Uinta Access, etc.

[Dr. Nebz]

I'm about to trek up to Lost Lake and have heard elsewhere that Washington Lake and Trial Lake area are melted off. I actually found these snow cover layers for google earth (nohrsc.noaa.gov/earth/). To check validity of these models, I checked all the areas that have been claimed to be snow free from this forum, and sure enough they are. These data layers are updated every day, so they may prove to be very useful!

Pretty cool link. Thanks!

[kniephof]

I'm about to trek up to Lost Lake and have heard elsewhere that Washington Lake and Trial Lake area are melted off. I actually found these snow cover layers for google earth (nohrsc.noaa.gov/earth/). To check validity of these models, I checked all the areas that have been claimed to be snow free from this forum, and sure enough they are. These data layers are updated every day, so they may prove to be very useful!

That's pretty sweet. I love google earth. But, I wonder how accurate that data is. I looked at the various snow layers (7/7/11) and it doesn't show any snow at Wall Lake where I was just at a on Monday (see pictures earlier in this thread). I wonder how they obtain/calculate the layers??

[Wasatch Rebel]

I don't think I can convince my friends to go to the Uintas now. Thankfully, I have my own planned trip next month with another friend. Not to Kings, but up near Fish Lake.

[Wasatch Rebel]

FYI, Deer Creek/GWT/Chriss Lake Loop on Boulder Mountain is a bit over 5 miles, and zero ATV access. And if you have time if you go up there, go southwest of that area on the GWT. There is miles of lakes and off trail exploring you can do. I will make a longer trip next year to explore more of the area. 3 days was not enough for me.

I'm pretty sure that's about where we're heading. I guess I'm more interested in getting away from people and fishing than anything else.

[Wasatch Rebel]

No doubt there are people who will disagree with me on this but I think you'd be better off heading out east into the Uintas rather then going to Boulder Mountain. Here's my opinion on it; Boulder Mountain, no matter how you slice it has ATV trails and dirt roads intersecting every trail on the mountain. Yes, there are lots of trails where they aren't allowed but it is very challenging to find more than 3-4 miles of continuous trail that doesn't at least cross one of them or go within a very close distance. Second, the scenery there in my opinion is kind of boring. Lots of trees but nothing even remotely dramatic except for the occasional views out into the desert. I mean really, the name 'Boulder Mountain' is pretty misleading considering the entire top of it is pretty much dead flat. If I were crunching to put a trip together for next week I would just head east. Weyman Basin, Lamb Lakes, Spirit Lake area, probably even the Chepeta/White Rocks areas are all ripe for the picking right now. Whether you can make it over the pass to King's, that I wouldn't bank on. I posted a TR from last weekend over there if you're interested. http://backcountrypost.com/?p=891

And as for the road situation down there, check out the topo. Full screen version

See how to embed Google Maps in your posts

Viewing on a mobile device? Click this link to open the map: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?q=mymap,214533597045798101523.0004a77d67ee08e30552d&t=t2

Thanks. Like I said, my friends will be hard to convince at this point, though I'm rarin' to get up into the Uintas. I'm gonna give it one more shot to convince them. But I think Boulder Mountain could be kind of interesting considering I've never been there.

[kniephof]

This is a sweet report from someone that did a Uinta fly-over. Pretty sweet. Includes pics:

High Uintas Helicopter FlyOver July 8th

[Dr. Nebz]

I'm pretty sure that's about where we're heading. I guess I'm more interested in getting away from people and fishing than anything else.

Make sure you got shade, and pick the shady spots for camp, I imagine it is gonna be warm down there now. Look forward to your report when you return.

[Scott P]

Everyone's worried about the snow, but IMHO, now is the time to go. Once the upper basins are mostly melted off, it will be mosquito heaven. In 1995, another heavy snow year, early July was great (albeit snowy) and the mosquitoes were horrible when we went in mid-August (in light snow years they're mostly gone by then). 1998 was similar as well.

The snow is usually hard in the morning hours, wet in the afternoons. In a heavy snow year, if I had to choose between snow or hordes of mosqitoes (and they will come out-but much later this year), I would choose the snow.

[CarpeyBiggs]

bird's eye view of the uintas from today. uh, tons of snow still... lol.

http://www.bigfishtackle.com/forum/U...view_collapsed

[Dr. Nebz]

Everyone's worried about the snow, but IMHO, now is the time to go. Once the upper basins are mostly melted off, it will be mosquito heaven. In 1995, another heavy snow year, early July was great (albeit snowy) and the mosquitoes were horrible when we went in mid-August (in light snow years they're mostly gone by then). 1998 was similar as well.

