Protect Snake Valley

2012 Sheepherders' Party-Open Mike

2012-01-21T04:53:00.000-08:00

Last night was the open mike part of the Sheepherders' Party, hosted at the Border Inn. It was a grand old time, with lots of entertaining stories, poems, and music.

Kenning from the Mountain West Digital Library mentioned that they are willing to archive photographs, videos, and documents that help capture the spirit of the West. You can already find some great information there, like some oral histories collected by the Great Basin National Heritage Area, a co-sponsor of the Sheepherder's Party.

Hank Vogler was an outstanding emcee once again.

Dave entertained us with some excellent guitar playing and singing.

Now he's got some helpers!

Kelly recited an entertaining poem.

Jack had a couple of poems, including one that was written decades ago about Garrison.

John's humor spread through the crowd.

Scott told stories about nearby Tule Valley.

Melanie sang a song for us.

Lane shared a story about a bad winter. I can't imagine how lonely it must be to be out in the middle of the desert with only the sheep to keep you company!

Lee recalled a story of pulling a VW through Snake Valley.

Lois gave us a taste of what life was like with a family out in the desert. Her story of wash day, with the need to split the wood, warm the water, wash the kids, wash the dirty cloth diapers, string a line up somewhere for them to dry, hang up the diapers, unfreeze the diapers, wash some more diapers, hang up more diapers, then find the horses all tangled up in the line and all the freshly washed diapers down in the manure so the whole process had to be repeated, brought tears to my eyes. I don't think I would be that tough to do all that!

Andy had a poem to share and also invited everyone to the new Great Basin Visitor Center. Although it's usually closed in winter, it will be open from 10-2 on Saturday.

Denys, who started this wonderful tradition, made some closing remarks and then reminded everyone of the schedule for Saturday, which includes a sourdough pancake breakfast, documentary, music, dinner, and more music. It should be a great day!

To see photos and video from past years at the Sheepherders' Party, click here.

Clase de Espanol

2012-01-19T21:05:00.000-08:00

La Valle de los Serpientes pueden ser un lugar muy interesante. Hay una variedad de cosas para hacer. Para seis semanas, algunas personas van a aprender espanol, una noche cada semana. Es una buen pasatiempo para pasar el invierno. Las clases incluyen pronunciacion, gramatica, cultura, canciones, y mas. Es todo por ahora. !Hasta luego!

Road Art Renaissance?

2012-01-17T07:36:00.000-08:00

I noticed some new road art yesterday and put on the brakes. I love road art--it's a great way to express our ingenuity and humor. To read about the origins of road art along the Cave Road in Snake Valley, click here. And here's a post with more road art.

Above is a nice play on Rowland Springs--Rollin' Springs.

This one says Bristlecone.

I really like how the beads make the water sparkle as it comes out of the bucket.

Rollin' Ranch isn't a new one, but I haven't photographed it before. It's nicely executed.

Here's a cute beetle. There's still more, but at this point I noticed a hissing sound from the truck, which turned out to be a punctured tire. We had to skedaddle. I'll be back, though!

Seeing this new road art made we wonder if it's time to put more up. Once upon a time there was road art all along the Cave Road, making the drive so fun. One friend suggested we should have a Road Art Renaissance. I heartily agree. What do you think?

Sheepherders' Party Coming Soon

2012-01-08T08:19:00.000-08:00

Sheep are back in Snake Valley, making their winter rounds. That means it's time for the Sheepherders' Party! The ninth annual Old Sheepherders' Party will be held at the Border Inn on January 20 & 21.

Here's the schedule:
Friday, Jan 20: Arrive and visit
5 pm (NV): Border Inn Appreciation Dinner (for sheepherders, sheep owners, and others in the sheep business)
7 pm: Open mike program

Saturday, Jan 21
7 am: Breakfast buffet with Dave Okelberry serving up yummy sourdough pancakes ($8.95)

10 am: Documentary "Sweet Grass" done by Wyoming PBS

2:30 pm: The Red Hill Rangers in concert

5 pm: Lamb and Beef Roast dinner served Basque family style ($25 RSVP to 775-234-7300)

7 pm: The Sheepherders' Ball featuring Kirk Hoggard and his Silver Sage Band

Sunday, January 22
Sheepherders' non-denominational church service conducted by Kirk Hoggard.

If you'd like to see what happened other years at the sheepherders' party and read an article by Denys Koyle, who started it, click here.

Bald Eagle

2012-01-08T07:55:00.000-08:00

We saw this bald eagle near Snake Creek the other day.

He didn't seem to mind us watching him watching us. What an amazing bird!

Where's the Snow?

2012-01-05T20:27:00.000-08:00

Image from Backcountry.com

The above image on the left shows the snowpack this year on January 4, with the blue areas denoting snow. Even some of the highest peaks (like the Sierra Nevada in California) are virtually bare. Compare that with last year's conditions on January 4, when the Sierra Nevada was purple and much of the Intermountain West was dark blue. Snake Valley was buried in snow all January, while this year even Wheeler Peak and Jeff Davis are nearly bare. What a difference one year makes!

It will be interesting to see what happens the rest of this winter. Maybe we shouldn't have put off those skiing trips...

R.I.P.

2011-12-28T12:41:00.000-08:00

Snake Valley has lost too many good people this year. Here are links to their obituaries:

Marilyn Ambrose, from Baker

Grant Anderson, from Callao

Reuvo Bagley, from Callao

Genevieve Baker, from Baker

Guy Baker, previously from Baker

Ladd Davies, from Burbank

Sharlene Eldridge, previously from Baker

Doris Genz, from Baker

Bret Layland, from Callao

Dave Person, from Baker

Joe Schuh, from Baker

Gene Skinner, from Baker

Marilyn Sims, from Callao

Velma Timm, from Callao

Lorene Wheeler, from Garrison

Lee Whitlock, from Baker

We miss you and will remember you always.

(I apologize if I've missed anyone. Please leave a comment and I'll incorporate that person into the post.)

2011 Baker/Garrison Christmas Program

2011-12-23T08:42:00.000-08:00

Tuesday night was the night for the South Snake Valley schools to do their Christmas programs. EskDale preschoolers were first up on stage. What a bunch of cuties!

Then it was time for the elementary band and orchestra. They are making good progress!

Next up was Garrison elementary (grades K-2). The kids sang, played their recorders, and performed an original play. It was fun watching them.

Last, it was the Baker elementary school (grades 3-6) performing. They have some excellent actors! And the elf costumes were fantastic.

After all the entertainment, Santa came for a visit. The kids were happy to line up and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. I'm not sure if they mentioned if they had been naughty or nice!

2011 Christmas Bird Count

2011-12-19T19:24:00.000-08:00

Today was Snake Valley's 2011 Christmas Bird Count. We had a good turnout, and despite the early-morning inversion and frozen state of most of the water bodies, we found 56 species. Above is a Bewick's Wren I found in a juniper near a spring. I was excited to see it because I don't see wrens often. They are cute, with their striped tails held at such a funny angle.

This mountain bluebird provided some contrast with the winter scenery.

We might not be New York City, but we still have our pigeons!

This western scrub-jay was all puffed out to keep warm. We never got over freezing during the day. I'm sure glad I don't have to stay out all day and all night like the birds!

I saw more white-crowned sparrows on this count than any other. One flock had 61!
You can see a post about the 2009 Christmas Bird Count here. It includes more info about why Christmas Bird Counts are held and where you can participate. They are a lot of fun!

Lunar Eclipse

2011-12-14T19:39:00.000-08:00

Early Saturday morning we were lucky to experience a total lunar eclipse. It's the last one till 2014, so I was eager to witness it.

I realized I should have started taking photos earlier, because the cool thing about any eclipse is watching the shadow move. Just seeing it at one point in time isn't particularly awe-inspiring.

There will be lots of astronomical events in Snake Valley this year, including several star parties, the Astronomy Festival June 14-16, and a Transit of Venus viewing June 5, 2012. Plus probably some more!

It's time to learn some more about the big universe we live in.

Giving Thanks

2011-11-21T18:36:00.000-08:00

Well, it's Thanksgiving week, and I've been spending some time outside. Seeing the beautiful scenery of Snake Valley makes me very thankful that I live in such a beautiful area with so many good people. We are lucky to have such clean air, unclogged roads, amazing night skies, and abundant wildlife.

I'm also thankful to all those who attended, testified, and served as counsel during the recent water hearings in front of the Nevada State Engineer. The six weeks of hearings provided information so that the State Engineer can decide how much water to allow to the Southern Nevada Water Authority in Spring, Dry Lake, Delamar, and Cave Valleys. Public comment is being accepted. Comments must be received in his office by December 2 (so send them this week!). Address: Jason King, Nevada State Engineer, 901 S. Stewart St., Suite 2002, Carson City, NV 89701

Happy Thanksgiving!

Harvest Festival

2011-11-07T11:26:00.000-08:00

The Baker/Garrison Schools Harvest Festival was held last Friday night. This is a potluck dinner followed by an auction. As everyone arrived, they headed up to see what would be for auction and to plan their bidding strategy. There was an excellent assortment of homemade goodies.

The Torres boys had fun bidding on a variety of items later in the evening. First came the delicious food. I was impressed with the quantity and quality of all the great food.

Then it was time to start the auction, with Wheeler as the volunteer auctioneer. She did a great job! Although the schools had only had four items donated by Tuesday, on Friday night there were over 150 items, so she had a lot of auctioning to do!

Kate showed off the goods to their best advantage, using her immense theatrical talent.

The kids enjoyed playing around in the back.

The auction was well-attended, and there were a few items that were fiercely fought over. It made it entertaining.

My daughter, Desert Girl, had some of her biggest laughs.

I think it was because she had found a new friend.

What a great evening! The Baker/Garrison schools will put on a Christmas program in December at Baker Hall and then the winter carnival with games and food will most likely be in February. I'll update the calendar on the right side of this blog as I learn the dates.

Halloween Festivities

2011-11-06T07:20:00.000-08:00

We have a lot of fun at Halloween in Baker. There was a Halloween party at the community center, with lots of treats, homemade goodies, and even some crafts.

It was great to see all the fun costumes.

Prior to that, most of the kids in town went on the Halloween Hayride, which went from door-to-door for trick-or-treating. The weather was awesome!

It's probably a good thing Halloween only comes around once a year, as all the kids really loaded up on candy!

Beautiful October and a Cool Link

2011-10-31T07:49:00.000-07:00

This has been a wonderful October in Snake Valley, with lots of warm weather. Although many of the high elevation leaves had their colors shortened by an early October snowstorm, the lower elevations turned brilliant and stayed that way a long time

One of the things I learned in October is about the Utah Digital Newspapers Library. You can search through newspapers for over a century. I typed in "Snake Valley", clicked Exact Phrase, clicked Go, and found several interesting entries. I will try posting some in the future, as they give a very interesting view of our valley.

Ranching Exhibit Metalwork

2011-10-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

The other day, as we were coming down the mountain, my son wanted to stop at the Ranching Exhibit. We hadn't stopped there for at least a year and had some extra time, so I was happy to oblige. I quickly remembered why I like stopping there. The views are fantastic, and worth taking a few extra minutes to enjoy. And then there's the exquisite metalwork, designed and made by Kathy and Bill Rountree.

The amount of detail is fantastic! Just take a look at that lasso. Or the reins. Or the spokes on the wagon wheels. There are three scenes--a barn and farm animals, the one above of moving cattle, and a third of sheep herding. I don't want to show them all here right now in too much detail. Instead, take the time to check them out yourselves! And the best part, the Ranching Exhibit is open 365 days of the year, 24 hours a day. Of course you might be able to see better in the daylight!

First Snow

2011-10-09T05:58:00.000-07:00

The first major snow of the season has arrived, depositing many inches of snow on the mountain peaks. We drove up the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive on Saturday and found a couple inches of snow at Mather Overlook, with the road beyond closed. The forecasters say that this year may be shaping up to be another La Nina, which could mean we could get a lot of snow again. On the other hand, we know how accurate forecasters are for this area! We'll just have to enjoy each drop of moisture we receive.

