The trout filled waters of the East Fork at the Carson River Resort.
Photo by Phil Elfstrom
“The more you are here, the more you want to be here,” reports Carson River Resort owner Phil Elfstrom. “I call everywhere else being ‘in population’, and that disappears at the Alpine County line.”
It has been proven over and over that the laws of the wild are different than the laws of men. For those who find it in these remote lands, they appreciate that fact.
The location itself called to him, just as it has so many others who have come back year after year.
“I was not a wilderness guy when I got here, but I am now.” Phil said. Settled along the side of Highway 89, the flat open space has changed hands many times over the decades, but it has always been about camping, and simple living. It is a place with “the earth below and the stars above.”
Direct and connected, it is where unforgettable adventures and magical occurrences happen.
Heading out of Markleeville, it is a little over 2 miles as the crow flies. The sparkling, trout-filled waters of the East Fork of the Carson River ebb and flow along to your right, winding their way through the rough hewn Sierra Nevada landscape. Monitor and Ebbetts passes both close in the winter, so this is your last way-station before the more extreme natural country begins. You can camp, park your RV, or rent a classic cabin.
The history of the site has not been well documented. It could be said that in an area like this, you are too busy catching fish, hunting, and hiking to take time to put together a written record. As are all of these lands, it is part of the original territory of the Washoe Tribe.
When mining began over Monitor and Ebbetts passes in the 1800s, historian Karen Dustman reports there is some evidence a tiny Chinese camp was near this bend in the river. There is another record which shows that President Theodore Roosevelt granted a land patent in 1904 to then local resident Thomas F. Audrain.
Within the perimeter of the property, there are three mining holes that have been collapsed. Deeds refer to the “Welcome Mine” here. That is probably what gave way to it being called “Welcome Flat”. It is a suitable name, because even to this day, that is exactly what people feel when they arrive.
Mountain folk lived here on the East Fork, on and off in a variety of small cabins during and after World War II.
According to Jim Brune, who grew up throughout that time around these two passes, it was in 1946 that the Whitney family (a father, mother, and two children) bought it. They acted as hunting, fishing, and packing guides. They would go out into Central Nevada and bring back undomesticated horses to their corral. Not many of them could be ridden, but they were trained and used mainly as pack animals on the trail. They even added a gas station during that period.
Brune reports there was a fire in 1947, and then ice jams creating high water followed by major floods in 1950. It was then that the Whitneys had to give up their dream of the resort and move back to Sacramento. There was just too much damage.
They were the ones who put together the four mail-order cabins that were purchased from the Sears and Roebuck catalog. They kept exotic chickens so they could use their feathers in their “fly-tying cabin.” The father invented a special fly for the river called the “Carson King” which was immensely popular.
This is a one-of-a-kind destination. The important qualities of the resort remained the same right through Phil acquiring it in 2018. He hit the ground running, having already fallen in love with place.
“It is not your typical campground.” Phil comments. “There are people who have been coming here for 50 years. They can go absolutely anywhere they want, but here is where they want to be!” laughs Phil. “I agree with them 100 percent.”
The coming and going, rising and setting, the entrances and exits, waning and waxing of everything on this earth requires the ability to accept constant change, and to adapt to it. Remarkably, Phil’s background has made him uniquely suited for this out-of-the-way location with it’s own ready-made “family.”
Born in Michigan, he spent his early years ice fishing, water skiing, and jet skiing. After graduating from high school and college he moved to Florida and spent 17 years in a high-octane banking career at MBNA. When his company sold to Bank of America, he relocated to California, and embarked on a new career in the death care business.
He has found that the high country has it all for him. There is nothing else he needs or wants, choosing not to leave if at all possible. His interests, however, remain broad and eclectic. He has an intense passion for local history and the objects that define it. He continues to search for antiques and collectibles at garage and estate sales that emanate a sense of this place throughout time.
The bottom line is that he enjoys the people. He has been fortunate to find Connie, originally from Reno, who has worked with him since he started. She is well suited for high altitude living. They both make sure everyone is comfortable and acknowledged. He always has a list of people to call. Everyone who comes here becomes part of his own extended family.
A book of comments is kept at the front desk, and little notes are pinned to the wall. They are all from people also enamored with this particular section of uncivilized terrain.
Most folks have been part of the resort for over a decade. Typical comments are “We have been coming for more than 40 years. My Dad taught me to fish here, and I taught my kids to fish here.” Other observations include notes like: “I really look forward to coming up here every year and just being free.” “We are the third generation who has come and stayed every year.” “We’ll be coming and staying until we can’t walk no more!” They start making memories here as children and continue until they can no longer stand. Always added is “I love this place!” It becomes a constant in visitor’s lives.
Reflecting the essential quality of this mountain hide-away, Phil is not currently on social media. His kids keep pestering him though, and you will be able to find the website carsonriverresort.com sometime very soon. You can call at 530-694-2229, of course. They still answer the phone. Or you can just drive right up. That wild river is always there right across from the main buildings, it is always open, and the fishing is good.