Steptoe Valley is a long valley located in White Pine County, in northeastern Nevada. From the historic community of Currie, the valley runs south for approximately 100 miles. To the west are the high Egan Range and the Cherry Creek Range, while to the east is the even higher Schell Creek Range. Highway 93 passes through the valley, past the historic mining town of Cherry Creek and the communities of McGill and Ely, before crossing the Schell Creek Range at Connors Pass. Also found in this valley are the Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park, the Steptoe Valley Wildlife Management Area, and Cave Lake State Park. At Egan Canyon and Schellbourne Pass (near Cherry Creek), the Overland Stage Line and the subsequent Pony Express and Transcontinental Telegraph made their way through the mountains of central Nevada in the 1860s. The valley is named after Colonel Edward Steptoe, who explored the region in 1854.

Schoolhouse Spring Ranch

The Schoolhouse Spring Ranch is one of the largest ranches available in the Steptoe Valley. It has easy access off Highway 93 north of McGill, close to the Duck Creek entrance into the Schell Creek Range in the Humboldt National Forest. The Schoolhouse Spring Ranch consists of 3 non-contiguous parcels. The northern most parcel is completely surrounded by federal land and the remaining two parcels are bordered on two sides by federal lands. This ranch is ideal for the person or company seeking the privacy enjoyed by ranches that are surrounded and bordered by federal lands. Those who enjoy sweeping mountain and valley views will also want to visit this ranch.

The Schoolhouse Spring Ranch is a very unique property in this region. The 120 acre parcel with the ranch headquarters is in a very private, quiet location with sweeping mountain views in every direction. The 80 acre parcel fronting Highway 93 and the 80 acre parcel fronting Bassett Lake Road are both excellent locations for future development and also, offer spectacular mountain views. This ranch is ideal for the buyer seeking a home ranch with future development potential.

The Schoolhouse Spring Ranch also includes a Bureau of Land Management grazing allotment, the Schoolhouse Spring Allotment. This allotment permits 191 AUMs (animal unit months) for grazing cattle from May 1st to February 28th .

Ranch Headquarters 120 acres with improvements and year-round spring fed pond and stream

APN# 10-19-01, T18N, R64E, Section 3

The ranch headquarters, the most northern parcel of the ranch, east of Highway 93, consists of 120 acres with improvements house, barn, sheds, year-round spring fed pond and BLM grazing allotment. Schoolhouse Spring comes to the surface here and a pond has been developed north of the house. The barn and sheds are north of the spring pond, which creates a nice separation between living and livestock. The spring water flows continuously into the pond and overflows into a stream that meanders down through a large grove of trees. The ranch has water rights to the Schoolhouse Spring with a duty of 114 acre-feet annually (AFA) for irrigation and domestic use. The ranch house, built in 1954, has 3 bedrooms and a full bath on the main floor. It also has a full height basement with a concrete floor. Ranch headquarter outbuildings include a 14 X 27 garage, a 16 X 30 barn and three sheds - 10 X 20, 10 X 12, 8 X 24.

Highway 93 Fronted Parcel 80 acres

APN# 10-19-02, T18N, R64E, Section 4 and 9

This 80 acre parcel lies lengthwise along Highway 93 with a half mile of highway frontage. The parcel is currently agricultural, but is certainly a potential opportunity for commercial development. The proposed Ely Energy Center and White Pine Energy Center have both located their billion dollar plants north of this parcel. The topography is flat and the mountain views in every direction are fabulous.

Bassett Lake Road Fronted Parcel 80 acres

APN# 10-19-04, T18N, R64E, Section 9

This 80 acre parcel borders Bassett Lake Road with a quarter mile of frontage on the lake road. The parcel is currently agricultural, but this is a potential opportunity for residential development. White Pine County has been approving 5 acre parcel subdivisions. Again, the topography is flat and, again, spectacular mountain views in every direction.

Outdoor Recreation

White Pine Countys outdoor recreation is unparalleled. Visit the Great Basin National Park, located 60 miles southeast of Ely on the countys eastern border. It is the home of the ancient Bristlecone Pine, Lehman Caves, and majestic Mt. Wheeler, the highest point in the county at 13,063 feet above sea level. Mountain ranges rise from 8,000 to 13,000 feet above the valley floor at 6,000 feet. The terrain takes you from desert sand and sage brush through bands of pinion and juniper forests to sub-alpine bristlecone pine. Fly fish at Cave Lake State Park (which boasts the state record 27 pound German Brown Trout) fourteen miles southeast of Ely, or cross-country ski at the Ward Mountain Recreation Area and Trail System just six miles from the Ely city limits.

