Unplanned solo wandering through Nevada mountains

An off-the-cuff decision to veer from my planned route leads to stunning vistas and The Giant Cave of Mystery!
This is part 2 of the Nevada series.
Part 1: • Alone in Nevada: Worri...
Part 3: • A breathtaking geologi...
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/ softroadingthewest
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Some of the gear I use:
Topo Toppers Mesa wedge camper:
www.topotoppers.com/
Alldogs Offroad/Koni 2" lift kit:
www.alldogsoffroad.com/alldog...
Alldogs Offroad wheels for Frontier/Xterra:
www.alldogsoffroad.com/alldog...
ASFIR 4x4 skid plates:
www.asfir.com/skid-plate-set-...
Recovery gear from Yankum Ropes:
yankum.com/?afmc=softroadingt...
(use code SOFTROADINGTHEWEST for a discount off your purchase)
Reign Outdoor 270° Awning:
reignoutdoor.com/store-2/p/st...
MAXTRAX MKII recovery boards:
adventure-imports.com/product...
RokBlok tailgate sealing kit:
amzn.to/445Gnvx
Coleman 1-burner backpacking stove:
amzn.to/46geKRd
Tail Gater Tire Table:
amzn.to/48oVIcm
Cast iron propane burner:
amzn.to/3F0qyez
Stanley French press/insulated cup
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Cast iron propane burner:
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de Buyer 9½" carbon steel frying pan
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#nevadamountains #soloadventure #solocamping

[@Realtor_eliot_portland]

Stewardship is key, great on that land owner!

[@sagebrushbob2321]

I'm camping at a very dangerous and stunningly beautiful remote location this morning (otherwise known as a local RV park) with my ham radio club. Having a real Donald-Done cinematic video to go with the morning caffeine will make the whole day worthwhile. 👍

[@johnmccaffery5186]

Hi Donald, if you worry like I do about rodents crawling into your engine compartment, I have a little tip that I learned from someone with experience. When I stop for the evening, I usually open up my hood to let the heat dissipate quickly. I know someone who does that every time now. They actually had a rodent eat through one of the spark plug wires and were lucky to make it out of a remote location to get repairs.

[@LivingOnCash]

As a northern NV resident, I sometimes take our landscape for granted. Nice to see a visitor's perspective.

[@TommyKinsey1972]

Saturdays are too busy to catch these uploads as soon as they come out... but Donald is a part of my Sunday morning coffee entertainment. I love "traveling" with you!

[@frontier_etc]

the production value of your videos is amazing

[@susang994]

Loved the drone shot right around 14:10 flying away from the cave. Just beautiful! Thanks for another fine adventure

[@Critt75ih]

I am absolutely blown away by the professional level cinematography. I am grateful for all of your efforts. You are truly an inspiration to me to get my whale of a Nissan (19’ Diesel Titan XD) out into the wild more! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@weaksause6878]

New sub. I love the Great Basin

[@pala4833]

I'm lichen that campsite.

[@softroadingthewest]

Moss appreciated

[@pala4833]

@@softroadingthewest You sure know how to "pika" them.

[@CraigG21]

Loved the music you chose while exploring “the cave of mystery” 👌

[@softroadingthewest]

Haha, I was a little worried this silliness would yield some angry comments but I had too much fun with that. 😄

[@riveroverland]

Fun fact: Nevada has the most named mountain ranges in the US

[@kevinnorwood7355]

The desert states are highly underrated when it comes to their beauty.

[@campoutwestus]

I loved all of the wildlife shots, the epic camp spot, and the simple yet elegant meal. Nevada stole our hearts as well. We keep going back as there's a seemingly endless supply of adventure. People don't believe me when I tell them Nevada is the most mountainous state in the Continental US. Great video Donald!

[@softroadingthewest]

Thanks! I'm eager to push further into Nevada on future trips!

[@permagroove]

You need one of the mountain hatch tailgate boards. One of my favorite additions to frontier

[@tomrobertson7391]

Just a piece if information. Sagebrush is not a desert plant, but rather a resident of the steppe, in areas that receive 18-40 cm (7-15+1⁄2 in) of annual precipitation. You are in the steppe not the desert. Nice video, I also really like Nevada.

[@thewiredfox2691]

Very few maps even differentiate the two. Type in "Nevada Steppe" into Google Maps and you get a "desert."

