In the shadow of 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak, 5,000 year old bristlecone pine trees grow on rocky glacial moraines. Come to Great Basin National Park to experience the solitude of the desert, the smell of sagebrush after a thunderstorm, the darkest of night skies, and the beauty of Lehman Caves. Far from a wasteland, the Great Basin is a diverse region that awaits your discovery. (http://www.nps.gov/grba)
The bristlecone trees were dated in the years B.C. We were entertained by the names of the trees like Adversity.
Hiking up to the summit the wind was brutal. It tried to blow us off of the mountain. Along the ridge there were little rock walls providing us resting shelters against the wind. We would stop to warm up for a sec. On one of the stops we had a dance party. Can't get enough of Lady Gaga!!!
Wheeler Peakers: Ben, Jenn, Dustin, Leanne, Sarah, and me (Valery)
The view on top was EPIC! I never thought of Nevada having large mountains and beautiful wilderness areas. There were three smaller lakes, ancient gnarly trees, rocks of every kind, and hardly any tourist. It was serene.
This trip was brilliant. I am always up for something new and especially being outdoors. I do not have real pictures of Lehman caves but that was an experience! The tour guide thought we were little hoodlums but truthfully we were interested in the formations...at least I was. Jed (Ben) and I (quiet Valery) had the opportunity to make an earthquake in the tunnel at the end of the tour. By the end I realized the tour guide appreciate our enthusiasm. I bet he get the same ol' group day after day. We made the tour epic and educational! If you get a chance to summit Wheeler Peak and visit Lehman's Cave...do it!
1 comment:
We had a trip to the cave planned last spring and a late snow storm curbed it. Now I'm really itching to go again! Glad you had fun!
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