Ryder Lake TR

[rwpontius]

I decided to enjoy a nice fall day by hiking to Ryder Lake from Christmas Meadows. The last time I was at Christmas Meadows (25 years ago) the road was terrible but it was in good shape last Saturday. My Civic had no trouble getting to the trail head. Except for the last three quarters of a mile or so the hike to the lake is mostly in the trees with occasional views of the surrounding mountains. Trails to Amethyst and Kermsuh Lakes branch off on the hike. Ryder Lake had no other people present and I was able to wander along the shore enjoying the day. The lake is in a nice alpine setting well below timberline but with plenty of open meadows. On the way out I saw 3 backpackers on the trail to Ryder Lake about a mile below the lake. As far as I know they were the only people heading to Ryder but a number were heading to Amethyst and Kermsuh Lakes. The fall colors are beginning and in a few areas there were already a lot of aspen leaves on the ground so they may not last long this year.

[goofball]

ooooooohh, pretty !

nice broad, open valley it looks like. so much of the uintas i have seen is densely timbered, right up to lakes, w/ sporadic meadows, and the "peaks" are just long flat ridges w/ little in the way of jagged-ness like the other ranges i have been in. nice to see someplace a little more open and broad and jagged.

[sparker1]

Very nice pics. Looks like a great hike to me. Thanks for sharing.

[Sombeech]

that's a great time of year to be up there.

[shaggy125]

Ryder is one of my favorites, you should try doing the scramble over Hayden from the Highline trail, it's only about 2 miles to the lake and awesome vistas over the pass. Fun stuff.

Eric.

[rwpontius]

Hi Shaggy:
I looked at the pass just east of Mt. Agassiz Labor Day Saturday but since I was hiking alone thought better of trying it. Much of that high country looks inviting though. A week and a half ago I ent to Rocky Seas Pass and thought about a scramble up Spread Eagle Peak but again hiking along thought better of it. One of these days though.
RP