[@softroadingthewest]

Ultimately this is more about telling a story than scientific documentary. EVERYONE calls this type of ecosysytem "desert." Here in Oregon this scrubby sagebrush steppe is so commonly called the "high desert" that we even have a facility called High Desert Museum. The thing is, if I called this "steppe" no one would understand what I'm saying and would wonder if I'm talking about my stepsister or perhaps some stairway. 🤣 I do find sources that refer to this as "temperate desert" as opposed to "hot desert" like the Sonoran. * shrug * I will certainly continue to refer to this as desert since people understand what I mean, but next time I'm out filming in it, I will try to remember to talk directly about steppe vs desert as it IS interesting. 🙂

[@billkipper3264]

Years ago a friend and I were exploring areas of North Park, Colorado when we came across multiple no trespassing signs on a fence on either side of the road. We wondered what was going on as this was supposed to be legal access. After several minutes we noticed a very small forest service access sign on a fence post down next to the ground and almost obscured by brush. So, we proceeded on. Not only were we crossing private property but the road went directly through the ranch with the house on one side and several out buildings on either side as well. There were some people standing together off to the left who looked surprised to see us. We waved, they waved back and we kept going. Always thought that was a humorous moment.

[@barnetts9812]

Most excellent episode 😊

[@24Alisonall]

Love the adventure! Thanks once again!!

[@SeanStewart88]

Great stuff Donald.

[@BirdPhish]

One thing that has surprised me as we traveled and lived out of Kimbo this past year ...and still ongoing... is the scarcity of whole bean coffee out in remote areas....it seems most people prefer pre-ground coffee out there. Personally, I love the smell of freshly ground beans so much I gotta have whole bean and nothin but whole bean... ground up fresh for every cup.

[@softroadingthewest]

Oh I don't grind my beans, I bring ground coffee with me...last thing I need is yet one more task when I need to film that morning light. 😆 Hitch + Boler ground the coffee for me before they sent it. It IS hard to beat the smell of freshly ground coffee beans though!

[@BirdPhish]

@@softroadingthewest I read there are hundreds of aromas and compounds that are released as soon as you grind the coffee bean...that's what you're smelling I guess with frsh ground beans...and you can't ut them in a bag! Besides it gives me an excuse to use my VSSL Coffee grinder...which looks great in the coffee sequences in my videos btw My late friend Cosmo Weems used to source fresh beans and roast them himself.....if I could do that in my Kimbo imagine the smell lol

[@DanitaReynolds]

Yes, fresh ground beans are wonderful. We use an electric coffee grinder powered by our Jackery 1000. We were surprised at how little power draw it uses. We also have hand grinders which take time but once we tried the electric coffee grinder there was no turning back! We mainly drip coffee but recently got a AeroPress and love it. The flavor is between drip and espresso. It’s also very easy to clean. Now if we could only find an affordable camping espresso machine that uses very little power I’d be all over that.

[@BirdPhish]

@@DanitaReynolds pro-tip... put a couple drops of water in the beans before grinding...it prevents static electricity from forming during grinding so the ground up beans don't fly all over lol...some say it even improves the brew since there's no micro-clumps the water gets more evenly to the grind. Personally I use a stainless steel version of the Bialletti Mocha Express brewer that works on my induction hob...super easy to clean as well

[@freerider604]

Loved the epic drone shots, the music was perfect! Thank you for taking the time to do that piece on Hitch + Boler! I hope you enjoyed the coffee!

[@MeanOneMeanOne]

The cinematography and music were incredible. Thank you!

[@johndej]

I loved the cave scene! Looking forward to more adventures.

[@daneboro6847]

Great adventure as always👍

[@scottymac5174]

Nevada is such an amazing place to offroad/overland. I have been going for years and every time seeing something new.

[@swidahooverlanding2867]

Couldn't locate you on the last video had to wait for this one. Denio was the key. Found the ranch from the last episode. Followed you on the road you where on, (both sides) and your camp spot on this episode. Heading on to the next puzzle... Thanks for the sharing! George.

[@iamgeoffandthisismystory]

Inspiring scenery captured perfectly 🤙🏻

[@denisgauthier3375]

Thank you for uploading such great vidéo. ✌️

[@marcericdavis]

Looks like a great trip.

