10/11/2023 - 10/16/2023: Utah and Nevada
Table of Contents
Sunrise, Annual Solar Eclipse, Pole Canyon Trail, and Night Sky Photos on Saturday, 10/14/2023
Bristlecone Trail at Great Basin National Park on Sunday, 10/15/2023
I was in Utah and Nevada from Wednesday, 10/11/2023, to Monday, 10/16/2023, visiting my good friend Heidi. During my visit, we explored the Bonneville Salt Flats, hiked Wheeler Peak, Pole Canyon Trail, and Bristlecone Trail in Great Basin National Park, and watched the Annular Solar Eclipse from our Airbnb in Baker, NV.
On Wednesday, 10/11/2023, I took an evening flight from Chicago O’Hare to Salt Lake City. My friend Heidi was kind enough to pick me up from the airport, and we headed back to her place in the suburbs to spend the night before starting our adventure the next day.
The next morning, we made our way to Great Basin National Park, stopping at the Bonneville Salt Flats along the way. The Bonneville Salt Flats are a 30,000-acre expanse of bright white salt crust in northwestern Utah, formed by the evaporation of an ancient lake. Known for their flat, otherworldly landscape, they’re famous for land speed racing, stunning photo opportunities, and a sense of vast, open space. It was so cool to see!
We only spent about 20 minutes there, as we wanted to reach our Airbnb in Baker, NV, before dark, and we still had a three-hour drive ahead of us. But you could definitely spend more time there if you wanted to!
Afterward, we drove about an hour and a half to Rack's Bar & Grill in Ely, NV, for lunch. We then continued on to our Airbnb in Baker, NV, with a quick stop at the general store along the way.
Click here to view more photos of Baker, NV
After dropping off our bags and supplies at the Airbnb, we headed out to catch the sunset at Great Basin National Park. We drove along Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, stopping at Mather Overlook for some of the best views of the park. With plenty of parking and a spacious viewing area, it’s a perfect spot to admire the famous Wheeler Cirque! After taking some photos, we returned to the Airbnb to relax for the night.
Click here to view more photos of the sunset from Great Basin National Park
On Friday, 10/13/2023, Heidi and I hiked Wheeler Peak, my first 13er! Standing at 13,065 feet, it’s the second-highest peak in Nevada. The 8.2-mile out-and-back trail starts in a forested area, winds through alpine meadows, and climbs steadily through steep, rocky terrain. At the summit, hikers are rewarded with panoramic views of Great Basin National Park, surrounding valleys, and distant peaks.
We left our Airbnb at 6:15am, arrived at the trailhead around 6:45am, and completed the 2,684-foot climb in about 6.5 hours.
Since the hike takes a good amount of time, I highly recommend bringing plenty of snacks and water. I used my usual Gregory Jade 28 Pack and a 3-liter Camelbak, though I ended up drinking only about 1.5 liters. For snacks, we packed tortillas with hummus and deli meat, Clif bars, Clif Blocks, Dot’s Pretzels, and trail mix.
For clothing, I wore a sports bra, baselayer long-sleeved shirt, a lightweight long-sleeved shirt over that, my Patagonia jacket, a hat, and gloves. I didn’t wear the gloves the entire time, but they were helpful to have.
I usually hike in Salomon Speedcross 5 trail runners, but for this hike, I purchased La Sportiva hiking boots. They are lightweight, very comfortable, and better suited for snowy conditions, which I anticipated near the summit. I also brought the ICEtrekkers Diamond Grip Traction System from REI for extra grip in the snow. However, the snow was light enough that I opted not to use them. In hindsight, I should have, as I slipped a couple of times on the way down.
One thing I chose not to bring on the hike was my Canon R6 camera. On its own, the camera weighs about 1.5 lbs, which isn’t too bad. But, I usually pair it with my 15-35mm f/2.8 lens, which brings the total weight to closer to 3.5 lbs. I normally carry it using a Cotton Carrier Harness, which helps distribute the weight and relieve pressure from my neck and shoulders. However, since this was my first high-elevation hike and I expected possible snowy conditions near the summit, I decided it was safer to leave the camera at the Airbnb and avoid the extra weight and the risk of damaging it if I fell, (which I did).
Instead, for this part of the trip, I just used my trusty Google Pixel 6 for photos, and Heidi shared with me photos she captured on her iPhone.
It was definitely a mentally challenging hike. Heidi ended up hiking ahead of me since I was moving at a much slower pace the higher up we hiked, due to it taking me longer to acclimate to the elevation. I almost lost the trail a couple of times on the way up but managed to get back on track. With the slower pace, I started questioning my fitness level and whether I’d actually make it to the top. I’m so grateful I pushed through. It was a tough but incredibly rewarding experience, and the views from the summit were absolutely worth it.
