Backpacking 2011

[ibenick]

Howdy. I thought I'd post an invite to see if anyone wants to get together and do some backpacking this year. Might be cool to have our own little Bogley fest up in the Uintas or something (14 person group limits). Or if anyone wants to plan something smaller that would be awesome too. I have so many trips planned right now and it's great to get out and meet other people who enjoy this stuff.

On the individual trips, shoot me an email if you're interested, or hit me up on FB (http://www.facebook.com/ibenick). I usually post more details there since it's not quite so public.

As far as general destinations, I have a few more desert trips planned this spring and then I'll be fleeing to higher altitudes until sometime in September.

[apcronnelly]

I'd love to get together. I'll keep watching to see if something will work out!

[Wasatch]

I might be up for something in Jun/Jul/Aug.

[ibenick]

I'm thinking Bogley Backpacking Fest in the Uintas, maybe early-mid August? Pick a couple of lakes or a basin and just make it an open invite event maybe. Too early to start planning? Maybe we'll have to revisit this thread in a month or so...

[Wasatch]

That might just work out for me.

[mattandersao]

Im always down for the desert ones! Rather than Uintas we could also try some Tushar Mtns, Boulder, Thousand Lakes, etc...down here in S. Utah!

[Don]

I'm interested. Early August is pretty open. I have drill August 27 and 28 so that weekend will not work for me. I'll bet Cody would be interested as well; we were talking recently about how nice it would be to catch some uninta's fish dinner...

[CarpeyBiggs]

i'd be interested... i think the weekend of the 19th is out for me though...

[ibenick]

I'm feeling the weekend of August 12-14...

So how far is too far in? I'd like to get at least 10 miles in. Maybe over Rocky Sea and into Rock Creek. The lakes on the far east side of Rock Creek have been on my list for a while. Some good day hike options over there too, maybe even the option to make it a point to point through Priord/Norice for some (also high on my list). Another fun route (for those looking to extend this) is to keep going over Dead Horse and down WFBF, I've done that a couple of times and loved it.

http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?q=mymap,214533597045798101523.00048d7e03 1f39d9b36ec&t=t2

[ibenick]

Im always down for the desert ones! Rather than Uintas we could also try some Tushar Mtns, Boulder, Thousand Lakes, etc...down here in S. Utah!

I was thinking of hitting Boulder Mountain over 4th of July weekend. Probably a busy weekend for most but I'd love to have some company if you or anyone else is interested. I've never backpacked it but I've seen pics of the brook trout people have pulled out of those lakes and they look deeeelicious!

[timthomaspsu]

im down any weekend. the GF is not into camping therefore im always looking for someone to hit the trails with...

[DOSS]

I am in.. I may end up on the last minute planning list for backpacking this year due to my schedule but something is better than nothing :)

[bigred72]

Keep me posted. I would love to go!!!

[Scott P]

Some good day hike options over there too, maybe even the option to make it a point to point through Priord/Norice for some (also high on my list).


Excellent choice and one of my favorites. When I used to work at East Fork Bear River, on the weekends, I'd bum a ride off a troop or staff member heading back to SLC and have them drop me off at Hayden Pass and do that exact route. It's a good one. This year, it may require and ice axe well into August though. Even in a dry year there is usually quite a bit of snow on the north side of the pass above Priord Lake until mid July.

[gloo]

I don't really know peeps on here but I would love to go :D

Most if not all of my friends aren't quite into the outdoors as much as me and so it holds me back in ways.

[Deadeye008]

Lots of Spanish history in the Rock Creek area. I will follow this thread.

[wes242]

I have been to that area about 5 or 6 times over the years. It was a favorite spot my dad liked to take the scouts. We always did it in early July but sometimes you did have a bit of snow over Rocky Sea. The mosquitos were always bad however you never saw many people. I haven't been back there in about 7 years, but the fishing was always awesome. Even some great pictures too.

This is Uinta Lake

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Backside of Rocky Sea
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Next to Rosalie, Marie is next to the cliffs on the back right
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Some of my favorite lakes back there are Uinta, Gladyas, Helen and Lightening. The fishing was great in them all though. If you want to catch Grayling on the way then stop at Carolyn Lake a couple miles before you get to Rocky Sea.

[ibenick]

That looks really nice, Wes. Love that first shot. I've been through Rock Creek on two trips but never to that high west side. I camped at Black Lake on both trips through and it was always good to me but pretty well surrounded in trees. I really liked Lightning and Helen, looks like the others are similar, high and open. The first time I went through I had a friend drop me off in West Fork Black's Fork and then drop my truck off at the Highline trailhead. It was my first really big solo trip, about 35 miles and I planned to give it 5 days. But then tragedy struck. I was getting geared up where the gate is in WFBF when a rancher pulled up and started opening the gate. He had a big flatbed truck and I asked him if I could hitch a ride to shave a couple miles off the trip. In the chaos to get ready faster I left my camera!! I think I'd rather forget my stove or something on a trip like that, especially since I was solo. I ended up doing it 2 days ahead of schedule, kind of bitter the whole time because it was all so incredibly scenic but I had no camera and no one to share it with. A couple years later I went back and did it the other direction, from Highling to WFBF. I think it's one of the best hikes in the Uintas if the shuttle can be arranged. Here's my trip report from it: Highline to West Fork Black's Fork, Uintas, August 2007 (http://backcountrypost.com/?p=276)

[wes242]

Nice report on that trip. We hiked over to the top of Dead Horse Pass once back in `96 it wasn't planned we were just going to fish Jack and Jill lakes but our shortcut missed them so we thought we would check it out. That was before I had any camera other then a disposible camera. I have always wanted to see it back there again, someday.....

[bigred72]

Those dates may work for me. I have to check in to it. I'll be on vacation the week before. I have gone to the Uintas for the past three years over Labor Day weekend. No bugs and nearly perfect weather.