The snow is usually hard in the morning hours, wet in the afternoons. In a heavy snow year, if I had to choose between snow or hordes of mosqitoes (and they will come out-but much later this year), I would choose the snow.

100% deet is always in my pack. After Alaska, where that sometimes just was not enough, I always pack nothing less. And compared to the skeeters I dealt with in Alaska, these pesky little bastards here in Utah are like the size of gnats.

Last year we hit the first snow free weekend in the Uintas, Duck Lake, first weekend in June 2010. When it was not raining, it was swarming time! Did not matter morning, noon or evening, you had to have a skeeter net on unless you were in a windy spot or it was raining. We both had the black cloud of blood suckers hovering around us. Trust me, I am glad I can pinch a loaf in a jiffy, for them swarming, biting, blood suckers will try to tap a vein where ever they can. Ouch!

I think some of the hatches have died, and some of them have already happened. I think the upper reaches will not see it as bad as the low lying boggy areas out there this year. Standing water out there this summer is gonna be a nightmare of skeeters no matter how you slice it. Just too much water to avoid the hatches. Grand Daddy Basin for example is gonna be terrible with the skeeters. Bring Ya Deet!

[dmMatrix]

Hey Guys, we just got back from the Uintas today actually. We were planning on coming home tomorrow but the "people pollution" got to me. I am going to be blogging my trip later tonight as well as leaving a trip report.

But, I just read the last two pages of this thread that I missed and WOW!! I was laughing so hard

But seriously, Washington is partly froze.... Trial is crowded as crap.... Echo was fun but we got hailed on so hard it isn't funny. It rained and hailed almost all day Thursday. It rained every night since wednesday. Pass was fun but there were kids there all day throwing rocks in the lake and yelling Butterfly is about 75% froze. The back road to trial was kinda fun but we couldn't make it the last 3 miles because my big ol' dodge couldn't get up the "river hill" (I was in 4 low and climbing but my wife made me stop). and the rest will be in a report later tonight.

[dmMatrix]

and by "river hill" i mean that the rocks were way too slick since there was a river flowing down the hill spanning the whole width of the road.

[Dr. Nebz]

But, I just read the last two pages of this thread that I missed and WOW!! I was laughing so hard

Hey, I aim to please.

On a serious note- Yeah, heard the same thing, no where to park and tonz of tourists. I am still saying fall is gonna be sick up there. The upper Wasatch is opening up. Maybe hit a few of those areas before rolling into HWY 150 this year.

[dmMatrix]

Ok everyone. My trip report here on bogley can be found here: http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthre...772#post462772

The full report can of coarse be found on my blog @ http://ryanfreakingwood.blogspot.com

These posts: http://ryanfreakingwood.blogspot.com...y-driving.html
http://ryanfreakingwood.blogspot.com...-rain-let.html

[kaufnizer]

Trial Lake is melted. Hiked up to Long Lake this weekend. The trailhead should be accessable by now, but there was some snow on the road a day ago. People with trucks and SUV's can make it for sure, and sedans today or within the next day or two probably. The hike to crystal is mostly melted off, easily accessable IMO. The trail to long lake is mostly covered in snow, but we made the trek anyway. The lake is still patchy ice. Saw one fish, but an hour or so of fishing yielded nothing. We used a map and compass to find our way since the trail was covered.

[Pfrosty]

Keep the info coming. I'm planning on Kings Peak at the end of the month via Henry's Fork. Is there a different thread on this forum specific to conditions around Kings?

[ibenick]

Keep the info coming. I'm planning on Kings Peak at the end of the month via Henry's Fork. Is there a different thread on this forum specific to conditions around Kings?

No. This is a great thread for that stuff! I'll be reporting back from a trip next weekend that should be very helpful.

Yo Mike, since you started this thread, you should change the title of it to just Uinta Access (edit your OP and click go advanced), delete the "(HWY 150)" so maybe we won't have any more issues.

[kniephof]

No. This is a great thread for that stuff! I'll be reporting back from a trip next weekend that should be very helpful.

Yo Mike, since you started this thread, you should change the title of it to just Uinta Access (edit your OP and click go advanced), delete the "(HWY 150)" so maybe we won't have any more issues.

Done! (Thanks...I actually wasn't sure how to change the thread name...now I do).

[ibenick]

Done! (Thanks...I actually wasn't sure how to change the thread name...now I do).

So anyone been out on the east side of the Uintas lately?

[out4fun]

Anyone know if Elizabeth ridge is open yet? We are supposed to be camping on the 23rd near lyman lake. Anyone know of how this area is?