Day 34: To Salt Lake City

September 3, 2013

Today I cross the Wasatch range, but first I go 15 miles through Echo canyon along Echo reservoir. It's a deep canyon with huge mountains all around. I-15 is across the reservoir, but I can't hear it. Not much echo today!

Crossing under the new and seldom-used Union Pacific Rail Trail.

After crossing under I-80 I'm now on the official Mormon Pioneer trail, as evidenced by frequent interpretive signs.

The road on my side of the reservoir has basically no traffic. It passes a couple of recreation areas that were deserted because the lake is nearly empty. No homes or farms. It's a very old road, part of the Lincoln Highway which was the first highway to cross the country.

The first major Mormon historic site on today's route.

One interpretive sign explains that Brigham Young's 1847 wagon train was not the first wagon train to cross the Wasatch range. A year earlier the Donner-Reed wagon train crossed the Wasatch range while blazing the California trail. They were delayed 13 days building a wagon route across the Wasatch range. That delay caused them to get stuck in early snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Fewer than half survived the winter, by eating the people who perished.

When Brigham Young's wagon train got here they were told by fur trappers that the Weber river canyon is not passable, and to take the Donner party's wagon road over the mountains. Brigham Young was quite ill and stayed behind here to recuperate. He arrived in the Salt Lake valley several days after most of his followers arrived.

I pedaled through the sleepy farm town of Henefer. It's next to I-80 but has no services. Then I turned south onto highway 65 and climbed 900 feet to Hogsback summit. The farms rapidly give way to high desert. Very little traffic.

After the summit is a relatively short descent to East Canyon reservoir which is nearly empty. During the descent I stopped to talk to a guy named Dylan who was walking the highway in the opposite direction with a push cart. He started in Spokane on July 5 and is heading towards Florida. He's young, fit, and pushing a light load long distances on foot. And obviously taking the scenic route considering that he was traveling north at the time. Best wishes Dylan!

Just past a big empty state park campground (it closed yesterday) I turned into the nearly empty East Canyon Resort. The cafe just closed for the season yesterday. But the store was still open. That's good because I want to fuel up for the mountain climb ahead.

The mountain climb begins a mile past the resort, climbing 1600 feet to 7420 foot Big Mountain pass. Much of the climb is on forested north-facing slopes.

Climbing through a grove of Aspen trees.

I had several views of the original Mormon Pioneer wagon road. And I passed several trailheads that offered access as well.

Climbing with a view of the original wagon road below.

It felt like being on top of the world at Big Mountain pass. The best view was looking south at the highest peaks of the Wasatch range. My picture didn't capture it well because it was looking into the sun.

View of the Wasatch Range from 7420 foot Big Mountain pass.

After a 1300 foot descent highway 65 goes high above the shore of Little Dell reservoir. It's not as empty as East Canyon reservoir.

Near the dam I turned right onto Emigration Canyon road. It climbs an easy 350 feet to Little Mountain summit.

The summit of Emigration Canyon road, only a 350 foot climb.

Then I had a very long but also high-traffic descent into Emigration Canyon. In the canyon I continued downstream past miles of upscale homes. I saw many go-fast local cyclists on the road.

Looking down on McMansions while descending Emigration Canyon road.

Eventually the canyon opens up into the immense Salt Lake valley. Downhill all the way to downtown Salt Lake City.

Apartment buildings overlooking Salt Lake City.

On the edge of the city I took a long stop at This Is the Place state park. It was built in 1947 to commemorate the centennial of the first Mormon wagon train arriving in the Salt Lake valley. State Park, but also very much a religious shrine. Hmmm.

*This Is The Place* monument was built in 1947 to commemorate the centennial of the first Mormon wagon train arriving in the Salt Lake valley.

Wagon train sculpture at *This Is the Place*.

One of many heroic sculptures at *This Is The Place*. This one is called *Duty Calls*.

On the way into downtown I pedaled through the University of Utah campus. Traffic was very heavy. One downside of pedaling across the city at 4:30 PM.

My route passes by the University of Utah stadium.

I expected the temperature to soar into the 90's after the long descent, but the temperature was only 80F in Salt Lake City.

I rode north through downtown to see Temple Square. Then I pedaled a mile south of downtown and got a $60 room at America's Best Inn. Decent motel, but on the edge of a neighborhood full of pawnshops, bars, and tattoo parlors.

Nearly every place in Salt Lake City has a view of the Wasatch Range to the east.

Today was very strenuous, but it's an awesome route to sneak into downtown Salt Lake City without pedaling through 30 miles of suburban sprawl. Learning about Mormon pioneer history was an added bonus.

I was exhausted when I got to the hotel at 6 PM. I considered pedaling and hiking up a hill north of downtown to see the city lights at sunset. But I just don't have the energy.

Tomorrow I will go back to Temple Square to take pictures in the morning sun. Other than that, the bike tour is finished. Overall it was more difficult than I expected. I've never before had so much chronic exhaustion at the end of a tour.

Distance: 61.2 miles (98 km)
Climbing: 3484 feet (1056 m)
Average Speed: 8.9 mph (14 km/h)

Today's ride: 61 miles (98 km)
Total: 1,728 miles (2,781 km)

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