Year-End/New-Year Trip to Far-Eastern Nevada

Just thought I'd throw this out there as I'm thinking about it.

Far-eastern Nevada -- especially Great Basin National Park -- is one of my favorite, "special" places, but I haven't been there since the end of my May 2011 Utah trip. And I got as far east as Eureka, NV, in my January 2012 Central Nevada trip, which was a good trip but not the same place.

Many times over the years -- over at least 25 years, maybe more -- I've visited Great Basin National Park (GBNP) in the week between Christmas and New Years. Not every year or even every-second-year, but lots of times. There's only one campground open in winter in GBNP, "Lower Lehman", and it's been really cool to be the only person camped there, which has happened many times during that winter holiday week. There's usually some snow...not a lot, some times enough to X-country ski in, some times just enough to snowshoe in, some times with enough bare ground or crust that it's walkable in just boots.

Here's a photo from a mid-winter camping trip to GBNP, in the mid-'90s, I think:

Pre-camper, obviously, and it shows a major reason why I decided I wanted a camper.

And here's a photo from the FWC-camper era, camped in the very same site (good old #11) as I camped in that earlier much-new-snow-with-tent visit.

I like this site (#11) because it's out in the open, and so, has a big view of Wheeler/Jeff Davis Peaks looming to the west as well as the view east across the near-lunar landscape of far-western Utah.


Anyway, it feels like time to make another trip out there...probably between Xmas and New Years...possibly the week after New Years (as I did last year, in order to join a group of friends for an Alvord Desert New Years). Now that I'm retired, having the week "off" between those two holidays isn't relevant anymore, but I'm thinking I'll do it then anyway.

Mark, we haven't sat down with maps and planned our route into the southwest that week yet. But there is a good chance we will pass through GBNP on the way out and/or back. Maybe we can hook up for a night or two. Besides, then we can build you a fire in that cold so it doesn't have a foot of snow piled up on it like your photo.

Mark, we haven't sat down with maps and planned our route into the southwest that week yet. But there is a good chance we will pass through GBNP on the way out and/or back. Maybe we can hook up for a night or two. Besides, then we can build you a fire in that cold so it doesn't have a foot of snow piled up on it like your photo.


As I mentioned in an earlier post, I too have started looking at some of my new maps of Nevada for possible winter adventures! If you are going to build a few fires out there Ted, sort of as "place of refuge" from the winter storms, you guys keep me posted! During the winter, we in Susanville tend to get trapped-can't go east or west if the the heavy snows fall, so I go where the weather lets me, but seem to find myself up at Eagle Lake enjoying the BLM Rocky Point CG by myself because I can't go anywhere else! Like Mark, retirement gives me a lot of latitude to go where I want, when I want-depending on the weather---and I never have been to Eastern Nevada during the mid winter season, so maybe it's time to do it!

Smoke

Mark, we haven't sat down with maps and planned our route into the southwest that week yet. But there is a good chance we will pass through GBNP on the way out and/or back. Maybe we can hook up for a night or two. Besides, then we can build you a fire in that cold so it doesn't have a foot of snow piled up on it like your photo.

That would be great, Ted.

And yes, as you previously said, I lack motivation to build myself a campfire, though I enjoy those built by others.
Many times I've sat, bundled up, in my Strongback chair in front of my campsite, holding up this cardboard sign to passing campers:

.....I never have been to Eastern Nevada during the mid winter season, so maybe it's time to do it!

Smoke, I can be your winter-in-Eastern-Nevada guide/consultant. It all begins in Ely.

That would be great, Ted.

And yes, as you previously said, I lack motivation to build myself a campfire, though I enjoy those built by others.
Many times I've sat, bundled up, in my Strongback chair in front of my campsite, holding up this cardboard sign to passing campers:





Hmmmmm, I seem to remember you making me build a fire (with my wood no-less) up in the Steens last spring-fire for guide service ( I see a method for this madness)----but what happens if you run out of propane for your heater! Do you become a snow cone and a new land mark for future spring visitors and for new "unstuck" threads?

Smoke

...but what happens if you run out of propane for your heater! Do you become a snow cone and a new land mark for future spring visitors and for new "unstuck" threads?

I've watched enough episodes of SurvivorMan to know the potential survival-value of a fire...but I also know that hypothermia is a relatively painless and trouble-free way to go (once you get past the unpleasant shivering phase), so either way -- it's all good.

There is no hope for you Mark!

Smoke

Posting this photo...


...reminds me that I was going to get a snow rake before this winter camping.
As this photo shows, a lot of snow can fall in one night -- even in arid Great Basin National Park...and with this much extra weight on the roof, lowering it safely/undamagingly might be a problem.
Even with the roof lifting helper shocks thingys that I now have, a lightweight, collapsible/stowable snow rake could have a place in my winter kit.
I've seen suitable ones recently at hardware stores...

I'll throw my hat in the ring on this. Keep me in the loop on plans, I've recently picked up a firewood carrier for winter outings.

I'll throw my hat in the ring on this. Keep me in the loop on plans, I've recently picked up a firewood carrier for winter outings.


Better watch out CraggyMan, if Mark sees that, you may never get home again-you'll spend the rest of your days building fires in the snow!! I can see the campfire remains strung out across the wilds of Nevada now- going on and on and on; be great for future archaeologists though-to study, a new culture! Gee what could we name it?

