Schell Creek Range

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Location of the Schell Creek Range within Nevada

The Schell Creek Range is a line of mountains in central White Pine County, in east-central Nevada in the western United States. It runs for approximately 132 miles (210 km) in a north-south direction - the longest range in the state.

The range comprises two major groups of peaks. The southern section rises from a point near Burnt Peak in Lincoln County, reaching the summit of Mt. Grafton (10,990 feet, 3350 m) just north of the border with White Pine County. To the west are remote Cave Valley and the Egan Range, while to the east are Lake Valley, Highway 93, and the Fairview Range. North of Mt. Grafton, the range drops quickly to a line of lower summits, eventually reaching 7723-foot Connors Pass. That is where U.S. Route 50, the "Loneliest Highway in America", crosses the range, connecting the nearby community of Ely with the Great Basin National Park and east-central Utah.

North of Connors Pass the range continues into its higher northern section. To the west are Steptoe Valley and Ely, while to the east are Spring Valley and the high Snake Range, (including Great Basin National Park, Wheeler Peak, and Mt. Moriah). Within this section of the Schell Creek Range are Cave Lake State Park and the scenic road over Success Summit into Duck Creek Basin. The crest continues to rise, reaching South Schell Peak (11,785 ft, 3592 m), Taft Peak (11,734 ft, 3576 m), and North Schell Peak which, at 11,883 feet (3622 m), is the high point of the range. Nearby are the Timber Creek and Berry Creek campgrounds (and trailheads).

The range then makes a slow descent to lower elevations, dropping to Schellbourne Pass (7984 ft, 2433 m), where the Overland Stage Line, the Pony Express, and the Transcontinental Telegraph made their way through the Great Basin. Just west of the range was the Egan Canyon Pony Express Station. From there, the range ascends to Becky Peak (10,008 ft, 3050 m) before quickly descending to the floor of Steptoe Valley near Lages Station.

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