Today we drove the 70 miles to Ely and then a further 60 miles to the Great Basin National Park. This Park is really misnamed as although it encompasses a huge basin surrounded by the most rugged mountains I have seen the basin is not the main feature. For day visitors like us the main feature is Mount Wheeler which is 10,300 feet high. It has a huge ice sculpted bowl which holds tons of ice in the Winter as a glacier. Today there was still quite a bit of ice visible in the clefts around the summit but it won't last much longer. We drove from the Visitors Centre at about 6,800 feet up an amazing road to the car park and camp ground at 10,000 feet. Here Bob and I decided to tackle the 4 mile walk which climbs 400 feet up around two lovely alpine lakes. We had to go slowly on the climb because we were both feeling quite woozy with the altitude. However once we made the upper lake it was easy going from there. Well worth the effort. Along the way we talked to some other walkers. Two younger men were completing the walk we were on in preparation and acclimatisation for tackling the summit the next day. Another man has visited numerous times and commented that he had never seen the Park so busy. He attributed this to people visiting on their way north to view the Solar Eclipse which will occur on Monday. It is the first time in most people's history that there has been a solar eclipse in North America so it is creating a lot of interest. He is going to the border of Ohio and Colorado to view the entire show.
When we came down we finally managed to get our Park Pass from the visitors centre. We then returned to Ely for our bed. We imagined this desert road would be quiet but we have had to book in advance to get accommodation and to take what is available.
Tomorrow will be a long day as we drive across southern Utah to Colorado so you may not hear from me until at least Mon. The little critter on the rail is BB our toy bear who appears in regular emails to Eleanor and Hannah.
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