Baker Spring was once the site of an old mining camp. There was a cabin here until the 1980s, but unfortunately it burned down and now there is no trace left of it. If you look around, however, you will see remnants of the mining activity. Baker Mine is about 300 yards south of the spring, and there are remains of a smaller mine just above the trail. Gobblers Knob is said to have gotten its name from the noise made by a flock of turkeys that were once kept by miners living in the area.

Beyond Baker Spring the scenery continues to become more and more inspiring. As you pass the 9,000 foot level the forest opens up to some fine views of Gobblers Knob, Mount Raymond, and the Great Salt Lake. When you reach the summit of Baker Pass, 0.8 mile later, you will be greeted by a panorama of the Twin Peaks Wilderness Area south of Big Cottonwood Canyon. To the right and to the left are Mount Raymond and Gobblers Knob, both rising about 900 feet above the saddle. Also at the crest of the pass you will see two other trails taking off in either direction along the ridge to the two nearby summits. You should turn east here for the climb to the top of Gobblers Knob. (See page 120 for a description of the trail up Mount Raymond.)

The trail up Gobblers Knob is not maintained, but it is well used and easy to follow. Except for the fact that it is all uphill, it is a fairly easy walk. The only downside is that there are several false summits along the route, and it is discouraging to see another heart-pounding climb in front of you after reaching what you thought was the top. Nevertheless, 45 minutes of determined walking should get you to the top. The views are similar to the views from Baker Pass, but from this vantage point you can look down on Mount Raymond (5 feet lower).

Alexander Basin is the large bowl immediately northeast of Gobblers Knob. There is no trail from the top of the Knob into Alexander Basin, but it is not too difficult to drop off the summit and pick your way down through the basin to the trail below. The best way is to circle around the south side of Gobblers Knob to a saddle that lies about 400 yards east of the summit. The slope is very steep, but it is not too difficult to walk or slide down the north side of the saddle into Alexander Basin. Try to stay on the east side of the bowl as you make your descent, and after you have lost about 800 feet you will run into the trail coming up from Alexander Basin Trailhead. From there it is an easy 1.3 miles of downhill walking to the Mill Creek Canyon Road.