Dean Lake, Uinta Mountains- July 2019

After last weeks 17 mile round trip adventure into Amethyst Basin, we were looking to just get out on trail for a few miles, set up shop, and enjoy a couple of days and a overnight in the mountains. We arrived at the trailhead in the afternoon and it was raining on us as we put the finishing touches on the packs. We headed into the trail as the sky was starting to break up and the humidity was high. We made a quick descent into the basin. The trailhead was busy, but I think most of them were hiking Bald Mountain. The trail in had a couple of people on it, but otherwise was virtually empty. We made a quick pace into Clegg Lake. Then we dropped down to the meadows below and made our way down to Dean Lake which would be our home for the weekend.

Upon arriving at Dean Lake, it was clear that no one else was there. On a busy weekend in the Uintas and we have a lake once again all to ourselves! Perfect! We made our way to my favorite camp at this lake and quickly got shop set up for the evening. The clouds were just amazing to watch and we sat lakeside and shot some time lapse videos and just soaked in the view. Eventually the temps started to drop so we headed back to camp. The sunset was amazing this evening and we got a really awesome show with the clouds glowing orange. Duck set in and we got our fire going and settled in for the evening.

Night fell and we were in for a treat. The sky went clear and the wind was mild. The humidity was pretty high, and I was worried about condensation on my lens, but there was just enough of a breeze to keep it clear. I shot the Milky Way, then set out the camera to run a star trail. We had a great night by the fire just enjoying the night sky. We even saw a couple of meteors as we were gazing skyward while in camp. Eventually after a really fun evening, we turned in for some really great sleep!

Morning came and we got up and did some tea, and then had breakfast. We decided we would fish the better part of the morning then pack it up around 1 PM and make the hike out. We fished for quite a while. I had some solid hits on the fly rod, but alas nothing landed. Still fun to be out casting a line in such a beautiful place. We then moved back to camp and put the packs together and made our way back to the car. A great hike to finish off a great weekend getting out in the mountains once more. Enjoy the pics and time lapse, more adventures to come!

Amethyst Basin, High Uintas Wilderness- July 2019

Glorious weekend backpacking the High Uintas Wilderness! Amethyst Basin was our destination! 6.3 mile hike in on Friday! The trail was mostly dry with some soggy sections. Ostler Creek in the Upper Meadow was too deep to cross at the trail, so we had to cross a sketchy log over rushing water, that after five miles was a feat in itself! Both of us crossed safely! We set camp at Ostler Lake for the weekend. Friday night the stars were so bright! Then about Midnight, the moon came up and lit up the basin like daylight! Such a epic first night up there!

Saturday the skeeters turned up the action which got us packed for a day hike really fast. We did a hurried breakfast then got out of there! We day hiked BR-24 and Amethyst Lake Saturday. It was not far, and a beautiful walk to keep on the move from the mosquitoes. If you stood still they would find you, but if you kept moving they were virtually not around. We pushed up to Amethyst first because the clouds were building. In all the years I have visited this area I have never hiked to the actual Amethyst Lake. We did this time! Its glorious! I tried my hand at some fishing. I got a few hits but nothing landed.

After a bit of a sprinkle from the clouds building we moved down to BR-24. We tried fishing, but I think with how shallow it is I think it may have winter killed out. No action at all on the lake, and not a single hit. We moved back up to Ostler for the evening and got our fire and dinner going. Four miles of hiking round trip on Saturday. After dark we took a walk out on the shore and gazed at the stars and the Milky Way. We returned to our fire and put it out and went to bed.

Sunday morning was chilly, and it seemed to knock the skeeters down substantially. We got up, had tea and breakfast, then packed it up and were on the trail by 10 AM. 6.3 miles and three hours later, we were standing at my Jeep drinking ice cold Gatorade and wear much needed sandals! Our dogs were barking at us! 16.6 miles on trail in three days. One amazing place that was amazing to tick off all the lakes I had not been to. Also great to revisit Ostler Lake once more! I hope you enjoy the photos and videos from the trip! Wildflowers are just starting to pop! Amazing weekend in the High Uintas! More adventures to come!

Clyde Lake Loop, Uinta Mountains- July 2019

The Uintas are open for business! I finally made it up to the high terrain in the Uinta Mountains over the weekend. Me and my friend Jared decided to do the Clyde Lake Loop with a overnight stop at John Lake. We made the drive into Hwy 150. Not much traffic on a holiday weekend. We were dreading the parking situation at the Crystal Lake trailhead, but there was a spot right as we pulled up. We decided to do the hike in via Cliff Lake and Clyde Lake, stay at John Lake, and then finish the loop out via Twin, Hope, and Wall Lakes. The trail in was a mix of dry ground and muddy sections on the trail. This was pretty much how it was until we made the descent into Clyde Lake. The whole hillside that the trail is on was either snow covered, or a running torrent of water. Many areas of the trail at Clyde Lake were under water. The snow is mostly melted out and the area is ready for summer.

Once we reached the north end of Clyde Lake, we made an off trail exit and hiked our way up to John Lake. The view once I got lake side was amazing! Very scenic lake that I had not previously been to. We made our way around the lake and found a spot tucked away from the lake and got shop set up. We very soon realized that we had this whole lake to ourselves! Unbelievable for a holiday weekend off this particular trailhead. We settled into our area and made our way up onto the rock fins above camp. The overlook was amazing! Nice to have a back porch with such a view. We tended to camp and our firewood supply, then we put it together and decided to go fishing. It took a minute, but they started slamming my fly, and I landed some small but fast action brookies. I shot a very nice time lapse of the cotton ball clouds floating over the lake. Just amazing to have such a beautiful place like this so close to home!

