Thanks for the thoughts everyone.
Huglle1, I assume that you have the needed proficiency with the gun you plan to use?
I wouldn't use it unless I felt I was proficient. It's been a while since I used "real" guns, always had a play with a 22LR a month or so back.
In which season of the year do you plan to camp there? Clear & dry desert nights are cold nights, all year.
With scorpions on the left and rattlers on the right, you'll need a tent with a floor to keep the sand out of your beak.
National Parks and National Monuments have various restrictions on wood and water, campfires and so on.
All that can be found on line. Basically the same as north of the 49th.
In this very day and time, the American government is shut down. Nobody is getting paid.
Nobody. You'll encounter some difficulties from now on, trying to get anything done.
As per my post, it'll be in May, as I won't get the time off over summer, and I wouldn't be able to handle the heat anyway. Fortunately the two people I know over there are very much outdoorsy, so I'm sure they'll be able to lend me any kit I need. Can only fit so much in a suitcase/rucksack.
Good point about the shutdown. Certainly worth considering, although hopefully it'll have blown over by then.
In the Reno area, you are near Lake Tahoe. Go see it! You will be amazed.
Around Lake Tahoe, there are many great hikes. Hiking down to Emerald Bay or up to Mt. Tallac is awesome, depending on your fitness level.
You can backpack in the Desolation Wilderness. Make sure to get a permit.
You can camp at any one of the many campgrounds around Lake Tahoe. Or, you can head northwest into the Tahoe National Forest. There you can camp at more out of the way sites and drive on forest service roads to access remote areas.
If you go hiking/camping, feel free to carry bear spray. But I would leave the guns at home. You won't need them for defense. And for recreation you can find a range and rent, if you want practice.
- Woodsorrel
Tahoe is certainly somewhere I'll be spending a good bit of time, although I'm also wanting to venture beyond the tourist spots where there's a bit more peace and quiet and a little less tarmac. Fortunately I know a lovely lady over there who does a lot of hiking and wilderness photography, so she'll have some tips I imagine. I don't wish to carry a gun around, but it's nice to have been informed that I can if I feel a need. Sure I can pick up some tricks from Willard Price books
As above though, the shooting won't be an issue, the deputy knows lots of spots in the desert to shoot safely and not worry about paying out for range time etc (I'm not a fan of ranges, don't like the formality of it all)
" I walk into his sheriffs office strapped and loaded for a friendly meet and greet just to highlight the absurdity of UK legislation on well, everything!),
Oh! Dear...................Can I suggest you check their duty roster before making your appearance...armed..as our UK representative? It might be that the new probationer Deputy is on duty that day, you know... the one so eager to show how good he is at his new job ....
.
Fear you not. I'll be going in with the deputy. We know each other through a shooting forum, and it's very interesting to hear his views and expereinces as someone in the line of fire (compared to how our media portrays gun crime). One of his colleagues is also a knife nut, so it should be fun to spend bit having a chat with them about the various attitudes and perceptions etc. Will be nice to be able to carry and use a locking blade for once without fear of getting banged up for assaulting a mango with an offensive weapon
I travel to the Country of the Free quite a lot, and believe that in most states a tourist ( non resident) can not walk around armed.
Not sure about Nevada though. maybe they are free-er in the hand gun departement than the other states?
I use borrowed guns in the US of A, in the south eastern states, but that is only on designated ranges.
A lot of paperwork precedes a first session usually.
To bring my own guns would be a mountain of paperwork.
a mountain higher than the Sierra Nevadas!
I'll be playing around with the deputies guns (looking foward to trying out a full power HW80!) and he's looked into it and informs me that it'll be perfectly legal. Fortubnately he has places to shoot out in the desert so no need to waste my holiday filling out forms
I believe you are correct about non-citizens carrying guns.
In regard to the original comment about "throwing stones" at Mountain lions: It is illegal to harm a mountain lion in California without a depredation permit. If hughlle1 stays in Nevada, I don't know what the local laws are.
Mountain lions and bears are usually not an issue. And I routinely hike in this part of the Sierras carrying bear spray and a fixed-blade knife, carried in accordance with California's laws.
But I think hughlle1 may be worrying about the wrong things. For a May trip in the Sierras, I would be more concerned about hypothermia, accumulated snow, altitude, route finding, extra food and water, and good rain gear (just in case). Then I'd be interested in which of the hundreds of beautiful areas I'd like to visit.
Day time temperatures are usually around 18 C and night time temperatures around 0 C. But mountains make their own weather. And you can experience extremes in weather without much warning. Lake Tahoe is at about 2,000 meters in elevation. The surrounding mountains can get you up to 3,000 meters.
Have fun on your trip!
- Woodsorrel
I'm not so much worrying, just taking things into consideration. The chances of seeing a mountain lion would be slim to none, but the website I looking at said that the way to react is shout, throw rocks, and if attacked, fight back. Don't think a SAK is going to be much good in a fight for my life
Generally irrelevant, but no reason not to learn things if it doesn't cost me anything. From what I've been told, the weather shouldn't be too bad for the time I'm there (for us UK folk,. 20C is approaching "hot".... Supposedly the extreme weather swings tend to taper out around May, whereas in April one day could be snowing and the next sun blazing. It could rain every day for all i know. All a bit of fun though.
Janne,
Coast redwoods (sequoia sempervirens) are magnificent trees! But they're found on California's coast. They need water in the sea air to survive. This would be a a five hour drive or a one hour flight from Reno. I lead hikes in the redwood forest and have grown to love these enormous, thousand-year-old trees.
In the Sierras, you can find a cousin, the Giant sequoias. (Sequoiadendron giganteum). I don't know the closest grove to Reno/Tahoe. I suspect it is the Placer County "Big Trees" Grove. But I have never been there. Driving to Mariposa Grove in Yosemite may be an option. But I don't know what that drive would be like in May.
- Woodsorrel
And I'll certainly be on the lookout. I went to the redwoods well over 15 years ago, and that was a pretty epic experience. My budget is fairly limited (not that I've any idea how much a holiday costs having never been on a proper one myself (just family holidays to Cali as a child), but I'm hopiong to rent a car/SUV for a little bit just to have the chance to have a scenic drive around.
In California the regulations will be more restrictive than on the Nevada side. I lived 5 years in Nevada. As far as "wild" camping the rules are simple; there are none as long as you're on Open Range (a very, very large part of the state is open range) Hence the name "Open Range."
Likewise regarding (actually shooting them) firearms the regs are very loose in Nevada.
1) Be on land where you have permission (ALL open range is permissible without asking)
2) Be at least 200 yards from a public road (not a problem)
3) Never shoot over, across, or from any public road
As a non resident you can't legally buy a gun (federal requirement) but you're perfectly free to borrow one. You can even hunt certain species year round as long as you have a state hunting license (coyotes and jackrabbits (hares) are considered vermin and there's np closed season in Nevada. That said, Most states have prohibitions against going armed in a government building (to include the Sheriff's Station)
That's good to know. Thanks. I'll talk to the deputy about whether it might be worth trying to sort out a hunting license, even if it's just so that the option exists should I feel like a day of it.
No idea what I'll end up doing in reality, I don't like itineraries, but just trying to get an idea. Far ttoo much available, that can't be done in two and a half weeks, but just really excited to be going. I've had a week in the lakes, a weekend in exmoor here and there, but this will be the first real holiday in 15 years. Especially in a country who's laws are far more in tune with my own interests. If It goes as I hope, I'll have to find a local lass to marry and get me some of that citizenship