Smoke

"Clan of the fire moochers" sounds about right... but in all fairness MarkBC has held my hand as I struggle along with the digital world for many years now. So, maybe sharing a campfire is not too drastic for repayment.

Hi! I am looking to add some hiking to a trip to Vegas. I am looking at the last week of April/first week of May. Thinking Great Basin and Zion. Do I need to worry about it beginning so early in the season? Will most of the trails be open? I will be coming from Michigan. While I have visited Zion before, it was later in the year.
Any advice you can give would be appreciated!

Hi! I am looking to add some hiking to a trip to Vegas. I am looking at the last week of April/first week of May. Thinking Great Basin and Zion. Do I need to worry about it beginning so early in the season? Will most of the trails be open? I will be coming from Michigan. While I have visited Zion before, it was later in the year.
Any advice you can give would be appreciated!

Welcome to Wander The West, Mandy!

I'm not an expert on Zion...but it's among the the lower elevations (in general) of all the great national parks in Utah, so it should be fine in late-April/early-May. In fact, it's a good time to visit most of those parks -- before the heat of summer. But it would be a good idea to check with the Park in advance.

Great Basin NP in late April, early May...well, in May 2011, I got snowed on. I don't know if that's typical as I've generally visited either mid-winter when it was all snowy or in late-summer/early-fall when it was pre-snowy.


The snow at the 7500-ft elevation where I was camped melted the next day.

If I was in your situation, I might consider visiting the north rim of the Grand Canyon instead of GBNP. If you're already planning on Zion then from there you're relatively in the neighborhood of the North Rim. As fond as I am of GBNP, it's not at the same level of spectacular as the Grand Canyon -- nor does it match Zion for spectacular-scenic.
But maybe you've already "done" the Grand Canyon and really want to take in the more subdued great-basiny beauty of GBNP...I like Great Basin NP for non-spectacular reasons.

Feel free to ask me more questions, via PM, if you like (use the little envelope under my avatar).
AND: You might consider starting a new topic, such as: "Southern NV-and-UT in late-April/early-May" in the Trip Planning forum and post your questions there. People will be attracted to that and have lots of input/suggestions for you.

FYI, FWIW:
I think I've settled on the week after Christmas and extending to New Years (i.e., Dec 26 to Jan 1) as when I'll visit my long-beloved winter-camping destination, far-eastern Nevada.

Great Basin National Park is my nominal destination and I'll certainly spend at least a couple of nights there, but I'll likely spend at least some time exploring in other spots in central and eastern Nevada. Maybe drive up the west side of the northern Snake Range, east side of Spring Valley north of US 50/6 -- I've never been there, so that makes it cool...possibly another visit to the Monitor and Big Smoky Valleys.

So empty and inhospitable -- especially in winter! Love that stuff!

FYI, FWIW:
I think I've settled on the week after Christmas and extending to New Years (i.e., Dec 26 to Jan 1) as when I'll visit my long-beloved winter-camping destination, far-eastern Nevada.

Great Basin National Park is my nominal destination and I'll certainly spend at least a couple of nights there, but I'll likely spend at least some time exploring in other spots in central and eastern Nevada. Maybe drive up the west side of the northern Snake Range, east side of Spring Valley north of US 50/6 -- I've never been there, so that makes it cool...possibly another visit to the Monitor and Big Smoky Valleys.

So empty and inhospitable -- especially in winter! Love that stuff!


Mark: the way the weather is acting now, it may be 120 degrees with no snow out there in two weeks. What a horrible thought, they are forecasting a chance of snow here mid week-believe it when I see it, it just rains here and floods the local creeks or is too damn cold. Anyway I'm probably not going up to Washington for X-mas, so I might meet up with you somewhere out there for a day or two depending on your route! Which way are you going via the Black Rock, Pyramid Lake, 140 or over this way then east? Nothing is for sure here, just watching the weather and wondering where the snow is! Been checking the weather out in Central Nevada and it goes back and forth between hotter than usual and a front is blowing in and instead they just get cold air-no snow! Keep me posted by email or this thread(which ever is proper), need to head out somewhere soon-even been thinking of the coast, but all it is doing there is raining.

Smoke

Sounds of gears grinding slowly in Craggy Man's cranium.

Sounds of gears grinding slowly in Craggy Man's cranium.

Don't break anything, dude! Maybe your clutch is busted...

I've always loved a campfire, fire in a fireplace, fire in a woodstove, bonfire on the beach, what have you. So, I totally get the fact that some might consider it sacrilege to so much as MENTION an alternative to a campfire fueled with wood. Still, the first time I experienced an RV-ing buddy's "Amazing Campfire in a Can", I was smitten with the device. Comes in a sturdy aluminum "can" which clips over the gas logs/burner/grate/hose assembly. It's about the same diameter and half the height of a 5-gallon spackle bucket. The gas hose is a good 10-12' long so the 5-gallon propane cylinder can be set well away from the fire. Turns on in an instant, has adjustable flame, the logs get hot enough to radiate heat fairly well, and it cools down within 15-25 minutes of turning it off. Pretty dang handy appliance for those times when a quick set-up, some warmth, and a quick stow-away is needed more than the admittedly finer ambiance of a real campfire. The CIAC is particularly good for setting up beside an outdoor Coleman stove upon which the morning's coffee is brewing. They're spendy--around $240, but my buddy's has been rocked and rolled around in his Class C's storage bin and it went to Nevada, Idaho, and Montana in my Superduty, including some fairly rough roads and trails, and is still in perfectly sound condition.

Foy