[@TacoSyndicate]

I love your channel. I just ordered my Mesa from Topo. Can't wait.

[@softroadingthewest]

Nice! Congrats!

[@paultompkins7392]

Awesome video as always! A lot of big sounding music! Very nice all around!

[@louiskudlak2241]

Beautiful Donald, could listen to your dolce voice for hours

[@DanitaReynolds]

Wow, once that sunshine came out it sure brought the desert to life. Beautiful place. Looking forward to seeing the next episode.

[@softroadingthewest]

Indeed! The downside of course was that it immediately got much much hotter the next day LOL but at least I finally had some color! 😄

[@dalecurrier5631]

Awesome Donald 😊

[@The4x4WindowCleaner]

Great film making again Donald. That sunrise shot was amazing and I’m sure what you were holding out for on your trip 🙌 ps I’ve never gone back to ready ground coffee, since whole bean, manual grinder and moka pot 👌

[@1FiftyOverland]

I love the Nevada back country so diverse!

[@slamboy66]

2 tips for the Nevada desert. I use my LEKI walking pole to tap plants ahead of my path to prewarn of snakes and for rodents under hood, empty pill bottle with cotton balls and peppermint extract keeps them at bay. For added protection you can get spray bottle with water/peppermint extract and spray engine bay. Minty fresh

[@softroadingthewest]

Of course I never think of this until I'm actually out on a trip...I really need to add some kind of rodent repellent to my To Do list!

[@DanitaReynolds]

We also take walking sticks with us for this very reason.

[@slamboy66]

@@DanitaReynolds If in heavy brush or rocks I will wear my Snake Gaiters.🐍

[@CampingWithSticks]

Another great video. Your channel is turning into one of very few i watch on a regular basis. Keep up the great work and hopefully more will find the value in your videos.

[@KenBexploring]

Nice creepy cave exploring music - that scene was great! 😂

[@johndiaz7240]

Great adventure 👍

[@Morongobill]

The food photography made my mouth water.

[@laurachynoweth5186]

Deserts are barren but also beautiful, thanks for showing that!

[@wildeone1636]

How dare you jump scare me 🤣

[@04JALD]

Donald great video again. I need to learn from you how to do videos like this

[@KarinHall-dr3pj]

Your videos have become the first ones I watch on Saturday mornings. I love the central and eastern Oregon ones but these Nevada ones... Outstanding! They bring back memories and make me feel as though I am there, too. Your videos have become works of art, IMHO. The sights and music and your comments are all amazing. Thank you for sharing such special places and adventures.

[@KarinHall-dr3pj]

I have become a member. Sorry I couldn't do a Starbuck's coffee every month but this'll help!

[@softroadingthewest]

@@KarinHall-dr3pj Thank you so much, every Patreon member is very much appreciated! None of this would be possible without my Patreon members!

[@OverlandAdventureTimes]

Beautiful trip! Our summer isn't working out great for travel, so these videos are appreciated!

[@softroadingthewest]

Sorry to hear that. I know you've got a couple rigs there just itching to get out. 😄 Will I see you guys at Expo?

[@OverlandAdventureTimes]

@@softroadingthewest Right! Got a week in August that looks like will be our main off-road time this summer. Won't be at Expo, our youngest daughter is shipping out to boot camp for the Marines on 7/8, so we've got preparations before that, and then that weekend is all stuff planned for her. Busy times!

[@marshalhedin7538]

Hey, my dad lives in that little town in the "middle of nowhere"! bustling metropolis! and not 100% certain, but that may be a sagebrush vole (Lemmiscus curtatus), which is a super cool little desert rodent! unlike wood/packrats, they would never contemplate chewing on your wires

[@softroadingthewest]

Wow, I could not live in a town that tiny, but OMG what a stunningly beautiful place to live! Amazing vistas in every direction.

[@softroadingthewest]

Oh, and meant to add...definitely a vole. At the time, I assumed it was some kind of really big mouse (vole would have never even crossed my mind), but researching it when I got home, it appears to be a variety of montane vole found in northern Nevada called _microtus montanus micropus._ Interestingly, this led me to realize that we have voles here in Eugene as well. I had marveled over the size of the "mice" Charlie Cat has been catching, and after learning about the Nevada voles, I realized that the dead little "gifts" Charlie leaves us around the house are some type of vole. 😄

[@marshalhedin7538]

@@softroadingthewest Microtus, nice. You have many great voles and vole relatives in OR, including tree voles (Arborimus). really awesome animals!

