Independence lake open to public in 2010

With a few caveats;

Open to public sometime towards the end of June.
Day use only.
Walk in only.
Only non motorized boats, i.e. kayaks, canoes, float tubes, etc.

http://www.rgj.com/article/20100510/NEWS/100511001
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20100511/pl_usnw/DC02445_1
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/nevada/preserves/art29603.html

This is GREAT NEWS!!

There's your AOTY trout!

I don't like the fact that they nixed the camping up there. However there are good camping options nearby.

-Brian G

Camping is nixed this year but may comeback next year.  They first need to evaluate the old water delivery system and the open pit toliets before coming up with a camping plan.  Remember they only purchased the property this month and probably won't be able to get in till June (without snowmobiles), they'll need time to figure things out and following the old plan from NV Energy may not be the best example.

Camping is nixed this year but may comeback next year.  They first need to evaluate the old water delivery system and the open pit toliets before coming up with a camping plan.  Remember they only purchased the property this month and probably won't be able to get in till June (without snowmobiles), they'll need time to figure things out and following the old plan from NV Energy may not be the best example.

Well spoken. No camping is not always a bad thing too.

-Brian G

how is access to the lake?  will i need a bigger 4wd or would my subaru make it?

I would take the 4wd.  The road to IL is a rough, rocky, dirt road.

I've missed something..  "Walk in" means no 4WD to me..  "Walk in" from where..  It could be a long walk with gear.. 

You'll be able to drive to the parking lot (access point) at the lake from there you'll need to walk another 200 yds to a 1/4 mile to the lake.  I do not know the exact distance yet.

AFAIK, Independence lake was open to fishing prior to the NC purchase, no? I've had friends reporting on it going back years now. So how does this change thing as far as users are concerned, other than negatively (no camping this year)?

Scott

Thats definetley not the only lake in the area to fish. It could be hot though. If the road into Independence is anything like all the other roads in the area you could get there with a Yugo. Nice is White Rock Lake or Faucherie. I tried to get to Milton one year from Weaver Lake the backside and met a snowdrift in August I couldnt get around. Gonna be lots of water this year. I could spend 2 weeks just hitting all the lakes and streams up in that area. On Sawmill there is a little stream that comes down from the Upper Rock Lake area thats just too cool. 25ft waterfall with a beautiful pool right at the falls.Soon, real soon

i think independence and heenan are the best chances at a nice LCT though.  Always interested in fish i've never caught before.

AFAIK, Independence lake was open to fishing prior to the NC purchase, no? I've had friends reporting on it going back years now. So how does this change thing as far as users are concerned, other than negatively (no camping this year)?

Scott

The lake was closed to the public last year.  The lake itself was open to fishing but the lands around it was closed to public access.  The big change is the change in ownership from NV Energy to The Nature Conservancy.  People can take this as either being good or bad depending on your past experience with Independence Lake.  NV Energy has been trying to sell the land for a number of years and they almost sold it to a private individual a few years ago.  Luckily that fell through, he was going to turn the lake into a private resort closed to the general public.  TNC will be managing the lands as more of a primative experience than did NV Energy.  Only non motorized boats (except reseach vessels) and walk in access only.  You may view these changes as negative but I see it as being extremely positive.  I think over time they'll be a different group of people using the lake than in the past.

AFAIK, Independence lake was open to fishing prior to the NC purchase, no? I've had friends reporting on it going back years now. So how does this change thing as far as users are concerned, other than negatively (no camping this year)?

Scott

The lake was closed to the public last year.  The lake itself was open to fishing but the lands around it was closed to public access.  The big change is the change in ownership from NV Energy to The Nature Conservancy.  People can take this as either being good or bad depending on your past experience with Independence Lake.  NV Energy has been trying to sell the land for a number of years and they almost sold it to a private individual a few years ago.  Luckily that fell through, he was going to turn the lake into a private resort closed to the general public.  TNC will be managing the lands as more of a primative experience than did NV Energy.  Only non motorized boats (except reseach vessels) and walk in access only.  You may view these changes as negative but I see it as being extremely positive.  I think over time they'll be a different group of people using the lake than in the past.

Not to mention that if the Nature Conservancy sticks to their mission it means no significant development, however allot of NC land isn't open to the public at all which gives me a little heartburn even if I do understand it.