Through the Lens: Nevada’s Wild Northwest
Winter 2024-2025
Two photographers capture the rugged landscapes of the state’s most remote corner.
BY ALEXANDRIA OLIVARES-WENZEL
PHOTOS BY ALEXANDRIA OLIVARES-WENZEL & KIPPY SPILKER
During my senior year of high school, I took a trip to the Black Rock Desert. I remember sitting in the back seat as we drove through Wadsworth and Nixon, past mysterious Pyramid Lake, and into the unknown toward the tiny town of Gerlach.
The landscape was alien to me; at that point in my life, I hadn’t explored outside the Gardnerville-Carson City-Reno area, and I had no idea what secrets hid in the Nevada desert. When we arrived, it was afternoon. The way the light beamed down onto the mountains broke my brain. I had zero sense of direction, and it felt like we were witnessing early morning light.
We spent the day trekking around on dirt roads. Someone in the car said the roads connected the Black Rock Desert to Winnemucca. All I could think was why the heck anyone would want to travel via dirt roads.
Little did I know, my job would take me on some of those very roads 13 years later.
Getting (Way) Out There
After weeks of planning and research, Art Director Kippy Spilker and I packed the company 4Runner with supplies and photography gear and headed off into one of the most remote corners of Nevada. Neither of us had been beyond Gerlach or the Black Rock Desert, so this trip was a thrilling opportunity to get out and experience a part of the state relatively few have seen.
The land north of the Black Rock Desert is spectacularly remote. There are no towns or services, and you are very unlikely to come across other people. Despite being so far from civilization, there was life everywhere. Birds raced alongside our car, antelope sprang to life, and burros watched us cautiously—yet curiously—from afar. In all my travels, I have never encountered as much wildlife as I did on this trip.
Taking the Road Less Traveled
In this corner of Nevada, obsidian shards are just about everywhere you look, including on the road. This—coupled with large rocks—made driving pretty slow. Kippy did most of the dirt road driving: I had developed a small fear of off-roading, fueled by a combination of people intentionally scaring me on the road and chronic anxiety.
The main dirt roads we took were maintained and graded, but once we ventured off Nevada State Routes (S.R.) 34 and 8A, road conditions varied greatly depending on how frequently the roads were used—most were not maintained.
At one point, I played 20 Questions: Off-Road Edition with Kippy, asking her everything that came to mind about how to drive on this terrain. Before I knew it, I found myself behind the wheel—heart rate slightly elevated, but driving (very, very slowly) on the somewhat-sketchy road we had come in on. Look mom, both hands!
I can now say that I am officially part of the unofficial off-roading club. Those I travel with in the near future may breathe a sigh of relief knowing they won’t have to shoulder all the burden of off-road driving.
For information about traveling in the desert, read our comprehensive Dirt Road Code guide.
In Spite of Everything
This trip was an absolute whirlwind. We spent countless hours hopping in and out of the car capturing photos, soaking in the sights, and having many tense moments hoping we wouldn’t have to shift into 4X4 low to get unstuck. We were treated to unmatched desertscapes few people have seen, but it was a relief to return to civilization after spending days of seeing almost no sign of people.
It was rewarding to return to Gerlach and the Black Rock Desert more than a decade later and relive those memories. I’m incredibly grateful a younger me was able to visit otherworldly places like this, and I’m thankful for the opportunities I have now to explore areas, new and old.
Who knows, maybe one day I will return and take that dirt road that connects the Black Rock Desert to Winnemucca. Just to say I did.
Ready to venture into the Black Rock Desert and beyond? Visit Friends of Black Rock-High Rock at blackrockdesert.org for more information, and make sure to stop by their office located at 320 Main St in Gerlach for detailed maps and brochures to help guide you with exploration.
