Zephyr Scenery west of Salt Lake

[Rafi]

Can anyone comment on the Zephyr's scenery when heading west of Salt Lake? I've only been as far as Provo, and this summer I have a chance to leave a conference in Provo on July 2 and head to San Francisco for the 4th. My wife will most likely be along, and her Superliner encounters thus far have been two very unfortunate "Murphy's Law" trips, so she's hesitant to take a LD trip—especially on a Superliner—unless I can demonstrate that it'll be worthwhile scenery-wise or otherwise.

So, I appeal to the board. Any good carrots I can dangle that the Zephyr provides west of SLC?

Thanks,

Rafi

 

[GG-1]

So, I appeal to the board. Any good carrots I can dangle that the Zephyr provides west of SLC?
Thanks,

Rafi

Aloha Rafi

I traveled Eastbound on the CZ in Nov. 2005, I think the picture' below 20 are west of Salt Lake City the other 24 in this Gallery are east of Salt Lake City

Eric aka GG-1

 

[the_traveler]

I have only taken the CZ route as far as RNO, and most of the trip from SLC-RNO is at night, and when it is light, the NV desert is nothing. The route from RNO-SAC is (I hear) very scenic!

That is 1 of only 2 (short) segments on the (now) 4 transcon routes I have not been on. (The other being SPK-SEA.)

 

[AKA]

RNO to Emeryville is very nice. Donners pass and all.Some snow well into May. This year should be great with the record snow fall. Enjoy. Secound best part of the route.

 

[MrFSS]

My trip on the CZ was east bound but here are pictures from Sacramento to Reno:

PICTURES

And, the next day into Denver:

PICTURES

 

[AlanB]

I was pretty impressed this past summer with the OTOL trip through Donner and the Sierra's. Of course I was on one of those trains that got detoured north out of Denver, so I missed the normal route through the Rockies and can't offer a comparison.

 

[gswager]

Route through the Sierra Nevadas (Donner Pass) is the most scenic. Good thing that traveling through the NV desert is dark.

 

[opaque]

RNO to Emeryville is very nice. Donners pass and all.Some snow well into May. This year should be great with the record snow fall. Enjoy. Secound best part of the route.

When you say snow how much do you mean and where? Just on the top of the mountains?

I'll be on the CZ from April 20-22nd and would love to see some snow

 

[AKA]

RNO to Emeryville is very nice. Donners pass and all.Some snow well into May. This year should be great with the record snow fall. Enjoy. Secound best part of the route.

When you say snow how much do you mean and where? Just on the top of the mountains?

I'll be on the CZ from April 20-22nd and would love to see some snow

We have been on the CZ three years in a row in early May and one year in June. Have always seen some snow. in the RNO to SAC leg. Some years more than others. In some parts just a dusting in other parts 3 - 6 feet. In 2005 it snowing near Truckee CA. in May while we were going thru. Snow will blow around tree trunks leaving a hole around the base of the trunk. This gives you a idea of how deep it is and how much fell over time. With this years snow fall in that area you should get your fill. The route is in the mountains and you will be near the top in many parts. You will pass near tow lines and ski lifts in some places. Very scenic any time. Not Ruby Canyon, but thats apples and oranges. To sum up. Your on a train what could be better. I think it was W.C. FIELDS who said " I never met a train I did not like. " Or may be it was Harry Potter. <_<

 

[opaque]

Thank you very much That's great news to me.

I miss snow and here in Cambridge (UK) we've not had more than one day of proper snow a year for ages.

 

[Dakguy201]

Opaque, snow as you occasionally know it and snow in the Sierras are just two different things. Snowfall is measured in feet per storm in the Sierras, and yearly totals of more than 200 inches routinely occur. Drifts can be much deeper, of course; and a slide can easily bury a house if it does not simply carry it away.

With or without snow, the Sierras are just incredible to flatlanders, and I anticipate you will enjoy them. Welcome to the US, and I hope you enjoy it here.

 

[Montanan]

I can tell that I'm definitely in the minority here, but I have to put in a good word for the scenery across Nevada ... personally, I find the vastness, the emptiness, and the snow-capped mountain backdrop to be pretty compelling.

Admittedly, the least interesting part of that route is probably between Winnemucca and Reno -- which also happens to be the part you're most likely to see during daylight. But if the westbound is late, I really enjoy watching the terrain between Elko and Winnemucca. There are tiny towns and isolated ranches, a cool little canyon, and a second railway main line to watch, to boot!

 

[rtabern]

If you're running relatively late going east on #6, you might get a glimpse of the crossing of the Great Salt Lake. That happened to me a couple of years ago --- I woke up and we had water on both sides of the train and I realized we were crossing the Great Salt Lake. Pretty cool if it times out right. Then again, if you were running that late you see the Salt Lake, forget about seeing a lot of the Rocky scenery because it will be dark by Glenwood Springs then.

Going west, you'd have to be VERY late to get a daylight crossing of the Great Salt Lake.

I also agree... the vast nothingness of the Nevada Desert is nice to me. Then again, I'm from the Midwest and you don't see that sorta thing around here.

 

[the_traveler]

If you're running relatively late going east on #6, you might get a glimpse of the crossing of the Great Salt Lake. That happened to me a couple of years ago --- I woke up and we had water on both sides of the train and I realized we were crossing the Great Salt Lake.

How many years ago? As far as I know, the line crossing the Great Salt Lake (I forget the name of the cutoff) was abandoned years ago - like 30-40 years or more! As far as I know, the current line runs well south of the Lake.

 

[Guest]

We took the zepher in Oct of 06. Ride from SLC to RENO was slow and trying. Had track speeds of 10 mph at times. Around Battle Mountain was interesting but other than that a bore. From Reno on was great, except we were so late that from Sacramento on was to dark to see anything. Hope this helps.