photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Dave Beedon | profile | all galleries >> Places >> Utah >> Wendover Area >> Floating Island >> Floating Island's Main Summit (2006) tree view | thumbnails | slideshow | map

Floating Island's Main Summit ( 2004) | Floating Island's Main Summit (2006) | Floating Island 's South Summit | Floating Island: Gate 74 Re-visited | Floating Island: Miscellaneous Photos

Floating Island's Main Summit (2006)

I get a thrill from going somewhere that most people---whether by choice or by ignorance---don't
go, as long as the place is reasonable accessible. Floating Island is one of those places. From the
summit of this isolated mountain, surrounded by salt flats and playa, one has a fantastic view of
the surrounding terrain. And the visitor is guaranteed to not encounter another person there.

Floating Island appears at the center of this WikiMapia aerial view (click on any rectangle
for information): http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=40904172&x=-113638458&z=10&l=0&m=a&v=2 .

Photos appear roughly in chronological order and were taken in 2006.
.
Floating Island as it appears from the Silver Island Backcountry Byway
Floating Island as it appears from the Silver Island Backcountry Byway		 Campsite: just a level, gravelly spot next to the road
Campsite: just a level, gravelly spot next to the road		 Looking east from Floating Island
Looking east from Floating Island		 Breakfast in the morning sun
Breakfast in the morning sun		 I had to clean up the wax mess made the previous night by a candle
I had to clean up the wax mess made the previous night by a candle
Another view of camp, looking out over the playa (Newfoundland Mountains in background)
Another view of camp, looking out over the playa (Newfoundland Mountains in background)		 Ready to start hiking, north of the summit (the black buttress)
Ready to start hiking, north of the summit (the black buttress)		 Lines made in quarry during construction of a causeway
Lines made in quarry during construction of a causeway		 Nazca lines for Chariots of the Gods?
Nazca lines for Chariots of the Gods?		 No shade trees here: maximum height of vegetation is about 18 inches (0.6m)
No shade trees here: maximum height of vegetation is about 18 inches (0.6m)
Plateau and playa, with Newfoundland Mountains in the distance
Plateau and playa, with Newfoundland Mountains in the distance		 Summit
Summit		 Joe Tripod stays behind in the service of my ego
Joe Tripod stays behind in the service of my ego		 Plateau and playa, with Newfoundland Mountains at upper left
Plateau and playa, with Newfoundland Mountains at upper left		 ATV tracks---but no evidence of surfing---on a wave terrace created by Lake Bonneville
ATV tracks---but no evidence of surfing---on a wave terrace created by Lake Bonneville
Northeast side of the summit block
Northeast side of the summit block		 Rocky lip of the wave terrace
Rocky lip of the wave terrace		 Terrace and sky
Terrace and sky		 Big cliff, little Moon
Big cliff, little Moon		 Access routes to Gate 74 of the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR)
Access routes to Gate 74 of the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR)
Final scramble
Final scramble		 Upper slope: turn right and go under the dark overhang
Upper slope: turn right and go under the dark overhang		 The evil Dark Overhang
The evil Dark Overhang		 The evil Dark Overhang from above
The evil Dark Overhang from above		 I beg your pardon, I didn't promise you a rose garden
I beg your pardon, I didn't promise you a rose garden
Cairn on false summit; true summit in background; 300-foot (91m) drop beyond that
Cairn on false summit; true summit in background; 300-foot (91m) drop beyond that		 Trough between summits
Trough between summits		 PARENTS: shield your impressionable offspring from this debauchery in the wilderness
PARENTS: shield your impressionable offspring from this debauchery in the wilderness		 My car at the center of the image, 900 feet (274m) below
My car at the center of the image, 900 feet (274m) below		 My only animal company on the summit
My only animal company on the summit
Looking northwest at the causeway and Silver Island Mountains
Looking northwest at the causeway and Silver Island Mountains		 Scenery dispoiled by uncaring visitor
Scenery dispoiled by uncaring visitor		 Wide-angle view to the southwest (toward Wendover)
Wide-angle view to the southwest (toward Wendover)		 Telephoto view to the southwest (toward Wendover)
Telephoto view to the southwest (toward Wendover)		 Afternoon shadows
Afternoon shadows
Lake Bonneville terraces
Lake Bonneville terraces		 Dried soil (1 of 2)
Dried soil (1 of 2)		 Dried soil (2 of 2)
Dried soil (2 of 2)		 Vegetation on the lower terrace
Vegetation on the lower terrace		 Plant that thinks it's a brush
Plant that thinks it's a brush
Looking southwest at playa and Silver Island Mountains
Looking southwest at playa and Silver Island Mountains		 The Hill
The Hill		 The Hill, up close
The Hill, up close		 Shadow shot while standing atop The Hill
Shadow shot while standing atop The Hill		 Panorama of the Lake Bonneville Terrace from The Hill (Floating Island's summit at left)
Panorama of the Lake Bonneville Terrace from "The Hill" (Floating Island's summit at left)
East causeway (and Interstate 80, 11 miles away)---see ORIGINAL size image
East causeway (and Interstate 80, 11 miles away)---see ORIGINAL size image		 Eight shorelines of Lake Bonneville on the mountain slopes
Eight shorelines of Lake Bonneville on the mountain slopes		 Bare summit above a large terrace formed by Lake Bonneville
Bare summit above a large terrace formed by Lake Bonneville		 Rock blades on terrace of Lake Bonneville (blue marks on bamboo stick are one foot [30cm] apart)
Rock blades on terrace of Lake Bonneville (blue marks on bamboo stick are one foot [30cm] apart)		 Close-up view of weird rock of previous photo
Close-up view of weird rock of previous photo
Southern end of the island
Southern end of the island		 Hill and summit
Hill and summit		 Hill and summit (from the Silver Island Backcountry Byway)
Hill and summit (from the Silver Island Backcountry Byway)		 Streaky talus above a Lake Bonneville terrace
Streaky talus above a Lake Bonneville terrace		 Shadowy terrain
Shadowy terrain
Heading for the car, a blue speck between shadows at bottom right
Heading for the car, a blue speck between shadows at bottom right		 Shadow on Floating Island
Shadow on Floating Island		 Car in shadow by the time I reached it
Car in shadow by the time I reached it		 Digital record takes the place of a labelled Zip-Loc bag
Digital record takes the place of a labelled Zip-Loc bag		 Summit from the west
Summit from the west
View from the causeway, looking northwest at the Silver Island Mountains
View from the causeway, looking northwest at the Silver Island Mountains		 Playa, as seen from the causeway
Playa, as seen from the causeway		 FIoating Island at sunset
FIoating Island at sunset

comment | share
L Barnes16-May-2007 02:38
Another good one Dave! I for one just want to say thanks for allowing me to see places I dream of seeing. Have not been out west for several years, but I like to take the back roads and avoid the maddening crowds much like you do. Thanks for sharing your travels man, they always brighten my day!
1moremile09-May-2007 23:05
A very nice gallery, Dave. All your photos are fantastic. Voted.
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment
click on thumbnails for full image