Current conditions in the Mirror Lake area?

[Scott Card]

Has anyone been up to or know of the current conditions at or around Mirror Lake, Trial Lake, Moosehorn Lake or others near by? Too early still or are they open and camp sites available (snow free)?

[Deeps]

I drove MLH on May 27th. Signs at the bottom said it was open through to Camp Roger, but when I got there the gate was open and I could drive clear road to Upper Provo Falls. Above that (Trial, Moosehorn, Mirror) were blocked by signs, slush, and a ridge of snow that had been plowed as a temporary barrier.

Crews were working above this... and some people had driven around the signs and snow barrier. Not sure about lake ice or campground conditions, still 50/50 coverage around the area with occasional deep spots.

[shaggy125]

UDOT is projecting the road will be open entirely by the second or third week in June. When Trial will be free of snow enough to be "open" though I don't know. Watch this link for updates (scroll to the bottom):

http://www.dot.state.ut.us/main/f?p=100:pg:0:::1:T,V:1673,

[Scott Card]

Thanks gentlemen. I had a hunch I was jumping the gun a bit for a trip next week.

[mudjumper]

A buddy of mine was up there this last weekend (May 30-31), and he said he was able to drive all the way up to Mirror Lake. When I asked him about the snow situation, he said it's "gone". And that there is "a little in the shadowey areas, but gone off the roads and walk way".

Take it FWIW, but that's the report I got.

Russ

[Scott Card]

A buddy of mine was up there this last weekend (May 30-31), and he said he was able to drive all the way up to Mirror Lake. When I asked him about the snow situation, he said it's "gone". And that there is "a little in the shadowey areas, but gone off the roads and walk way".

Take it FWIW, but that's the report I got.

RussHMMMMMM....... Maybe I will venture up there yet. I will keep my eyes on the UDOT site and give the ranger station a call if I can find the number. Isn't it the one in Kamas that deals with the Mirror lake area? Anyone?

[mudjumper]

Yeah, the guys at the ranger station in Kamas should have a good idea.

[shaggy125]

A buddy of mine was up there this last weekend (May 30-31), and he said he was able to drive all the way up to Mirror Lake. When I asked him about the snow situation, he said it's "gone". And that there is "a little in the shadowey areas, but gone off the roads and walk way".

Take it FWIW, but that's the report I got.

Russ

Hmmm... I've never seen the snow that low before the road opens when I've gone up there but who knows. Scott, if you venture out there, let us know what it's like. I want to do some climbing and trail running once the snow clears out.

[shaggy125]

According to the udot site the Mirror Lake Highway is open now. I may head out there on Wednesday morning for some trail running. If I do I'll let you know if the camping areas look open or not. :)

[DOSS]

According to the udot site the Mirror Lake Highway is open now. I may head out there on Wednesday morning for some trail running. If I do I'll let you know if the camping areas look open or not. :)

I was camping up there Friday and Saturday night :).. all of the campgrounds at the top are closed, Trial, Lilly/Teapot, Lost Lake (though there are a couple of sites you can get to now that we plowed down the road with my jeep and tent trailer - some winching was needed to get through the 4 foot+ consolidated drifts), Mirror Lake.. but the main road is open..

we got 21 fish in 15 hours of fishing on Lost Lake so not too bad :)

[Deeps]

we got 21 fish in 15 hours of fishing on Lost Lake so not too bad :)

I'd like to take the kids up there to fish this week, but we had a bad experience last year on Ruth Lake, total skunkage.

Is Lost Lake stocked? What were you catching and what gear were you using? Is there a good part of the lake to fish? I want the kids to have some success and want to go back.

We did Moon Lake last summer and they had a blast, but that's a haul for a day trip.

[Scott Card]

Yep, crappy weather so I am headed south. The Uintahs will have to wait for another day. Camping in the rain/snow with kids just didn't sound fun.

