White Pine Hill

The White Pine Hill hike is a quick thigh burner up some steep terrain lying within walking distance of downtown Ely.The path to the "WP" letters visible on the eastern face of Saxton Peak follows a series of steep, rough ORV trails heading up the hillside. Along the way, discarded mining equipment and closed shafts can be seen. The number of roads veering off to different areas of this once actively-mined hill can be confusing, so it's best to plan on keeping some type of navigation device on you during the hike - though cel service tends to be good here.The first mining ruins become visible at about a half mile in, at which point Ely's elevation of 6400'+ is noticeable in your heavy breathing. The large painted letters rest about 700' above the trailhead. No direct trails or roads go to the letters, so for the last portion you'll be scrambling up the steep hillside. Views over the town of Ely are wide and epic. From here, hikers can retrace their route back down, or continue above the letters, scrambling upward until meeting up with the next road, which will offer a winding path back down that passes even more remains of the area's mining past.The way down takes much less effort than the way up, and you can reward your knees with a cool drink at the Taproot Coffee Shop located just a couple blocks from the trailhead.There are no amenities or any kind at the trailhead or along the hike. Hikers should plan to bring a navigational device to find the way to the letters.