Not everyone can hike to the roof of Great Basin National Park and enjoy the cirque beneath Wheeler Peak, but a bronze relief map allows visitors to the park to gain an understanding of the geologic feature.
The bronze sculpture illustrates how glacial ice carved the steep face of Wheeler Peak, which soars above the remnant glacier that remains in the cirque.
Park staff worked with artist Bridget Kimel last year to get the correct proportions into the sculpture. Funding for the project was provided by the Fund for People in the Parks and the Great Basin National Park Foundation.
The Wheeler Peak Glacier is the only glacier in Nevada today. It sits at an elevation of about 11,500 feet, and as of 2020 covered only about 2 acres.
The Bristlecone/Glacier Trail (4.6 miles roundtrip) takes you to the foot of the glacier. The trailhead for this hike is located at the end of the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. The trail begins at an elevation of 9,800 feet and climbs another 1,100 feet.
Park staff urge you to use caution around the toe of the glacier, as the boulders may not be stable, and small rockslides are common from the cliffs above. To see the ice in the alpine glacier, late fall is best, after the mantle of snow melts.
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Comments
I’ve been to Great Basin twice, the first when it was still Lehman Caves National Monument, climbed Wheeler Peak on both occasions. There’s so much to see and do. The bronze sculpture is a fine addition to the park.
The bristlecone pine grove on the hike to the cirque is one of the unique features of the park. Seeing trees this old leaves one speechless. One of the best of our National Parks.