Summer in the CPW- A long weekend in SLC

Scott Chandler

Wildness is a necessity- John Muir
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Jan 4, 2014
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Finally I have time to interweb and can catch up on trip reports.

After working a couple tours in the Cloud Peak Wilderness I had a six day weekend. I originally had plans to backpack in the Wind River Range with my friend Richard from Salt Lake... until we checked the forecast. Every mountain range in the state of Wyoming was slated to have thunderstorms. Oh yeah, so did the Uintas. I'll backpack in the rain when backpacking isn't my job, but that isn't now. So instead I just doubled my drive and hung out in SLC with Rich.

While SLC has been my non-summer home for the past three years, I've done very little hiking around the city. There has usually been snow or school in the way. So I got to do a couple things I'd wanted to do but never had. Our first hike was to Sunset Peak from Albion Basin. I'd summited the peak from Brighton but not from Alta. It was nice with flowers blooming and dynamic skies.

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After summiting Sunset and having a small world moment by meeting Wasatch-Cache wilderness rangers who lived near the Bighorns, Richard and I headed towards Devil's Castle to see what we would see. We ended up going up a steep slope to a saddle east of the Castle and summiting "Ladybug Love Peak" named for all the ladybugs at the top. It is neat how slightly different angles change the view dramatically.

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The day after our Alta hike, Richard and I went for the high point of Stansbury Island. Probably not smart for a 100 degree day, but we suffered up and made it. Part of why I hike is to see views few see, and this was a hike that probably fit that well.

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Exhausted from our previous two days, we took my final day in the city to visit Donut Falls. What a quaint little falls and surprisingly we had the top of the rockpile by the falls to ourselves.

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It was nice to see the big city again. All the small town Wyoming is nice but cities have a lot to offer. Excitement to have another tour on the western side of the Cloud Peak Wilderness made driving back easy though :)

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Now there's some variety! Mountain peaks, Great Salt Lake and Donut Falls. Nice. I've been thinking of doing Sunset Peak lately. Looks like a nice hike. How were the bugs and spiders out on Stansbury? I hear it can get pretty crazy out there in the summer.
 
I love the albion basin area, I've done sunset peak from both sides but there are so many ways you can head up there from the albion basin I just can't pass on going there anytime I get. I've been to Lady Bug peak however I did not know that was the name. Good to know.

I've yet to go to Stansbury, I'll have to venture there in the fall.
 
How were the bugs and spiders out on Stansbury? I hear it can get pretty crazy out there in the summer.

Nick I can't speak for Stansbury but I row on the GSL via the GSl Marina. The spiders are there and bigger than a couple weeks ago when I was there last. We always sweep out the shells to get rid of the webs and spiders. I'll have to try and take some pictures of the webs next time I'm there.

As for the bugs, they are starting to come out in thicker swarms. Normally on the water it's a hit or miss, the hit being closer to land. Due to some swells on Saturday we had to stay closer to the land. For a good 8 minutes were rowing in a swarm of brine flies. If we breathed we'd inhale them (both by mouth and nose) although the nose was less irritating. Later that night when washing my hair, I noticed a few brine flies had gotten stuck in my hair. At least they don't bite though I couldn't imagine if they did.
 
How were the bugs and spiders out on Stansbury? I hear it can get pretty crazy out there in the summer.

LOL when Richard and I were out there everything was dead. Even found two dead cows.

Oh! Except for Mormon Crickets! Biggest ones I've ever seen and lots of them in the couple shady patches under junipers. They must be possessed by the devil to survive out there.
 
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