Third time is the charm! I've been wanting to hike this range since last winter. I took a trip in March to scout out different approaches, and got my truck stuck in the snow, had to hike out about 10 miles back to I-80. We live in a skeptical society these days, and after about 200 vehicles passed me & my extended thumb, and with the temperatures dropping fast, I called the Nevada Highway Patrol and they graciously gave me a ride to Wendover, where my lovely wife picked me up at the Peppermill Casino.
In May and with snow levels quite a bit higher, I tried again, and this time I was about 15 miles east of Pequop (approximately 20 west of Wendover) and the old Ranger started vibrating and making a lot of noise. Another call to my incredibly understanding and supportive wife, and we towed the truck 150 miles back to Bountiful.
Undeterred, I made the trip out to Pequop again yesterday, July 2, 2011. This time I took the wife's RAV (yes, I'm a very lucky man).
What an incredible day! It was the day after the July 1st admittance of the University of Utah to the PAC-12 conference, a great time to reflect and finally conquer the Pequop range. I took I-80 exit 365 and started south in the Independence Valley, looking to go up a canyon on the west side of the range about 15 miles south of the Interstate.
The Pequop range lies west of the Goshute range and Goshute valley, and east of the Humboldt range with Independence Valley lying in between, and Spruce Mountain rising up to the southwest. Classic basin & range geography, high level of isolation (I didn't see another soul after I left the Interstate, on a Saturday).
I'm addicted to this land...
Looking south-southwest from near the South Pequop BM, toward Spruce mountain, with some playa in the valley:
Looking east from the summit, the Toano Mountains appear in the foreground, with Pilot Peak behind:
In May and with snow levels quite a bit higher, I tried again, and this time I was about 15 miles east of Pequop (approximately 20 west of Wendover) and the old Ranger started vibrating and making a lot of noise. Another call to my incredibly understanding and supportive wife, and we towed the truck 150 miles back to Bountiful.
Undeterred, I made the trip out to Pequop again yesterday, July 2, 2011. This time I took the wife's RAV (yes, I'm a very lucky man).
What an incredible day! It was the day after the July 1st admittance of the University of Utah to the PAC-12 conference, a great time to reflect and finally conquer the Pequop range. I took I-80 exit 365 and started south in the Independence Valley, looking to go up a canyon on the west side of the range about 15 miles south of the Interstate.
The Pequop range lies west of the Goshute range and Goshute valley, and east of the Humboldt range with Independence Valley lying in between, and Spruce Mountain rising up to the southwest. Classic basin & range geography, high level of isolation (I didn't see another soul after I left the Interstate, on a Saturday).
I'm addicted to this land...
Looking south-southwest from near the South Pequop BM, toward Spruce mountain, with some playa in the valley:
Over the ridge looking southeast, toward the Goshute moutains, with just a glimpse of the Deepcreek Mountains in the distance:
Spruce Mountain, with wind blowing up some dust on the playa:
I saw at least a half dozen dust devils, a couple of them far bigger than any I've seen before. This one is a few hundred feet high, in my estimation. It had a well developed inner core, twisting well off the ground, with a larger ring of dust circling, as well:
Looking east from the summit, the Toano Mountains appear in the foreground, with Pilot Peak behind:
1 comment:
Greetings,
Great to see your photos and read about your adventures in the Great Basin. I did my dissertation research (UC Davis) on Yellow-bellied Marmots in the Great Basin during 1999-2002. I will be returning to NV next week with two students to study marmot habitat in the region. Spruce/Pequop is one of the ranges in which I found only old marmot scat (no living marmots). Do you remember seeing any yellow-bellied marmots during your climb of Spruce Mt?
Thanks,
-Chris
Chris H. Floyd, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Biology, P354
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
105 Garfield Ave
Eau Claire, WI 54701
715-836-4163 (office phone/voice mail)
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