of the greatest silver strikes in history. The wealth from these mines helped finance the Union during the Civil War, helped build transcontinental railroads, and even helped build San Francisco in the 1860s and 1870s. Today, the historic buildings and attractions wait for visitors to explore.
After a few days rest, we loaded up Buddy and Scout and headed home. Being with our horses in this magnificent land provided us with precious moments in time that we'll always remember. The silent beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the brilliant ribbons of rivers, and the adventurous trails are ready to be explored.