Don't forget--comments are due October 11 for the DEIS to protect the bits of moisture we have in this area. You can email them to: nvgwprojects@blm.gov. Comments to the Nevada State Engineer are due December 2 (no email comments accepted by NSE).

White Pine Public Museum

2011-10-01T05:34:00.000-07:00

While we were visiting Ely, we stopped at the White Pine County Public Museum. It has a large collection of Mrs. Hesselgesser's dolls from Baker (which I somehow didn't manage to get a photo of), along with a lot of other assorted exhibits.

With mining being such an important part of the economy, it was only fitting to have a large section dedicated to rocks and ores.

The most prized part of the collection is the Cave Bear, a Short-Faced Bear that was found in a cave in White Pine County. Since my son has decided that he wants to be a paleontologist when he grows up, he was so excited to see it!

First Lady Pat Nixon was from Ely, so there was a section with several photos of her.

I had two kids with me, so we didn't spend too long inside the museum, but headed out to the various other attractions.

These included a jail cell and one of Ely's wonderful murals:

This large structure is a water well driller.

We also found the old one-room schoolhouse from Baker, donated by Sam Smith. Do you know more about it? If so, please leave a comment!

The inside was really small, which I guess would make it easier to heat. Somehow I have a feeling there were more than four students when it was actually used.

Also included is a model of the Baker school house that replaced the log cabin one. This school house has been torn down, but the bell still remains at the current Baker school.

The museum has lots of other exhibits, I feel like we only had a quick look at them and will need to go back again for a more thorough exploration. Admission is by donation, and the White Pine Public Museum would love to have more visitors, so go take a look!

Recycling

2011-09-29T05:33:00.000-07:00

We still don't have a recycling location in Snake Valley, but at least it's become easier to tote our recyclables with the opening of a recycling center in Ely. It's a partnership between the BLM and J&M Trucking.

It's super easy--just pull up and put your recyclables into the correct containers. I usually have my kids with me, so I'm hoping that they are learning some good lessons. I grew up recycling, so it was hard to come to Snake Valley and not recycle. I cringed many times when I threw things in the garbage can, knowing that they could be recycled. I realized that the long distances just made it economically unfeasible, but I'm hoping that this Ely solution will help remedy that. Kudos to the BLM for making it happen!

And many thanks to J&M for being involved by hosting the containers and then hauling the recyclables to recycling facilities. For more info, click here.

Post Offices on Shaky Ground

2011-09-18T17:57:00.000-07:00

Let's hope the shaky state of the post office is just temporary!

Both of the Snake Valley post offices, in Baker, NV and in Garrison, UT are on the list for post offices to be studied for closure.

Residents are not happy about this, as both these post offices serve as central parts of their communities. Many folks who can't travel to Ely or Milford to do banking get mail orders at the post offices. Great Basin National Park sends money orders frequently. Large packages that wouldn't fit in a parcel box are picked up. Certified mail requiring signatures is picked up from the post offices.

A meeting about the post office will be held next Monday, September 26, at 6 pm in Baker. Residents are urged to attend.

Here's some more info:
The following is a letter the Postal Service sent us a few weeks ago.
It states that you have until September 14 to get the questionnaire in,
but you can also bring it with you to the Community meeting set for
September 26th, next Monday. The meeting will start at 6pm and is
scheduled for only an hour.

It is also suggested that you contact our Congressional delegation:

District    Name            Phone
1    Berkley, Shelley
        202-225-5965
2    Amodei, Mark
        202-225-6155
3    Heck, Joe
        202-225-3252

HELLER, DEAN
361A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6244
Web Form: heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form

Reid, Harry - (D - NV)

522 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3542
Web Form: reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

08/25/2011
Postal Customer
Baker, NV 89311

This letter provides notice that the U.S. Postal Service is conducting
a discontinuance feasibility study of facility operations at the Baker
Post Office into the Ely Post Office.

The office is being studied due to declining office workload, which
may indicate that maintaining this facility is not warranted.

A discontinuance feasibility study involves a review of delivery and
retail operations of a postal facility. The purpose of the study is to
evaluate the facility's operations in a continuing effort to meet customers' retail
needs, improve productivity, increase efficiency, and cut costs.
Customer needs have changed dramatically. Many customers receive and pay their bills
online and communicate by email and text message. In addition, many
customers demand easier, more convenient access to Postal Service products and
services when and where they want them - online, on their smart phones and at
the stores they frequent.

If a decision is ultimately made to discontinue the Baker Post Office
and you are a Post Office Box customer, you will have the option of Post Office Box
delivery at the Elv Post Office To request delivery, submit a request for
establishment of rural delivery service, PS Form 4027, Petition for Change in Rural
Delivery, is available at the Baker Post Office. The Ely Post Office has retail
hours from 830 to 1700 Monday through Friday and 1000 to 1400 on Saturday, which is
76,0 miles away. Retail services would continue to be available through a
variety of channels beyond traditional brick-and-mortar facilities,
such as thewww.usps.com website, non-city delivery carriers. stamp consignment
locations. and Stamps by Mail, Fax, and Phone.

We value your opinions during this review process. As the Postal
Manager responsible for all Post Offices in your area, I would like your
input concerning your postal needs. We encourage you to complete and return the
enclosed survey in the pre-addressed postage-paid envelope provided. Your responses
along with others received. will be included in the study and considered
carefully before any final determination regarding discontinuance is made.
Please submit your response no later than 09/14/2011.
A community meeting will he held to explain the study findings and to
address community concerns. Postal representatives will be at the Baker Hall
on 09/26/2011 from 6 PM to 7 PM to answer questions and provide
information about our service. You may wish. to discuss and submit your
questionnaire at that meeting.

Written comments may be hand-delivered to the Baker Post Office or
mailed to:

District Discontinuance Coordinator
NEVADA-SIERRA PFC
1001 Sunset Rd
Las Vegas NV, 89199-9998

The study consists of a publicly available record, so please be
advised that any information or responses that you furnish will be
visible to others.
A proposal that further explains the nature and justification of the
proposed change in service and requests for customer comment may be
posted prior to the community meeting. Comments received from the
questionnaire, community meeting, and proposal will be considered
prior to making a final determination,
If you have any questions concerning this discontinuance feasibility
study, please contact Loretta Kirkpatrick, District Discontinuance
Coordinator Contact at (702) 361-9204.
Sincerely,

Robert Reynosa

Manager, Post Office Operations

What the proposal fails to mention is that if mail is delivered to homes and businesses instead of to the post office, it will take the contractor longer, and a new contract will have to be written. This will not result in the approximate $60,000 per year savings the post office expected. Instead, the contract will be for more.

In addition, the role of the post office in a small community is huge, as it is the natural gathering place.

Some additional ideas for how to save our post offices are found here on this blog.

Snake Valley Triathlon

2011-09-11T20:47:00.000-07:00

Due to scheduling conflicts, the Snake Valley Triathlon was pushed back into September, which meant that the water at Silver Creek Reservoir was a wee bit chilly (that is definitely an understatement). Nevertheless, a few brave souls decided to give the triathlon a try, swimming across the reservoir, running about 2.5 miles down to the substation, and then riding a 10.8-mile triangle route that ended up back at the substation.

The weather was perfect for the run and bike. My husband "lost" the camera, so we didn't end up with too many photos.

The top three finishers pose after the event.

Next year we'll try to have it in July or August. The weather for the bike and run may not be quite as nice, but at least the water won't be so chilly!

By the way, for those of you interested in Snake Valley races, EskDale is planning a 5K/10K Turkey Trot on (or near) Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for details!

The Icehouse

2011-08-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

There's a new business in Baker this summer, the Icehouse. It's behind the Silver Jack in downtown Baker and is home to local arts, crafts and antiques.

The Icehouse is an old building and a great venue for showing off some of the local talent.

Jody Person runs it and has a smile for every customer.

Items range from artwork, rope baskets, sage wreathes, jewelry, and old bottles.

The eye-catching colors of this spread greet the customer immediately upon entering the building. Jody has over wares from over 30 people in the Icehouse.

The swords are a fairly new addition and are getting a lot of attention!

The bamboo squares can be used as wall hangings or table tops.

A variety of rocks occupy one table.

Homemade jams and jellies, salsas, and pickled beans occupy another.

I always have to walk around the small store a few times to see everything. The bags are made by a sewing machine operated by solar power.

A display of giraffes and other intriguing metalwork caught my eye. The sales help African women.

This is a great place to get wedding, birthday, and other gifts. Plus it helps support our neighbors. Be sure to check it out soon!

Baker Community Church Dedication

2011-08-16T07:44:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, the Baker Community Church held a dedication for their new church building.

The church is in a beautiful setting, with the mountains of Great Basin National Park in the background.

The dedication was really well attended.

John Yacapraro made the big cross above the door.

Andy Ferguson made little crosses for the dedication.

The inside was surprisingly spacious.

A view from the front of the church. (Getting there a little late meant we had the honor of sitting in the front pew!)

John Conrad led the dedication, which was then followed by some excellent music.

Then it was time to go to the community center for some delicious desserts.

It was lovely to see so many people there!

Speak Your Mind

2011-08-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

It's time to speak up about the Groundwater Development Project. This is the project that would take gobs of water from Snake Valley and other valleys and send it in a huge pipeline down to Las Vegas. Lots of comments are needed!

If you want to learn more about the project (and its problems), check out this Great Basin Water Network flyer about the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

The current comment deadline is October 11.

A series of meetings is being held. The one in Baker last night had about 75 attendees. There will be one in Ely next week, August 9. Make sure you're heard!

Great Basin Astronomy Festival

2011-07-29T16:58:00.000-07:00

Ranger Kelly Carroll helps folks understand what they're seeing in the dark night skies.

The Great Basin Astronomy Festival is underway with lots of great events! This is a super excuse to take time to look at the great night skies in Snake Valley.

Last night was the ranger talent show, and Ranger Joseph sang a song about spelunking into the Milky Way. With my love of caves, that line sure struck a chord with me! We can find out so much more about our world by not only looking at the surface and underground, but also at the worlds around us.

For more info, check out the astronomy festival web page.

R.I.P. Lee Whitlock

2011-07-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

This last weekend we lost a longtime Snake Valley resident, Lee Whitlock. He was the oldest cowboy not only in the Valley, but possibly in the West. Funeral services will be held Friday at noon in Garrison.

For a little more background on Lee, here are two posts about his amazing accomplishments:
http://desertsurvivor.blogspot.com/2008/12/oldest-cowboy.html

http://desertsurvivor.blogspot.com/2010/04/old-fashioned-roundup-with-lee.html

Also, here is his obituary in the Ely Times.

Your GPS is Wrong!!

2011-07-09T14:15:00.000-07:00

A new addition to Snake Valley: this sign on the Home Farm Road.

If the School of the Natural Order did start a restaurant, what kind should it be?

Summer Concert

2011-07-01T07:17:00.000-07:00

EskDale is sponsoring a summer concert series, and as they always do music superbly, we were excited to go.

Desert Boy wanted to do a song, so before the official concert began, I had him get up on stage. Then he got the jitters, but with his friend Jenna he was able to sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

Kayli started the real concert.

It wasn't just singing, there were also talented musicians.

And some humorous songs that put a smile on everyone's face!

EskDale will be having a musical and patriotic program on July 4th. There are also two more summer concerts following that, in July and August. See the sidebar calendar for exact dates--then make sure you're there for a super evening.

More Festival Photos

2011-06-26T17:07:00.000-07:00

The Snake Valley Festival was a great success. We had so much fun! We also raised a lot of money for the Great Basin Water Network to help keep Snake Valley a great place to live and visit!

The ice cream social was a hit for all ages.

Five lucky people won the raffle prizes at the well-attended wine tasting at T&Ds.

Bottoms up!

The pancake breakfast early Saturday morning gave everyone energy to start the day.

A new balloon booth was an instant hit.

The book sale had something for everyone.

The parade drew participants all the way from Alaska!

