Clark Mountain, the highest peak toward the northern end of the Virginia Range east of Reno, appears a humped desert peak from downtown Reno. It is usually overshadowed by the Carson Range and Mount Rose to the west and Peavine Mountain to the northwest and even sometimes by Spanish Springs Peak in the Pah Rah's or the colorful hills of Hidden Valley, although there is a splendid view of Clark Mountain from UNR looking east. It might not attract much attention, but it is much more than meets the eye! Before the Sierra Nevada even rose, Clark Mountain would have dominated the landscape as a volcano in the style of the Cascades, and in fact was created by the same process of subduction. These volcanic processes took place from 35 million to 7 million years ago, when volcanism mostly stopped this far south and the Sierra processes started.*

Much of the Virginia Range, and this part of the Basin and Range in general, was created by these same volcanic processes, and its more well-known and larger southern neighbor, Mount Davidson, overlooking Virgnia City, was a stratovolcano during this period. Vegetation would have been much different at this time as well, their being evidence of the existence of redwood (or redwood ancestors) in the region.

Read an account of climbing Clark Mountain here. This climb is from McCarran Ranch rather than climbing via Lagomarsino Canyon as per the mountain's summitpost.com entry.

*Probably a massive simplification, any amplification in comments is welcome!

The violet glow of the setting sun slowly creeping it’s way up the desert hillside.

September 30, 2017 is National Public Lands Day.  Although we here at the Basin and Range Project like to celebrate our public lands everyday, we want to make a concerted effort to celebrate public lands every day of September. To do this we will be going through our archives to bring you our favorite photos from our adventures on public lands. We feel this is especially important this year  because our public lands are under attack, from the potential of shrinking our National Monuments to the potential of transferring our public lands to the states.

#welovepubliclands #publiclandsproud #publiclandowner #NPLD

From the RGJ:

Sandoval speaking on Gold Butte:

"It is an incredibly beautiful place with an amazing desert landscape." There are still some adjustments that need to be made, and I intend to have a conversation with Secretary Zinke in the very near future."

Sandoval speaking on Basin and Range:

"I do know that it is a beautiful place and I think it is important it be protected; I just think it is the scope that is the issue."

Full story here;
​http://www.rgj.com/story/life/outdoors/2017/08/25/nevada-gov-brian-sandoval-talks-climate-change-and-trump-monument-review/602685001/

NEW 30 second video featuring Jim Boone on Basin and Range -- PLEASE Share
​
FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/basinandrangefriends/videos/1573132396072637/

TWITTER
"There are endless things to discover.” RT to defend #BasinAndRange @SenDeanHeller @GovSandoval pic.twitter.com/YBWDEf30Ep

RT to tell @SecretaryZinke & @WhiteHouse to preserve one of the few unblemished basins in the world! #BasinAndRange pic.twitter.com/YBWDEf30Ep

Hear why #BasinAndRange is so important for scientific discovery. Then RT to protect it! @SecretaryZinke pic.twitter.com/YBWDEf30Ep

Archaeologist Rayette - Twitter

"We can learn more about what past people were doing.” RT to defend #BasinAndRange @SenDeanHeller @GovSandoval pic.twitter.com/31KXDT7O1r

RT to tell @SecretaryZinke & @WhiteHouse to preserve an archaeological wonder! #BasinAndRange pic.twitter.com/31KXDT7O1r
  
Hear why #BasinAndRange is so important for scientific discovery. Then RT to protect it! @SecretaryZinke pic.twitter.com/31KXDT7O1r

FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/basinandrangefriends/videos/1572157966170080/

Full length - Basin and Range
FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/basinandrangefriends/videos/1569549559764254/

TWITTER
Stories. Communities. #MadeInAmerica. RT to tell @SecretaryZinke to keep #BasinAndRange protected! #MonumentsForAll https://twitter.com/MonumentsForUSA/status/898612309412597760

Why are you defending our #MonumentsForAll? Hear why Nevadans want to keep #BasinAndRange protected. @WhiteHouse https://twitter.com/BasinRangers/status/898583777449885696

Defend NV’s – & America’s – treasures. RT to support #BasinAndRange & #MonumentsForAll! @SenDeanHeller @GovSandoval https://twitter.com/BasinRangers/status/898583777449885696
 
