Red Castle- High Uinta Wilderness- July 2010

[Dr. Nebz]

So, Red Castle

[Udink]

Great writeup and photos! I love that shot of the pond.

[jman]

Hey! You discovered the coolest secret in the Uintas. It's my favorite place up there for sure. Lots of water, red rocks (I'm a desert man), and lots of green!

Nice fishing too!

Great photos! Thanks for posting this.

[Wasatch]

Try it next time from the East Fork of Blacks Fork.

[Dr. Nebz]

Try it next time from the East Fork of Blacks Fork.

Are you talking about the Bald Mountain Pass Trail? Three in our group went in to Red Castle that way last year. They said the views were great. But they said the elevation gain was brutal. That is why they wanted to go China Meadows like we did this past weekend.

[asdf]

Awesome TR
I have been considering this one for quite sometime.

[brookiekiller]

I grew up in Lyman, and used to do this all the time. The loop around the Smiths Fork Pass over Tungsten, Porcupine, and Squaw passes is an easy 3 - 4 day loop with the best scenery in the range. Also, instead of using the ever popular Henry's Fork to climb Kings - go via Red Castle and go over Smiths Fork Pass and up Anderson - an incredible and much less crowded hike. After a few more trips in the heart of the Uintas one never wants to waste time again with the Mirror Lake or Granddaddy areas. The only thing that upsets me as a "local" is that the trailhead now has the stupid fee - so I now go via Blacks Fork.

[Dr. Nebz]

I grew up in Lyman, and used to do this all the time. The loop around the Smiths Fork Pass over Tungsten, Porcupine, and Squaw passes is an easy 3 - 4 day loop with the best scenery in the range. Also, instead of using the ever popular Henry's Fork to climb Kings - go via Red Castle and go over Smiths Fork Pass and up Anderson - an incredible and much less crowded hike. After a few more trips in the heart of the Uintas one never wants to waste time again with the Mirror Lake or Granddaddy areas. The only thing that upsets me as a "local" is that the trailhead now has the stupid fee - so I now go via Blacks Fork.

Yeah I want to get into Squaw Basin and Tungsten Pass looks great. I have some favorites over off Hwy 150, and I love Grand Daddy too. But I like to hit a variety out there, so I have been shooting for some new areas. I usually spend most of my time in my backyard here in the Wasatch, Little Cottonwood Canyon to be specific. But the North Slope was incredible this past weekend, and I look to get over there some more for sure. It was kind of strange that we had to pay $2 to get into public lands. Oh well, still had a killer time.

[bigred72]

Went there last year over Labor Day weekend.....going there again this year as well. Love that area!!!

[Wasatch]

That's the one.

[Wasatch]

Are you talking about the Bald Mountain Pass Trail? Three in our group went in to Red Castle that way last year. They said the views were great. But they said the elevation gain was brutal. That is why they wanted to go China Meadows like we did this past weekend.

That's the one.

[ibenick]

Great trip report! :2thumbs: Red Castle is rapidly approaching the top of my to-do list.

[Painted Horse]

My daughter had a long weekend for the 24th, She came home from college and wanted a camptrip. We took the horses and made the trip into Red Castle. Even with the horses doing all the work, A trip in and out in the same day, wears you out. We also rode the ridge trail the next day. Instead of following the drainage up, this trail runs up the ridgeline to the east and allow occassional glimpses into Henry's Fork. Where we could a solid procession of hikers moving along that trail on the busy weekend. It made for a great weekend with my daughter. As she has gotten involved in school, work and dating. It's rare for me have her company for a long weekend.

[brookiekiller]

We also rode the ridge trail the next day. Instead of following the drainage up, this trail runs up the ridgeline to the east and allow occassional glimpses into Henry's Fork.

I like that Dahlgreen Ridge trail - it is a nice secret of the area - it is my preferred method of entering Henry's Fork as there are almost no people. I have used it to connect to Lake Hessie as well, but it adds too much mileage for use of Red Castle, unless you were on the old Sargent Lake trail.

[Shan]

Nice trip! :mrgreen: How were the skeeters about this time of year?

[Dr. Nebz]

Nice trip! :mrgreen: How were the skeeters about this time of year?

Ya know, compared to the two weekends before at Duck lake and Grand Daddy, they were not really that bad. Morning in the shade, yeah you knew they were there, but get out where you had sun or a breeze, and they seemed to vanish. Did have to wear the skeeter net when filtering water though.