Picto Diary - 26 October 2015 - Local Outings

Above: TIMDT. Bag in hand. Main Street. Park City, UT. 26 October 2015.

Flank steak and greens. Outdoor table. Cafe Terigo. Shoulder season. Park City.

Above: Town Lift. Cable reflects as image taken into the sun. Park City, UT. 26 October 2015.

Above: Ski town Menorah. Park City, UT. 26 October 2015.

Above: Mormon Flat. Little Emigration Canyon. 26 October 2015.

Trial markers at right are for Pony Express, Mormon Trail, and California Trail.

The Donner Party was the first major group to pass through this spot, in 1846. Out of the picture, to the left, is the path up Big Mountain, after which the tortuous, steep descent leads to Emigration Canyon and the valley of the Great Salt Lake. Big Mountain was one of the most difficult sections of the pioneer trail leading to the valley of the Great Salt Lake.

Above: Little Immigration Canyon, looking north into Morgan County, UT. 26 October 2015.

Another motorcyclist shared my idea for an afternoon ride... in the opposite direction.

This road descends to the Weber River, which, in tern runs into the Great Salt Lake.

I have often wondered why the pioneer trail ascended East Canyon then Little Immigration Canyon leading to the arduous climb of and descent from Big Mountain rather than continuing to follow the Weber River directly to the Salt Lake Valley near Ogden. The obvious reason is that the Weber river cut through a canyon with no access for oxen pulled wagons. Today, I-84 cuts through the canyon not without the help from modern day excavation equipment unavailable to the pioneers in 1847.

Above: East Canyon Reservoir. Morgan County, UT. 26 October 2015.

Low water level will be remedied by the upcoming snows.