Great Basin Sunset

We enjoyed seeing the sunset from the basin.

Rainbows in Great Basin National Park

We were treated to two rainbows during our two days in Great Basin National Park! We didn't get rained on though. Just saw the rainbows off in the distance.

Teresa Lake in Great Basin National Park

Teresa Lake is another small glacial lake that can be reached by trail in Great Basin National Park. We ate lunch here.

Palmer Penstemmon in Great Basin National Park

Note the rainbow in the left sky in the image below.



Rainbow again in the picture above!

Lehman Cave in Great Basin National Park

Bristlecone Pines in Great Basin National Park

Great Basin Bristlecone pines (Pinus longaeva) are remarkable for their great age and their ability to survive adverse growing conditions. In fact, it seems one secret to their longevity is the harsh environment in which most bristlecone pines grow.

Bristlecone pines in Great Basin National Park grow in isolated groves just below treeline. Conditions are harsh, with cold temperatures, a short growing season, and high winds. Bristlecone pines in these high-elevation environments grow very slowly, and in some years don't even add a ring of growth. This slow growth makes their wood very dense and resistant to insects, fungi, rot, and erosion. Vegetation is very sparse, limiting the role of fire. Bristlecone pine seeds are occassionally cached by birds at lower elevations. Bristlecone pines grow more rapidly in more "favorable" environments at lower elevations. They do not achieve their legendary age or fascinating twisted shapes.

Stella Lake in Great Basin National Park

This lovely little lake sits nestled against Wheeler Peak.

We stopped off for a visit on our way back down from Wheeler Peak.

Wheeler Peak Descent

We took a lot more pictures on the descent (I was too out of breath on the way up!)

Wheeler Peak

We did reach our Wheeler Peak goal. We hoped to reach the North ridge - probably at 12,000 feet or so. The wind was really brutal and I was concerned about being blown off the mountain if we tried for the summit.
Here is the view of the summit from our stopping point.
We took shelter in this rock pile.
This picture of Wheeler Peak from the trail - shows the ridge we climbed to (on the right of the peak).

Wheeler Peak

Elevation 13,063 feet - the second highest peak in Nevada

The summit trail parking lot is at 9886 feet altitude and we arrived there early in the morning, hoping to hike at least part way up Wheeler Peak.

As we climbed higher, we got into a lot of snow fields we had to traverse. The temperature dropped significantly and the wind was fierce.

The views were stunning1

Baker Archeological Site

The Baker Archeological Site, also known as Baker Village, contains the remains of a Fremont Indian village occupied from approximately 1220 to 1295 AD. The Fremont lived in this well planned community of several small pit houses and granaries, surrounding a main big house, and practiced a form of agriculture.

The site was excavated by Brigham Young University's Office of Public Archeology, in cooperation with the BLM, from 1991 to 1994. Recovered artifacts are currently stored at BYU's Museum of People and Cultures in Provo, Utah.

After the excavations, the site was backfilled (reburied with the dirt that was removed during excavation), a necessary step in protecting the cultural features that remain. As a result, the foundations of the village can no longer be seen on the surface. The walls visible today are modern walls, built in 2002.

The view of Wheeler Peak from Baker Archeological site.