Goshutes Hawkwatch Backpack 6/18- 6/19/2013

                                 South from the top

Location: To get to the trailhead for Hawk Watch in the Goshutes take Highway 93A 15 miles south of West Wendover to a Highway Maintenance Station on your right. Turn right onto dirt road. Follow signs with binoculars to the trailhead. In the past a passenger car would have been able to make it but in mid June the road was considerably more rough and rocky. For more information consult my June 10, 2011 post.

I was not going to leave before I did this hike again. On a clear day it is possible to see over 20 different mountain ranges from the top. Highlights include: The Stansbury Mountains to the east, Deep Creek Mountains to the southeast, and Ruby Mountains far to the west. It is also a great place to escape the Wendover heat  during the summer.  Hikers and backpackers need to carry enough water because there is none available in the range. I would suggest backpacking because the light  gets extraordinary before sunset and sunsrise. The trail to the top is three miles one way with an elevation gain of 1800 feet.  Scientists band and count hawks from late August through December. If you want to visit inquire on the Hawk Watch website.

                   Sun going down to the west. Dolly Varden range in the foreground.

                               Pilot Peak with cool tree late in the day
    

                 Looking northeast early on June 19.

                    East from the summit

Deseret Peak, Western Utah June 16, 2013

                          Looking south from the top

Location: The Stansbury Mountains are located in Western Utah near Tooele. The three main trailheads are at North Willow, South Willow and West Canyon. To get to the Deseret Peak trailhead take Route 138 off of I-180 to Grantsville, Utah. In Grantsville turn onto South Willow Road. For more detailed instructions please consult my posts on South Willow Lake (9-18-2010) and Deseret Peak (8/24/2011).

Later this month I am moving to Tucson, Arizona. Before I go I wanted to re-experience three hikes which highlight the beauty of Western Utah and Eastern Nevada. This loop was chosen because of its stunning scenery and wildflowers. (Trails involved in the loop: Mill Fork to the top, then the Crest Trail to Pockets Fork, down the Pockets Fork to The South Willow Lake Trail and finally back to the trailhead on the South Willow Lake Trail). Today the trails were easy to follow with some snow in the upper part of Mill Fork and in the Pockets Fork. There were no clouds so I would suggest carrying a sun hat and plenty of water. A map is also an essential item. Remember it is easier to burn in higher elevations. Hiking time: 6.5 hours, total distance approximately 8 miles, 3000 feet elevation gain to top.

              Looking north up the Stansbury Mountains with the Great Salt Lake in the distance.

                           East from the top

                              Another view east

                                     Alpine flowers with scenery

                               Me on top

                           Profusion  of wildflowers

                                  Looking toward Grantsville

                                            Alpine wildflowers

West Wendover, Nevada Car Show June 15, 2013

In mid June the Peppermill Casino hosted their annual car show. This year the show had a wide variety of  classic cars plus more contemporary cars. Activities included a burnout competition and a Poker Run.  On this blog I have included pictures of some of my favorite cars including a 1913 Ford old and a 57 Chevy.