[DOSS]

we got 21 fish in 15 hours of fishing on Lost Lake so not too bad :)

I'd like to take the kids up there to fish this week, but we had a bad experience last year on Ruth Lake, total skunkage.

Is Lost Lake stocked? What were you catching and what gear were you using? Is there a good part of the lake to fish? I want the kids to have some success and want to go back.

We did Moon Lake last summer and they had a blast, but that's a haul for a day trip.

We got a lot of small brookies that needed to be tossed back.. some nice 12-13 inch guys out of there too :).. We were using Red (or kinda red ) power bait and worms/grubs with salmon eggs. We were at the north east end right where the water from the Stream comes in.. it was a very good spot. other people were doing good down a ways as well and said that fish get bigger as you go south but we were enjoying ourselves :)

it was stormy off and on the whole time but nothing a good jacket couldn't handle :).. I have no clue if the lake is stocked or not I would assume so but the normal stock is 8 inch and we were getting smaller than that.. Still fun no matter what

[Deeps]

Thanks! Too funny, I went Lost Lake early this morning...

I got there a little after seven in the morning. I started at Lost near the northeast stream inlet but had zero luck for about an hour in sporadic rain/drizzle. I tried Foxes, Jakes, and worm/Salmon egg... Not a nibble. I parked in the campground, and took this photo with my iPhone

[asdf]

Anyone have an update on the lilly lake area?

Thanks

[Deeps]

The picture above is Lost Lake, right across the highway from Lily. Saw a lot of people fishing Lily when I was there last week.

[brookiekiller]

Went up on Sunday 6/14. Had to cross a little snow to get at Crystal Lake Trailhead. Went on up to Clyde Lake and down to Twin Lakes and back via the Wall Lake Trail - it was 80% snow travel and all the lakes on my hike were frozen. Wall looks to be opening up soon, but there is still a ton of snow up above 10000. I was going to go backpacking next weekend, but now will wait for at least another 2 weeks.

[Deeps]

Wall is still ice? Wow. I didn't think there was that much elevation gain between Trial and Wall. Is Trial ice free because of the dam and letting water?

[Scott Card]

Went up on Sunday 6/14. Had to cross a little snow to get at Crystal Lake Trailhead. Went on up to Clyde Lake and down to Twin Lakes and back via the Wall Lake Trail - it was 80% snow travel and all the lakes on my hike were frozen. Wall looks to be opening up soon, but there is still a ton of snow up above 10000. I was going to go backpacking next weekend, but now will wait for at least another 2 weeks. :eek2: :eek2: This seems to be an extra long winter/spring this year up there. Thanks for the update.

[DOSS]

Thanks! Too funny, I went Lost Lake early this morning...

http://www.congruentinc.com/bogley/lost_lake_campgrpound.jpg



Hey.. that is the trail we cut into there :).. it was a ton Deeper when we cut it though :).. sorry your luck was null :(

[Deeps]

If the kids & weather cooperate I'm planning on heading up tomorrow (Tuesday) with them.

I'll let you know what happens.

[Scott Card]

:popcorn:

[shaggy125]

Went up Friday. All the lakes along the road are ice-free. The road to the Mirror Lake parking lot is open, the Trial Lake campground road had a huge snowdrift covering it still. Quite a bit of snow above 10,000 feet. The highline trail is pretty snow covered. Tons of runnoff, swamps, marshes, and mud in between snow patches. Hiked to Ruth Lake (trail is good but muddy in many areas and has a few snow patches) and checked out the Good Medicine climbing wall, lots of seepage and wetness on the routes. Also hiked up to the Stoneground Crag. Some routes are climbable but a lot are seeping still as well (Sessions is pretty wet). A few more weeks and the trails/climbing should be mostly snow free but will still be muddy I'm sure. The passes will hold snow for a while still. I ran up the Slate Creek trail (it was snow free and very nice). Checked out the "narrows," not too exciting but kinda cool I guess. No canyoneering potential if anyone was wondering. Hope that helps.