Updates and News: 2008 Outcomes

Outreach Events

We attended 3 separate Earth Day events in Reno, UNR, and Tahoe, Jackpot of Gems convention in Reno, X-Night at the Nevada Museum of Art, the Lake of the Sky festival, Burning Man SF Decompression event, and the Nevada Day Parade. These events provided us with the opportunity to promote membership, advertise our programs, and take our message to a wider audience.

Hot Spring Tours

Since hot springs are a popular feature in the region, Friends board member and Sierra Club trip leader David Book conducted 6 separate tours to hot springs within and adjacent to the NCA.

Black Rock Rendezvous

Perhaps the most exciting event of 2008 was the Black Rock Rendezvous event held over Memorial Day weekend, beginning at the Gerlach Community Center and then moving out onto the playa near the old Cassidy Mine for a camp-out. In partnership with the BLM, the Nevada Outdoor School, the Friends of Nevada Wilderness, and other user groups, this event brought together many folks who love the Black Rock Desert region. On Saturday, we kicked things off with an address from Dave Cooper, manager of the Black Rock Desert High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area (NCA), and opening remarks from Matthew Ebert, program director for the Friends of Black Rock. Attendees signed up for their choice of a number of tours and presentations provided by knowledgeable guides from BLM and other user groups. Lunch was provided by Black Rock Pizza in Sparks and Scolari's in Fernley, and dinner was provided by Nevada Outdoor School and hosted by "Men Wielding Fire". Beer was provided by the Great Basin Brewery in Sparks, NV. We adjourned Saturday evening to our campsite near Cassidy Mine, where Will Roger was our generous host.

In the morning, a series of field trips gave participants the opportunity to visit various sites of interest with knowledgeable guides to provide context to the experience. There was also a Nevada Archaeological Resources site steward certification program held at the Gerlach Community Center. After all this roaming around, members were invited back to camp for a potluck BBQ dinner, and more fine beer provided by Great Basin Brewery. Next we announced the winners of our raffle prizes, many great prizes including apparel from Patagonia, tickets to Burning Man, fine photography from Steve Chandler, and overnight stays at the area's premiere guest ranches-- Soldier Meadows, Surprise Valley Hot Springs, and the F-Ranch. Later on, a great band called Albino performed and we danced to the amazing rhythms while fire performers from Tahoe put on a show and Dave X from Burning Man put on a fireworks show. A great time was had by all, and what a diverse group! Professors, archaeologists, land planners, four wheelers, campers, and rocket scientists all having fun together and enjoying the desert evening. Not to diminish the educational and interpretive opportunities that this event provided, but this melding of different people from a wide variety of backgrounds continues to be the most successful aspect of this event.

In total, 171 people attended the event, 30 volunteers worked 1,052 hours to produce the event, and donations of food, drink, and prizes totaled $3,970.00. Here is a list of the many tours, trainings, and projects provided:

* Burning Man Earth Guardians/Karina O'Connor -- Leave No Trace training

* BLM/Dave Valentine -- Petroglyph tour

* AeroPac/Peter Clay -- rocket launch and playa use

* FBRHR/Matthew Ebert -- Playa Uses tour

* Friends of Nevada Wilderness/Pat Bruce -- Coyote Dunes Restoration project

* Reno Gem & Mineral Society/Norvie Enns -- Rock Hounding in the NCA

* Nevada Outdoor School/Stephanie Lefevre -- Kids activities (astronomy, weather patterns, animal tracking, solar ovens, etc)

* FBRHR/David Book -- Fly Geyser Tours

* Back Country Horsemen/Alan Cain -- horse travel and LNT associated principals

* Soldier Meadows and High Rock Canyon areas of critical environmental concern

Emigrant Experience Tour

Renowned OCTA member Chuck Dodd led this tour of the Lassen/Applegate Emigrant Trail from Imlay to Soldier Meadows with 14 Friends members. As a leading reason for the establishment of the NCA, the Lassen/Applegate emigrant trail through the Black Rock Desert and High Rock Canyon provides a unique opportunity to experience the original, undeveloped route established by thousands moving west. Interpretation for participants is provided by an experienced guide with emigrant diaries on this members-only trek.

6th Annual Guru Road Restoration

This drive-through folk-art experience, complete with installations built from desert materials and a series of homespun petroglyph aphorisms, is a local favorite and extols the simple virtues of rural Nevada life. We work with volunteers to preserve and repair this site from the ravages of weather and a recent rock slide. 8 volunteers worked over two days to repair the road and perform maintenance on the art installations.

