Great Basin National Park - July 2019

please remember you can click on a photo to see a larger version & highlighted text are links to further information

Where shall we go?

It was Tuesday afternoon, July 2nd. The Lady took over driving after we filled the truck up with gas in Fallon. We were heading east on highway 50 into Nevada, our destination for several days. We had no more detailed plans than that - just Nevada. We can always find something wonderful to do in Nevada.

"Where shall we go?" I asked the Lady as we approached Austin. "We can head into the Toiyabes again, hike sections of the Toiyabe Crest Trail."

I rambled on. "Back to Mt. Jefferson? We haven't climbed Shoshone Peak. How 'bout more of the Monitor Range?" Everything was piquing her interest but I was not setting off a big smile. I continued.

"How 'bout Great Basin National Park?" I asked.

"I love Great Basin!" she answered. "Let's go there!"

"Things to consider." I added. "The 4th of July holiday is coming. Wheeler Campground has not opened yet because of snow. Strawberry Creek is closed. There could be more competition for campsites. Let's get there mid morning tomorrow and I bet we'll have our pick of spots before the wave of visitors washes in."

It was a plan. First we had to make it through the mormon crickets.

The Lady was still piloting our craft as we climbed Austin Summit. "Do you remember the times we've run into mormon crickets up here?" she asked. Once you've driven through a swarm of a million or so of these huge katydids covering the road you'll never forget it. I was too late to knock on wood or any other incantation to ward off the now spoken subject. The sound of tires crunching thousands of dark red insects began around the next corner. "Hold on to the steering wheel. Foot off the gas. Don't brake. Continue to drive." I hoped my direction would help. Slime covered the road. Smashed mormom crickets. Millions of smashed mormon crickets. Other drivers had done equally as well avoiding catastrophe as the Lady with driving through this slick as calf slobber on a pump handle slime. No vehicles were over the side. The stench was choking. We rolled up the windows trying to hold our breath.

"Looks like they're back," I finally got around to answering the Lady's question as we rolled out of the ruby syrup.

We were now especially empowered. If we could handle mormon crickets, we could handle anything.

Our overnight spot was the small - but now always seems busy - campground at Hickison Petroglyph Site.

We look forward to our evening walks here before sleep.

Baker Creek Campground is a favorite for us at Great Basin National Park. It is near a trailhead that offers hikes up into  lesser used high country in the Snake Range. Our favorite campsite was empty. We settled in and watched the pollinators on the wildroses.

It was warm so we put on our sandals for a short afternoon walk. The South Baker Creek over the ridge to Baker Creek makes a nice four mile loop from the campground. Many wildflowers were out including Crimson Columbine.

The first small meadow along South Baker Creek is one of our favorite spots.

The Lady loves getting into cold water. 

New signage has gone up along the trails in the last couple of years.

We crossed over the ridge and crossed Baker Creek, heavy with snowmelt.

A yellow lupine like flower was profuse in areas along Baker Creek. We finally identified it as Yellow Sweet Clover. It turns out to be an introduced non-native invasive species.

At dusk we checked the big fir tree near our campsite. Sure enough, as before, turkeys were roosting high in the tree. We knew we'd hear them wake up around five the next morning.

We rolled over and then slept another half hour or so after our early morning turkey wake up calls the next morning. After a leisurely morning - a long walk with coffee and the big bowls of goat meal with fresh fruit for breakfast - we started up Baker Creek to Baker Lake, an elevation gain of close to 4000 vertical feet from our campsite.

The areas among the aspen groves were lush gardens of wildflowers.

The aspen are extensive and the Lady mentioned over and over that we must return for fall colors.

We ran into heavy snow at around 9800 feet. It was impossible to follow the trail from here on up.

It was time for some map work. The contour lines indicated the route up and the need to continue straight up, resisting the urge to move toward the north that would lead to steep snow covered slopes above the swollen Baker Creek. Better to climb into the upper basin and then turn to the north and drop slightly down to the lake on gentle terrain. It's amazing the valuable information a topographic map can provide.

It was slow, careful going over snow on this warm day. We stuck to the shade in hopes of hard snow. We avoided rocks or down trees protruding from the snow - heat sinks that quickly soften the snow with possible voids underneath. I only went into my crotch a few times. "Stay loose when you punch through!" the Lady directed.

