Many happy memories have been recorded over the
years with these slide clips made while our family of three children grew up in Salt
Lake City, Utah. From spring, fall, summer, winter, ...
precious moments reflect these fun times.
Many happy memories have been recorded over the
years with these slide clips made while our family of three children grew up in Salt
Lake City, Utah. From spring, fall, summer, winter, ...
precious moments reflect these fun times.
Jeffrey, Judy, then James blessed our house with joy and
happiness. The fun was seeing the children grow in
knowledge as we visited many of Utah's unusual sights.
Often, these were those not on the tourist maps. Oh no,
we took off on almost vacated dirt roads ... the old
Pony Express route once used to deliver the mail during pioneer times. Indeed, driving out into
this desolate area would more likely find you an eagle before you had contact with another
human being. Nights were equally thrilling. As a brilliant sunset slowly came upon you and
darkness crept over the landscape, the heart skipped a beat. You were truly alone with nature.
Fish Springs is a desolate but fascinating spot. 
A pioneer
book, Holy Murder, the story of Orrin Porter Rockwell,
claimed that out in this most isolated spot, miles from any town,
lied a warm spring pool ... perfectly round and bottomless!
Our trek this day was go out and locate this spring which was
said to be just one mile south of the Fish Springs area. We
discovered there were no roads leading south from this
boggy, swampy mud. Instead, we did discover a 20-foot rock
rimmed round pool brimming with very warm water one
mile to the north! Indeed this must be the spring. The water
was perfect bathing temperature. It was crystal clear, but
appeared black as one stared into it's deep mystifying center. A ranger stationed at Fish Springs
told us that he had dived into the pool and never did touch bottom. However the deeper he dove,
the hotter the water.
Just a few feet to the north of this beautiful pool were
two springs .... one pouring boiling hot water... the other
cold water. Yet these two springs were just a few feet
from each other! Who can explain this mystery? Many of
the springs at Fish Springs are enticing... the water being
ideal swimming temperatures ... quite warm, with
temperatures ranging from 70 to 75 degrees. Most are
an irresistible temptation for some. However, this
particular warm spring has an overhang which is easy to get caught and trapped under water because of
the jagged rocks. Thus, "NO SWIMMING!" for those with other ideas.
Fish Springs is an ideal bird refuge. The warm waters provide a rich breeding ground for fish,
which in turn attract a wide variety of birds.
Now, many miles away from Fish Springs, we came upon a lake
loaded with fish. Some seem sickened by some
disease. Hundreds lie very near the shoreline dying.
Son Jeff braves picking up one of the carp to
show "his catch."
In this country, we were stopped by sheep grazing in
the open unfenced desert. Windmills pumped water from wells beneath the ground to provide
the only water available for the livestock. Too, we were in volcano
country. Old volcanos, relatively recent in geologic
time had vented and poured lava over much of this desert landscape. We tried to find several
hot springs attributed to some of the volcanic activity here. Some had since dried up. Others
left enormous porous travertine mounds which were being mined for the beautiful ornamental
color and random patterns these old hot springs created over countless years of seeping deposits of limestone.
Still another area, just across the border into Nevada,
we come upon the "ninth largest geyser area in the
world" .... Beowowe. Unfortunately geothermal drilling over recent
years has completely destroyed the Geyser
field. These pictures were taken just before a
complete destruction of the area had taken place.
Two large venting pipes placed many years earlier had
blown away the original valves and were now wildly and loudly
venting hot steam and mineral. An alarming, deafening roar
accompanied these two furiously out-of-control taps
of explosive energy lying just a few feet below our feet. The
steam shot up sixty to seventy feet, making a
spectacular sight for anyone approaching this
old volcanic slope. The message of Beowowe is
clear. A geyser area such as this, and
Yellowstone, can easily be destroyed by
thoughtless experimental actions.
Our family of five -- James, Dianne, Judy, Jeffrey (and myself), rest on the slope just feet away from
these two roaring pipes.
Also nearby are several hot springs, a few small
periodic geysers, boiling mud pots and steam
vents. No wonder this was considered the ninth largest geyser field in the world! It had almost every feature of Yellowstone.
Truly, Beowowe was one of the highlights of
our expeditions into the seldom traveled, but
fascinating country nearby.
Large white mounds were left from the large
mineral deposits. It gave the appearance of snow in
the middle of summer. One of the problems
in using many geothermal areas is the mineral
content that comes up with the steam. It can quickly clog up turbines which convert the steam into power.
One can appreciate the amount of thermal energy being vented at Beowowe. Waters are boiling
hot. Steam rises from pools, vents, and other features much the same as with Yellowstone.
Geyser areas such as this are quite unusual in that silica must be in high concentrations in the
water in order for geysers to form. Silica forms a very strong vessel for the boiling waters -- a
vessel that withstands the tremendous explosive pressures of steam explosions below the surface which, in turn, cause geyser action.
In southern Utah, at Arches National Monument,
watching the sunrise is a breathtaking sight. Today it
attracts a small but dedicated group -- some geology
students from a college far away. Delicate Arch
seems far from delicate compared to some of the
other Arches in this area. To stand beside this
massive rock formation makes one feel like an ant.
(Note Jeffrey and James. barely visible, standing to the left side on
the apron of the arch)
One can walk these sandstone rock slopes and
almost stick like a fly. The sand provides good
footing for climbing on quite steep slopes. To watch from my photographer's viewpoint, though, put
my heart in my throat since just in the foreground and not shown in this camera view is an
enormous drop-off of perhaps 100 feet! Gulp! But that is part of the excitement of Arches. It is a display of natures most massive art.
Lastly, but certainly not least is this final view of our very
favorite western park, Yellowstone. Traveling north we end up at Mammoth Hot Springs at dusk.
Antelope and deer are nearby this day. They seem unafraid
of the hundreds of visitors that come to Yellowstone to see
this true wonder of the world. No man should leave
this earthly life without first seeing Yellowstone!
Page Modified April 30, 1999