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The
Trip: Our guide for this trip is, Rob Ewing, a Great Basin National Park ranger and experienced outdoorsman. He is taking us on one of his favorite hikes in the park. We begin our hike on Mount Washington, elevation 11,676 feet. After hiking to the summit of Mount Washington, we will spend the day hiking along the top of a ridge of peaks, all above 11,000 feet. To access the park and our beginning point, Rob takes us south from US 50 to State Route 894 via an agricultural road. We turn toward the mountains at the Kirkeby Ranch turnoff. Once we head off road, the terrain changes dramatically. As the road goes higher and higher up the mountain, the desert gives way to pine forest and the driving becomes increasingly difficult. The incredibly steep and tight switchbacks on the road makes it slow going. Along the way are the remains of log cabins from the late 1800s and a few rusted relics of the park's mining past.
The view of the Great Basin is phenomenal from the top of Mount Washington. It is an incredible experience to be standing amongst the ancient bristlecone pines and see the landscape open up below us.
The route Rob leads us on takes us across the ridgeline. It feels like we are walking along the very top of the world… or at least the top of the horizon.
As dark falls, we set up camp near the lake. At this altitude, nighttime comes early and cold. We add layers of clothing for warmth and enjoy a meal before heading to the tents for some much anticipated rest. The next morning, we strike camp and continue the trip. From Johnson Lake, we have a three and a half-mile hike ahead of us. We drop about 1,500 feet in elevation, and while it's nice change of pace after yesterday's trail, the constant downhill slope puts a strain on our already sore legs and feet. As we move down in elevation, the terrain around us begins to change. We drop from above the timberline, into the pines and aspen groves, and finally into the sagebrush. What
a trip! The perfect getaway from the stresses of daily life and a gratifying
test of one's stamina. Thanks to the advisors and contributors of Wild Nevada Program #115:
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This
adventure is a 
Once
we reach a good stopping and staging point, we get the gear out the
truck and get ready to head out for a day of 
Still
savoring the beauty of the view and just beginning to establish our
hiking pace, we have a close encounter with a Bighorn ram, a patriarch
of this ridge. The ram doesn't let us get too close. As soon as we start
in his direction and he catches our scent, he scrambles out of the area.
Leaving us to marvel at the agility and ease with which he handles the
rocky terrain.
Underfoot
are layers of broken, jagged rock, which shift and settle with every
step. The terrain and elevation make it a challenging hike, and it quickly
becomes apparent that we're not going to make it all the way to our
original destination, Baker Lake before the sun sets. Getting trapped
on the ridge after dark is dangerous, so we decide to spend the night
at