To the Top of Eastern Nevada: Up Wheeler Peak with Kids

The day arrived: time to head up Wheeler Peak. We had two seven year olds and a ten year old. We had spent the night before at Wheeler Peak campground at 10,000 feet to acclimate and make the hike easier. We took a before hike photo when we were still all smiling (we forgot to take the after hike photo, but I can assure you some of the faces would have been showing different expressions!)

The start is easy, not too steep, fairly flat ground, and gorgeous views. We could see where we would soon be--on the ridge that leads up to Wheeler Peak (the mountain on the right in the photo above).

As we got higher, the trail got rockier. The kids wanted lots of breaks, so we had to use our best parenting techniques to keep them going.

I found the flowers distracting. I especially loved this pink one, moss campion (Silene acualis), that grows in a mound.

At one point, Desert Boy went ahead, found a wind shelter, and then laid down and pretended he was dead. Here are the kids trying to revive him. Fortunately they were successful!

Higher up, we found some snow!

We decided to take this snowy route for awhile.

Desert Boy's expression shows how enthusiastic he was. But then he and Isaac started talking about video games, and they got a second wind.

Jenny is such a trooper, up to any challenge! And with a smile.

Almost to the top!

One of the benefits of climbing the peak in July is seeing the bright pink Palmer's primrose (Primula parryi) in bloom. It's usually a riparian plant, but for some reason it also likes the higher slopes of Wheeler Peak. The purple plant is sky pilot or sticky Jacob's ladder (Polemonium viscosum), and it smells like skunk. Fortunately it wasn't too odiferous on this particular day. In the middle of the photo below, you can see Bald Mountain, with Buck Mountain to the right. The dry playa in the background is Yelland dry lake bed in Spring Valley.

Finally we got to the top! It was so nice to be there. We shared the summit ridge with about 20 other people, who were scattered along it.

Some of us went to the eastern edge of the ridge to see the Wheeler Cirque Rock Glacier and Jeff Davis peak. This year there aren't any thermokarst ponds (pools of water) on the rock glacier.

Jenny got a family photo of us.

And I wanted to get a photo with Jenny!

We spent about an hour at the top on the rare, almost windless day. You might notice we're not even wearing jackets. This is not common at all! Desert Girl wasn't feeling so good, and we hoped heading down would relive her altitude sickness.

The Ross's aven (Geum rossii) with its mats of yellow flowers and cushion phlox (Phlox pulvinata) with its white flowers decorated the scene, along with more sky pilot.

I thought going down might end the whining, but the kids were tired and let us know it.

With snow down the gully to Stella Lake, we thought that would be a fun alternative to the trail. There were a few fun moments...

 ...but it was really long and probably didn't really save us any time. But now we know.

We were all exhausted when we got back to the vehicles and forgot to take the after photo. The kids said they would never hike the peak again. But once they told other people and saw their reactions, they changed to saying that they wouldn't hike the peak in the next few years. After that, who knows?

Anyway, we were really proud of them for accomplishing such a big feat. and it was great to spend the day outdoors in such beautiful settings. For anyone wanting to take kids to the top, plan on an all-day adventure (it was about 9 hours total for us, including an hour at the top), lots of food and water and patience. And it sure helps to have good weather!

Kids Hike up Timber Creek

 We had some friends visiting from out of town, and Jenny and I wanted to spend time with them in the great outdoors. That meant it was time for a hike in the woods! Desert Girl took that as an opportunity to get all glamoured up. This girl makes me smile!

It was seven kids and three moms, and we started off with all the kids on the bridge.

They got to lead. Our destination? Timber Creek in Great Basin National Park. The trail starts by crossing lots of bridges, has lots of shade, and you can go until you get tired and then just head back (downhill).

The riparian area gave way to sagebrush.

Then we reached some rose bushes with ripe rose hips. We stopped to munch them and soon after some elderberries. The kids thought it was pretty fun to eat their way along the trail.

Desert Girl had brought a magnifying glass and used it to take a closer look at the caterpillars crawling around inside the tent.

Desert Boy brought his pocket knife and had fun whittling until he cut himself. He pulled a bandaid out from his survival kit and patched himself up. It's nice when they get somewhat self-sufficient like that!

 The trail got a little steeper as we climbed up to meet Timber Creek.

It is so nice to have kids hiking with kids, as they entertain themselves and whining is kept to a minimum.

We stopped for a snack break. That's an essential part of any kid hike.

Then the kids started playing with an aspen tree. I'm not quite sure what they were trying to do, but they were all working together. Teamwork!

We hiked a bit farther and then told them to go make forts in the meadow. They did that for a bit, and then it was time for hide'n seek. The tall grass made for some very good hiding spots.

And good photo opportunities!


After at least a half hour (I didn't keep track, it was so nice to just relax and not worry about time!) of free play, we hiked back.


The kids wanted to get wet in the stream, so we told them to go for it.

Some of them took that pretty seriously and got very wet!

Nothing like a dip into a cold mountain stream with friends!

Trail Runs in Great Basin National Park

 I usually run about three times a week, about two to three miles each time. I was feeling in a bit of a rut, so on Fourth of July, I decided to go for a longer trail run. The route I wanted to take was the Timber-South Fork Baker loop in Great Basin National Park, where we had taken a family backpacking trip last year. It's about 5.5 miles with an 1,800 foot elevation change. I figured it would be challenging, but I could get it done in about two hours. I packed a small pack and headed off.

I walked a lot, more than one-third of it, and I paused at the upper meadow to take a few photos, but I happily finished it in less than two hours! It felt so great to be in the outdoors, exploring. I didn't see a single other person on the trail the whole time, and the temperatures were great. I saw deer, beautiful flowers, and a variety of birds.

When I plotted the run in Google Earth, I found there's a cool feature that gives you an elevational profile. The Timber Creek side is a little steeper than the South Fork Baker side. (I drew the route in by hand, so it skips some of the switchbacks and trail meanderings.)

Today I was ready for another trail run. I wasn't feeling quite as energetic, so I thought I would try an easier loop, the Timber Creek-Pole Canyon loop. I parked near Grey Cliffs and started up through the campground. When I got to the boardwalk, I pulled out my phone. I could tell I might be taking more photos on this run!

The orchids were blooming. What? Orchids in the desert? Yep, they're small, but they do live here.

A couple swallowtail butterflies were happily pollinating them.

I continued up through the Baker Creek Campground and on the connector trail to the Timber/South Fork Baker Trailhead. Not far from there I paused to enjoy this monkshood flower.

I slogged my way up the trail, and found that the route over to Pole Canyon had changed, now going through the forest. The view from the meadow at the top was gorgeous, with Jeff Davis Peak in the background.

Looking towards Pole Canyon, paintbrush lit up the scene.

These cool, gnarled trees framed the trail.

Where the connector trail meets the Pole Canyon trail, someone had added info to the sign, writing that the Baker Creek trailhead was 1.5 miles away. The trail that goes to Upper Pole Canyon past the sign has virtually disappeared.

Much of the Pole Canyon trail was really overgrown. Not too many people hike here--but I did find one other hiker!

It took me two hours even to do the run/walk (I walked nearly half of it). I thought this was supposed to be easier! When I plotted it in Google Earth, I found it was at least 6.5 miles long (again, I'm sure I missed some switchbacks and trail meanders) and with an 1,800 foot elevation change! The average slope was easier, 10% versus 16%. But now I feel better about my time knowing that I went farther. The trail is a little lower elevation, so there's more oxygen, but it's also warmer. 

I'm really liking these weekly trail runs, I'm hoping I can do more throughout the summer!