The Little Alaskans enjoyed their Snake Valley experience.

The old Model A still starts once a year for a trip down main street.

Horses and flags gave a great touch to the parade.

Of course no parade is complete unless it has chickens!

The parade went around twice to keep everyone entertained. After all, it's not every day that we have a parade in Snake Valley!

Later in the afternoon it was time for the Epic Water Fight. It was a lot more fun than the water fight that is being played out in court rooms and bureacracy.

It didn't take long for the kids to get wet. They used what ever water-carrying devices they could find.

Some participants didn't quite know what they were doing.

Who's got more water?

More photos coming soon!

The Festival Has Started!

2011-06-18T06:23:00.000-07:00

Come join the fun!

Ice Cream Social

Wine Tasting

Night Sky Program

Lots more events Saturday and Sunday!

Water is coming up

2011-06-07T20:52:00.000-07:00

The streams are starting to come up considerably. Baker Creek two weeks ago was 22 cubic feet per second (cfs) at the park boundary. Last week it was 38 cfs. During the winter it's about 1.5 cfs. At peak flow in 2005, it was estimated at more than 300 cfs. So it can certainly be an interesting stream, to say the least!

Silver Creek has filled the reservoir and excess water is going down the spillway. Hendrys and Smith creeks are making it down to the Gandy Road. Mill, Strawberry, and Weaver are flowing under Highway 6 & 50. As long as everything is going under the road, we're in good shape!

We still have a lot of snow up high. Lehman Creek is up to 22 cfs from 14 cfs last week, but that's still fairly close to the median. That means we have a lot more to come. I'll try to get some photos! You can see the latest stream gauge info for Lehman Creek here.

Snow and Cold Feet

2011-06-03T06:43:00.000-07:00

We had quite a snow storm on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, coating the mountains and even the valleys with a blanket of white. As it warmed up, the snow retreated back up the slopes, but the newness of it added some extra color to the landscape.

The snow-water-equivalent is over 500% right now, and year to date precipitation greater than 150%. That means we have a lot of snow that isn't melting! The streams are starting to come up, but there's a lot more water to come down.

The Americorps trail crew was busy at work on the Pole Canyon trail. The higher stream had swamped the old stepping stones, so they were working on finding bigger ones. They didn't want to get their work boots wet, so they were braving the cold stream water barefoot. Brrr!

Festival Music

2011-05-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

Silver Sage Band playing at the Border Inn

If you're looking for some music, the Snake Valley Festival will have lots for you!

Friday evening, June 17, there will be music and entertainment during the ice cream social, which will be held at the Baker Community Center. This is right next to the playground, so it's perfect for family fun, with plenty of space for the younger kids to run around.

On Saturday from 1 - 3 p.m., entertainment will be provided at T&D's, located on main street in Baker. Roberta has lined up a great array of entertainment, so this will be an excellent way to kick back and relax after an exciting morning of browsing the booths and yard sale, watching the parade, and bidding on items at the silent auction.

Saturday evening at the Border Inn, Kirk Hoggard from the Silver Sage Band will provide roving music during the barbeque and after the live auction. He has donated two tickets to his Silver Sage Band Chuckwagon Show, which would be a great evening out to enjoy even more music!

So come on out and enjoy a great weekend! For a full festival schedule, click here.

Snake Valley Festival Facebook Page

2011-05-14T22:07:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let you know that the Snake Valley Festival now has a Facebook page. This is a great way to keep up to date with what's going on!

The Festival is June 17-19---coming up soon!

Check it out: Snake Valley Festival Facebook page.

Snake Valley Festival Countdown

2011-05-06T15:57:00.000-07:00

Only 41 days until the Snake Valley Festival begins!

This year's festival has been expanded to cover three days, June 17-19, 2011.

Come join us for lots of fun!

Friday, June 17:
Ice Cream Social
Wine Tasting
Night Sky Program

Saturday, June 18:
Pancake Breakfast
Yard Sale
Book Sale
Booths
Parade
Entertainment
Kids' Games
Silent Auction
Water Fight
Barbeque
Auction
Music
Night Sky Program

Sunday, June 19:
5K/10K Trail Run/Walk
Pancake Breakfast
Enjoy the sights of Snake Valley!

To find out more about these events, click here.
We hope you can join us!

Enjoy the Snow in the High Country

2011-04-29T07:21:00.000-07:00

There's still plenty of winter left at Great Basin National Park. Here are some ideas of what to do:

Spring Runoff Has Begun!

2011-04-22T20:59:00.000-07:00

It might only be April and we still have freezing temperatures at night, but spring runoff has begun. We have historically reached peak flow on Baker and Lehman creeks on June 15. However, as in most of the West, climate change has caused warmer springs and earlier peak flows. This is of concern because then there's less water for the late summer and early fall, reducing habitat for fish and water for irrigating crops.

I had heard that Lexington Creek was running high, so I went down to check. This creek is usually dry year round down by Pruess Lake, but it was already running into it--in April.

On the southwest side of the lake I found this road being washed out by Lexington Creek.
The little waterfall was impressive. There were fairly recent tracks of someone fording it. That wouldn't be possible now.

The water was really brown. Most of the channel is dirt, so it erodes fast.

We might be seeing more of these washouts in the next couple months. Be sure to always check a crossing before you drive across it. You don't want your vehicle to be washed downstream and then filled with water and sediment!

Further upstream, where this road has been in place a long time, the crossing still looked in good shape, as long as you have high clearance and four-wheel drive.

Snake Valley Water Videos

2011-04-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

County Seat TV 14 made these videos:
First, an overview of what's at stake if water is pumped out of Snake Valley.

A panel discussion with Phil Gardner from the USGS, Jon Harja with the Utah Governor's Office, and Millard County Commissioner. They discuss the science behind the numbers and what Millard County and Utah want to see happen in Snake Valley.

Snow Survey Results

2011-04-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

Here are the results from last week's snow survey along the Baker Creek drainage:

March 31, 2011

Site Snow Depth Snow Water Equivalent Percent of Average
Baker Creek #1 24 in 7.8 in 134%
Baker Creek #2 61 in 20.2 in 143%
Baker Creek #3 72 in 17.3 in 101%

Additional snow course information for the region can be found at:
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/data/snow/basin_reports/nevada/wy2011/lostnv4.txt

This is down from the 152-182% from March, but we're still looking good.

Snake Valley Groundwater Database

2011-03-31T19:23:00.001-07:00

Dear Snake Valley Enthusiasts,

I am pleased to tell you that the UGS has activated a database portal for its ground-water monitoring project in Snake Valley and adjacent areas:

http://geology.utah.gov/databases/groundwater/projects.php

The web page was developed primarily by Kevin Thomas, Quinton Williams, Steven Bowman, myself, and Lucy Jordan at UGS, and contains all of our water-level data from as far back as 2006, data on the wells and spring-monitoring facilities, and links to other information about the project including well logs and water chemistry. We update the database quarterly.

Thank you all for your cooperation, input and good company during the course of this work!!! We are currently working on the final report for the project; these things always take much longer than I hope, but I'll let you know when it is released.

Sincerely,

Hugh

Hugh Hurlow, Senior Geologist
Ground Water and Paleontology Program
Utah Geological Survey
1594 W. North Temple
Salt Lake City UT 84114
801-537-3385

World Water Day

2011-03-22T07:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, this is a fairly new designation, but it's something to think about: how do we use water in our world? How can we use it better?

Check out this website for ideas: http://www.worldwaterday.org/page/121

Comments Needed to Keep Transmission Lines out of Snake Valley

2011-03-11T06:30:00.000-08:00

Huge 600 kV transmission lines could be marching across the southern part of Snake Valley, past Crystal Peak, by the Burbank Hills, and around the south end of the Snake Range. But if we have enough comments, there's a very good chance we can stop them.

The proposed action is to have transmission lines follow current transmission line corridors and/or paved roads from the Delta, UT to Milford, UT area. However, an alternative has that transmission line coming over to Snake Valley before meeting up with the SNWA proposed corridor down in Lincoln Valley and heading south to Las Vegas.

Here's the overview provided by the BLM:

TransWest Express, LLC, has filed an application for a right-of-way to construct and operate a 600kV overhead direct current transmission line to cross public and private lands for the TransWest Express 600kV Project. The extra high voltage line is designed to carry renewable power generated in Wyoming to the Desert Southwest.

The project begins in south central Wyoming, crosses northwestern Colorado, crosses Utah diagonally from northeast to southwest and ends south of Las Vegas at the Marketplace hub in the Eldorado Valley area (near Boulder City, Nevada).

Western Area Power Administration (Western) plans to partially fund the project under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and will be joint lead agency for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. The project plans to provide 3,000 megawatts of capacity by 2015.

600 kV direct current overhead transmission line
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) being prepared
700+ miles long
Typical guyed V String lattice structures
Average tower spans are 900 to 1,500 feet apart
Proposed and alternative routes affect 22 counties within Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and Nevada
Scoping meetings are planned for winter season 2010-2011.

Scoping comments are being accepted until April 4.

Here are some things to consider putting in your comments:

1. The companies should have contacted our communities and offered to have a public scoping meeting here. Instead, we've only found out about this project in a very roundabout manner.

2. Crystal Peak is considered to be a sacred area by some, and having 100+ foot towers next to it would greatly change its character.

3. Having transmission lines and towers next to the Wah Wah Wilderness Study Area (that includes Crystal Peak) and the Highland Ridge Wilderness Area (at the south end of the Snake Range) would severely impact the wilderness characteristics of these areas.

4. Visitors to Great Basin National Park would not appreciate the visual intrusion of colossal transmission lines and towers.

5. The American Discovery Trail, the nation's only coast-to-coast trail, passes by Crystal Peak. Hikers and riders on this trail would be impacted by the transmission lines and towers and their visual impacts.

6. Many of the roads in these remote areas are impassable for days/weeks at a time due to snow and mud, so logistically this is not a good alternative.

Emails can be sent to:

TransWest_WYMail@blm.gov

For more information, check out: http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/content/wy/en/info/NEPA/documents/hdd/transwest.html

Water Protests Needed

2011-03-06T20:41:00.000-08:00

THE BATTLE CONTINUES

There will be a water workshop at the Border Inn March 10, 2011 Thursday 6:00 pm

Because of the Nevada State Water Engineers’ decision that the
protests that we filed last year could not be applied to the 1989
applications we must go through the process of filing new protests.

If you filed protest in 1989 you don’t need to file new protest, but you
need to let the engineer know that you want your protest to stand.

There will be the opportunity to signed on with the Great Basin Water
Network and their protests, but we need your signature. Please come
and find out your choices.

If you have questions please call or visit with Gary Perea. (775-234-7300)

More info can also be found at the Great Basin Water Network website:

One Page Attachment "Statement of Reasons" for Protesting SNWA 1989 Applications
This one page attachment to a standard protest form includes reasons you can check off and add to if you wish. See our action alert for additional information on protests or use our easy to fill in protest form which has already included reasons in a checklist format that can be filled out and printed with Adobe Acrobat Reader. (http://greatbasinwater.net/pubs/Protestform.pdf).
Download report (33.5 Kb)

Six Page Attachment "Statement of Reasons" for Protesting SNWA 1989 Applications
This six page attachment to a standard protest form includes detailed reasons. See our action alert for additional information on protests or use our easy to fill in protest form which has already included reasons in a checklist format that can be filled out and printed with Adobe Acrobat Reader. (http://greatbasinwater.net/pubs/Protestform.pdf).
Download report (56.0 Kb)

Protest Form
Download this Protest Form of SNWA's applications in Spring, Cave, Delamar, and Dry Lake Valleys by clicking on the link below. See our Action Alert on this page for information on filing a protest of SNWA's 1989 Applications.
Download report (73.2 Kb)

Maps of 1989 Applications in Spring, Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys

Download report (2.3 Mb)

Water Gab - March 2011
Download to get all the critical information on the re-noticing and new protest period for the Southern Nevada Water Authority's water applications in Spring, Delamar, Dry Lake, and Cave Valleys.
Download report (381.5 Kb)

GBWN URGENT ACTION ALERT
STOP THE WATER GRAB BY PROTECTING WATER AND WATER RIGHTS IN SPRING, CAVE, DRY LAKE AND DELAMAR VALLEYS. Download the alert by clicking below.
Download report (69.2 Kb)

Authorization to join Great Basin Water Network Protests
In order to join GBWN’s protests, your authorization must reach our office no later than March 18, 2011.
Download report (43.9 Kb)

List of SNWA Applications Open for New Protest Through March 24, 2011†
The 25 Southern Nevada Water Authority applications shown for 126,054 acre-feet of groundwater exported through a 300-mile-long pipeline annually are open to protest once again after the Nevada Supreme Court sided with the Great Basin Water Network on behalf of protestants and invalidated earlier State Engineer rulings.
Download report (39.8 Kb)

Snake Valley Festival

2011-03-05T08:46:00.000-08:00

Looks like this year's Snake Valley Festival will be the biggest and best yet.