Perseids Meteor Shower

From August 12th to 16th, FBRHR and the Nevada Outdoor School (NOS) held the 4th Annual Perseids Meteor Shower Camp-Out, out in the middle of the Black Rock Desert playa. The weather was clear and temperate, and nearly 120 people participated over all three days. The NOS volunteers helped FBR to put up our big green army tent, which provided a common meeting area for all the campers, and Burning Man kindly supplied the dual porta-potty trailer. On Saturday, the Friends of Nevada Wilderness and NOS conducted a wilderness hike and mining post removal project, with about 20 people participating. Later in the evening, Metric from FBRHR conducted a quiz show, asking Black Rock trivia questions and awarding prizes for the correct answers. The potluck dinner was great -- and Margaritas were served by the Friends of Black Rock's own president Will Rogers and enjoyed by all participants.

The meteor shower was very entertaining with the frequency seeming to peak earlier than predicted again, most activity was between midnight and 2 am. During this peak, several meteors were visible at the same time -- with the Milky Way sprawled out across the sky. Some of the meteors lasted for several seconds and left fuzzy trails of stardust as they zipped across the sky.

Burning Man

This year's Burning Man event provided the Friends of Black Rock with a great opportunity to get our message in front of a large desert audience. We participated with the Friends of Nevada Wilderness, BLM, Desert Research Institute, Nevada Outdoor School, and the Nevada Division of State Parks in providing a display for the interpretive camp installation which in keeping with the "American Dream" theme of the event was named "Where Dreams Collide". This interpretive camp was located next to the Earth Guardians camp on the Esplanade. For the first time ever the Visitor Contact Trailer was set up inside Black Rock City, allowing better access to attendees of that event, and providing the 50,000 participants with access to this important educational resource. Friends of Black Rock provided information for one of the displays and handed out newsletters and brochures-- a big thank you to Dave Mensing of State Parks for putting it all together, and to the Nevada Outdoor School for providing volunteers to attend the exhibit throughout the event. A Friends of Black Rock poster display was placed at the Burning Man installation also, as part of a large showcase of environmentally balanced groups, projects, and technologies.

Gerlach Visitor Contact Trailer

FBRHR manages this facility for the BLM which is situated just outside of Gerlach. In 2008, 38 volunteers working a total of 726 hours at the visitor contact trailer reached an estimated 1680 visitors. This was an increase from 27 volunteers and 503 hours in 2007. The trailer houses an attractive and informative array of interpretive displays about the historical, paleontological, and other values of the region, along with may different printed brochures, travel guides, maps, and reference materials. We estimate over 6000 brochures and maps were distributed this year-- a solar array, inverter, and batteries were installed to run a laptop, lighting, and swamp cooler.

Again in 2008 the visitor contact trailer went on the road to three separate events. At the Reno and Tahoe Earth Day events, some 2,800 people were reached and nearly $900 was raised to support our organization. Also, as mentioned above, the trailer was set up inside Black Rock City, and open throughout the Burning Man event. To volunteer for a shift at the visitor contact trailer in 2009, please go [here].

Coyote Springs Restoration

On Sunday May 23 during the Black Rock Rendezvous, the Friends of Black Rock and the Friends of Nevada Wilderness met at the Coyote Springs Restoration project with participants from the BLM, Burning Man, Nevada Outdoor School, and some volunteers recruited by the Earth Guardians. Sections of buck and pole fence about 5 feet high were added to the existing installation (see 2007 Outcomes) intended to prohibit vehicle entry into the recovered areas, and more Carsonite signs were installed which indicate that the area is closed to vehicle traffic. In all, 24 volunteers contributed a total of 180 hours and in-kind mileage donation of 4428 miles. Everyone who participated got a special T-shirt for the event, and Friends of Nevada Wilderness also gave out gift patches.

National Public Lands Day, September 20th & 21st, 2008

Stevens Camp and Massacre Ranch

The BLM, in cooperation with the Friends of Black Rock-High Rock, Nevada Outdoor School, High Rock Trekkers, and Friends of Nevada Wilderness, hosted this event on September 20th and 21th in the Pahute Peak Wilderness Area, just west of the Black Rock Range, about 50 miles north of Gerlach.

Situated north of the historic Applegate-Lassen Emigrant Trail, The Pahute Peak Wilderness Area is an amazing part of the Black Rock Desert region, and this event was a great opportunity for the public to help protect nationally significant historic trails and wilderness areas, to learn about the unique natural and cultural resources of the Black Rock-High Rock Country.

Friday September 20th proved to be a nice and sunny day. Things got rolling @10am and folks begin working on the various projects, most worked on the restoration of an old mining claim, hauling tons of old metal and material down the mountain to a trailer, and tearing down a large mining shack on the site. The kids helped out too, and also participated activities at kids camp, hosted by the Nevada Outdoor School. We ended the day with a pot luck dinner and quiz show...including many wonderfully donated prizes. Beer was provided by Friends of the Black Rock and Burning Man. It was a fun and successful event.

54 Volunteers worked 424 hours and donated 14108 in mileage as in-kind donations