Treasure Hunt at the Great Salt Lake

to find signs of the Old Saltair 1 and 2

Great Salt Lake looking to the sunrise over the East Mountains

JUST LOOK UP

I arrived bright and early at the Great Salt Lake, for I wanted to catch sunrise. At the time I took this photo, Salt Lake City only 16 miles east was in Curfew from the protests. While I am so saddened by the death of Michael Brown, I think it is sad that so much vandalism and death has happened because a cop on adrenaline trying to capture a man that had spent 5 years in jail from entering peoples houses at gunpoint to rob and had ruined many lives from his credit card fraud and theft, made a mistake. I am sure the knowledge of this man's crimes must have increased anxiety about the arrest of Michael Brown causing an accidental mistake for there was no way to know an only 18 year old man had heart problems. So I came this morning to the lake with anxiety over our world, and I realized that I was entering a zone of such anger and darkness. I often pray before heading out on a hike wondering what lessons I should learn from an area, and what I might share with others that might uplift someone. The lesson was quite strong this morning. It was to LOOK UP. Yes we are dealing with hardships, but by looking up and seeing the beautiful sunrise from a dark night. It reminded me that God wants us to have joy, and beauty, and to just look up to him and we can come out of the darkness. He wants us to look at each other with empathy and love no matter their skin color or age. I think one of the most important things in life to learn besides a knowledge that God loves you and wants you to help you if you just ask, but to learn to BE HAPPY and HAVE JOY. That is so much harder than it sounds. It means controlling your thoughts, and keeping the good, and blocking the bad. It means finding good all around you, and not looking for bad. It means when you come across a person, you try and connect by understanding and loving in a way that would put a smile on your Savior's face.

Heart I found in the water of the Great Salt Lake to Remind me to just be Happy and Love

Sunrise lighting up the West Mountains of the Great Salt Lake

360 Video at Sunrise at the Great Salt Lake

Make sure you use the buttons in the bottom corner to toggle between Tiny Planet and 360 mode, and make sure you rotate around to see everything. If you didn't find what looks like a sea monster, what it again, and find that creature.

Learning the History of Saltair 1 and 2, Creates a Scavenger Hunt at Great Salt Lake

I got inspired to go out to the Great Salt Lake when I started hearing some information about some history of the Saltairs on the Great Salt Lake.

Saltair 1 1893-1925

The first Saltair was an elegant beautiful building, and people would take the train from Salt Lake down to Saltair. It opened on Memorial day 1893 and burned down in 1920. It had rooms, and was built as a kind of Utah’s version of Bath England. It was gorgeous! Swipe to check It out. It burned down in 1925. It was 2 miles Northeast of the current Saltair, and you will know you found it when you find an old set of tree stumps in a row from the old train and a metal O shaped item in the sand next.

Saltair 1

History Minute of the Great Saltair 1

Saltair 2 1930s to 1970's

The second Saltair decided to focus on the teenage range. It was more a carnival area pier for swimming, there was roller-coaster, slides, Ferris wheels, an other attractions. It was Utah’s Coney Island. Parents were said to not worry about their youngsters when they went to Saltair, for they were with a big group, and they didn’t have to worry about them drowning in the water, and they had to catch the train home pretty early. WWII came and it closed because of the war, people were not feeling jovial with the world in chaos, but when the war ended, they had high hopes that it would regain momentum, but flooding and low water made poor Saltair struggle. They closed the doors in 1960 and films used it for scary movies. Then in Nov 1970 it also burned to the ground. All that remains of that great structure is some of the railway poles, and some broken cement. There is also a fire pit here to light a fire and enjoy the sunset over the Great Salt Lake.

Of course, the Great Salt Lake is much lower than those glory days, for we try use most the water before it gets here, and it is surprising how far back some of the structures are from the current waterline. I walked a few miles in the Salt Lake just enjoying sunrise with my sis, and there are spots that are rockier that are easier to walk on that if I was going for a swim, I would walk out on those. There was a spot when we were about 2 miles from Saltair where there was a spot where the ground became too soft and we sunk in a good 4 inches, and it sucked my chaco right off and oozed black stuff, so if you want a swim, I would suggest finding an area with a rocky bottom, and walking straight out on that rocky area until you are deep enough to swim. Definitely a delightful morning stroll.

Looking out to Antelope Island at Sunrise from the Great Salt Lake

2D Version of Video if you would like my help to find the cool stuff at the Great Salt Lake.

Movie Carnival of Souls filmed in 1962 that sunk poor Saltair 2 even more into the hole by making it thought of as scary.

A Google Map image of the Saltair 2 Location, and I believe the Saltair 1 to its right.

Above is a Google Image of where the old Saltair 2 once was. Below it shows it in relation to the Current Saltair. So basically put in your Google Maps Saltair. When you get there go on the frontage road east of that location just a little ways until you see a path out to the lake. This is an awesome starting spot for your treasure hunt exploring to start. As you get closer to the water, if you don't want to deal with lots of mud, you would do best if you find as rocky a spot as possible and take it out as deep as you want to go.