Here are some of the details. To keep up with the latest, bookmark the Festival Website.

Snake Valley Festival

June 17-19, 2011

Snake Valley, Nevada-Utah

Tentative Schedule

All times Pacific Daylight Savings Time

Friday, June 17

6:30 PM Ice Cream Social- Baker Community Center

7 PM Wine Tasting, T&D’s

Saturday, June 18

7:30-9:30 AM Pancake Breakfast—Baker Main Street

8 AM-12 PM Yard Sale – Baker Main Street

8 AM – 1 PM Booths – Baker Main Street

10 AM Small Town Parade—Baker Main Street

11 AM-1 PM Food Booths—Baker Main Street at T&Ds

11 AM-2:30 PM Silent auction---Baker Hall

11 AM-2 PM Kids’ Games—Baker Hall Lawn

1 PM -4 PM Entertainment---T&D’s (specific acts to be announced)

4 PM Massive water fight--Playground

6 PM Barbeque dinner---Border Inn

7:30 PM Live auction---Border Inn

8:30 PM Karaoke—Border Inn

Sunday, June 19

7:30 AM 5K Run/Walk and 10K Run

8:30 AM Pancake Breakfast

All day: Lehman Caves Tours-Great Basin National Park (advanced reservations recommended 775-234-7331 x242)

Festival Planning Meeting

2011-03-02T07:23:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to help plan this year's Snake Valley Festival, we're having a planning meeting Friday night at the Border Inn at 6 p.m. (NV time). We're expecting to have some of the favorite events from the past few years, like the best little-town parade that goes around twice in America, super local entertainment, name-your-own-price yard sale, and interesting booths and yummy food. Plus we have in mind some new things, but we need plenty of people to help make it a reality! Be sure to mark June 17-19 on your calendars--it will be a great weekend!

Snake Valley Moon

2011-02-20T19:56:00.000-08:00

The almost-full moon was spectacular rising over Snake Valley. As you can see, most of the snow has melted away--finally! Much of it came in December and then stuck around during the cold but fairly dry January.

The mountain is still plenty snowy, and the Wheeler Peak snotel (located near the Wheeler Peak campground at 10,147 feet elevation) shows that it snowed a few inches over the weekend, bringing the snow total to 59 inches--almost 5 feet of snow! You can find a link to the snotel site and lots of other great Snake Valley links on the new links page of Protect Snake Valley website.

Old Sheepherders' Party

2011-01-31T19:26:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was the 2011 Old Sheepherders' Party at the Border Inn. It was another great celebration, with lots of great food, stories, and general good fun. Friday evening was open mike, and we heard some great stories of life out on the range, some risque jokes, super singing, and much more.

Saturday morning sported the sourdough pancake breakfast and range tour. In the afternoon, , entertainer Sid Hausman kept the crowd in a good mood.

Sid Hausman is a real treat. A talented musician, songwriter, and artist, he had something for everyone in the program. I was in awe of his musical ability, he made it seem so easy!

He switched to a banjo, giving a perfect twang for his Southwest-themed music.

Denys Koyle, who came up with the idea of the Sheepherders' Party, took a couple minutes to dance with the youngest member of the crowd.

Ukelele? You bet. He made it sound good, too!

Then it was time to get ready for the Basque-style dinner. We enjoyed conversing with our tablemates, a mixture of people we knew and people we got to know.

The food was delicious: soup, salad, lamb, beef, chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, wine, punch, and ice cream and cookie for dessert.

The cafe was packed, and everyone was having a good time.

Then it was time to visit with friends and tap our feet to the music of the Silver Sage Band. What a great party. We can't wait till next year!

(If you want to see more about sheep on this blog, click the little blue word sheep below.)

Upcoming Events

2011-01-21T06:38:00.000-08:00

There are lots of exciting events coming up this year in Snake Valley! Be sure to mark your calendars, and if you know of any others, please leave a comment.

January 21-22 Sheepherder's Party at the Border Inn (call 234-7300 for more details)

February 25 Harvest Festival at Baker Hall (fundraiser for Baker and Garrison schools)

March 5 Messier Marathon--an astronomy marathon sponsored by Great Basin National Park

May - School year ends and graduation

June 17-19 Snake Valley Festival, a fun family event with lots of activities (fundraiser for Great Basin Water Network)

July 4 - Fourth of July festivities

July 29-31 Great Basin National Park Astronomy Festival--peer through one of over 100 telescopes at the great night sky

August 1-3 Bioblitz at Great Basin National Park--join entomologists and park staff as they document Hymenoptera--bees, wasps, and ants in the park and look for new species to science

September 3 Snake Valley Days BBQ & Dance (fundraiser for the Snake Valley Volunteer Fire Department)

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T07:49:00.000-08:00

Wishing you a wonderful 2011 from beautiful (but frigid) Snake Valley!

Wettest and Snowiest December on Record

2010-12-27T06:56:00.001-08:00

According to the National Weather Service, this has been the wettest and snowiest December recorded according to weather statistics from Ely, Nevada. Here's the bulletin they issued:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ELKO NV
441 PM PST SUN DEC 26 2010

...SNOWIEST AND WETTEST DECEMBER IN ELY, NV...

THIS DECEMBER HAS BEEN THE ALL-TIME SNOWIEST AND WETTEST DECEMBER
ON RECORD IN ELY, NV. HERE ARE THE TOP 5 DECEMBERS IN EACH CATEGORY.

 SNOWIEST           WETTEST
25.7  2010         3.18  2010
23.3  2009         3.15  1894
22.3  1968         2.11  1966
21.0  1894         1.87  1909
18.9  1948         1.79  1964

NOTE: MORE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED IN ELY BEFORE THE END OF THE
MONTH. STAY TUNED TO WWW.WEATHER.GOV/ELKO FOR THE FINAL STATISTICS.

Get Your Snake Valley Calendar Now!

2010-11-28T17:13:00.000-08:00

Looking for that perfect Christmas gift? Look no further--the 2011 Snake Valley Calendar is easy to buy and full of beautiful images to enjoy for a full year!

Calendars are available for 2 for $25 or 1 for $15. They are on sale at the Border Inn or email c_g_baker @ yahoo.com if you'd like to have them sent to you.

Proceeds from these calendars benefit the Great Basin Water Network, which is working to protect Snake Valley from dewatering.

Thank you!

Smoke and Flames

2010-11-07T16:05:00.000-08:00

Some recent sights at Great Basin National Park.

A fire crew came up from Lake Mead to burn over 75 wood piles. Pinyon and juniper were thinned around the park headquarters and residential area a couple years ago to make the area more defensible in case a large fire came. The dry wood put up quite a bit of smoke, making for some interesting photos.

Autumn is Here!

2010-10-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

Summer took a while to get started, but then seemed to hang around for quite some time. September was a warm and dry month, and it almost seemed that summer had decided to stay. Then some of the aspens started turning the second week, and before long whole hillsides had turned varying shades of yellow, orange, and red. This transition to the colorful season is always a delight, and the longer, cooler evenings are harbingers of what's to come.

The temperatures still warmed during the days, and the contrast of the colorful leaves with the bright blue sky made me want to saunter under them all day, enjoying the view.

Autumn in Snake Valley is a glorious sight, although a bit unpredictable. The start and end are never fixed, and the duration can be short or long.

Today we went up to enjoy more fall colors and found that many of the aspens had already lost their leaves. With a forecasted week of stormy weather, it's likely that the brilliant fall colors that still cling to the trees will soon be upon the ground. The highest ones may even get dusted by snow.

International Observe the Moon Night

2010-09-18T12:10:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the first International Observe the Moon Night, an event designated to get more people interested in the moon and other features beyond our earth.

Great Basin National Park is holding a special program at 7 p.m. at the Lehman Caves Visitor Center area. You can sure appreciate the night sky in the dark skies of Snake Valley!

To learn more about the moon, check out this LiveScience article with links to a moon map and moon viewing tips.

Yummy Snake Valley Days BBQ

2010-09-06T06:38:00.000-07:00

The place to be for the young'uns Saturday was around this steaming cauldron of...root beer! The dry ice makes it seem so Halloween-like. The homemade root beer is always a big attraction of the annual Snake Valley Days barbeque, held on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend.

Tri-tip roasts were barbequed on the grill out back over charcoal, and this year the guys seasoned and smoked some of the roasts, along with the traditional barbeque flavor. They were all delicious!

Janille put up signs.

Meg sliced up watermelon.

The kids continued enjoying being out on the front porch, although they might be getting a little tired of stirring!

Inside, the potatoes were taken out of the oven, tomatoes sliced, beans mixed and cooked, and much more.

When all was ready, the big bell rang and the crowd started through the chow line. There was a good turnout, and everyone was treated to a delicious meal.

I didn't get many photos, but you can see some of the people who attended in these photos.

Fortunately there was some leftover meat to buy so anyone who wanted to enjoy the savory taste longer could.

Thanks to everyone who came and supported this fundraiser for the Snake Valley Volunteer Fire Department!

Coming Soon--Snake Valley Days

2010-09-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

Saturday of Labor Day weekend is the annual Snake Valley Days BBQ and dance. This is a fun community event and is a fund raiser for the local fire department. It's open to the public, and many folks who like Snake Valley, live in Snake Valley, or used to live in Snake Valley attend.

The BBQ is at the cookhouse on Baker Ranch, and the weekend before was the cleanup weekend.
Cows love to break through the fences, so fence repair was a priority. Volunteers came to help with that, painting, mowing grass, cleaning the cookhouse, and more.
A fresh layer of paint made things look a lot better!
Two of the younger helpers find ways to keep busy in front of the cookhouse.
Kathy says hi! (I think my son took this photo.)
Apparently the cleanup was hard work!

We hope you can come and enjoy the BBQ at the cookhouse and the dance at the Border Inn. The BBQ starts at 4:00 p.m. (PDT). Cost is $10 for 16 and older, $5 for seniors and kids aged 6-15, free for children 5 and under. Live music at the Border Inn on Highway 6 & 50 begins at 8:00 p.m., with Loose Connection playing. There is no cover charge for the dance and no packaged liquor is allowed.

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

More Triathlon Photos

2010-08-19T19:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Beth, we have some more photos of the fun triathlon.

Exiting the water onto the muddy beach.

Tagging a teammate. Think the poodle wants to get involved?

Whew, that was a good workout!

The beginning of the longer-than-anticipated run.

Getting on the bike with his sister's encouragement.
Waiting for everyone to finish.
Ready to go again!

Thanks for sharing, Beth!

2010 Snake Valley Triathlon

2010-08-11T14:40:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to the Snake Valley Triathlon. The route was to swim across Silver Creek Reservoir, run to the highway, and bike to the Border Inn. We had a great turnout despite mostly overcast skies.

Individuals and teams participated. The swimmers gathered on the far side of the reservoir.

Chandra waiting for the "official" start.
The water level has gone down quite a bit recently, shrinking the reservoir and leaving some water lines. It also made for some deep mud at the exit point.

