Sand Mountain gets paved!

[FiveFlat]

BLM Nevada News
Carson City District Office No. 10-19
For Release: July 2, 2010
Contact: Mark Struble, Public Affairs Officer, (775) 885-6107

Entrance Road to Sand Mountain to be Temporarily Closed on Weekdays for Paving Project Starting July 7

CARSON CITY, NV. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Carson City District-Stillwater Field Office, announces that starting Wednesday, July 7 through approximately August 26 the entrance road to BLM’s Sand Mountain Recreation Area off U.S. Highway 50 will be closed for road reconstruction and paving on weekdays from 5:00 a.m. on Mondays through 4:00 p.m. on Fridays. The entrance road will reopen for weekend recreational access on Friday afternoons at 4:00 p.m., and remain open Saturdays and Sundays through Monday mornings at 5:00 a.m. Sand Mountain is located approximately 25 miles east Fallon, Nevada, in Churchill County, Nevada.

The Sand Mountain entrance road is being reconstructed to improve the access for approximately 50,000 off-highway vehicle enthusiasts, hikers & sandboarders who visit Sand Mountain Recreation Area and the Sand Springs Pony Express Station each year. The existing gravel road has a deteriorating rock and gravel base and has never been paved. The construction and paving project is being conducted during the hottest months of the year when traditional visitation to Sand Mountain is at its lowest.

Due to the use of heavy equipment during reconstruction and paving of the road, vehicle access between U.S. Highway 50 and Sand Mountain will be closed between 5:00 a.m. on Mondays through 4:00 p.m. on Fridays. Access to the Sand Springs Pony Express Station will also be restricted due to construction work.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: BLM-Carson City District, Stillwater Field Office, 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, Nevada 89701, Telephone: (775) 885-6000.

[loco]

I'm up here today and they have not done a thing to the road.

[Kix]

I wonder if they will start this week then?

[controled force]

Well it's a bout flippin time they pave it,with all the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$they make off that place,there should be full hook up's too,,I've been going there since the late 80's back when there were NO fee's,NO flags,NO rules,and NO BLM cop to give you a ticket,but even back then when I started riding SM I never trashed the place I even would pick up trash when stupid F&%K'S would leave beer cans and whatever else was left behind,it's too bad they closed a good portion on the back side down,hey BLM are you reading this........

[FiveFlat]

Originally Posted by controled force

hey BLM are you reading this........

Yes, they certainly are.

[xTHUNDERCATx]

Originally Posted by controled force

Well it's a bout flippin time they pave it,with all the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$they make off that place,there should be full hook up's too,,I've been going there since the late 80's back when there were NO fee's,NO flags,NO rules,and NO BLM cop to give you a ticket,but even back then when I started riding SM I never trashed the place I even would pick up trash when stupid F&%K'S would leave beer cans and whatever else was left behind,it's too bad they closed a good portion on the back side down,hey BLM are you reading this........

i dont know if they make that much $ out there a lot of people there have season passes so they see 90$ once a year out of them that isnt very much when you consider pay checks for the rangers, upkeep for there machines along with gas, restroom and garbage services i bet those add up real quick, just a thought on that

[controled force]

Originally Posted by xTHUNDERCATx

i dont know if they make that much $ out there a lot of people there have season passes so they see 90$ once a year out of them that isnt very much when you consider pay checks for the rangers, upkeep for there machines along with gas, restroom and garbage services i bet those add up real quick, just a thought on that

I have to disagree they all drive brand new trucks have a nice sand rail an employ a full crew an hand out tickets like candy on big weekends

[controled force]

Originally Posted by FiveFlat

Yes, they certainly are.

I'm glad there reading this,,some of those sumbitches let that badge go to there head

[DSengineer]

My understanding is the funding for the paving did NOT come out of BLM funds. Rather I heard it was part of the Obama federal recovery act fund. Can anyone confirm this?

[HSSC]

There is going to be a new entrance to go through as well. We delivered grout for the new guard shack at the new entrance. That was early last week and I was told the paving was soon to follow. My question is, will we be able to use the new paved road to access the trails to the south of HWY 50 as we like to ride our quads on the miles of roads to the south? Or will only street legal vehicles only be able to use this new section of pavement?