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Newfoundland
Mountains
Box Elder County, Utah
Page Two of Two
On day two, we explored
the east side of the range until we met up with the fence marking the
beginning of the US Air Force's testing range (which occupies a huge portion
of this part of Utah). We took it slow and stopped at several places along
the way. Here are a few of them.
View south on east side of range.
We have never seen a range of mountains containing as many different types
of rock as we found in the Newfs. We aren't sure what the white rock is,
but it was in what appeared to be a semi-active claim in Sleigh Canyon.
Mike had described a mining tram that was still intact in one of the canyons,
but we failed to find it, which means we will likely return with Mike
to see it at some point.
A word of advice: if your car breaks down, this is what might happen before
someone is willing to come out and rescue you. The Newfoundland Mountains
are among the most isolated, inaccessible locations we have visited. Tell
someone where you are going, provide GPS coordinates if you can, bring
plenty of water, motor oil, transmission fluid, two spare tires, and anything
else that will help you to survive this experience.
Keller's well is the only marked water source on the range. It is located
at the south of the range and does, in fact, contain water. What kind
of water? We can't say. Most water out here contains arsenic and would
not be suitable for consumption. Keller's well was not pumping, but could
produce water if someone was willing to install the pumping equipment.
Several remnants suggested that pumping had occurred in the not-too-distant
past.
Desert Peak is the highest point in the Newfoundland Mountains and stands
as a beacon for miles around.
The best times to visit the Newfoundlands are Spring and Fall. We don't recommend unreliable transportation or any other form of ill-preparedness. If you ended up getting stranded here, it might be days or weeks before you see another soul. The risk is high, but the rewards are worth it. We hope to return again soon.
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