And they're off!
The water was a surprisingly pleasant temperature.
Navigating the mud made for a tricky transition.
Ben was the lifeguard, watching the swimmers.
Some of the runners taking off.
We thought the run was only two miles, but it turned out to be almost three.
Here's the run to bike transition zone, complete with human and canine spectators. We thought the bike ride was only five miles, but it turned out to be seven. Everyone got a little extra exercise!
Meg said encouraging things to Jeremy, who finished in the top three.
There were a lot of fast runners in the race.
This is how the transition looked like as the runners approached it.
Andy getting close to the end of the run.

Some of the spectators had fun expressions!
Dave and Tana were part of the team that finished second.
Ben finishing the bike ride for his team.
Gretchen happy to have made it.
Water and yummy homemade coffee cake awaited participants and spectators.
Breanna was the youngest to complete the whole race by herself.
There was no awards ceremony (or awards), so everyone wandered around afterwards and tried to keep from getting stiff.
More spectators.
More finishers.
I love the expression on Cindy's face. Way to go!
She's happy to be done!
Heather and Tana discussing strategies for next year (maybe).

And here are most of the participants. Some of the kids were busy looking at the huge houseboat parked nearby--we don't see those too often in Snake Valley!

It was a fun triathlon, and hopefully we'll have another one next year!
Thanks to everyone who came!

Astronomy Festival

2010-08-07T07:26:00.000-07:00

Great Basin National Park is holding an astronomy festival this weekend, and we went to the kickoff concert. Although it was sunny down in the valley, a big storm cloud had parked itself over the visitor center area, with light rain falling over the concert venue.

Folks pulled out their rain gear and sweatshirts and we eventually got started, with some very pleasant temperatures.

A variety of performers sang and played star- and sky-related songs.

We were also treated to some cowboy poetry.

The rain returned, so we moved under shelter and some kids performed "Twinkle, twinkle little star."

The evening flew by with all the great performances.

And the crowd really seemed to enjoy themselves.

I didn't know we had so many talented musicians in the valley!

After the final songs, it was time to meander over to the picnic area to take a look through one (or two or three) of the 40 telescopes that were set up. The telescopes ranged from fairly simple to hooked up to computers and TV screens. It was fascinating, and fortunately the clouds blew over, leaving the mighty Milky Way galaxy brightening the sky.

If you have a chance to go up to the festival, there are events all day today and tomorrow. Call the park for more details, 775-234-7331.

Faces of the Snake Valley Festival

2010-07-30T13:00:00.000-07:00

We had a great Snake Valley Festival on July 23 & 24, with lots of fun. Some photos are posted on the festival page, but here are some more of people at different events.

A huge thanks to everyone who came and participated!

Snake Valley Festival Just Days Away

2010-07-20T05:02:00.000-07:00

We're only a few days away from the Snake Valley Festival! Things are shaping up to be a great weekend, with lots of neat events. We hope you can come!

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, JULY 23 2010 (All times PDT)
12 - 2 pm Brown Bag Lunch and Workshop with Linda Hussa Linda will tell us about Surprise Valley's long battle to defeat the Washoe County water grab. It involved a dedicated coalition of people from the inside and the outside to win. At the Baker community center
2 - 4:30 pm Water Tour Visit some of the places in Snake Valley that could be impacted by the Las Vegas water grab
2 - 4 pm Film Festival See news clips that cover the water issue at the Baker community center
4 - 5 pm Friday Frenzy Silent Auction Bid for your favorite items quickly--this silent auction will only last one hour! At the Baker community center.
5 pm Pioneer Day Potluck Dinner Don't miss the Dutch oven fried chicken and potatoes at the Garrison LDS Church to celebrate Utah's Pioneer Day! Bring a side dish or a dessert.
TBD Special National Park Programs Join a park ranger at Great Basin National Park for a special program. Check at a park visitor center for times and locations.

SATURDAY, JULY 24 (All times PDT)
7:30 - 9:30 am Pancake Breakfast Get a great start to your day with this delicious breakfast on the main street in Baker
8 am - 12 pm Community Yard Sale Find treasures to take home with you
8 am - 2 pm Booths Browse the wide selection of booths for books, yummy treats, arts and crafts, and much more.
9 am - 2:30 pm Silent Auction Bid on your favorite items and help raise money
10 am Pioneer Day Parade Come see or join in an unforgettable, fun parade
10 am - 2 pm Food Court Recharge with some tasty lunch
11 am - 2 pm Kids Games Fun for the young and young-at-heart outside of Baker Hall
11 am - 5 pm Film Festival Watch clips about the water grab and other Snake Valley related videos at the Baker Community Center
1 pm - 4 pm Entertainment Enjoy author Linda Hussa's reading, listen to cowboy poetry, clap along with musical acts at Baker Hall
6 pm Barbeque at the Border Inn Savor freshly barbequed food and good company
8 pm Auction and Dance Bid on fantastic items during a live auction and then dance the night away at the Border Inn
8:30 pm-midnight Night Sky Program Check out the extra-clear night skies in the Great Basin through powerful telescopes until late in the night at the Lehman Caves Visitor Center

RAFFLE--DON'T MISS THESE GREAT PRIZES!
Tickets are $20 each or 6 for $100, available at many local businesses like T&Ds, the Border Inn, Sportsworld
or call Delaine Spilsbury at 866-212-7774
* 2 guided cow elk hunts (value $1000 each)
* silver and gemstone necklace, bracelet, earring set (value $2000)
* reversible hunting jacket (value $200)
* 2 Patagonia jackets (value $125 each)
* Mongoose mountain bike (value $300 each)
and much more

July Events

2010-07-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

Hi there!
There's so much going on this summer that it's hard finding time to post!

Some upcoming events:
**Car Wash at the Border Inn on July 11 from 8:00-12:00AM PDT. $10 for the inside or outside of the car, $20 for both. All proceeds go to the junior high/high school choir trip to Washington, DC.

**Snake Valley Festival July 23-24 (protectsnakevalley.org/festival)

**Tuesdays at the Baker community center 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

**August 6-8--Astronomy Festival, Great Basin National Park

**Saturday - August 7 Car wash at Border Inn; proceeds to choir trip

**Friday, August 13, 2010 @ 8:00 MDT EskDale Summer Concert- Variety and Favorites-$5 suggested donation; proceeds to choir trip

**August 13-Roping tournament in Garrison; proceeds to the choir trip

**Sunday - August 15 Car wash at Border Inn; proceeds to choir trip

If you know of anything else, please leave a comment!

Sunday Evening Softball is Back

2010-06-21T20:06:00.001-07:00

The tradition of Baker softball on Sunday summer evenings has been revived. The softball is open to all ages and abilities.

It's a great excuse to enjoy the beautiful evenings and get some exercise. The field provides some extra agility challenges.

We had a good spectator section. Behind them we set up t-ball for the little kids, and they had great fun hitting the ball into the rabbitbrush.

Harvester ants even can have a closeup view of the action (see the anthill on the left side of the photo?). We noticed quite a bit of improvement just over the course of the evening. By the end of the summer I think we'll all have improved quite a bit. We just need to find someone to compete against. Anyone in North Snake Valley want to get some people together to play?

One of the side attractions is the beautiful light on the mountains.

The little kids also enjoyed swinging on the tire swings.

Ah, this is the life! Everyone is welcome to come play or spectate. See you there next Sunday at 6 pm at the field just south of town.

150th Anniversary of the Pony Express

2010-06-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Don and Beth Anderson hosted a most excellent party up in Callao to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Pony Express. The Pony Express operated from 19 months 1860 to 1861 to deliver the U.S. mail from Missouri to California by way of horseback across the rough frontier country before railroads or telegraphs crossed it.

They own the Willow Springs Pony Express Station, the last surviving station. The stone Pony Express monument stands at the entrance to their ranch.

Several local riders helped bring the mail to the station, carrying it in a leather mochila. A caravan of people and horses followed to watch the mail retracing its historic hoofbeats. Despite some cool and rainy weather, the turnout was great, and many people planned to spend the night at Callao, more than doubling its population.

A variety of activities took place, including an auto show, fireworks, hamburger dinners, singing, dancing, and meeting new people. It was a great celebration.

The next morning dawned cool and cloudy, perfect for taking the mail even further east. The Pony Express trail through Snake Valley, and all the people who keep those memories alive, are one more thing I love about the area.

150th Anniversary of Pony Express

2010-06-01T08:15:00.001-07:00

You are Invited

to the 150th Anniversary of the Pony Express Re-Ride

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Willow Springs Ranch

Callao, Utah

Another mark in history, and we get to be a part of it! If all goes as planned, the mail will be in Ibapah at 5:00 p.m. We will bring the mail in around 8:00 p.m. We want to celebrate this in a grand way. Come and enjoy...

Antique car show/Genuine Tee Pee's

Slide show/Road show/Stories around 4:30 p.m.

Tours of the Station/Kids games

Food available for purchase

Square Dance or just do a jig to the live sounds of the Buckle Buster

Fun and Visiting

Fireworks

Donations being accepted to pay for band, fireworks, and sound system, etc...

Please RSVP by June 4th, 2010

Don and Beth Anderson 435-693-3136 or

wsrancher @ yahoo.com or bethbanderson @ hotmail.com

The menu:

PB&J with milk: $3

Hot dog plate: $10

Hamburger plate: $10

Vegiburger plate: $10

All plates include pasta salad, chips, choice of African peanut soup (vegetarian) or beef stew, and a drink.

Please respond to Bagleyandersonfundraiser @ hotmail.com and let me know what you would like to order so I can plan on how much food to bring.

Happy Graduation!

2010-05-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

Despite being remote, Snake Valley has a good system of schools, and like many schools throughout the country celebrated commencement exercises this week. EskDale High School had a graduating class of one student. In the photo above you can see the junior and senior high choir performing during the graduation.

Even though only one student graduated, there was a great turnout for graduation. Out here there is definitely more of a "It takes a village to raise a child" attitude. No child slips between the cracks in school--if a student wants to play hookie, everyone knows about it. Teachers go to extra lengths to help prepare the students for the future and are able to provide a lot of personal attention.

There are definitely some downsides to not having bigger schools, like lack of sports teams, fewer classes offered, and some very quiet class reunions. However, the students that graduate tend to do very well as they go off into the bigger world.

We hope that Nakia has great success in her future endeavors. Congratulations!

New Plants

2010-05-21T15:54:00.001-07:00

Ready to learn some new plants in Snake Valley? Every day a new one is featured on the blog A Plant a Day.

So far this isn't as spectacular a wildflower year as last year, but there are still quite a few beautiful flowers out right now, including these Nakedstem Sunrays (Enceliopsis nudicaulis).

The Desert Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja angustifolia) is really lighting up sagebrush areas, providing sparks of color.

So pop on over A Plant a Day if you'd like to see what else is blooming and learn a few plants.

Snake Valley Festival Coming in July

2010-05-14T07:12:00.000-07:00

We are planning for a big party July 23 and 24. Those are the dates of the Snake Valley Festival, a fun-filled event for all ages!

We're going to kick off Friday at noon with a workshop with Linda Hussa, a nature writer from Reno who successfully helped fight off a water grab in the western part of Nevada. Transitioning to our water battles here, the workshop will be followed by a water tour to see some of the places in Snake Valley that would be impacted if massive amounts of water are piped to Southern Nevada. For those wanting to stay in air-conditioned comfort, there will be a film festival showing off news clips about the issue and movie clips from movies filmed in the area. At 4 pm there will be a short silent auction, with only an hour to bid on your favorite items. Then at 5 pm there's a potluck dinner at the Garrison LDS church to celebrate Pioneer Day. It's always delicious and fun to visit with folks.

Saturday morning starts off with more food, a pancake breakfast. After you've filled your stomach, check out the community yard sale, booths with a variety of things for sale, and get ready to watch the parade. Then there are kid games, entertainment, a silent auction, a food court, and more. We might not be a big festival, but we have something for everyone! At 6 pm head to the Border Inn for a barbeque dinner, raffle drawing for a cow elk hunt, jewelry, and mountain bike, an auction, and a dance. If you still have some energy left, head up to the Lehman Caves Visitor Center to check out the night skies through some powerful telescopes.

