Backpacking in Mount Rose Wilderness

Join us and the Forest Service for a three-day, two-night backpacking trip in Mount Rose Wilderness to monitor for invasive plants. We will hike 17-20 miles throughout the weekend, using a protocol to survey trail corridors for invasive plants. Data collected will be used to guide future management actions. This is a great opportunity for those who would like to backpack, identify plants, and help protect Mount Rose Wilderness from invasive plants! Due to the difficulty of this project, this trip is only for those who are already comfortable backpacking, have their own gear, and have plenty of experience backpacking up to 10 miles a day with a pack. Plant ID experience is helpful, but not required. 

Spots are limited. Sign up now for this wonderful volunteer opportunity! 

Information:

Difficulty: Most Challenging - See our difficulty rating scale here. Strenuous with longer hikes, off-trail hiking, sometimes with significant elevation changes. These trips are very challenging and require excellent aerobic conditioning, past experience in outdoor settings, and familiarity with backcountry hiking and/or camping. Not for beginners.

This is a backpacking trip. We ask that all volunteers are able to carry their own gear and food in their own backpack for the weekend (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, plate, mug, utensils, all food, clothes, etc.) plus work-specific tools (such as a tablet for data collection) that we will hand out at the trailhead. Long sleeves, long pants, and sturdy, close-toed shoes are required for our workday. Please also bring a hat and rain jacket.

We will be hiking a total of 17-20 miles, with the longest day including 8-10 miles with ~2000 feet of gain. We will hike together as a group, taking frequent breaks, but expect volunteers to be able to complete this hike safely. 

There will be a water source at our campsite for the weekend, we will provide a water filter, but if you have one to share, we ask that you please bring that as well. Please bring the capacity to carry at least 3 liters of water at a time.

Location: Mount Rose Wilderness

Dates: Friday, July 19th - Sunday, July 21st

Travel: We will meet at the Thomas Creek trailhead at 8am on Friday(July 19th) morning and will shuttle to the Mount Rose Summit Trailhead. From there we will hike towards Thomas Creek.

Food: No food will be provided on this trip. All participants must bring enough food for themselves for the entire weekend (Friday/Saturday/Sunday lunch, Friday/Saturday dinner, Saturday/Sunday breakfast, and plenty of snacks).

Gear/Clothing: For this project, volunteers must supply their own backpacking equipment (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, plate, mug, utensils, stove, all meals, clothes, etc.) and be able to carry it in their own backpack. Long sleeves, long pants, and sturdy, close-toed shoes are required for our workday. Please also bring a hat and rain jacket. If you have any questions about what to bring, please reach out.

More Details: In-depth information such as camping location, weather, and project specifics will be sent out about a week before to those who have RSVP'd.

Questions?: Check out our FAQ page here or email [email protected].

RSVP is required to participate.

Friends of Nevada Wilderness and our partners put a great deal of time and resources into organizing volunteer projects. When you RSVP you are committing to join us on that project. We understand circumstances may arise where you need to cancel. So, if you’re no longer able to attend, please cancel your RSVP as soon as possible so other volunteers can join the project. You can cancel your RSVP through the cancellation link in your project confirmation email or by emailing [email protected].