[@jeffreypreiss8191]

Another amazing video. The sunrise shot was fantastic. We get sunsets like that in the fall here. The colors are so vivid. I often comment on your video and drone work, but this time, your musical selections really caught my ear. I especially enjoyed the selections you had playing over the wide desert drone shots. Approximately 4'30 to 6'45. The music felt grand and expansive, just like the landscape. Great work, Donald. Thank you for sharing this with us and looking forward to the next one.

[@softroadingthewest]

Thank you! Soundtracking each video is one of the biggest headaches and I spend literally hours per episode finding the right music, but it's also one of my favorite elements of the editing process...it's a bit of a treasure hunt trying to dig up pieces that capture and express how I was feeling in each scenario, then massaging the music and the footage together so everything fits, beats and swells and quiet moments and epic moments, so it feels like the music was written for my video and not just stock that I licensed from a service...that's also a time-consuming but enjoyable puzzle and is so rewarding when it all comes together. So thank you, I appreciate when it's appreciated. :-)

[@mtnbound2764]

Lets get this guy over 100k!

[@darrylk808]

😂 reminded me of a joke... Luci goes into the cave and comes running out screaming "Skunk!" Donald goes in to check it out and the skunk comes running out screaming "Donald!!"😁

[@softroadingthewest]

🤣

[@beardomcgrath7715]

Really enjoying this video series so far. NW Nevada is a very underrated area in my opinion. It turns out my friend and I were in this area on a week long trip at the same time; I think on this day we drove from the Cedarville area to the mountains SE of the Summit Lake Reservation. We were glad to be in the mountains when it got hot. A lot of good wildlife shots too; we saw a badger on our way across the refuge and thought that was pretty cool. Also wondering if the mormon cricket will make an appearance later...

[@softroadingthewest]

I didn't see dramatic hordes of mormon crickets on this trip. I had a couple of sporadic encounters, but the one time there were enough of them to consider adding it to the story, it was an awkward location to film so I ended up letting it go this time. 😏

[@mtnbound2764]

I bet that cave made an amazing shelter for nomads all throughout history.

[@Critt75ih]

Thanks!

[@softroadingthewest]

Thank you so much!! :-)

[@scottymac5174]

Mining. Just about every canyon in the mountains in Nevada has some kind of old road leading up to a mine site.

[@tyleryarbrough8975]

Hi Don, I love your videos, and plan to do a little softroading myself. One big question tho: how do you drive and fly the drone at the same time?

[@softroadingthewest]

The DJI drones have multiple self-flying modes, from auto-following to auto-circling and you can also pre-program a flight path.

[@cellistefly]

What do you call that unique Rock up-cropping. Might fall in the category of "Butte?"

[@zackdemundo]

The music was particularly fitting in this ep. It captured the laidback feeling of the desert, yet reflected its subtle beauty. This is like those late night pizza commercials - now I wanna go!

[@jenniferbooth9235]

I thought i had a recent Donald sighting but it turned out to be a Tacoma under a Topo Topper. Keeping my eye out around town.

[@softroadingthewest]

Beware of imposters in Toyotas! 😂 I've actually never seen another Topo in town so I'll have to keep my eye out for that as well. 😄

[@pala4833]

@@softroadingthewest I resemble that remark

[@softroadingthewest]

Well you're no imposter...no one would mistake the Leaning Tower of Pala for my rig LOL

[@pala4833]

@@softroadingthewest Oh, shots fired my friend, shots fired. Pistols at dawn, or after your nap, whichever you prefer. ;-)

[@softroadingthewest]

@@pala4833 LOLOL What was that Wham song? Wake Me Up Before You Shoot Me 😂

[@idahoverland_208]

Great trip! Hope the public land access through private land continues to be liberal. If not, at least you don’t have a third wheel saying they can’t drive down a road because the trail is too narrow or too off camber. LOL, just kidding, Jason’s rig is amazing.

[@thewiredfox2691]

In the "road erode/overgrown" section, was it close enough that you could send the drone over for some recon? Or did you?