Proceeds will go to the Great Basin Water Network. For more information about the festival, here's a link to the schedule. We're still looking for auction donations, parade entries, booths, and help with various events, so let us know if you can help!

See you at the Festival! Be sure to bring your family and friends!

April 29 Snow

2010-05-07T16:42:00.000-07:00

Along with some warm spring days, we've had plenty of windy days and even a few snowy days. We had a good snowstorm on April 29, leaving about five to six inches of snow. It made for a mess, but it was also really beautiful.

The main street in Baker looked refreshingly crisp.

And the desert shrubs were buried. By the afternoon, much of the snow had melted off, giving a welcome bit of moisture to help the vegetation green up and grow.

Spring Migration

2010-04-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

An unusual bird visited EskDale this last week, hopping around in the gravel and grass in the middle of the community. It's quite a striking bird, with the long pink legs, straight, long bill, and black and white coloring. It frequently bobs its head. Know what it is?

If you guessed black-necked stilt, you're correct. It's certainly an appropriate name, with the black neck and stilt-like legs. A couple killdeer were following it around, providing some good spring entertainment.

One of the best places to observe spring migration is Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge. The oasis attracts thousands of birds, providing an important feeding ground on their migration. It's also fun to see what pops up in the backyard. I always like to think about where the migrating birds have come and where they're going--it's a bit like being an armchair traveler, with different birds inspiring thoughts about different trips.

Pivot at Twilight

2010-04-17T09:27:00.000-07:00

Some of the pivots have recently been turned on, beginning the spring irrigation. They have nozzles that come down close to the ground to reduce evaporation. The snow is melting up in the mountains, increasing the stream flow that feeds many of these pivots. It appears that snow pack is slightly above normal, so we are hoping it will be a good water year.

By the way, the center pivot irrigation systems have lights that blink on and off at night, so if you're driving and see a light seemingly coming from a place that doesn't have roads, that could be what it is.

Spring is coming

2010-04-05T20:19:00.000-07:00

The recent precipitation is really making things green up. I haven't had a chance to get photos of that yet, but figured I should get these end-of-winter photos up soon! Above is a really nice entrance sign for Warm Creek Ranch, by Gandy.

These covered stacks of hay by the Flat (north of the Border Inn) are slowly growing smaller as the hay is shipped to those who need it. It will only be a couple of months before the first crop is harvested and we begin the cycle again.

Signs of Spring

2010-03-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

There are some unmistakable signs that spring is slowly arriving in Snake Valley. Besides the wind that's blowing tumbleweeds from one end of the valley to the other (which is no mean feat in a valley that's over 100 miles long!), we are starting to see some different birds, like killdeer and sandhill cranes. The ravens are sitting on and near their nests. They have always finished nesting by the time we do breeding bird surveys in June.

Little balls of eggs, frog eggs, are another good indication of spring. These are from Columbia spotted frogs. Each male only mates with one female, and each female only makes one ball of eggs, so if you count the egg masses, you can get an approximate count of the adult population. Because the adults can be very hard to detect, this is the usual method to track frog populations in this area.

It's nice to see these signs of spring. More will be coming soon!

Jay's Retirement Party

2010-03-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, a 19-year resident and the manager of Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge said farewell. We went up to join in the celebration of all he's done.

Jay still manages a big grin despite living in one of the most remote places. To give you an idea, his mailbox is about an hour away.

His leaving attracted people from various parts of the Fish and Wildlife Service, Utah Department of Natural Resources, Dugway Proving Ground, Brigham Young University, and other places.

Burgers and brauts were cooked on the portable grill. Portable all being relative, of course.

It was an impressive spread of food for being out in the middle of nowhere!

We ate in the fire/maintenance shop, which had really been cleaned up nicely.

At the end of lunch, a number of presentations were made commemorating Jay's lengthy career. Here new refuge manager Brian Allen presents Jay with a national wildlife refuge sign that all the attendees signed.

Jay also was presented a group gift of turkey decoys.

Jay is going to be retiring to a not-as-remote place in Utah. Nevertheless, he probably has some of the wonderful Fish Springs scenery etched in his memory. The springs and surrounding vegetation still have their winter colors. The winter air makes the mountains seem sharper and the air crisper. It is stark and beautiful at the same time.

Thanks, Jay, for taking the road less traveled, and being willing to help protect public lands way off the beaten path.

Soccer Time

2010-03-11T19:03:00.000-08:00

We're starting to get that nice spring weather where it's possible to wear shorts and t-shirts even though there aren't even leaves on the trees. Some kids took advantage of the weather after school and played soccer at the playground in Baker.

They were still playing even after the sun went behind the mountain and the long shadows had disappeared.

There's a fairly regular Sunday afternoon soccer match open to anyone who's interested and ready for some good exercise.

Farewell but not goodbye

2010-02-22T10:54:00.000-08:00

This will be my last posing on the Protect Snake Valley blog site as a guest blogger in my capacity as the Refuge Manager at Fish Springs. As there is a rather incredible grapevine in the valley, I suspect most know that I will be retiring from my capacity here later this month and will be heading to my sanctuary down Torrey way.

However, after spending nearly 20 years living in the West Desert, I can take the Refuge Manager out of the west desert but I can never take the west desert out of the retired Refuge Manager. The sense of solitude, the night winter stars, the serenade of coyotes twice each day, the incredible arrival of salt storms, the sense of community that stretched further than most could ever comprehend, and a myriad of other memories hewn from this unique landscape will always stay with me.

Over the coming years I will continue to follow the groundwater issue with great interest. While the efforts of Clark County to take Utah groundwater may be damaged, it is not a time to lose vigilance. As is evidence by the many other applications for groundwater out of the Great Salt Lake flow system, the great "West Desert Water Rush" is still alive and threatening.

I have come to very much admire the diligence with which the residents of the west desert have pursued and educated themselves regarding this issue. We have all had to have a crash course in Hydrology, Geomorphology, and Water Rights 101 so to speak. An educated and informed citizen is still the greatest danger to a politician.

I suspect I'll still show up in the west desert on a recurrent basis. As I tell friends about the many wonder of Fish Springs, Great Basin National Park, the Deep Creek Range and points in between, it will necessitate bringing many here to gain a first hand appreciation. If they can gain the passion we all have for our "Utah outback" then we will have gain advocates in our fight to save the livelihoods and the natural character of an incredible land.

Keep the faith, fight the good fight,and hang together. The MX battle showed us that it is possible to persevere against Goliath. This battle can be won as well and I've been proud to be a part and will continue to be an advocate.

Mardi Gras at the Community Center

2010-02-21T19:51:00.000-08:00

The Baker Community Center is open on Tuesdays from 10 am to 2 pm, and it's a fun place to stop by. I went last Tuesday and enjoyed the Mardi Gras celebration and a procession of people stopping by to visit and see what was going on.

Mardi Gras is Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent starts. Lent is the time proceeding Easter that traditionally involves fasting and moderation.

Carol made a variety of traditional Mardi Gras foods. Above is a King Cake, a sweetened yeast bread. The frosting colors of gold, green, and purple are traditional and represent power, faith, and justice, and date back to 1872. Inside each cake is a token, a bean or a little figure of the Christ child. Whomever finds it is said to have good luck for a year.

These beignets were absolutely delicious. In fact, I had to eat two! They are a yeast bread that is deep fried and covered with powdered sugar. Oh my, just thinking about them makes my mouth water.

Carol also made these pralines. I sampled these, too, definitely ruining my appetite for lunch. They were worth it!

Reita brought this scrumptious nut cake. I certainly wasn't expecting all these goodies when I went!

Every Tuesday there's something different going on at the Community Center, but one constant is good companionship, so come join the fun!

Snake Valley in Winter

2010-02-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

We're not having a super wet winter, but the snow we have is sticking around, making some of the abandoned buildings in Snake Valley seem even more desolate. Whenever I see old buildings like these, I always wonder about the people who lived in them and what they did and how they survived the winters.

Here's one of the old telegraph poles south of Garrison. There was a telegraph line out to Burbank and I think also one to Milford.

Although the water level in Pruess Lake (Garrison Reservoir) is slowly being replenished during the winter, the water is still low enough that there is a line of burdock between the shore and the ice. These nasty plants have little burs that cling to shoelaces.

Standing on top of the century old dam, one can see how low the water is. The dam was built with bricks that were fired in a kiln up on Snake Creek. The original dam was built by water prospectors who thought they could entice people to come out to Snake Valley and make big bucks farming. They promoted the steady water supply they were developing with the dam. They were better promoters than geologists, though. The rock you can see in the photo above on the left is limestone, and the porous nature of this rock meant that the water could never get near the top of the dam. The huge tracts for farming across the valley never emerged, although one can see the miles-long ditch from the air (and partly from the road) that extends north from Pruess Lake to Garrison and then across the stateline into Nevada. That round of water prospecting didn't turn out so well, and we're hoping current attempts meet the same fate.

Legal Decision Postpones Water Grab

2010-01-29T21:19:00.000-08:00

The Protect Snake Valley website and blog were started due to the threats of Southern Nevada coming into Snake Valley to dewater it. The loss of massive amounts of groundwater in the valley would have far reaching consequences, drying up springs and streams, killing off vegetation that had roots reaching down to that water, potentially creating huge dust storms due to unstable soil.

Many people have been fighting to help preserve the wild, unique character of Snake Valley, from the valley bottoms to the mountain tops. This week a legal victory has given our side something to cheer about, and hopefully will help us as we continue to fight. The Nevada Supreme Court said that people who wanted to protest the Spring Valley water applications by Southern Nevada Water Authority were not given the chance that they should have been. The applications will have to be refiled or anyone who wants to protest them will have to be given that opportunity. This basically means that the State Engineer's ruling on Spring Valley (which is just over the hill from Snake Valley), will have to be looked at again in great detail and possibly a new hearing held. The results of this hearing could be very different from the first one.

The issue is far from over, though. Southern Nevada Water Authority is still trying to get water from rural Nevada. They refiled applications yesterday and still plan to pump and pipe water hundreds of miles to the seemingly unquenchable thirst that exists in southern part of the state.

Nevertheless, it is good to see that our efforts are producing results and even more people are questioning the sustainability of this nefarious pipeline scheme. If you'd like to read more, you can find the latest news articles linked on the Great Basin Water Network website.

A couple places to go for more info include: The Salt Lake Tribune and The Las Vegas Sun

2010 Sheepherder's Gathering a Success

2010-01-22T09:48:00.000-08:00

The 2010 sheepherder's gathering was the biggest one yet, and it appeared everyone had a great time! Activities began Friday night with an appreciation dinner. Denys Koyle, co-owner of the Border Inn, kicked off the program afterwards.

Then Hank Vogler took over as emcee, sharing his witty repartee between speakers. Having spent a large part of his life working with sheep, he had no shortage of stories to share.

Sourdough Slim shared his musical talents and country sense of humor. He makes it look so easy to play multiple musical instruments at the same time, sing, tell jokes, and keep a crowd of varying backgrounds and ages entertained.

Then it was time for speakers to get up and share stories about sheepherders, sheep shearers, and sheep owners. I was able to photograph most, but not all the speakers. Fortunately the entire program was videotaped for the Great Basin National Heritage Area, so in the future it should be available for those who are interested.

Little Melanie sang a song to conclude the speaker part of the program. She is quite brave to get up in front of a crowd!

Then Sourdough Slim performed some more musical numbers. There were so many people in the room that some had to stand in the doorways in order to be able to watch.

The next day was the sourdough pancake breakfast in the morning, video clips and movies about the Snake Valley area, and another performance by Sourdough Slim in the afternoon. He did his accordion playing, yodeling, dancing, rope trick to the delight of the crowd.

In the evening was a delicious lamb and beef family-style dinner. It was fun to meet people from a variety of backgrounds.

During dinner the Silver Sage band performed, and afterwards they played late into the night for those wanting to dance.

