One long day in Great Basin National Park

[ttora4runner]

Growing up my family had traveled all over the west visiting basically every state west of the Mississippi. Most of these trips I have fond memories of but one place I don't ever remember visiting was 'Great Basin National Park'. I think this was largely due to it being off the beaten path.

For probable the last year or so I had considered visiting off and on but never really got around either because of other trips, work, family obligations or mountain biking. With an upcoming move out-of-state I made the decision to go ahead and go. It was just a matter of when.

Sometime Thursday night I finally made the decision to go but for how many days I was still unsure of: one long day or an easier two day trip. Needless, to say preparations where made for at least a two day trip just encase.

So in the same manner as the Montana trip that I did at the beginning of the year it was a 2 am wake up call to be out the door by 3 am to hit the road. This wouldn't have been so bad had I not gone to 1030 pm the night before. Caffeine was my friend yet even at this point even that wasn't enough and a couple of cat naps where in order.

This had to be one of the most desolate routes I have ever traveled, between Santaquin and Delta, Utah I could've counted the number of cars I encountered on two hands and once out of Delta that number dropped off even more.

Lets just say I was thankful to see the light day once again.

With the rising sun I could see my destination, brightening my spirits and wading off that doziness that was haunting me knowing that I would be there soon.

Before making the trip into the park I had decided to stop at the 'Baker Archeological' site to check it out and see what was there. It also happened to be along a cut-off to the park. After visiting the site and getting a good stretch in I headed off to the park to start exploring. Thankfully, I had printed off the map of the park and trail information before-hand since both of the visitor centers where closed when I arrived.

First order of the day was the hike up 'Baker's Trail' to the lakes.

Early morning sunrise

The long around ahead but all so close

Baker Archeological site

Sign

Ruin 1

Ruin 2

Looking towards the park

 

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Baker Trail-head

Wheeler Peak in the background, the highest point in the park at just over 13,000 ft.

Somewhere along the trail

Waterfall, one of many

Waterfall 2

Somewhere along the trail

Somewhere along the trail

Waterfall 3

Avalanche area nearing the lakes, it was an impressive site to see.

Random tree

 

[ttora4runner]

Baker Lakes, the water was freezing cold

Brown trout caught in a shallow pool of water. I attempted to catch it bare handed but it found a narrow slot in the rocks and got away. :sombrero:

Trail markers. These marker mark the cutoff over the ridge to Johnson Lakes and another trail back. Snowshoes or skies would've been needed to take this route.

Random

Caught these mushrooms out of the corner of my eye growing in the a hollowed out stump

One of the many bridges in the area

Heading on back to the car for lunch

Baker Lakes trail – 11.2 miles round trip, 2 hrs each way.

Once back at my vehicle lunch was in order and so very needed and a little bit of relaxation to let my feet rest from the hike.

Still to come:

Bristlecone Trail
Rock Glacier Trail
Teresa and Stella Lakes

 

[ttora4runner]

After lunch it was off to Bristlecone-Alpine Lakes Trailhead. At the end of the Bristlecone trail is the Rock Glacier trail leading to the only glacier in Nevada.

Trail head sign

Headin back along the trail

The trail ahead, the switch back can be seen in the snow

Bristlcone Pine Interpretive Trail

3200 year old tree

Reluctance to Die

 

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Rock Glacier area

Heading on back along the trail

Rock Glacier Interpretive Sign

Look towards the destination ahead

It was just a little chilly up here

Random wind chime up top, not sure of the significance behind it.

The valley below

 

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Alpine Lakes Trail

Teresa Lake

Somewhere along the trail

Looking back

Stella Lake

Wheeler Peak on the right, the highest point in the park at just over 13000 ft

End of the day

After getting off the trail it was nearly 700 pm and I had a choice to make. Either find a place to camp for the night or to go ahead and head on back. Despite the 2am wake-up call and the 20+ miles of trails I hiked I felt surpisely good and made the choice to go ahead and head on back.

The road was just as desolate as when I had arrived that morning till just outside of Delta when traffic picked back. After a stop for some fuel and a 24 oz energy drink I made it back home around midnight after a 22 hour day.

Overall, the trip was great and I felt relieved despite the long day.