[@softroadingthewest]

I probably could have got the drone over there, but I never really use it for recon because my aging eyes really struggle to see much detail on the small screen even with glasses. Often when I get home and review my drone footage on my large computer monitor, I make all kinds of little discoveries I didn't notice at the time. 😄

[@joetheado174]

Donald, what year is your Frontier and how many miles do you have on it? Mine is a 2021 Pro 4X. Keep up the great videos. 👍

[@softroadingthewest]

2011, currently at around 116,000 miles.

[@JakeGoober]

​@@softroadingthewest Avoiding the coolant leak and timing chain woes of earlier model years, nice.

[@scottlane5164]

You can always vote with your feet

[@mattv5281]

How does the camper do in the wind? Does the tent flap a lot? Do you miss your previous setup?

[@softroadingthewest]

It does WAY better than I expected actually. It's very heavy canvas and it's pulled pretty taut, so there isn't much leeway for flapping. In high winds, it definitely moves, but it's more of a low-frequency thumping that I find immensely less annoying than the typical flapping of tent material. What actually gets to me in the wind is that there are a couple of straps with latches which are there to secure the large rear window flap when open & rolled up. They tap & scratch irregularly on the canvas whenever the breeze picks up...I'm currently working on some way to secure them, it's really my only minor gripe about the tent. The only thing I miss about my previous setup (assuming you're referring to the Leer cap) is the vertical "man door" I had. That was much better for going in and out than opening a hatch and tailgate and climbing over the tailgate. But that's pretty much par for the course for any pop-up shell aside from the Alu-Cab ($$$). And overall the benefits for me FAR outweigh the relatively minor cons...every time I'm out using this camper, I marvel at how much I enjoy using it. 🙂

[@kelsey809]

👍😎👍

[@ironhorse7601]

great channel, love your truck. Your imagery captured is wonderful, is it just me or is the colour a little washed out, I know you are in the desert an al'🙂. Last shot was fine, maybe its the desert mono-colour under overcast skies

[@softroadingthewest]

It was just the lighting conditions, I did what I could with the flat gray light but the colors in the desert are already subdued...the green of the sagebrush is a pale green, the dirt is a nondescript tan. :-) What you see here is more or less an accurate rendition of what I was experiencing out there. When the sun comes out, the colors come to life, which you see in a few of the later shots in this video. Parts 3 and 4 had sunnier weather and should come across much more colorful. :-)

[@ironhorse7601]

@@softroadingthewest I appreciate your reply. As I had thought, tough light conditions. Keep it up, I really enjoy your content.

[@crankshaft007]

Any one have PNW info on Donald? Last year he made a video. Haven’t seen anything for this year

[@softroadingthewest]

Expo PNW? I’m here in booth A533 Alldogs Offroad. I talked about it in the Channel Updates/Nevada Preview video a few weeks ago. 👋🏻

[@kingofbaja5b]

"And He is the One Who spread out the earth and placed firm mountains and rivers upon it, and created fruits of every kind in pairs.1 He covers the day with night. Surely in this are signs for those who reflect." surah ar-ra'd, verse 3. "..This is how Allah makes His revelations clear to you, so that you may be ˹rightly˺ guided." surah ali-imran, verse 103. "..Do you not understand?" surah ali-imran, verse 65. "..But none will be mindful ˹of this˺ except people of reason" surah ali-imran, verse 7. many more verses. All we have to do is look around us.

[@MSchumacherfan]

Don’t you worry about breaking down alone?

[@softroadingthewest]

Yes, I do. But the benefits of traveling solo - for me - outweigh the anxiety. I carry a satellite communicator and can get help if push comes to shove, so I'm unlikely to die if something were to happen to the truck.🙂

[@weaksause6878]

I do too, but I'm very poor and don't have satellite GPS. My strategy is that I never don't have 4 weeks worth of calories and 1 week of water with me and can hike 90 miles in 3 days in worst case scenario.

[@HighTonnage]

I’ve been enjoying the videos but do not understand why so secretive about location. Probably will not subscribe due to this reason.

[@Michael-cf7ic]

Do some research.

[@cowelk]

Half the fun of exploring is to find your own special sites. Not sharing keeps the crowd size down. The area can be overrun and ruined if too many people go there.

[@Critt75ih]

Thanks!

[@softroadingthewest]

Thank you so much!

[@lcossutta]

Thanks!

[@softroadingthewest]

Thank you so much!!