Sunstone Knoll and Clear Lake, near Delta, Utah

This last weekend we decided to have a volcanic theme and visit several volcanic areas. First up was Sunstone Knoll, about 13 miles south on Highway 257 from Delta (near mile marker 56). A BLM sign helpfully points out the turnoff. Right after the turnoff you cross the railroad tracks, and we noticed a train was coming. The kids were delighted.

After watching the train go by, we parked next to several other vehicles. An extended family was out for a morning of fun. Sunstones are a slightly yellow, nearly transparent semi-precious gem. They were extruded from volcanic vents and are found with the basaltic lava and volcanic breccia. If the sun is shining, it is easy to find these labradorite crystals, as they sparkle in the sunlight. They are generally quite small, but they can be abundant and it is like a treasure hunt to find them.

We were also on another treasure hunt: to find the geocache at Sunstone Knoll. We had success, and the kids are getting better about really watching their surroundings.

I got distracted by this pretty hemiptera, a true bug. I liked the reddish markings.

Of course, Desert Girl was hiking in style. I made her wear her new hiking boots and pants, but she figured out a way to liven up her outfit.

We were all entranced by a horned lizard.

The kids followed it to a bush and then decided they had to catch it. I wasn't so sure they could...

…but they did!

After Desert Boy's inspection (he now wants to be a zookeeper when he grows up, but he doesn't want to clean the animal pens), it was time for the handoff.

Desert Girl was happy to hold the lizard. She later caught one all on her own.

Then it was time to leave Sunstone Knoll and its interesting geology and head to nearby Clear Lake Waterfowl Management Area (go 1.5 mile further south on Highway 257, then 6 miles east on the signed road). This area consists of 6,190 acres of open water, wetlands, and uplands. It was purchased in the 1930s primarily to provide bird habitat. In February and March, it hosts thousands of snow geese. During spring and fall, it is an important migratory stop. Clear Lake is pretty primitive, with no facilities.

 The first sign we saw was next to a dried out area, so it didn't look too promising. Fortunately down the road we found some water.

We did see our next destination, Pahvant Butte, the prominent volcano south of Delta. Our big plan for the day was to hike it, so we didn't spend much time at Clear Lake.

But there is a geocache hidden at Clear Lake, so we went in search of it and found some additional wet areas.

On the way, we found this awesome truck.

 "Clear Lake-Greatest Wetland in the World"

A Drink in the Road

This last week has been a whirlwind of activity, including leaving for our spring break trip. It was a dark and windy day when we headed down the highway in a fully-loaded truck. We had to hit the brakes when we saw the sheep--and then take a photo when we saw what the sheep were doing.  Rumble strips aren't just to jar you awake, as these sheep discovered!

Winter Views from the Train: Provo, Utah to the Rocky Mountains, Colorado

 Keeping with our travel theme, in this post I'll share some recent photos from a train trip we took. We departed Provo, Utah very early in the morning and arrived in Chicago, Illinois about 32 hours later. This post will cover just the first day.

The train was scheduled to arrive in Provo at 4:30 am, so we set our hotel alarm for 3:30 am. Upon waking, the first thing I did was to check Amtrak's website, which said the train was running 45 minutes late, so we went back to sleep. When we reawakened, the train was reported as on time, so we got ready and headed out on the slippery streets to the small one-room station. A number of other people were also waiting. The station had some heat lights, but as we kept waiting and waiting, we decided to take refuge in the van to stay warm. Apparently there was another delay, and eventually one of the folks waiting with us called and found out it was another 45 minute delay.

 The snow was falling heavily by the time the train arrived, and we sure were glad to get on! About 15 people boarded the train.

The conductor said the train was full, but had saved us four seats all near each other. We put our suitcases in the luggage bins, and went to our seats, where we dozed off till it got light. Then we headed to the observation car to eat the breakfast we had brought and where we could be a bit louder.

 The observation car is on top of the cafe, where you can buy a variety of drinks and food. The observation car has lots of windows, so it's a great way to see the terrain. The assistant conductor hung out there, sharing his vast knowledge of the countryside we were passing.

 And my, it sure was beautiful! The early morning sun lit up the Utah desert. At one point, far off in the distance, we could even see an arch from Arches National Park!

 The kids didn't seem particularly interested in viewing the surroundings, but they were eager to work on their activities. We had packed a number of them for the trip.

 "You are here"--I just loved it.

 The frozen Green River.

 As we entered this canyon past Green River, the conductor told us to look for the steps American Indians had carved into the sandstone cliff. The snow highlighted them nicely, and we all wondered how they had traversed such a steep place.

The Colorado River was amazing. I had done this section of train trip in June, with a swollen river roiling over its banks. I figured the river in winter would be serene. I certainly didn't expect the jumble of ice on the river, piling up in places, cracked, buckled, and floating in pieces only to jam up again. The ice was mesmerizing, and I spent hours watching it.