"Getting even with me for telling you how to drive through mormom crickets?" I asked as I extricated myself from the sloppy cold depths. "You know I weigh a bit more than you do!" I added for good measure. After a thousand feet of vertical climb with snow, we reached Baker Lake. We were alone here on the Fourth of July.

The lake was still mostly ice and snow covered. We found a small oasis of rock near the lake shore for a lunch spot. It was glorious country.

We were surprised to see possible thunderstorm build coming over Pyramid Peak just to the south and thought it prudent to start back down.

For the descent we moved further south to a more open, sunny slope to drop down that was mostly snow free. It worked fairly well except for all the deadfall near the bottom. We traversed back toward the north and intersected the route of the trail along Baker Creek.

On our return hike down to the trailhead we encountered a couple of groups heading up to Baker Lake, obviously thinking the trail would lead them safely there. We cautioned them about conditions up high and the difficulties in route finding. The last thousand feet of the climb is snow. Late in the day with soft snow could mean a lot of post holing in places. Do you know the route? Have you been there before? Do you have a map? Do you have a solid boot that will allow kicking good steps into the snow slope and keep your feet dry? Do you know how to arrest a fall? Are you ready to set up camp on snow if you reach the lake?

We worried but tried to be gentle and kind but with full disclosure of what lay ahead for them. We asked them to take care and remember to stop while they were still having fun.

We thoroughly enjoyed all the wonders as we hiked back to camp.

We had a great day and a wonderful celebration of the Fourth of July. We were back at camp mid afternoon and got a bed of charcoal coals going in the fire pit. We both love fresh sweet corn and no better way to cook it than in the husks right on top of the coals. We had corn every night at camp in Great Basin. After dinner was a walk back up to the trailhead to watch the big boys - mule deer bucks - come out to browse in the twilight.

Friday morning we were ready for another good hike, this time up Timber Creek to the top of the Snake Divide.

The trail crests at the top of the Timber Creek drainage and drops over into the top of South Baker Creek - a high open spot and another of our favorite places in Great Basin National Park.

It was an easy additional .75 mile up to the divide.

On a previous hike to Johnson Lake - at the top of Snake Creek - we dropped down to Johnson Lake from the saddle just west of Pyramid Peak and returned to Baker Creek Campground over Snake Divide and down Timber Creek. Today we found an out of the way spot on the ridge, took in the views, and relaxed.

We dropped back down to the meadow where South Baker Creek begins.

An outcrop of boulders on the meadow's edge holds a grove of large aspen. We climbed up on a large, flat slab of granite and fell asleep listening to the breeze through the aspen leaves.

With fresh elk tracks around, we hoped to see elk but they remained out of sight. The clouds built more than the previous day.

Our route back to camp was down the South Baker Trail.

Whenever we find a large adult stonefly it gets this flyfisher's heart racing and rod arm twitching.

South Baker Creek was also running high.

Our hike back to camp was wonderful with the small meadows and the last of the flowers on the Arrow-leafed Balsam Root.

Back at camp, again mid afternoon, it was roasted corn on the cob, chat with pleasant neighbors, a short rain shower, check on the roosting turkeys, and head back up to visit with the big boys. This time I decided to carry the camera along and boosted the ISO in hopes of a few photos in the waning light.

All the guys were out this evening.

This big four point was recognizable with the double brow tines on the right and notch out of his right ear.

This big four point had prominent long brow tines.

Four point after four point crossed the road.

Other bucks decided to follow.

Big notched ear came out of the aspen for one last pose before dark.

Our favorite buck we saw every evening we called "Big Rack".

He was the oldest and wisest of the big boys as shown by his actions. He carried an atypical rack - a massive fork horn with no brow tines. He was cautious but not jumpy. He was also independent, as in this instance he did not follow the others across the road. He continued to browse unconcerned but kept his eye on us. When it was apparent we were going to hang around for a while to watch him, he calmly laid down as to say, "Well, I'm going to watch you too!"

The flowing water of Baker Creek lulled us to sleep again on our final night in Great Basin. The turkey wake up call came the next morning at five am. It was time to head home and after a leisurely drive back west on highway 50, we arrived home early evening.

We can't wait to get back to Nevada. Where shall we go?