Nevada State Route 233 extends 35 miles (56 kilometers).

Oasis, a remote exit from Interstate 80, marks the south end of SR-233, and the the Utah border marks the north end.

The highway bisects the Goshute Valley and the Tecoma Valley.

Both valleys are features of the Great Basin Desert in Elko County, Nevada.

On June 18, 2024, Carol and I explored SR-233. Here are the highlights:

In the Goshute Valley Where The Railroad Emerges from the Pequop Mountains

This is the original, still used, transcontinental railroad route from San Francisco through Nevada on its way to Utah.

One of the few places in all of northeastern Nevada that the railroad comes close to a paved road (It’s at my back).

This is the only scene in the post without a cloud because it was too early for rising air currents.

Notice Carol at the lower left.

Carol

Murdock Mountain (closer) and the Pequop Mountains (further) provide the background.

The Author (Photograph courtesy of Carol DeCaria)

A few days before the June Solstice and somewhere in the Great Basin.

Montello, Nevada; Population 22, Elevation 4879 Feet (1487 Meters)

The U. S. Census Bureau designates Montello, the only town on SR-233, as a village.

Larry Drysdale, my maternal grandfather, was once responsible for the approximately 125 miles (200 kilometers) of track between Ogden, Utah and Montello, Nevada.

Before the invention of  X-ray cars, Larry relied on his vision to determine the internal integrity of the rails. In a way, he had X-ray vision.

Montello Town Park

Carol and I ate lunch here.

Montello Railroad Yard

Across the street from the village and looking south.

The Toano Mountains in the left distance and Murdoch Mountain in the center distance.

From Montello Looking North

Rhyolite Butte on the right. Nothings says western desert like a butte.

The butte is in Utah as are the Grouse Creek Mountains in the distance between the butte and the center of scene.

The closer mountains to the left are the Goose Greek Mountains of Nevada.

The Pilot Range and Tecoma Valley

Looking west from Montello.

The  bare dirt in the foreground is part of the Loray Wash, which parallels much of SR-233.

State Line Dirt Road

At the state line where Nevada SR-233 becomes Utah SR-30, we noticed an inviting dirt road.

But after a mile a steep embankment stopped us.

Carol especially enjoys “blue sky” days like this one.

The Great Basin Desert on State Line Road

The orographic clouds betray Murdock Mountain in the distance.

Orographic means relating to mountains.

You may have noticed that all the scenes, but the first, have orographic clouds to accompany the mountain ranges, sometimes close and sometimes distant.

Rhyolite Butte

Rhyolite Butte marks the north end of the Pilot Range.

Pilot Peak, seen on the far right, anchors the south end.

Pilot Peak has a summit of 10,719 feet (3267 meters) above sea level and is 24 miles (38 kilometers) away.

If you draw a line from the right edge of the impoundment pond and run it directly up and down parallel to the right edge of the scene, you will have the Nevada (right) and Utah (left) boundary line.

Great Basin Desert – Utah Side

Notice the flank of Rhyolite Butte to the right.

Great Basin Desert – Nevada Side

Murdock Mountain with the Pequop Mountains in the left distance.

Murdock Mountain is obviously a range, but all references I found employ the singular usage.

Further, I infer that the rounded prominence in the middle of the scene is Murdock Mountain and not the pointed peak to the right.

From childhood I have consciously treasured living in the Great Basin.

If you look at my previous posts, you will see many feature the Great Basin (e.g., Antelope Island and the Great Salt Lake, the Nevada Northern Railway, Death Valley, Silver Island Mountains, etc.).

In 1981 John McPhee wrote Basin and Range.

I eagerly read the book then, but, only when I reread it last year, did I realize how deeply the science in the book has enhanced my experience of the Great Basin.

Thank you, Professor McPhee.

And I thank you, reader, for visiting Thecosmos.blog. 

Your host,

Michael DeCaria