 When we reached Grand Junction we got off the train to stretch our legs. I think I appreciated it more than the kids! We checked out the station and the gift store and almost missed the train! Yikes, with just one California Zephyr running a day, it would have been a long wait for the next train!

 Just past Glenwood Springs we entered Glenwood Canyon, a steep section of canyon with the Interstate engineered to cross the Colorado River repeatedly, go through tunnels, and even be double decker for a short while. It's some of the most expensive Interstate Highway in the country.

 At Dotsero, the tracks left the Interstate and headed north, following the Colorado River. In places the river looked more serene, without so much ice buildup.

 Desert Girl chilling out.

 Since it was Christmas break, there were lots of kids on the train, and Desert Boy quickly made friends.

 I kept watching the ice on the river, which was forming huge blocks, breaking apart, floating downstream, and getting mixed up.

 It was a fairly cloudy day so we couldn't see any distant peaks, but just seeing the canyon made the trip amazingly beautiful. The scenery surpassed my expectations.

Later we retired to our seats for a nap. Then the kids watched a movie while my husband and I read, waiting for our dinner reservation. Finally it was time to eat, and then to sleep, dreaming while we were gently rocked to and fro, speeding along in the darkness.

...to be continued...

Views from the Air: Las Vegas to the Midwest

We're back from an extended trip and I downloaded my cameras, only to notice that I still had photos from November on one of them. In mid-November I was lucky to spend a long weekend with my best friends from high school. In order to get to the Midwest, I flew out of Las Vegas and took some photos along the way. The Las Vegas Strip stands out prominently from the air, surrounded by large blocks of development.

 What surprised me were the large undeveloped blocks not too far from the city center. The golf course certainly stands out as an anomaly in one of the driest cities in the country.

 Just west of Las Vegas is some amazing geology. I'm not sure what the names of these ridges are, but they certainly look rugged.

 Part of Lake Mead National Recreational Area. This reservoir is huge! The contrast between the parched earth and aquamarine-colored water is striking.

Next came a variety of desert vistas. Soon, though, the landscape transformed from brown hues to white ones, due to a change in topography and elevation, which encouraged snowfall:

 Crossing the Rocky Mountains. Clouds hung to some of the peaks, and the mountains seemed to continue forever.

Nevertheless, the mountains did come to an end, a rather abrupt end. Then it was time for:

 Farming! The round circles indicated pivot irrigation, which means that this farming is in an area where the rainfall isn't abundant enough or predictable enough to provide sufficient amounts for crops.

 The rivers grew larger,  a marked difference from the desert environment to which I've become accustomed.

Finally it was time for more farming, but in much smaller parcels. The fields are in rectangles, so probably no additional water is needed for the crops.

It was so interesting watching the scenery out the window that I didn't need many other distractions during the nearly-four hour flight. Crossing much of the country on a clear day in a window seat is a great treat.

Do you have favorite sights that you like to see from the air?

Hike to Baker Lake in Great Basin National Park

 Back in September I had the opportunity to hike to Baker Lake, a 5.5 mile (one-way) hike with about 2,400 ft elevation gain. The view from the trailhead includes False Pyramid Peak. The trail continues past it and past (true) Pyramid Peak to a cirque, which is where the lake is located.

 It was a mostly cloudy day, but when the sun came out, it really lit up the fall colors. Aspen trees line many parts of the trail.

 The trail also follows Baker Creek for most of the way, although at times the trail switchbacks away from the creek to allow for a gentler gradient. Generally in September the water levels are really low, but due to the abundant monsoon rains, the creek was roaring almost like it was spring runoff. (If you're from any area besides the desert, this probably looks like a tiny creek, but to us it's huge!)

 Several spring tributaries made us even have to step on the big rocks to get across.

 Some of the aspen hadn't fully turned, but some, like in this avalanche path from 2005, lit up the hillside.

 While we were walking, I noticed these mushrooms growing in a cut tree stump.

 Some of the leaves were already falling.

 Another avalanche area looked a little desolate.

 After about two hours, we made it to Baker Lake. It was quite a bit higher than it usually is in late September, thanks to those aforementioned rains.

My friend Chandra had never been to Baker Lake, so I took her to the far end, the west end near the cirque, to get an overview.

As we were walking back to meet the other people in our group, I noticed the moraine above the lake. What was up there? Could there be more water?

There was only one way to find out.

So we turned around and hiked further up.

We didn't find any other lake, just lots more talus and boulders.

It sure was beautiful. There are some great campsites near the lake, but campfires aren't allowed, so if you do go, be sure to take a stove.

Then it was time to get to work, collecting water samples and measuring water quality.

Baker Lake is one of the deeper lakes and supports non-native brook trout and Lahontan cutthroat trout.

The wind blew and we were cold. We worked fast to get everything done so we could get out of the wind and down to a warmer elevation. It was a good day, a fast trip, and some beautiful vistas. Looking forward to hiking up there next summer!