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Dave Beedon | profile | all galleries >> Places >> Utah >> Wendover Area >> Silver Island Mountains >> Cobb Peak tree view | thumbnails | slideshow | map

Cobb Peak

Cobb Peak is the northernmost of the named peaks in the Silver Island Mountains. It called to
me when I was exploring Floating Island during an earlier visit to Utah. The fact that it
was named after famous English racer John Cobb ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R._Cobb )
had something to do with its attraction. The summit is about 3000 feet (914m) above the
Silver Island Byway, the road that encircles the mountain range.

These photos document a route-finding scramble up the lower western slopes, starting from
my campsite along a rough gravel road.I got more than a third of the way to that ridge. An
attempt on the summit will have to wait, but at least I know how to reach the upper slopes.

Photos were taken in October 2006 and appear in chronological order.

Cobb's summit is at the center of this WikiMapia aerial photo:
http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=40959938&x=-113731499&z=12&l=0&m=a&v=2 .

.
Sunrise over the playa and Newfoundland Mountains
Sunrise over the playa and Newfoundland Mountains		 Crater Island
Crater Island		 Camping without a fee station, numbered sites, campground host, noisy generators, squealing children, quiet hours
Camping without a fee station, numbered sites, campground host, noisy generators, squealing children, quiet hours		 Car and Cobb
Car and Cobb		 Breakfast is served: Grape Nuts Flakes cereal , orange juice, vitamin tablet
Breakfast is served: Grape Nuts Flakes cereal , orange juice, vitamin tablet
Ready to hike
Ready to hike		 Animals paths in the grass
Animals paths in the grass		 Cobb Peak---I hiked straight ahead and into the shadow
Cobb Peak---I hiked straight ahead and into the shadow		 Dry wash (streambed): the Byway runs across the scene just in front of the little hill straight ahead
Dry wash (streambed): the Byway runs across the scene just in front of the little hill straight ahead		 This two-tone tower (Peak 5622) loomed above as I zigzagged up the slope
This two-tone tower (Peak 5622) loomed above as I zigzagged up the slope
Conglomerate
Conglomerate		 My car (under the white dot) sits amidst a vast landscape
My car (under the white dot) sits amidst a vast landscape		 Window in the rock reminds me of Captain Nemo's Nautilus
Window in the rock reminds me of Captain Nemo's "Nautilus"		 The route up goes across this slope, but is there a drop-off to the right of the tower?
The route up goes across this slope, but is there a drop-off to the right of the tower?		 Tall, terrific two-tone tower
Tall, terrific two-tone tower
Nodules formed from precipitated minerals?; the bamboo stick is about 0.75 inches (19mm) thick
Nodules formed from precipitated minerals?; the bamboo stick is about 0.75 inches (19mm) thick		 Toward the left: a possible route to the summit; on the right: a weird rock formation (see next photo)
Toward the left: a possible route to the summit; on the right: a weird rock formation (see next photo)		 Detail of rock formation: were the holes formed by gas bubbles during an eruption?
Detail of rock formation: were the holes formed by gas bubbles during an eruption?		 Sardine can was the only evidence of prior human presence
Sardine can was the only evidence of prior human presence		 Cobb Peak reconnaissance
Cobb Peak reconnaissance
Shadow on the playa (looking north)
Shadow on the playa (looking north)		 Cobb Peak's summit as seen during the descent
Cobb Peak's summit as seen during the descent		 Sort of drab: mostly sagebrush and rabbitbrush in this drainage
Sort of drab: mostly sagebrush and rabbitbrush in this drainage		 Oddity
Oddity		 My high point was the right end of the level ridge at center
My high point was the right end of the level ridge at center
Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus)
Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus)		 Getting closer to nearly-level ground
Getting closer to nearly-level ground		 Last look at the summit and its weird slopes
Last look at the summit and its weird slopes		 Hike finished...
Hike finished...

comment | share
alicia 19-Jan-2016 20:04
I did Cobb peak a few months ago (October 2015??). Tough hike, especially up the large nearly vertical rock to the ridge. I like exploring this area of Utah/NV. Alicia @ www.girlonahike.com
Jason Anderson31-May-2007 11:05
I'm really enjoying your recorded travels. The landscape is totally different from anything out this way -- even though as we've seen, Rhode Island (and Providence in particular) is a wasteland.
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