Kevin – Monday. Before we leave the Ranch 66 camp for our next base of operations, Denny wants to see the trail up on the Sweetwater and by Split Rock mountain. We pack up the trailer in preparation to leave, post the last two blogs, then leave the RV at the camp whilst we go 4-wheeling.
The first trail oddity is a small soda or saleratus lake. As salts wash out of the rocks – when the area does get rain or snow – the water collects in small basins that don’t connect to the rivers. These become evaporation ponds and over time, a substantial concentration of salts occur. You’re familiar with common ‘table salt’ – sodium chloride (NaCl), but other salts are created. Salaratus is how the pioneers referred to sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) – baking soda. Other salts can form but this is highly dependent upon the local chemistry. In another small soda lake next to this one, a little wading bird is feeding in the water which is only a few inches deep at most.
We wind around following the south side of the Sweetwater, which is pretty this time of year. The yucca and cacti are in full bloom with large swaths of them across some hills. Swales are evident and a few markers verify this is the Oregon and Mormon route. As we approach closer to the hills, the trail COULD have gone to the left of a small pass but for some reason, the majority of wagons went up and over the ridge between the hills.
Denny remarks that one can easily see why the routes would stay close to the water sources because the surrounding terrain is so dry and barren. “If I was a cow, I’d want river bottom grasses rather than sagebrush any day.” Denny is really starting to think and SEE things like a pioneer woman. I love her.
Split Rock keeps getting closer and appears much larger. Travelers on Highway 287 only get to 2.6 miles from the peak while traveling the county road through BLM property, you get to within 1.8 miles. And a couple miles back are some very old ranch buildings. They’re abandoned and have been used to shelter livestock. Pretty nasty inside but a wonderful photo opportunity from the outside.
After scouting the Sweetwater section, we go back to 66 Ranch, hook up to the RV and leave our missionary friends. Denny drives the sag wagon and I drive the big truck pulling the RV. Because the route west and north of the trail is much more mountainous (we drove it last week to check it out) and has fewer services (gasoline!), we opt to take a longer but friendlier route through Rawlins and Rock Springs to get to Farson Wyoming. Farson will be our operations base for at least four days starting tomorrow. We do note however that we are getting further from the water and further into the desert. This is a photo of our current parking site. Be patient Gentle Reader. It may get worse. Much worse.
