According to the rangers, GBNP is the 2nd least visited National Park in the natiion. The skiing is outstanding.....as long as there is enough snow. This year is way above average snowpack wise. We are definately gonna make this a yearly adventure. See you out there and happy trails hamik.
We were wondering about how to access Pyrimid Peak and Baker Peak as well. We never skied any powder....but there was plenty of corn to go around out there. We are definately going back year after year for sure. Happy Trails out there.
Your welcome, someone had to do it. Trust me, as a fellow skier of the Wasatch you would easily fall in love with GBNP for sure. We are definately going back year after year. Happy Trails out there Ed F.
I'm glad you had such a successful trip. I was in Great Basin NP about 10 years ago. I was on my way to CA, to climb Mt. Shasta, and then on to WA, to ascend Mt. Rainier (both attempts successful). I stopped there in late June, but it was a much drier year, with little snow, even on the summit of Wheeler Peak. One of the reasons to stop in Great Basin NP is to enjoy all the bristlecone pine trees, some of the oldest living things on earth. Wheeler Peak is essentially a walk-up, but it does have challenging northeast face route. Travellers should know that there are very limited services in the area. I experienced a flat tire & was unable to have it repaired until I drove on to the town of Ely. Michael R. Kelsey has written a book about the park. I would like to try skiing next time. Nice trip report!
I have always been drawn to GB Nat' Park and always wanted to go. Now that I see the skiing can be good I am even more excited to go. Thanks for sharing your awesome experiences!
BTW, How much longer will the skiing hold up out there, may have to get out there before July...
Better catch it while you can....it is melting fast. When we left the trailheads still had about 2 feet of snow on the ground. There still should be snow through the end of June this year due to the above average snowpack. Happy Trails out there.
Thanks Wasatchvoyage.....The Snake Range has some massive potencial in the next couple of years. Pyramid Peak and Baker Peak are both on the agenda next year if there is enough snow.....granted the cougars dont get us first.
Glad to hear about your successful trip and especially about the killer skiing you got in! After many years of hearing about GBNP I finally visited it last summer....and was amazed and grateful I did. Definitely a must see! The gothic looking bristlecone pine trees were a highlight, as well as the Lehman Caves. The hike to Wheeler Peak was not technical, but it was well worth the visit to have that 360-deg. view of the Great Basin and have the whole place to ourselves. Nobody knows of this place, and that was the best part of being there! By the way, Nevada has some better skiing in the Ruby Mountains just south of Elko....but don't tell anyone that :)
Sounds like you enjoyed GBNP just as much as us.....Amazing that GBNP is the second least visited National Park in the US. From the top of Bald Mountain we could see the Ruby Range and those peaks sure looked sweet......Maybe we might just have to check em out one of these years.
From the pics - looks like you had some fan-dam-tastic weather!
GBNP is a great place! I've only been there once - but loved the place. (came out this time last year from NJ for a trekup Wheeler - but got turned back from the summit by an afternoon white-out and an alt-sick hiking partner).
I can only imagine how great it was to ski there..
The skiing was far better than we could have ever imagined. We did not get the summit of Wheeler either due to weather (the idea of getting blown off of the hanging snow feild near the top brought self preservation to mind). Still an epic trip though. Happy Trails out there NJripper.
How ironic..when the FS ranger saw us he offered us a job at GBNP. Too bad we live 260 miles away from there. I agree with you.......GBNP is one lonely place, and I think it is better that way. I will have to check out that book, Pyramid Peak is calling out to the backcountry skier in us. Can't wait to ski all again next year. Happy Trails out there Larry.
What's next?????? Probley skiing Mount Watson in the Uintas this weekend. Beyond that it is going to be just the boring old Wasatch and Mount Timpanogos for the rest of the year until the 1st snows show up in September. I have a close family friend that lives in New Zeland and she says it is nothing short of paradise.....one of these years I will have to check it out for myself. You are right about the rangers getting lonely. When we had a tent dispute with the ranger he talked our heads off. At least he was friendly.
hamik - Jun 3, 2010 2:36 pm - Voted 10/10
Call me ignorant...But I'd never heard of this national park! Looks like a very worthwhile place to ski, should I tire of our Sierra sometime :-)
TyeDyeTwins - Jun 3, 2010 3:02 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Call me ignorant...According to the rangers, GBNP is the 2nd least visited National Park in the natiion. The skiing is outstanding.....as long as there is enough snow. This year is way above average snowpack wise. We are definately gonna make this a yearly adventure. See you out there and happy trails hamik.
scotthsu - Jun 3, 2010 9:27 pm - Voted 10/10
great TRthanks for the beta on what seems like an amazing place for spring skiing!
TyeDyeTwins - Jun 3, 2010 9:51 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: great TRYou are very welcome scotthsu.......I never knew Nevda had such epic skiing. A must do for any big mountain skier. Happy Trails out there.
TyeDyeTwins - Jun 5, 2010 8:20 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Super sweetWe were wondering about how to access Pyrimid Peak and Baker Peak as well. We never skied any powder....but there was plenty of corn to go around out there. We are definately going back year after year for sure. Happy Trails out there.
Ed F - Jun 7, 2010 10:13 am - Voted 10/10
Always wonderedabout skiing there. Looks fun, thanks for writing it up.