Spend an afternoon rock hounding at Garnet Hill. Watch, photograph or hunt the states largest elk herd, second largest mule deer herd, and third largest antelope herd. Herds of elk, deer or wild horses are often seen. The Ely Chamber of Commerce motto of "Experience the Unexpected" is very appropriate.

Hunting in Northern Nevada

Nevadas big game species include mule deer, Rocky Mountain elk, three sub-species of bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, and mountain goat. Nevadas big game hunts are conducted by a random draw process and are available to those 12 years old or older. Applications are generally available in mid-March and the application deadline is around mid-April. A second drawing is conducted for remaining tags in June, and any remaining tags after that draw can be applied for on a first-come, first-served basis. Mountain lion tags are available over the counter and furbearers can be hunted or trapped with a trapping license. Upland game birds like chukar partridge, California and Gamble's quail, ruffed grouse, pheasant, blue grouse, dove, and the Himalayan snowcock are popular upland game, or hunters may choose to hunt waterfowl or certain migratory birds. Unprotected species like coyote and black-tailed jackrabbit may be hunted without a hunting license by both residents and nonresidents, but a trapping license is required to trap them.

Climate

White Pine County enjoys a high desert climate characterized by clear sunny days, low humidity, and wide temperature swings every day. Summertime temperatures are generally in the 80 to 90 degree range during the day and fall to 45 degrees at night. Because of the elevation, nights are cool and the growing season is about 90 days. Winter temperatures range from 30 to 50 degrees during the day and fall below 0 about 10 to 20 times per year.

Average Annual Precipitation: 9.27 inches

Average Annual Snowfall: 49.1 inches

Average Growing Season: 90 days

Average Number of Sunny, Clear Days: 114

Average Number of Partly Cloudy Days: 113

Average Number of Cloudy Days: 138

Elevation

The elevation is approximately 6,435 feet.

History

From the late nineteenth century until near the end of the twentieth century, the major industry and the main impetus for settlement has been mining the region's deposits of copper, silver, and gold. The most notable of these operations included a series of open-pit copper mines near the town of Ruth, and a copper smelter in McGill. With the opening of each new mining district, the opportunity for men to cut the wild hay and graze herds of cattle to supplement the quantities of foodstuff that had to be transported from a distance also developed. By this process, agriculture and livestock took root. Often, when the mining district played out, the stockman remained. Men discovered the productiveness of Steptoe Valley and the excellent grazing grounds for stock. When the mines suspended, a nucleus of the population remained to carry on a pioneer program of raising grain and hay and grazing cattle and sheep over the hills.

Agriculture

While farming and ranching continue to perform a significant role in the county economy, due to low annual precipitation, farming is limited to areas that can be irrigated from mountain streams or wells. Cultivated crops consist mostly of grains and forage. One of the major assets White Pine County retains is excellent grazing ranges. Raising livestock predominates in the area. The mountain ranges provide summer pasture for both cattle and sheep. All stock must be "finished" for market in feed yards. Sheep flocks are moved to flat valleys at the approach of winter. Bands of sheep can commonly spend an entire winter without receiving supplemental feed. They eat snow for moisture and consume a variety of desert plants, including the lowly sagebrush.

Population

There are about 10,000 people in White Pine County. The majority of which, approximately 7,000 people, live in Ely (the county seat) and the surrounding towns.

White Pine County

White Pine County, in the east-central part of Nevada, is bounded on the east by the Nevada-Utah State line. White Pine County was created in 1869 out of eastern Lander County and was named for the heavy growth of Limber Pine trees common in the countys mountains, thought to be White Pine. Hamilton was the first county seat from 1869 to 1887 when it was replaced after a fire by Ely. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 8,897 square miles. Several sections of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest exist within the county, as does Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historical Park. In the southeastern part of the county is the Great Basin National Park. The park came into existence on October 17, 1986. Hiking, camping, and scenic drives are available in the park. Dramatic mountain peaks, lush meadows, clear mountain streams and alpine lakes can be seen plus a wide range of plant and animal habitats. The Lehman Caves are a special attraction of the park. They contain an array of stalactites, stalagmites and other unique formations with guided tours conducted daily.

Taxation in Nevada

The incentives of doing business in Nevada are expansive. Nevada boasts one of the most liberal tax structures in the nation and from a tax-planning perspective, the return on investment in the form of tax saving dollars can be enormous.

In Nevada, you WILL NOT pay any of the following state taxes:

Personal Income Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Franchise Tax on Income

Unitary, Inventory Tax Inheritance, Estate, Gift Tax

Admissions, Chain Store Tax

Taxation in White Pine County:

In White Pine County, the sales tax rate is 7.125. The 2006-07 average county wide property tax rate is 3.660.

Only 3.4% of the land in White Pine County is privately owned. Of that 3.4%, only a small percentage has water rights available for purchase. This is an excellent time to invest in this region.