Loops in the Uinta's

I wrote this a while ago.  I thought I lost it.  Read on...

I chased myself out of the office on Friday, weekend plans in hand.  I've got two weekends between now and my vacation time where I can camp both Friday and Saturday nights.  Granted these aren't long enough for a decent shakedown but, I'll take em.

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I drew up the plan and an alternate incase I felt the High Uinta's snow pack was too much.  I email them to my folks so that they know where I am.  Over the years I've gotten more detailed. Do you know National Geographic makes quad maps available on line? copy and paste natgeomaps.com into a browser.  You'll need to look for pdf-quads quad maps and zoom in.  These maps are more detailed than the regional ones they produce.

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I lucked out finding a parking spot at Crystal Lake Trailhead.  This are is 90 minutes away barring any traffic issues.  Most people head to a few spots like Island Lake, Long Lake, and Cliff Lake.  I looped towards Duck Lake. When I did this loop last summer Weir Lake didn't have many people at it.

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Watching the sun, I found a rock shelf of several hundred feet and several layers.  The trail dips below it.  I went on it and found a wide easy spot to lay down.  I also found a spot to fix a Mountain House meal a few yards away.  The Uinta's filled with areas like this that don't show up on many maps.  One must take care when bushwacking to skirt around these, typically found in the upper basins, in the lower areas as the trails skirt them already.

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My spot was about 1/2 miles from Weir Lake, wide open sky.  Though I have my tent, I used it as a pillow instead.  The forecast this weekend, hot in the valleys, cool in the higher elevations, clear skies all around.  A bonus, no moon.  Perfect cowboy camping weather.  I fixed my bed, made supper, and wandered with my tea.  A hundred yards down, a waterfall from the creek beside me.  Ah, my lullaby.

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As expected, a chilly breeze all night.  The quilt performance second only to a sleeping bag.  The tent as a pillow, not so satisfactory.  I watched the Big Dipper pour into the Little Dipper.  The Milkyway galaxy dominant in the sky less the haze from forest fires drifting here.

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I took my time breaking camp, even making a hot coffee, a true treat for me.  My time here isn't about miles, it's about gear.  Of which I forgot my handheld ham radio, not a critical peice.  I decided later, I'll take one I can recharge by USB though vastly under powered to hit any distant repeater.  The one I had planned with a yagi antenna can hit the repeaters on the Wasatch.  Yes, that's over many people's heads, please see the tab about ham radio.  The item I'm most concerned with is the new pack and my fuel choice.  I'm planning on using Esbit tabs as they can be shipped via surface mail.  What I've found is, the buggers are a bit finicky to light in a breeze.  They require direct flame to start.  The bonus is, partial ones can be lit again.

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For the day, I looped to Duck Lake, up to Island Lake, up to Smith Morehouse Pass.  I dropped the ruck there while I headed towards Big Elk Lake.  Along the way is a view that looks over this region.  The higher elevations took on new effort.  Postholing I didn't do, the soft snow shuffle I did, thwarted by choppy melt off and going up hill.  I faced this all day above 10,000 feet.

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Upon my return to Island Lake junction, I went to Long Lake.  Ate lunch there while airing my feet and drying my shoes.  I dipped towards the trailhead to bounce up to Cliff Lake.

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After Cliff Lake the trail became a blurred under the snow yet visible via several terrain features.  The one time I got way off, I aimed high on Mt Watson, where upon looking down after a bit saw my destination lake.

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I'm camped yet upon the rocks, the campsites near Clyde Lake are a bit too wet or too close to the water.  Up here, being next to water is cold.  The elevation is just under 10,500 feet.  Clear and cool again, fire smoke drifts on the horizon.   I found a spot and sat a long while.

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I did eventually go for a wander up to Divide Lakes and around.  I didn't see any place more satisfying than where I plunked down eariler.  This whole area is a combination of fir trees, scrub fir, lichen, and rocks mixed with some other stuff.  The elevation I'm at is on the border of the tree line.  Funny in the Whites on New Hampshire tree line is about 3500 feet and if the trees are shorter than 8 feet tall.  I've seen in a few areas where tree line dips to 9,500 feet in Utah.

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Upon my return to the pack, refilled my water, and set about making camp.  The day hikers long since passed. The sun went behind Mt Watson around 7pm.  I've watched the shadow chase over the forest below and crossing the Mirror Lake Highway.  I know of at least 5 occupied campsites up here.  Not even crowded.  I wonder how may are packed round Cliff Lake tonight.

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I know this is a long post.  One weekend trip's worth.

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On Sunday morning I woke thinking the cool night had decreased the air in my pad, nope, I'd slid off it.  The stars over night were incredible.  If you can get to a Dark Sky region on a moonless clear night, do it.  

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Just before the sun hit the mountain, I got up, a little frost on my sleeping quilt. I made coffee while brushing off the cool of the morning.  I turned the quilt into the sun.

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I made my way to the Notch, chatting with a couple other campers along the way.  I got up there and chose not to descend into the other basin, rather I looked for a view while leaving my pack for a while.  I wish I'd taken my long-sleeved shirt with me the few hundred yard I wandered, a touch chilly in the shade. 

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Back at the pack, I spotted mountain goats coming down the mountain.  A moment later other goats with tiny kids leapt across the path disappearing just as fast.

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I took my time making the the 3 odd miles to the car slowly.  The parking lot just as full as Friday.  I watched people load up for their hikes.  I pondered some of the gear people take, then again each hikes their own hike and I brush away the thought.

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I drive not directly home but over to some other areas.  The snow is still patchy elsewhere up in the Uinta's.  Spring definitely is here.  Soon hoards of mosquitoes will feast upon us, and like that they'll be gone while we hike and fish on.

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I've realised I've hike the Uinta's close to 10 years now, less a trip or two in Boy Scouts.  I am fascinated by their ruggedness and and the same time their gentleness.

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Hike on, hike wise