TyeDyeTwins - Jun 7, 2010 12:32 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Always wonderedYour welcome, someone had to do it. Trust me, as a fellow skier of the Wasatch you would easily fall in love with GBNP for sure. We are definately going back year after year. Happy Trails out there Ed F.
gralpinist - Jun 7, 2010 5:18 pm - Hasn't voted
Great Basin NPI'm glad you had such a successful trip. I was in Great Basin NP about 10 years ago. I was on my way to CA, to climb Mt. Shasta, and then on to WA, to ascend Mt. Rainier (both attempts successful). I stopped there in late June, but it was a much drier year, with little snow, even on the summit of Wheeler Peak. One of the reasons to stop in Great Basin NP is to enjoy all the bristlecone pine trees, some of the oldest living things on earth. Wheeler Peak is essentially a walk-up, but it does have challenging northeast face route. Travellers should know that there are very limited services in the area. I experienced a flat tire & was unable to have it repaired until I drove on to the town of Ely. Michael R. Kelsey has written a book about the park. I would like to try skiing next time. Nice trip report!
TyeDyeTwins - Jun 7, 2010 9:42 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Great Basin NPTrue, true.....Thanks for the information gralpinist.
Blair - Jun 7, 2010 5:27 pm - Voted 10/10
Great TR, Thanks for sharing it!I have always been drawn to GB Nat' Park and always wanted to go. Now that I see the skiing can be good I am even more excited to go. Thanks for sharing your awesome experiences!
BTW, How much longer will the skiing hold up out there, may have to get out there before July...
TyeDyeTwins - Jun 7, 2010 9:45 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Great TR, Thanks for sharing it!Better catch it while you can....it is melting fast. When we left the trailheads still had about 2 feet of snow on the ground. There still should be snow through the end of June this year due to the above average snowpack. Happy Trails out there.
TyeDyeTwins - Jun 7, 2010 10:55 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Jealous!Thanks Wasatchvoyage.....The Snake Range has some massive potencial in the next couple of years. Pyramid Peak and Baker Peak are both on the agenda next year if there is enough snow.....granted the cougars dont get us first.
Vertigo soul - Jun 7, 2010 7:09 pm - Hasn't voted
Great TR!Glad to hear about your successful trip and especially about the killer skiing you got in! After many years of hearing about GBNP I finally visited it last summer....and was amazed and grateful I did. Definitely a must see! The gothic looking bristlecone pine trees were a highlight, as well as the Lehman Caves. The hike to Wheeler Peak was not technical, but it was well worth the visit to have that 360-deg. view of the Great Basin and have the whole place to ourselves. Nobody knows of this place, and that was the best part of being there! By the way, Nevada has some better skiing in the Ruby Mountains just south of Elko....but don't tell anyone that :)
TyeDyeTwins - Jun 7, 2010 11:01 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Great TR!Sounds like you enjoyed GBNP just as much as us.....Amazing that GBNP is the second least visited National Park in the US. From the top of Bald Mountain we could see the Ruby Range and those peaks sure looked sweet......Maybe we might just have to check em out one of these years.
NJTripper - Jun 7, 2010 7:32 pm - Hasn't voted
Nice TR!From the pics - looks like you had some fan-dam-tastic weather!
GBNP is a great place! I've only been there once - but loved the place. (came out this time last year from NJ for a trekup Wheeler - but got turned back from the summit by an afternoon white-out and an alt-sick hiking partner).
I can only imagine how great it was to ski there..
TyeDyeTwins - Jun 7, 2010 11:05 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Nice TR!The skiing was far better than we could have ever imagined. We did not get the summit of Wheeler either due to weather (the idea of getting blown off of the hanging snow feild near the top brought self preservation to mind). Still an epic trip though. Happy Trails out there NJripper.
lcarreau - Jun 7, 2010 11:25 pm - Voted 10/10
Awesome ..I was out there in 1990. Had a seasonal job with the NPS putting
in some hiking trails during the summer. (using only picks & shovels).
Talk about a lonely location! I visited Lexington Arch, the
summit of Pyramid peak, Lincoln Mountain, and Mount Moriah to
the north of the Park.
You might want to grab hold of Mike Kelsey's book, "Hiking and
Climbing in Great Basin National Park."
It has some really good "trail maps" in it. Includes a 4x4 road
leading to some rustic cabins located directly south of Pyramid
Peak.
It certainly "tempts" a fellow to continue coming back for more ...
TyeDyeTwins - Jun 8, 2010 1:46 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Awesome ..How ironic..when the FS ranger saw us he offered us a job at GBNP. Too bad we live 260 miles away from there. I agree with you.......GBNP is one lonely place, and I think it is better that way. I will have to check out that book, Pyramid Peak is calling out to the backcountry skier in us. Can't wait to ski all again next year. Happy Trails out there Larry.
lcarreau - Jun 8, 2010 9:57 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Awesome ..Give me five, Twins !!
Tooele is 200 miles away, so you live 60 miles beyond Tooele ??
The snow is melting fast. Oh no - what's next? Have you ever
thought about Greenland or the south island of New Zealand?
Yep, watch out for those rangers. They really get lonesome.
Thanks for posting this wonderful page. You guys are great!!!
And, you're really good sports.
TyeDyeTwins - Jun 9, 2010 3:07 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Awesome ..What's next?????? Probley skiing Mount Watson in the Uintas this weekend. Beyond that it is going to be just the boring old Wasatch and Mount Timpanogos for the rest of the year until the 1st snows show up in September. I have a close family friend that lives in New Zeland and she says it is nothing short of paradise.....one of these years I will have to check it out for myself. You are right about the rangers getting lonely. When we had a tent dispute with the ranger he talked our heads off. At least he was friendly.