Overall it was a very successful weekend and a great opportunity to get out of the house and beat those winter blahs. This was the seventh annual sheepherder's party--we only have a year until the next one!

2010 Sheepherder's Gathering

2010-01-13T12:38:00.001-08:00

It's almost time for the annual Sheepherder's Gathering at the Border Inn! Thousands of sheep are out on the range, and the sheepherders, sheep owners, and sheep aficionados are ready to take a break from their isolation and gather for a weekend of fun.

Here's the schedule for 2010:

Friday, January 15, 5PM-Appreciation Dinner for those in the sheep industry

Saturday, January 16th
7:00AM Festivities start with Sourdough Pancake Breakfast
11 AM - Snake Valley Films
2 PM - Sourdough Slim returns! See below for a little more info on this fun show, great for kids.
5PM - Dinner is ready: roast lamb and beef with all the trimmings, $20
Until late - The Sheepherders Ball; Music by Silver Sage Family Band

Call 775 234-7300 for more info.

Below is the blog post for the 2009 Sheepherder's Gathering. As you can see, it was a really good time, so make sure you don't miss this year's!

The Sheepherder's Party was recently held at the Border Inn, located out on the Utah/Nevada stateline. This area, generally called the West Desert, has been a big winter sheepherding area for over a century. This party is put on to encourage sheepherders, sheep owners, and others involved in the sheep industry to celebrate their heritage and to take a break from the mundane routines of winter.

Denys Koyle, owner of the Border Inn, organized the event, which went from Friday evening to the wee hours of Saturday night. Friday night was a dinner and sheepherder's stories; Saturday was a pancake breakfast, presentation by Sourdough Slim, a dinner, and the sheepherder's ball, with lots of good music to kick up your heels to. In addition, the Great Basin National Heritage Route conducted oral histories, Great Basin National Park opened the new visitor center with recently installed exhibits, and some folks took a water tour to learn more about Snake Valley.

Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons opened the program Friday evening with remarks.

Some of the actual sheepherders came. There aren't so many of them anymore as transportation has improved. Nevertheless, they still do a lot of the sheepherding the old-fashioned way, living in small sheep camps, riding horses to move the sheep, and having only their border collies and sheep dogs for company most of the time. At one point most of the sheepherders were Basque, but today they are all from Peru.

Sourdough Slim showed off his excellent musical abilities and sense of humor.

The program included those of all ages, including young Melanie singing a pretty song in her pink cowgirl hat.

This gentleman showed off a quilt his made. He explained that he wore the elbows out of his wool shirts, and they would mysteriously disappear from the closet. He wanted his wife just to cut the sleeves off to make short-sleeved summer shirts, but she used them to make this beautiful quilt--her 100th quilt!

The emcee was the garrulous and hilarious Hank Vogler. His son got up to take his turn at filling the room with hot air.

No program is complete without a little cowboy poetry. Here is the Sheepherder's Lament by Jack Ingram, about the difficulties of getting a wife while herding sheep:

And then came something new for me: cowboy yodeling. I really enjoyed it. If you want to hear more, Sourdough Slim will be performing at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada the end of January, or you can get CDs from his website.

Christmas Bird Count

2009-12-30T16:34:00.000-08:00

For three weeks beginning in mid-December, birders across the U.S., and in fact in many other areas of the world, bundle up to go count birds as part of the annual Christmas Bird Count. This year is the 110th Christmas Bird Count, an impressive record for an effort that is nearly all volunteer. In fact, this year, tens of thousands of volunteers are expected to help.

Ely had its Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on December 15, with some notable bird sightings including a merlin at the KOA and a wood duck at the duck pond near the library. I'm going to start taking a closer look at that duck pond! This was the first CBC in Ely.

South Snake Valley had its CBC on December 17. It looks like 46 different bird species were found, including a yellow-shafted flicker (most are red-shafted in this area) and a rock wren, pictured above and below.

There's still one more CBC in the Snake Valley area, at Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge. It will be held Sunday, January 3, beginning at 9:30 A.M. (Utah time). Anyone interested is asked to register ahead of time by emailing Jay_Banta@fws.gov. This CBC gets some top-notch birders from Utah attending, so it's a great opportunity to learn a few more birds at the desert oasis.
I remember my first CBC, which was in Snake Valley. I wondered how in the world I was going to keep from being totally bored looking at birds all day, as I didn't think we would see that many in the middle of winter. I was wrong--when you concentrate on birds, you see them everywhere, even in the middle of winter! Now I really look forward to the annual Christmas Bird Count.

For more info about bird watching, scroll down to see the post by Jay Banta about Christmas Bird Counts and how birders stimulate the economy.

EskDale Nativity Play and Candlelight Service

2009-12-23T19:42:00.000-08:00

On December 24 at 7 pm (Utah), EskDale will hold their annual Candlelight Service and Nativity Play. All are welcome, and a dessert potluck follows it.

Here are a few scenes from the dress rehearsal for the Nativity Play. Local children are the actors, and they love getting dressed up.

There are several musical numbers, and in EskDale fashion, are performed well with great accompaniment.

Mary and Joseph had fun in the stable picking straw out of the manger. Baby Jesus will be played by a doll.

The angels were darling in their outfits and fun to watch as they got a little antsy from time to time.

The cast of characters ends the program with Joy to the World. Tomorrow night there will be a couple more additions to the cast--they were napping during the dress rehearsal today. The play is never complete without a few hiccups, like straying sheep or costume adjustments.

If you're looking for a great way to spend Christmas Eve, this is a fun outing.

Baker/Garrison Christmas Program

2009-12-16T14:23:00.000-08:00

Last night the Baker/Garrison schools put on their annual Christmas program. It is one of the best-attended programs of the year, with Baker Hall packed. There were easily over 150 people in attendance. The program started off with the elementary school strings (four violins) doing two numbers, and then the band (a flute, clarinet, two trumpets, and a trombone) doing two more musical pieces. They all sounded quite good, especially for being fifth and sixth graders.

Next the kindergarten-second graders sang, played recorders, and then did their play. The play focused on a group of penguins trying to find a new home when their zoo was shut down. They flew to the North Pole, didn't get along with the polar bears, and then went to the Antarctic, where they decided to stay. It was really cute.

The third-sixth graders put on a well-rehearsed performance with lots of choreography and singing. Their setting was Christmas in the West, and it was obvious they enjoyed their costumes. The microphones from EskDale made a huge difference, as we were able to hear everyone well.

Following the program it was time for cookies and Santa Claus! A line of kids waited to tell Santa Claus what they wanted for Christmas. My son's wish: "presents." He should be satisfied!

It was a nice evening and always good to see so many people from the community attending.

Baker Community Center

2009-11-29T09:18:00.000-08:00

The Baker Community Center is now open every week for anyone who would like to get together and enjoy the company of others in Snake Valley. It's open every Tuesday from 10 AM-2 PM (Nevada time). Sometimes there are special activities planned, such as the first Tuesday of every month is a potluck lunch and Bingo.

The building is handicapped accessible and sports some great ironwork.

Signs at the post office and the community center have the latest information. The community center has a library and magazine collection, and people are welcome to trade books and magazines. It's a nice destination, especially in the winter when you might be tired of looking at the inside of your own house! All ages are welcome.

Carol Ferguson is the main person behind reopening the community center. She's ready to see more people attend and is willing to listen to ideas for different activities. Stop by on a Tuesday and check it out!

Happy Thanskgiving!

2009-11-25T20:26:00.000-08:00

I feel thankful for so many things that are here in Snake Valley. Here are a few things:

I am thankful for the wonderful people, who despite living so many different lifestyles and from so many different backgrounds manage to come together for the important things.

I am thankful for the excellent air quality that gives us fantastic views and better health.

I am thankful for the clear night skies that make it possible to see our place in the huge Universe.

I am thankful for having modern conveniences that we now take for granted: automobiles, Internet, telephones, paved roads (at least a few!), and many time-saving appliances.

I am thankful for the volunteers who help make our communities safer--the firefighters, EMTs, and others.

I am thankful for our teachers and good schools so that the kids in the valley can have an excellent education and go on to whatever they dream.

I am thankful for having some local businesses so when I really don't want to cook I can go out to eat. And I can fill up my gas tank without having to haul extra gas from town. And friends and family have a place to stay when they come and visit.

I am thankful for finding this unique place in the world. I hope it doesn't change much.

Birds & Bucks

2009-11-24T06:22:00.000-08:00

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The time of year for the many Audubon Christmas Bird Counts is fast approaching. The Ely count will be on Dec. 15th, the Snake Valley count will be on Dec. 17th and the Fish Springs count will be on January 3. I hope you will consider joining in one or more of these counts for a good time, great camaraderie and a good opportunity to learn about our wintering birds. Absolutely no birding expertise is required, only a interest in learning more about birds! These counts are a critical citizen contribution to monitoring our wintering bird populations and provide very significant species status and trend data at the continental level.

The coming of the various Christmas Bird Counts make a great segeway into the topic of wildlife watching and economics. The simple fact is that watching birds and other wildlife is a very significant economic engine and most American are simply not aware of it. Every five years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducts a national survey involving thousands of household that is called the National Survey of Hunting, Fishing, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. The most recent survey was done in 2006 and I'd like to share some of the figures as they are a real eye opener for most folks who simply did not know that wildlife watching is such big business. I will be using the data from Utah but Nevada figures, factoring in population differences, will be commensurate.

In Utah during 2006, and estimated 877,000 individuals engaged in wildlife watching. Of that group about 553,00o were resident and about 324,00 were non-residents. To give you a relative idea of the magnitude of wildlife watching, only 541,000 individuals engaged in hunting and fishing combined. Perhaps the most staggering figure is that the estimated expenditures by those engaged in wildlife watching in Utah in 2006 was a staggering 564 million dollars.

An incredible 25.3 million days were spent in Utah wildlife watching around the home with another 2.2 million spent doing so away from home.

An even more indepth perspective on the tremendous economic and recreation activity that wildlife watching represents can be made by comparing these numbers to the Utah population in 2006. It was estimated that the population of Utah in 2006 was right around 2.5 million. So the simple math indicates that one 1 out of every 4.5 residents in Utah intentionally engaged in wildlife watching that year. And remember that the average annual expenditure per resident engaged in wildlife watching was $214 per year! The 324,000 non-resident averaged and expenditure of $860 per year engaging in the same activity in the Beehive state!

So the next time you see someone walking around with those tell tale binoculars on or, as is often the case with bird watchers, driving slow enough watching from the car that you would swear if they went any slower they would go in reverse, remember there are dollars involved here for our local economy. Give then an appreciative nod or even better yet, if you know a local hot spot for birds, take the time to direct them to it. They will be very appreciative and will likely pass on to other birders that experience. Believe me, birders are on of the best networked groups I know of! There are a number of places in the U.S. that have good birding but many fewer that have good birding and are famous for the hospitality that the "locals" show those visiting birders. I suspect the the latter just smile and appreciate that their economy is blessed by this infusion!

Going Dry with Color!

2009-11-11T06:33:00.000-08:00

This time of year is always a dismal time for me. Indian summer, my favorite season, has just passed and winter is around the corner. I hate to say goodbye to the flowers and plants that have given me so much pleasure during the summer.

But this year is a little different. Last summer was a particularly inspiring gardening season for me because I've taken on the xeriscape challenge.

Fighting the water grab has made me a lot more conscious about my personal use of water. Water used to seem so plentiful here, but after seeing the results of our depleting aquifer, I have realized that water conservation is a personal responsibility, as well as community responsibility. And it's true for Snake Valley users as well as for Las Vegas users.

Although I've been intrigued with the concept of xeriscape which is growing plant species that are soil-and-water-friendly in dry environments, I haven't liked much of what I have seen. Landscaping with rocks and straggly plants just didn't inspire my green thumb. But after combing the Internet for ideas, I finally took the plunge, ripped out some lawn, and ordered dozens of plants from a nursery in New Mexico.

I absolutely love the result! These plants have bloomed all summer and fall, only stopping after a really hard frost. They have wonderful fragrance - light and spicy, and attract hummingbirds and bees. As promised, they take very little water, tolerate the alkaline soil, and as an added bonus, tasty really nasty to rabbits and chipmunks!

