Route through Nevada.
When we told one of the rangers that this was our 360th
National Park visited and that we had missed it
many times because of its remoteness, he replied:
"It's a great park for solitude."
Just getting settled in our campsite.
One of the best we've had.
We took an evening stroll on a "Nature Trail" at the
upper end of the road. Around 10,000 ft. elevation.
Beauty, again, is everywhere.
The next morning we took a real hike.
Six hours of climbing, walking, and trudging
through snow up to 11,000 ft. From there we
were able to view the only glacier in NV.
It's a "rock glacier" meaning that it is
covered in glacial rubble, so no pictures.
On the hike, goofing off.
A nearly dead bristlecone pine.
On a recent post I said that these trees lived
up to 2000 years! Sorry,
they live up to 5000 years. This one,
is 3200 years old (not Judy) as
determined by core samples.
The hole left by the bore fills with resin
within an hour and continues healing.
This tree is over 4000 years old and has been dead
several hundred years! These guys do not rot, but
weather, and may stand for a 1000 years after death.
A beautiful alpine lake and Judy.
10,200 ft.
Back at our campsite, exhausted.
Relaxing at our private mountain stream.
COOL.
Great Basin NP also has caves.
Leaman Caves are some of the most
decorated on the country.
There were lots of damage and graffiti in places.
Mr. Leaman gave "tours" by showing you the entrance,
giving you a candle, and telling you that if
you weren't back in 24 hours, he'd come and find you.
His view of this asset wasn't exactly like the
National Park's: "don't touch". His was:
"If you can break it, you can take it."
The cave is still beautiful. Here is the "Wedding
Chapel". Weddings were held here until the 1990's.
After our cave tour, we broke camp and drove 230 miles
to Tonopah, NV. We parked the motorhome in a
casino lot and drove the car to Akali Hot Springs.
(Look closely, Jan.)
We soaked and watched the sunset.
The hot springs.
The sunset.
As we were preparing to leave, a herd of wild
horses came galloping across the desert!
They were coming to drink at the overflow pond.
Beautiful, vibrant animals.
One more picture.
Good night Nevada.
On to California.
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