Smith and Morehouse Loop

Gently flowing water through the trees of the Smith and Morehouse creek lulls me into a peaceful state of mind. I over look a small meadow shadowed by rounded cliff canyon walls full of aspen and fir trees.  The mosquitoes are surprisingly few and I'm able to enjoy my supper and tea without their company.
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In my rush from work to trail, I picked up my pack. Upon arrival at the trailhead something key for future enjoyment is missing.  Your supposed to put the camera in the ruck not next to it.  Therefore what photos I do take this weekend will be few and with the cell phone.
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This past week was my birthday.  Even though I know she's gone, I still anticipate a cheesy card from my big sister.  Many wished me well via social media.  Next year I think I'll say ahead of time, open up the cheesiest sayings you can. For those who said a little extra, thanks.
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My weekend may be a short hike.  When I say this, I mean under 30.  By the time I hit the top part of this loop I'll break 100 miles of backpacking for the summer not counting the TRT hike (s).  Yes, hikes,  I'm heading back shortly to finish the second half which may be a driver in obtaining this 100 mile goal for the year.  Now with this I am behind on the 300 mile hiking goal I've held for 10 years.  We all have 'our crazy,' this is mine.  Why? I can't describe adequately what I see and here surrounding me.  Even if I could, part of the beauty is the effort it takes to get out and do it.  Much like the gym regulars who bench press 350 for warm ups  (exaggeration) 10 miles a day was rough for me at first backpacking.  It takes time to work up to the miles.
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Time to shift focus.
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Night came and went with a bright Moon overhead.  An early morning runner trotted past around 6, I thought he was a deer.  I took my time getting up.  The sun did not grace this canyon until later, by then I turned left at the first junction and headed towards the pass.
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I met a scattering of Scouts who'd gone up and over to Island Lake the day before.  The trail  is a trace of carins and some treadway.  There would be not 'i' blaze anywhere on my loop today.
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The pass resumed normal trail as I dove into the ever popular Island Lake region.  A group gathered for some cliff jumping.  I continued to Long Lake and around to Duck Lake.  Near Duck Lake, I chat with a Grand Dad out with the youngsters showing them how to backpack.  We start swapping Uinta's stories before he realises he needs to catch up to his group.  With 20lb on his back I'm sure he caught them quickly.
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Once this spur loop completed itself, it was back up to the pass.  The map showed trail.  The junction sign read Big Elk route.  Route it was. Up and over following some carins. The Trail had a natural predictability to it through meadows and rocky areas.  I stopped for a while over looking Fire Lake and the basins below.  I saw one other couple up this direction.
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At Big Elk, I followed a spur to the trailhead.  This is not a road for cars, 4 wheel, high clearance vehicles only.  Back up I went.  The final 1/4 mile a toss up between the Whites and Mt Olympus.
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The map again showed trail up to the pass.  What I experienced is bush waking following gps directions.  Even without the gps I would have gone up and then looked for the trail either by orienteering or looking for the carins. The route not very nice until I cleared the trees.  Once clear of the trees, the carins resumed predictably.  Up and over I went to Erickson Basin. From the pass i coukd see my my destination below.  Topping out was at 6pm.
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Hunger and sore wandering feet made the call as I arrived at South Erickson Lake.  Looking at the map, I'm an easy 1/2 day hike out or 6 ish miles.  I searched for a camp with a side view and no dead fall tree, then set camp.
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Tonight Spaghetti and mint tea.  Mountain House meals may as well be called Mountain Gas meals.  What am I doing wrong in preparing them?  Add boiling water and let soak.  No big deal breaker on the extra scent.
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It's very quiet as I watch the rocky slope reflect changing light upon reflection of the lake before me.  Quiet even on the mosquito side of things.  Every where I went today the wild flowers were blooming.  Even here I see carpets of wild flowers. No fish are jumping so if you are reading this thinking about wetting a line, visit to see yet don't expect a bite.
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Looking though a few cell phone images, I clear will say I capture the essence but not the full beauty.  Tomorrow should be an easy hike out.
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And as I reach for my headlamp, I find my battery.  That's okay, the cellphone camera cannot capture the depth of beauty up here.  As I head to the lake one more time, the fish are rising, not junping, all over.  It's lovely to sit without a jacket thinking about all the variety of trail conditions here.
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One thing that strikes me is few people will go the extra mile.  They so miss out.  If your pack is so heavy you don't want to explore after you set camp, it's too heavy.  Ditch the axe, the camp stool, the bottle of xxx, etc. The Uinta's want to reward the extra miler.
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With few mosquitoes, I kept the tent  screen wide open.  At some point in the night I decided to half lay in the tent and half lay out of it to view the stars.  A good choice I made.  I half slept while trying to recognize the constellations.  I thought about Google Sky however, I'm without service in the mountains and doubt it would do any good.  As high and clear as it was haze from fires obscured the blackness of night, the Milkyway barely shone through.
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I took an easy time getting ready which means packed and ready to go within 1/2 hour of waking up.  I made a hot coffee and sat by the waters edge.  The lake mirrors the shore with such precision may be one could use it as a mirror to shave with.
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At the first trail junction, I chose to take a detour to East Shingle Lake.  A quick mile of down, up, down, and down.  I entered into a small Lake with fish actively pursuing bugs on the water.  I sat for a while then returned to the junction.
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At North Erickson Lake, I sat again.  Fish jumping at this lake too.  I took in the surrounding sparse trees and rock that makes up the Erickson Basin.  There's hardly a place in the Uinta's that could be called like another place.  Even though the two Erickson Lakes are but 1/2 mile apart they seem very different.
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I made quick time down some 5 miles of trail thinking, strawberry milkshake.  A few breaks later I did arrive at the car.  McD's or the local burger drive in in Kamas?  I chose Kamas.
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The place in Kamas was packed, one could not tell how bad it smells over the waving smells of burgers and fries.  Lots of people coming down from the Uinta's filled the joint.  It took a while for the shake and a bit longer for the burger.  No worries, no one was in a hurry and the staff moved quickly.  It was the best burger I've had in a while.
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It's hard to say how far I went only that I went over 25. Several of the places I visited proves that one can find solitude on a busy holiday weekend.
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I've got something pre-scheduled for next weekend.  If I go out, I'll hit a local day hike.  What's a day hike?
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Hike On!