Where should we take the Scouts?

[Wasatch Rebel]

We're going on a winter camp on Feb 29th and March 1st. We don't know where we're going. Last month, we went to Strawberry and camped out on the ice and they don't want to go there a 2nd time. Anyway, here are the requirements for our campsite:

1) Must be able to get there in my car (Honda Accord). We do have one 4 wheel drive vehicle, so if we need to park the car and ferry kids a little ways further in the truck, that would be okay.

2) Must be able to build a fire

3) Within 70 miles or so of Salt Lake

4) Possible building of snow caves

5) Not a Wasatch Front regular campground (for example, no Spruces type places). A regular campground is okay as long as it's not in one of the ski canyons.

We were thinking somewhere along the Mirror Lake highway, but I'm not sure where that road is closed and if there's easy access to a place to camp near there. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[shaggy125]

The Mirror Lake road is usually closed off pretty early this time of year but is groomed for snowmobiles. Since it's been such a big winter you probably can build caves near where the road ends. Another option I did way back when I was in High School, we went up to Tibble Fork in AF canyon. The road was plowed to the reservoir (and popular snowmobiling trailhead) and we built some huge caves with a deep firepit, etc... it was pretty fun. We hiked up to the campground and must have been in a parking lot or something, because when we dug down to the ground, we hit asphalt instead of dirt.

[Wasatch Rebel]

Those are good suggestions. About how far up does the Mirror Lake road go before it's closed?

[B-Russ]

You can also come back down the other side of Mirror Lake Hwy out of Evanston, you can get a permit to stay in their Yurts overnight or the leaders can stay in the Yurt and the boys can build snow caves, that is something we have done in the past. Check out www.evanstonoutdoors.com for more detail on the Yurts. Good luck!

[Wasatch Rebel]

You can also come back down the other side of Mirror Lake Hwy out of Evanston, you can get a permit to stay in their Yurts overnight or the leaders can stay in the Yurt and the boys can build snow caves, that is something we have done in the past. Check out www.evanstonoutdoors.com for more detail on the Yurts. Good luck!

I like that idea. It might not work out for this camp, but I'm going to keep it in mind for next year for sure. Thanks.

[brookiekiller]

The last time I was up there in winter, it is open to the Soapstone Turnoff. I was up there once and could only go as far as the North Fork area. It can be pretty busy up there do to all the snowmobiles, but may be a good time.

[Wasatch Rebel]

Thanks. Yeah, I'm worried about making some snow caves and having someone on a snowmobile drive right over the top of them.

[mudjumper]

Sooo, where did ya end up going?

Russ

[Wasatch Rebel]

Sooo, where did ya end up going?

Russ

Well, we found out that one of the kids couldn't leave until after five so we decided on close with no snow caves. We ended up at Grantsville Reservoir. Not real exciting and the wind howled like crazy all night long (I estimate over 30 mph steady with gusts up to 50-60), and all day (even stronger) on Saturday. We had to eat breakfast holding on to everything and we cooked in the back of the truck to try and stay out of the wind. We went up in the cayon after that, played a couple of games of Capture the Flag--and the wind was much less up there and it was much warmer. We had to leave around 12:30 though because the same kid needed to be home by 1:30, so it was good we didn't go any place further, and maybe it was good that we were home by then since we really got walloped by that storm.