Buffalo Summit by Bicycle - Velo

Buffalo Summit

This is a low summit on the northern end of the Desatoya Mountains. The surface keeps cars away in equal measure that it should attract cyclists. But this area is so devoid of people, that this last observation is purely hypothetical. Let me rephrase this: If there were people ... this gravel summit should attract the cyclists among them, assuming there are some ... of which there is no evidence. In short, no bikers no people, just gravel and you. Who needs people ? The scenery is as expansive as one could imagine. It makes a good, comfortable day loop together with paved Carroll Summit.

1.START-END WEST:Eastgate
2.profile turns right onto signed dirt road
3.TOP: Buffalo Summit, 6860ft
4.profile turns hard left onto major gravel road
5.START-END EAST:jct Nv722 - unsigned gravel road

Approaches

From South. On the lower approach to Carroll Summit on Nv722, something unusual can be seen - at least unusual for Nevada. There is a plainly readable sign at a junction with a gravel road. Apparently the turn off is heading to Buffalo Summit and then to Ione after that. Still - I don't think that any vehicle, resembling and automobile, has crossed this little summit for quite a while. I did see one ATV on this approach, and even with him, I am not sure how he got across some of the miniature canyons, caused by washouts (spring 23). With a bike the route is very ridable, mostly good hard surface, but with plenty of sandy arroyo crossings.

The initially straight road exhibits some bends after a while, as it climbs into a loose juniper forest on the north end of the Desatoya Mountains. Over the top the surface is a little more mountain bike worthy - just a very short section

From North. (described downwards) As the road summits over the gentle top, the Shoshone Mountains come into view on the other side, floating in a sea of sage and haze. What looks like a straight line on the map is actually a road with plenty of slight direction corrections. It makes the whole experience of riding in this monumentally wide and expansive valley (I would call it a plain) a little less ethereal, which is still plenty ethereal enough.

Eventually the road meets a large intersection with several possibilities, but without aid in the form of signs, to help you choose between them. At this intersection I saw the only other vehicle on the unpaved portion of the ride, on this otherwise busy Saturday. It sped by at 60 miles an an hour in a cloud of dust.

If this is a day loop, you have to take a hard left here, if there is any hope of reaching back to the starting point. This is also what the profile does. This road has the character of an endless ray running along a plain. The profile follows this gravel highway all the way to its jct with Nv722, which also happens to also be the low point for the start of the profile up Carroll Summit. The surface is generally very bike friendly, with exception of the last several miles before meeting Nv722 pavement, which has a few quite sandy stretches.