Day 11 -- Great Basin - oh how great it is
Thanks Gary for taking it over the finish line! I was on holiday enjoying some beach time with my grandchildren before summer is over for them.
day 11 then --
Awoke to an already warm sun and enjoyed breakfast of eggs with sausage,,onion and corn tortilla strips. We packed up camp and headed north into Monitor Valley stopping at Potts Ranch to walk among the abandoned buildings. The 2 story wooden house was now home to a nest of Ravens so mama bird fussed at us overhead while we explored the area.
We continued north east on 025 into White Sage Canyon across the mountain into Antelope Valley. On a couple occasions, antelope darted across the road in front of us, one time it was a mother with her little one. From the valley we picked up elevation crossing Fish Creek Range and while passing Fish Creek Ranch nearly collided with an antelope trying to get out of our way. I was so enthralled with the race between us, I didn't think to grab a camera and capture the moment. We turned onto NV 50 heading east into Ely where we fueled and then stopped for lunch at the city park, a place we had previously visited on our Ghost Town trip in 2013.
Next destination was Great Basin National Park -- the only national park in Nevada -- established in 1986. A quick run through the visitor center and we were off to Wheeler Peak at 10,000 feet. A campground at the mountain top was still covered in snow. The overlooks provided views for miles out across mountain and valley and also an opportunity for a group photo. This handy group came equipped, tripods and auto-timers on cameras and we all hopped in the picture.
-- see Gary's post for the finished product.
Here Gary, I'll throw this one in. Thanks to Keith for snapping this shot of Scott and me with Wheeler peak in the distance.
We came back down the mountain and made our way down Strawberry Creek road to a quiet cozy campsite for the night. A skillet full of ground beef and black bean dip for the group was interrupted by a sudden thunderstorm so we dispersed to our respective tents and turned in early.
We camped at Elevation 7200', traversed 250 miles.
One more day to go before the trek home.