Evening settled in and the frogs turned up the volume. We had a really nice sunset lakeside with the title pic of this post as the view we got to enjoy. Darkness fell and we made dinner. Then I put my camera out for a star trail at the lake. We enjoyed a very nice fire as the stars were shinning bright. about 11 PM the clouds started rolling by ending my star trail shot. We stayed up because we could see the Milky Way, but the clouds were obscuring its view. Just after the witching hour the clouds started to break and I was able to get a vey nice shot of the Milky Way with Mt Watson and John Lake in the shot. It was a long night, but that is what you have to do to get the shot. After the fun with the Milky Way we turned in.

Morning came and we got up and enjoyed some coffee on this rock ledge just above camp. Weather was just perfect and the temps were mild. After coffee and some breakfast we took some time to pack it up and complete the loop. Once we hit the trail we headed down to Twin Lakes. Beautiful area where I ended my season last year. We then continued on up to the Notch Junction and started our way towards Hope and Wall Lakes. The trail was mostly snow free to Hope Lake. After descending the switchbacks down towards Wall Lake we ran into some big piles in the trees on trail. Nothing you could not manage but they slowed the pace considerably. Eventually we got to Wall Lake and made the final stretch to Jared's car. A great weekend with good company in the high terrain in the Uintas. It's nice that the range has now opened up after such a long stretch of being buried by snow. It will be a couple of weeks till I am back out there, things should primed out there by then. Enjoy the pics and time lapse! More adventures to come!

Boulder Mountain, Dixie National Forest- June 2019

After last weekend getting snowed on and freezing my rear end off in The Uintas, I decided it was time to head south to one of my old haunts- Boulder Mountain. This time I would be joined by my friend Jared who I discovered this range with back in 2009. He has not been back since, so I wanted to show him everything I have found in this range to enjoy! We left Salt Lake around 4 PM in some heavy traffic, so this put our drive behind schedule putting us in at the trail head around dusk. Some last minute packing, layering, and we were on our way.

We had good light to the Great Western junction where darkness began to fall. We threw on the head lamps and continued on. The temps were perfect, but the mosquitoes were annoying. I bought a new bug spray from the Repel guys. It is Lemon Eucalyptus Oil. The second I had it on the skeeters would not come anywhere near me. I give this product 5 stars because it actually works and does not stink as bad as I thought it would. The scent goes away and so do the skeeters. I am officially retiring DEET from my pack and now will have Eucalyptus Oil from now on. We continued our hike passing some tarns that were full of frogs singing. So cool to be hiking at night and hearing the frogs just filling the air with song!

Eventually we made it to the Deer Creek Lake Junction which usually has a sign to direct you, but a deadfall aspen took out the sign it seems since the last time I was here. We made the last jaunt into our camp and set up shop for the weekend. Jared packed in a treat which was a chorizo and peppers hobo dinner that we cooked on the fire. That was damn near the best backcountry meal I have ever eaten! Nothing like fresh veggies and chorizo in the backcountry! It was a crystal clear night, mild temps and just great to be out in the mountains again. We settled in for a nice fire and I got the camera out for some really fun astrophotography. It was really late when we turned in to the sound of frogs singing and the leaves in the aspens getting tickled by the wind. We both slept really well and we were much warmer than the previous week in the Uintas.

Morning came and we both slept in. Coffee and some breakfast were in order. We then spent some time in camp just relaxing after the long drive and hike from the previous day. I sat out and shot a time lapse of the fluffy clouds drifting over Deer Creek. Eventually we put it all together and headed out to hike Mooseman and Chriss Lakes. We used the GPS to get us going in the right direction. After about a mile of wandering in the woods we were standing lake side at Mooseman Reservoir. I love this little lake. The fish were jumping, I tried my hand for about an hour to catch one but just nothing landed. That is how it goes sometimes.

After a while we decided to go down to Chriss Lake to see how that place was doing. It is so green this year and the hiking through the meadows and old growth aspens was about as good as it gets. We finally arrived at Chriss Lake and it was much warmer than where we were previously. I tossed a line and got a few hits but did not land a single fish. Maybe I used up all my luck last year. It started to get towards the evening so we made the hike back up the Great Western Trail to get back to camp at Deer Creek Lake. I think both of us were pretty beat after a 4.5 mile loop to and from camp.

Evening came and so with it lots of clouds. We settled in for dinner and some light tunes around the fire. I was hoping for a cloud free night again, but that unfortunately never happened. I was able to get this time lapse which not only caught a few jet liners in it, it also nabbed a few meteors streaking through the frame! Right before bed, we had a light sprinkle that was really not a big deal, but was not in the forecast for the weekend. We then turned in for another great nights sleep in the sound of silence.

Morning greeted us with high winds and lots of clouds. We had maybe a minute long sprinkle while packing up, then just winds and clouds. We ate breakfast and packed it up. We were on the trail just after noon and had a very nice walk out. Jared was finally able to see what he could not because we hiked the beginning section in the dark. We made a nice pace out and arrived at the Jeep with a cool breeze blowing. The drive home was a mix of rain and clouds all the way into town. This trip marks the 10 years since I first visited this mountain range. Every time I have visited it has been a great experience. A gem in Utah for sure. If you visit please help keep it clean and nice for others. Enjoy the photos and videos! I sense The Uintas are gonna be ready to go very soon! More adventures to come!