Pony Express Trail, Black Rock to Simpson Springs

Ryan Lambert

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Joined
Dec 9, 2016
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I recently took a week to do a solo camping / hiking trip on the Utah West Desert section of the Pony Express Trail. I originally planned this as a backpacking trip but life intervened and I decided to cut out the backpacking part. I've never gone on a multiday trip like this alone. I had five days with no direct human interaction other than satellite text messages home to let the family know I was ok. Other than the wind and the occasional bird song it was a kind of solitude that I had never experienced. It was also my first experience in the desert. It won't be my last.

The photos in the slideshow are all unmodified and taken with a Samsung Galaxy A12, I'll have to invest in a quality camera soon. None of my wild horse pictures turned out, but I saw over a hundred horses between River Bed Station and the turn off to Dugway north of Simpson Springs.

A notable first from this trip was my (too) close encounter with a rattlesnake. After living in the mountain west for all but two of my 50 years, I can say I've seen and heard a rattlesnake from up close. Still, I only saw the one snake. Can't say whether the snake or I was more surprised, we both turned and went in opposite directions at approximately the same speed. The snake was approximately three feet long and about as thick as my wrist.

 
Great video. Captures the desolation on the Pony Express Trail. Think about it passing S through Farson,WY
 
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