Kevin – Thursday. For me, it’s been a momentous day; we reached South Pass. For Denny, she wasn’t that impressed, so much so that she didn’t notice she passed through the fenced off area. She also completely ignored the information plaque and two commemorative markers. She claims she didn’t see them – all of 10 feet to her right as she walked by them. Nor apparently did she notice she had started into a very long and seep downhill. Denny chiming in: Between my hat brim and watching for snakes ... yes, I did miss it.
In all fairness, Lt William Franklin with Kearny in 1845 didn’t even mention that he crested the pass. Lt Henry S. Turner, also with Kearny wrote it was, “an almost imperceptible ascent of two miles.” Many others recorded being surprised at how gentle the grade was up to the pass. The western Pacific side is a different matter. The downhill is much more impressive with a view many miles to the west.
Kearny and crew in 1845 went a few miles further west – probably to today’s Pacific Springs – before encamping. The area was ‘boggy’ and impractical to cross.
Today the pass area is enclosed by split rail wood fences though the pioneer trail/road passes through. There’s an information marker on the east side entrance and at the pass there are two commemorative rocks; one to the pass itself and the other for the first Anglo women to cross the pass.
Interestingly, someone got the bright idea to dig a trench at the north side of the stockage. The ditch is deep enough to collect water – part of which flows east into an irrigation canal – the other part flows west down towards Pacific Springs.
Actually, it’s kind of an eyesore, but the ranchers need the water and the clever idea to have the ditch straddle the actual pass watershed to divide the waters both directions is kind of brilliant. With a few leaves off the sagebrush, I was able to ascertain the area where the water was very still – but a few feet either side had begun to flow towards their eventual destination. Clever display.
We both noticed the rapid changes in geology today; fine sand, gravel, decomposed granite, rocks both cobbley and angular.
As soon as we were done with hiking, we hustled back to Farson. We had an unfortunate accident. The bike rack got kind of busted up against a "stationary obect". No damage to the object but the bike rack needed some serious straightening and welding work to make it usable. Ken Burton runs a small automotive shop in Farson and was kind enough to spend an hour putting things back into usable order. Thank you Ken! If you ever need mechanical help in Farson (Population 247) Ken is your man. His business name is Peetso's Energy Services Custom Fabrication and Welding (and auto repair) 307-354-6520.
All day we were having calls, texts, and e-mails back and forth with OCTA’s Travis Boley, the office of Rep Celeste Maloy (R-UT), Jolene Allphin and a host of other folks working on events during our last month. The pace is definitively quickening.