Hear why Nevadans are speaking up for #BasinAndRange & then RT to defend #MonumentsForAll! @SecretaryZinke https://twitter.com/MonumentsForUSA/status/898612309412597760

The U.S. Department of the Interior is conducting a review of certain National Monuments designated or expanded since 1996 under the Antiquities Act of 1906 in order to implement Executive Order 13792 of April 26, 2017. The Secretary of the Interior will use the review to determine whether each designation or expansion conforms to the policy stated in the Executive Order and to formulate recommendations for Presidential actions, legislative proposals, or other appropriate actions to carry out that policy. This Notice identifies twenty-seven National Monuments under review and invites comments to inform the review.

Dates:
To ensure consideration, written comments relating to the Bears Ears National Monument must be submitted before May 26, 2017. Written comments relating to all other National Monuments must be submitted before July 10, 2017.

Addresses:
You may submit written comments online at http://www.regulations.gov by entering “DOI-2017-0002” in the Search bar and clicking “Search,” or by mail to Monument Review, MS-1530, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20240.

Link: 
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=DOI-2017-0002-0001

Unfortunately the U.S. Senate voted today to repeal the Bureau of Land Management's Planning 2.0, taking away the public's, opportunity to have input and a voice on how our public lands are managed.

Mind you, this was not done by the BLM, but by our elected officials.

We, the public land owners, should be furious that our representatives are silencing our voices on the management of our lands. If you call your representatives, especially ones that voted to repeal BLM Planning 2.0, please tell them how disappointed you are that they stole your voice in land management.

Thank you

Yesterday (2/10/17), at the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners meeting, a huge crowd of hunters, conservationists, and concerned citizens gathered as the commission reviewed and discussed the Nevada Land Management Task Force Report to transfer public lands to the State of Nevada, the Senate Joint Resolution 1 (SJR 1) of the 2015 Nevada Legislature and subsequent federal legislation, namely HR 1484 which died when in the 114th.closed, but will be reintroduced in the 115th.. The commission reviewed the history of SJR 1 and HR 1484, then the Nevada Lands Council presented its efforts to support the proposed legislation and answered questions that the commission had.

The commission had a lot of questions and concerns about the Task Force Report and the upcoming proposed legislation, none of the 9 members supported them initially. and after the question and answer portion of the meeting, they didn't seem to change their minds. The commission then opened the floor up to comments from the public, not one commenter supported the legislation and all urged the commission not support it as well.

In the end, the commission voted unanimously to summarize their and the public's concerns in a letter to Amodei, who introduced the past legislation and is planning on introducing a new version of HR 1484 soon.

It was very cool to see public land users of differing and often conflicting uses come together to support our common cause. Hopefully this camaraderie continues and will help us work on tough issues facing land management and use in the future.

Using social media, Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) announced his withdrawal of the proposed bill H.R. 621 which would sell off 3.3 million acres of federal land.  Sportsmen and women, outdoor recreationalists, and conservationists across the country came together to oppose this bill and in Chaffetz's words "I am withdrawing HR 621...I hear you and HR 621 dies..."

Thank you for listening to the people!  And thank you to all who voiced their opinions!

From the LWCF Coalition:
WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Congress has allowed America’s most important conservation program to expire, putting America’s National Parks, battlefields, forests, Wildlife Refuges and outdoor recreation sites at risk.  For 50 years, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has kept a simple promise to the American people: when we allow offshore drilling for oil and gas that belongs to all of us, we set aside a small portion of the proceeds to protect America’s greatest places.  Today that linkage between resource extraction and investment in the parks and places that make America great disappeared. 

“This is a sad day for everyone who cares about our National Parks and outdoor conservation, recreation and wildlife.  Congress has broken an enduring promise to the American people,” said Alan Rowsome, Senior Director of Government Relations for Lands at the Wilderness Society and Co-Chair of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition.  “Starting tomorrow, oil drilling will continue, but the American people won't see a penny of the proceeds reinvested in outdoor conservation and recreation.  This is a shameful and brazen assault on America’s greatest places.”

Read more here: http://lwcfcoalition.org/in-the-news/1256-sept-30-2015-congress-terminates-americas-most-important-conservation-program.html