Connors Pass by Bicycle - Velo

Between the Sevier Dessert in Utah and Ely, Nevada US50 crosses three summit points. Two of them are named passes. This is the most westerly of the three, also the most forested, least dessert like and the highest of the three. It affords great far views of Wheeler Peak in Great Basin National Park.

1.(6070ft,mile00.0) START-END EAST: jct NV893 - US50
2.(6370ft,mile01.5) jct US50 - US93, Great Basin Hwy
3.(7728ft.mile06.6) TOP
4.(6620ft,mile21.0) Nv486 on right goes to Cave Lake State Park
5.(6430ft,mile28.3) START-END WEST: Ely, jct US50 - US93

From East. Spring Valley, where this approach starts, is arguably the scenically, most interesting spot along the entire route. But every time I have been here, it has also been the most windy. A hot dessert wind blows up from the south, flowing up a valley, shaped like a giant rain gutter.

Starting the shallow climb up the alluvial fans to the entrance of the canyon improves the view point onto the surrounding scenery drastically. US50 does this between the junction with Osceola Road and a location called Majors Place on the map.

Majors Place is a bar. Entering it feels like descending int a civilized cave of sorts, with dollars pinned to the walls, compared to the bright hot outside during June. They are friendly enough to fill up my water bottles - thank you. I imagine every cyclist passing along stops here for water, so they may get tired of it at some point.

From here the road enters Juniper Forest and gradually gains the top, needing only large radius curves. The wind here is often straight from the west, which makes climbing slower. Two spots lend themselves to admiring Wheeler Peak, across the valley in the Snake Range. Immediately below is the road bed of a former pass crossing. The top is a forested expanse with dirt roads and piles of road construction materials on both sides of the road.

From South. (described downwards). Not much happening on this side scenically - just a bunch of juniper trees. Mysteriously, the shoulder starts to be rumble stripped part ways down this side. I don't understand the logic behind this. Are drivers more likely to fall asleep behind the wheel, as they approach towns the size of Ely, or is there some sort of logic applied that says cyclists are supposed to ride in the middle of traffic as they approach towns. But what am I complaining about ? I wonder how the guy, towing the three wheel trailer, filled with camping equipment across the country felt like.

In any case, luckily traffic is so sparse, that the whole point is a little academic. A long slightly downward sloping ramp delivers the cyclist to Ely, often in record speed. The wind has always been from the south when I was on this road.