The Road to Warmth
My Time in Central Utah
There was a distinct moment where I began to realize my time in Salt Lake City was coming to a close.
It was an unfortunate time that coincided with the first snowfall of the season and a cold front bringing in blistering temperatures.
What was 70º shirtless days quickly became three or four layers with my heater blasting as I struggled to search for somewhere warmer, only complicated by the fact that I could not go far — my girlfriend, Grace, would be flying into town in a week or so.
I was talking to my friend Kai Larsen about these struggles when he mentioned a hot spring a few hours away. The promise of an endless warm bath seemed enticing enough, so I charted a course south — Interstate 15.
I would leave as night began to approach, so my first stop would be some state (public) land a few minutes from the interstate. This would also begin a series of nights that I would spend in sub freezing temperatures.
At some point prior, my Jackery Explorer 1500 failed. The process of getting a replacement would take a week, which meant I would have to use an ice and cooler like a barbarian — how terrifying.
Continuing down the interstate in the morning, and exiting into a quiet town that seemed to still be asleep, I would now drive for miles down dirt roads. The hot spring I would arrive at was in the middle of a field used for cattle grazing. Consisting of three pools (two well below 100º and one just at), the spring is on private land that is generously open to public use.
Though as the aforementioned cold front moved in, 100º seemed far from warm enough.
Perhaps the lack of skin-blistering water, then, was the reason I spent no more than one afternoon in this place. After hours of soaking in the warm pool and a lunch of spaghetti & grass finished beef, I decided to work my way onto some nearby public land.
Yet what I would end up stumbling across would be incredible.
As I had unknowingly been driving into the scene of the most recent volcanic activity in Utah, I promptly became overwhelmed.
The name of this place is the Black Rock Desert volcanic field, and it can only be accessed through dirt roads that vary in condition from smooth, graded gravel to rock-ridden barely-drivable two track.
I am always obsessed with history — and here was no different.
The eruptions here happened relatively recently, from 1140-1440AD. Meaning not long before the time Columbus arrived, there was lava flowing here in Utah.
Though that is not to say that the history of this place is recent: from the time this land was under prehistoric Lake Bonneville, eruptions have been a consist part of the areas history. In fact, Pahvant Butte, where I would soon find myself, is the result of an underwater series of explosion.
The land here has been volcanically active for over 2.5 million years.
My obsession with history should be known by now, and a place like this only stokes that flame even moreso.
The most recent eruptions in this area happened as recently as 600 years ago (1140-1440AD), the field has been active for over 2.5 million years.
Previously this entire landscape would have been under prehistoric Lake Bonneville, with eruptions consistent even then. In fact, Pahvant Butte, where I would soon find myself, is the result of a series of underwater volcanic eruptions 15,500 years ago; amazing.
After spending the rest of the daylight meandering around this otherworldly landscape, the temperature began to drop as the winds began to howl. In an attempt to escape the worsening weather, I would settle into a cozy little nook in the volcanic rock.
Just as the sun rose, I did too. What I had failed to notice previously, though, was the gigantic series of lava tubes — caves — directly behind and underneath me. This series actually runs all the way from here, just south of Salt Lake City, to St. George, on the Arizona border.
Being that this is all BLM (public) land owned by you and I, it is free to enter and open to access — so I did just that.
That afternoon, I would drive 30 minutes into the nearby town to the only place that would allow me to sit and work — a Maverik gas station. Following that, I drove back out into the desert into a more northern portion of the same volcanic expanse.
This evening was to be spent on a dried pond bed parallel to some weary two track, with a burning sky and a gorgeous moon.
The next morning began with the same joy and enthusiasm as the others, yet it would come to be quickly robbed.
Noting the beauty of Pahvant Butte in the days prior, I decided to drive to — and mistakenly, inside — this relatively recently active volcano.
Unfortunately I made a few miscalculations, namely: there was nowhere to turn around, there was 40psi in my tires, and the sand was extremely soft.
The following hours are ones I am quite proud of — no panic, no concern; prompt action.
By digging with a shovel, lowering my tire pressure to 10psi, and using my MAXTRAX, I was able to slowly work my way out of the hole I now found myself in and then reversed down the road.
Lesson learned? Unlikely.
Being as the butte is only 15,500 years old, there is incredible details that have yet to erode. One such feature would be around the opposite side of the butte where there is a near vertical wall with some incredible geology.
From the Lace Curtains in the morning, it was onwards to Delta, Utah. This small town does not have much, but it does have a McDonalds which means WiFi and coffee.
Following a few hours (re: 8) spent there, I would work my way north on Hwy 6 until I found some BLM land to spend the next few days.
Eventually I would make my way back north to the Bushwhackers HQ to grab myself a shower and to record a quick video for them. I then headed south towards the Utah Lake coastline to spend the remainder of my time. Before I knew it, though, Grace was preparing to arrive and coincidentally the weather took a turn for the worse. Rain & snow & temperatures into the 20s meant I had to find an alternative, so I called the tent camping quits and slept in the cab in a Walmart parking lot.
With a check-in time of 3pm at the hotel we booked, I worked my way north. Groceries, water, food, errands. When the clock struck, I promptly checked in and spent the next hour detangling my hair (it’s a LOT of work). With Grace arriving within the hour, I drove to Pie Hole Pizzeria in downtown SLC and pushed onwards to the Arrivals parking lot,
Waiting for the next portion of my adventure to begin.