We got back to the car around 3pm and returned to the Airbnb to relax for the rest of the day.
That evening, I went out to capture some night sky photos around the property. I was so happy with how they turned out!
When I take photos at night, I use my Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8 lens and shoot in RAW (in fact, I always do!), which preserves all the image data captured by the camera and allows for greater flexibility and detail during editing. For post-processing, I used a mix of Adobe Lightroom and Topaz Denoise to enhance the images and reduce noise.
I used the following settings for the night sky photos:
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter speed: 30 seconds
ISO: 6400
I recommend starting with these settings and adjusting based on your location and light conditions.
On Saturday, 10/14/2023, I woke up early to walk around the Airbnb and capture photos of the sunrise.
We then stayed out to photograph the Annular Solar Eclipse!
Heidi and I chose to visit Great Basin National Park the weekend of 10/13/2023 because we wanted our trip to align with the new moon, maximizing visibility of the Milky Way. That was one of the few weekends in 2023 when the new moon coincided with a Saturday.
After booking our trip and Airbnb, we discovered we’d also have the chance to view the Annular Solar Eclipse! The eclipse was visible across parts of North, Central, and South America, with the path of annularity crossing the United States from Oregon to Texas.
During an annular solar eclipse, the Moon’s apparent size is slightly smaller than the Sun’s, leaving only the outer edge of the Sun visible. This creates a stunning effect, often called a “ring of fire,” for those within the path of annularity. It’s such an amazing sight to see, but it must be viewed with proper safety precautions — be sure to wear specialized solar eclipse glasses and use a properly designated solar filter.
I captured the eclipse using my 100-400mm lens with a solar filter, which allowed me to safely photograph the “ring of fire” in stunning detail.
The eclipse began in Nevada on October 14, 2023, at 9:18am, with the maximum duration of annularity in the state lasting 4 minutes and 37 seconds.
It was so amazing to see, and I’m incredibly grateful that I had the opportunity to witness it.
Around 12pm, Heidi and I headed to Pole Canyon Trailhead, located near the Grey Cliffs Campground. This 7-mile loop trail in Great Basin National Park offers a moderately challenging hike through groves of Pinyon, Juniper, and Aspen Pine trees, opening up to a meadow before transitioning back into a forested area.
I chose to stay in the meadow to take photos of the surrounding area, while Heidi continued further into the forested section of the trail. She later returned, and we headed back to the car. While the trail is designed as a loop, you don’t have to complete the entire route if you prefer a shorter hike. I wound up hiking a little over 4 miles in just under 3 hours.
That evening, I went back out to capture some more night sky photos around the property. Living in Chicago, I rarely get the chance to photograph the night sky because of all the light pollution. It was so wonderful to have the opportunity to capture some beautiful photos of the Milky Way!
On Sunday, 10/15/2023, Heidi and I checked out of the Airbnb to drive to Bristlecone Trail to hike some of it before heading back to Salt Lake City.
Bristlecone Trail is a 2.8-mile loop in Great Basin National Park, known for its stunning views and ancient bristlecone pine trees, some over 4,000 years old. The trail offers a relatively easy hike through alpine meadows and forests, with a gradual ascent to a scenic overlook. We spent just under 2 hours hiking before heading back to the car.
We left the trailhead at 11:30am to drive the 5.5-hour journey back to Salt Lake City. The next morning, I took a flight back to Chicago.
This trip was truly epic. It was amazing to hike my first 13er, take in the beauty of Great Basin National Park, capture stunning night sky photos, and witness the Annular Solar Eclipse!
Wednesday, 10/11/2023: Fly from Chicago to Salt Lake City
Flew from Chicago to Salt Lake City
Thursday, 10/12/2023: Bonneville Salt Flats and checked into Airbnb in Baker, NV
Bonneville Salt Flats
Lunch at Rack’s Bar and Grill in Ely, NV
Checked into our Airbnb in Baker, NV
Went back out to see the sunset at Great Basin National Park
Friday, 10/13/2023: Wheeler Peak
Hiked Wheeler Peak (my first 13er!!!)
Night sky photos
Saturday, 10/14/2023: Pole Canyon Trail
Sunrise
Annular Solar Eclipse from our Airbnb in Baker, NV
Pole Canyon Trail
Night sky photos
Sunday, 10/15/2023: Bristlecone Trail and drive back to Salt Lake City
Bristlecone Trail
Drove back to Salt Lake City
Monday, 10/16/2023: Fly from Salt Lake City to Chicago
Flew from Salt Lake City to Chicago
