20 SF-SL Tracy Clark

Location / Airway

Location / Name

NEVADA:  Washoe County

20 SF-SL Tracy Clark
AKA Derby Dam #20 (the beacon for this arrow is at the top of the hill and known as Derby Dam #20)

GPS: 39.578623, -119.490192

Transcontinental Airway

Route established September 8, 1920

Pilots Log February 21, 1921, Between SLC + 388. Hazen, Nev. segment and SLC + 437. Reno, Nev.
U. S. Post Office pilots

Night Airmail

Flights started on July 1, 1924

Contract Air Mail

CAM #18 San Francisco CA-Chicago IL
Route established July 1, 1927
San Francisco-Salt Lake airway
Reno-Elko section
Boeing Air Transport awarded CAM #18 on January 28, 1927

Panoramic

Observations and Notes

The Tracy Clark Arrow is located on the north side of I-80 east of Sparks, Nevada.  To get to it though, you have to becoming westbound, going towards Sparks.  If you ‘blink’ you will miss the dirt road leading to the arrow.  You have to pull onto the shoulder and then pull behind the guard rail.  At this point you will see a dirt road along with a closed gate.  There were no signs saying ‘Keep Out’ on the gate.  All the property beyond is owned by the Bureau of Land Management.  We just made sure the gate was secure after going thru. 

Using four-wheel drive, we went approximately 3 miles before deciding to hike the rest of the way to the arrow.  Someone with a ‘serious’ four-wheel drive can make it all the way to the arrow.  Not sure of which way the dirt roads went out here, I decided to hike up over a hill and to the arrow.  It was a slow and somewhat of an arduous hike up to the top.  The hill was covered with small and loose rocks.  I was really glad that I took this way up, because at the top I came across the remains of the beacon site for the arrow (Derby Dam #20 Beacon).  We knew that the beacon was separate from the arrow, but could never find it on Google Earth.  From the top I could see the arrow below me on the other side of the hill.

The arrow is in fairly good condition.  All that consists of the pad where the generator shed once stood is the outside concrete foundation.  The arrow is 54 feet in length.

The pilot would approach the tail of the arrow on a compass heading of 74° (E-NE), and then exit the arrow on a compass heading of 83° (E).
(All measurements and compass headings are approximate).

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