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A Treasure Trove
STORY BY DAVID BERT
As dawn breaks the rising sun invests the 13,000 foot Wheeler Peak with a crown of golden snow. This silent coronation goes unnoticed by virtually everyone sleeping in the Wheeler Peak Campground 3,000 feet below. For them a subtle alarm clock of songbirds, deer grazing in the meadow, and a creek meandering past their tents proclaims the beginning of another beautiful day at Great Basin National Park.
If you're camping at Wheeler Peak Campground, deciding how to use that day is easy, because of your proximity to some spectacular hiking trails. The verdict should be obvious. Take a hike!
The trail starting at the entrance to Wheeler Peak Campground accesses a number of treasures. It's very popular even for visitors possessing only moderate hiking abilities, and has always been a favorite of former Park Superintendent Becky Mills. "I think when I first came to this park many, many years ago that was the biggest surprise. You come from an arid environment, drive up the mountain road to Wheeler Peak Campground, and begin on that little hike and you're in an entirely different environment. You're in a mountain alpine environment with conifers, little streams that are very clear and tinkling, and the first thing you come to very quickly is a gorgeous turquoise alpine lake surrounded by the ridge." ...
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The March/April 2003 Issue is out. Find it at Las Vegas bookstores today.
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