This is one of my favorite plants although it's not a particularly fragrant plant. It's called wild 4 o'clock. The flowers open up in the morning and evening, closing during the hottest part of the day. I only have 3 plants, but in the first season, they've covered an area of about 15 square feet, and are loaded with bright pink flowers.

These gaillardia have been beautiful all summer, nicely mounded and covered with flowers. I don't know if I should have been picking the spent flowers. I still have a lot to learn about handling some of these plants and may be doing a lot of weeding next summer if they've produced as many seeds as I think they have.

I even incorporated the mandatory dry stream bed that so many xeriscape gardens seem to have.

For a woodland look, I planted several varieties of penstemon. These were a little slower to take off, but by the end of the season, this part of the garden looked and smelled like the undergrowth in a pine forest. The nursery instructions said it would take up to three seasons for these plants to reach full maturity, but they were beautiful during the first season.

So... for my first season of xeriscape gardening, I've avoided landscaping with rocks. The beauty and fragrance of these desert plants is simply amazing. I am more enthusiastic than ever. The cold winter months will be filled with dreams of new landscapes to conquer.

Whether or not my small part in reducing the "water footprint" makes any difference in the larger scheme of things, I get a personal satisfaction knowing that I have a beautiful garden that is truly part of the desert I love.

Persevering Pioneers

2009-11-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

Persevering Pioneers

Over the last 160 or so years, there have been a number of intrepid and hearty pioneers who came to wrest a living from the West Desert. Some were associated with the various efforts like the Jackass Mail, the Pony Express, the Overland Stage, and the Lincoln Highway that sought to move mail, freight and people across a harsh environment.

Others came to take advantage of the infrequent water sources to begin the first cattle and farming operations. They developed irrigation systems, grew hay, raised cattle and horses and were, for the most part, relatively self sufficient operations.

I like to introduce you to the first pioneers of the Fish Spring National Wildlife Refuge. Arriving on the scene quite a bit later then many pioneers, in 1959 shortly after the Refuge was first established, Lynn and Judy Greenwalt, were, nonetheless, pioneers by any modern day standards. They would arrive at a location with great raw wildlife habitat, no housing other than a 20' trailer, no indoor plumbing or electricity and would leave it almost three years later as a thriving management refuge with houses, an office, dikes and water control structures being built and a generally a great deal more civilized then they had come to it!

Refuge Manager Lynn Greenwalt and son Mark in 1960

If Santa can find you at Fish Springs I guess he really does find all the children!

The entire Refuge HQ in 1960!

Mind you, the pair were well prepared for the trials and tribulation of being the first on site, living so far from civilization and enduring the lack of what most of us, even in the West Desert, now regard as normal amenities. They were prepared for this daunting task, you see, because both were the children of Refuge Managers. Lynn, in fact spent some of his youth at the Last Chance Ranch on the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge in NW Nevada. Those who have been to that area know full well that it is still a pretty wide open and untamed piece of the world. The two would meet when Lynn's father, Ernie would transfer to the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, where Judy's father was already on the staff.

So in the fall of 1959, this intrepid pair, along with their four year old son Mark, would arrive at Fish Springs full of enthusiasm and with only a little bit of shell shock at the facilities that awaited them. Their home would be a vintage 20' travel trailer. An identical travel trailer would serve as the office while an old surplus military single airplane hanger would serve as the shop. They started off with a drilled well and a 1.5 KVA gas generator! After a few weeks they would advance to the luxurious level of a 7 KVA generator and, at least when the generator was running, a pressurised water system and even got a septic system complete with a cesspool! Mind you, that they could only run the generator three hours each day.

Judy has related to me that during those three hours she would wash clothes like a mad woman, oftentimes to hang them out just in time for one of our famous west desert salt storms! When those infamous salt storms did come in, the left a fine layer of dust over everything inside of the trailers!

The cold front commeth!

And not a vacuum cleaner in sight!

The roads leading out of Fish Springs were, during those days, much poorer then what we know today. The Pony Express Road, at least that portion in Juab County, was particularly infamous. The sign below, posted at the county line in the early 60s when headed west on the Pony Express Road, pretty well sums up the situation! It is hard to read here but the top portion says "Juab County." The bottom piece reads "This Road Not Passable. It's Hardly Jackassable."

Only the intrepid beyond this point!

One of the ancestors of our "talcum powder" blowouts of today!

During Lynn's tenure, the Master Plan for the development of Fish Springs was completed under his guidance. This plan would ultimately be the guiding force behind the vast array of dikes, pools, and buildings that have served the Refuge so very well for nearly 50 years. It is a real twist of irony, that after all of the efforts of planning and overseeing the construction of the first two Refuge residences (and believe me it was a contracting and oversight nightmare for him!), the Greenwalts would only have the tremendous luxury of living in one of the new homes for a couple of months before the next assignment took them away. However, I'll bet after two years in a 20' trailer, those two months were absolute bliss for them!

A great advancement in progress!

Preparing to pour a water control structure

Many thought that Lynn was insane for taking on this assignment initially but he would respond by telling them that "The Manager finds the opportunity to pioneer a new area stimulating and challenging -- and a not inconsiderable honor."

In 1963, Lynn and his family would leave Fish springs for an assignment in the Regional Office in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There would be other assignments to follow, culminating in his becoming Director of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, the Department of Interior agency that would become U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. He would lead the agency from 1973 to 1980.

Lynn and Judy have returned to Fish Springs three times during my 18 years as the
Refuge Manager here. After nearly 50 years of having left Fish Springs and the west desert, it still possesses them. If you asked them of all the Refuges they grew up on and worked at, which is their favorite, they both still answer, without a trace of hesitation, "Fish Springs." It always makes me smile because I am among a very select few who really understand why.

Reslendant Raptors

2009-10-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

This period of the end of summer and the beginning of fall is my favorite time of the year. There are many reason why this cusp of change appeals to me but one of my favorites is the annual raptor migration. Fish Springs and the entire west desert, serve as a path for an incredible diversity of birds of prey as they make their was south from various points north. Their splendor and sleek appearance are a true harbinger of the changing of the seasons.

I was reminded of this when I drove down to attend the recent water agreement meeting with the Governor which was held at the Border Inn. On the way down from Fish Springs, I noted seven different golden eagles. That is probably not too extraordinary in our west desert, where golden eagles are always present, but it still was an indication that young of the year fledglings and adult golden eagles are all on the move.

Here on the Refuge and in my fall bird hunting haunts in the woods, I have been able to note many other species. Perhaps the highlight of the season for me was the recent experience of seeing a peregrine falcon on the Refuge trying to carry off a large duck it had killed. I could not tell for sure but I am reasonably confident it was a hen mallard and that is a pretty large duck! It was all the falcon could do to get it a few feet off the ground and fly perhaps another 50 or 60 yards distant from my passing vehicle. We see peregrines on a regular basis during both the spring and fall migrations and they are a reminder to me that we can indeed recover many endangered species.

Other raptors noted on the Refuge in recent days include many sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks. They tend to end up at the trees around the housing area or those at the Thomas Ranch Watchable Wildlife Area because being the only trees on the Refuge, that is where the song birds that provide their sustenance are. Almost every year I have been fortunate enough to see one of these beautiful accipiters take a prey bird in the housing area. It is a rare treat indeed to be witness to such nature in the raw!

When I was grouse hunting recently down on Thousand Lake mountain in southern Utah, I had the good fortune to see a goshawk, the largest of our accipiters. They inhabit the aspen-pine forest regions and it is an incredible site to see such a large bird power through the timber with such agility. I have seen then in the Deep Creek Mts. in the past and even encounter some once on the trail between the Wheeler Peak and Lehman Campgrounds. I once watched one fly to a perch and consume a ruffed grouse at the Gooseberry Campground over by Salina. They are simply spectacular raptors!

Just a week ago, I noted our first rough-legged hawk of the season. These arctic nesting birds come to Fish Springs to winter and prey on our bountiful rodent populations. They are the only common buteo hawk on the Refuge for the late fall-winter period. We do see red-tailed and Swainson's hawks regularly during the migration but they do not generally winter with us.

The true representative hawk of the west desert, the ferruginous hawk, is rarely found on the Refuge. They are very tied to using the desert uplands and juniper community and almost never forage on the wetlands of the Refuge. We do seen them very rarely on the Refuge uplands. Their scientific name, Buteo regalis, is well applied. This largest of most striking of our west desert buteo hawk is indeed a regal resident!

The smaller falcons, the American kestrel and the merlin are both regular visitors to Fish Springs during the migration. I always enjoy watching their often frenzied hunting behavior when they are after prey. Not much in the way of loafing time for these little dynamos.

The prairie falcon, the intermediate member of our west desert falcon complement, is a year around resident on the Refuge. For the past several years, we have had prairie falcons that favored to use the top of our two-way radio tower as a perch to view the area. When I observe this in December it always brings a smile to my face and I think to myself "There is the crowning angel on my Christmas tree!"

Bald eagles are perhaps the most sought after raptor by our visiting public. We only have them in the winter. On most winter days, one can find from one to as many as four or five in the trees at the Thomas Ranch site. Their number wax and wane during the winter, I think probably a function of how much winter we have. When it is mild, I think some leave to go to lakes and streams east of us to fish, their preferred foraging behavior. When winter intensifies and those areas freeze up, they come back to us to hunt waterfowl.

By far the most common bird of prey on the Refuge is the Northern Harrier, or for many of us, the marsh hawk. We have several pairs that nest on the Refuge and in the winter those numbers are swelled by quite a few birds that come to winter here. Their nearly ceaseless hovering and gliding about the marsh is something that can be observed any time of year and in any kind of weather.

In your travels about the west desert, take a minute to appreciate the variety of birds of prey you will encounter. They come because our habitats provide the basic element that are critical to sustain them. May those habitats always continue to do so for these long distance travelers.

Beetle BioBlitz

2009-09-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

In mid-September, Great Basin National Park hosted a Beetle Bioblitz. During a 24-hour period, more than forty people traipsed throughout the park collecting beetles, searching a variety of habitats from 5,300 feet to 10,800 feet.

The event started with a beetle workshop, where participants learned some beetle basics.

Beetles belong to the Order Coleoptera, and there are over 12,000 described types of beetles in the U.S. and over 300,000 worldwide. Wow! This amounts to about 25% of all living organisms. Even more amazing--there could possibly be 5 to 8 million beetle species--many of them remain undescribed.

Beetles include some commonly seen insects like "ladybugs" and lightning bugs.

Although beetles have hardened forewings (elytra), they have a second set of wings that allow (most of) them to fly.

There are many other cool facts about beetles at Wikipedia.

Southern Utah University from Cedar City, Utah, brought a display case of beetles, some found in the area, but the more dramatic ones as examples of how different beetles can be.

Other participants came from Dixie State College in St. George, Utah, University of Nevada-Reno, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, and Nevada Department of Agriculture.

Participants had to keep track of where they collected beetles on data sheets and label their vials so that the park could keep a record of them.

Different collecting techniques were used, from turning over logs and rocks to installing pitfall traps, where unsuspecting beetles would fall into a cup and be trapped. Light traps were quite successful, as were sweep nets that were brushed through grasses, shrubs, and trees.

Following collection came the really hard part: identification. Fortunately there were some very talented entomologists (insect specialists) who were able to get the beetles sorted down to family in relatively short time. One of the entomologists, Jeff Knight from the Nevada Department of Agriculture, took the beetles back with him to identify them down to a further level.

The preliminary results were 716 beetles collected in at least 30 families. Over 600 hours of volunteer time made it all possible.

The national park now has a much better idea of the beetles that live in it. Typically, insects aren't high on anyone's priority list, so this beetle bioblitz made it possible to learn a lot in a relatively short period of time.

Bioblitzes are becoming more popular throughout the country. It might not be long until one comes to a place close to you! And if not, Great Basin National park plans to have another one next year and you can come out and participate!