Grove of the Ancients

We checked out from the Cal and hit the road around 7:00AM this morning for the ~300-mile drive to Baker, NV and Great Basin National Park. We practically had US 93 all to ourselves!

Today's driving route: 390 miles, 6.5 hours

We arrived in Baker about 11:15AM, but the restaurant we planned to try for lunch was closed. Not sure if this was because it's the end of the tourist season or if it's permanent? We stopped in the Bristlecone General Store, but rather than buying prepackaged food, we decided just to fix sandwiches in the car instead. 

The visitor center on the north end of town had some really informative exhibits about the Great Basin, which encompasses the region between the Sierra Nevadas in eastern California and Wasatch Mountains in Utah, and from Snake River Plain in southern Idaho to the Mojave Desert and Mexico. Geographically speaking, it's literally a big bowl, so all of the water in the Great Basin never reaches the ocean - melting snow and rain feed streams and rivers, which empty into lakes and intermittent playas. What doesn't get used by plants, animals, or people ends up evaporating or soaking into underground aquifers. 

Can you identify the Great Basin on this raised relief map?

Great Basin National Park also protects the oldest non-clonal species on the planet, Pinus longaeva, otherwise known as the Great Basin bristlecone pine. Found only in California, Nevada, and Utah, they are able to grow under harsh conditions at high elevations just below the tree-line and can live for thousands of years. The cross section pictured below came from Prometheus, which was estimated to be 4900 years old when it was cut down for research in 1964. 

The white dots on the surface mark the rings corresponding to 1964 (furthest left), 1922, 1859, 1776, ~1300 CE, ~350 CE, and ~250 BCE. 

After getting souvenirs and my passport stamps from the bookstore, we crossed the road over to the headquarters for the Great Basin National Heritage Area for their stamps, but they were closed. Guess I'll have to send them a SASE when we get home...

Then we drove into the park and made another stop at the Lehman Caves Visitor Center. Because we'll be back for the Parachute Shield Cave Tour tomorrow morning, we just zipped through the cave exhibits before heading out to the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. 

☑ #39 of 63 National Parks

At the Mather Overlook, we were treated to stunning views of fall color!

Mather Plaque honoring Stephen Tyng Mather, the first director of the National Park Service

Wheeler Peak Cirque

We reached the end of the 12-mile road and parked in the lot for the Bristlecone Trailhead a little before 2:00PM and then started the 2.8-mile roundtrip hike out to the Wheeler Peak Bristlecone Grove. The trail starts at an elevation of 9890 feet and climbs to nearly 10,400 feet at the grove.

Looking down into the Snake Valley

Approaching the tree line

After taking several rest breaks along the way, we finally made it to the Bristlecone Pine Loop Trail about 3:15PM.

 

This tree is 3200 years old and still kicking

Limber pine (left) and bristlecone pine (right)

3200-3300 years old

Baby bristlecone

From the Bristlecone Grove, we could have continued on the trail to the Wheeler Peak Glacier, but adding another two miles to the hike did not sound like a very good idea. So we headed out the same way we came in. Considering the high altitude, I was happy that we were able to complete the hike in about 2.5 hours (and not die).

Back at the trailhead

On our way back down, we stopped at the Summit Trailhead because R wanted to check out the fall colors here based on the recommendation we got from the ranger in the visitor center. I was too pooped to hike any further, so I stayed in the car.

Quaking aspens

The drive was lovely, although slightly nervewracking with the curves and downhill grade

Unfortunately, there was no lodging available in Baker when I started planning this trip, so I booked a room at the Holiday Inn Express about an hour away in Ely, NV. Because it was almost past dinner time when we pulled into town, we drove straight to Mr. Gino's Italian Restaurant to eat and then checked into our room, ready to crash out.

Another early departure tomorrow morning for the drive back to the park for the 9:00AM cave tour!