Planning a Uinta Highline Trail Trip

[Blake Merrell]

I think you mean upper Rock Creek not WFBF, no? How many people do you have going?
It was fun to mark up your map. Brings back memories and spurs me on to return to some spots - like the Upper Yellowstone. I really love Lambert Meadows too but it was so badly sheep damaged. I came back and complained to the forest service about eco-abuse, again.

I guess when I said WFBF I was talking about Dead Horse Lake That area and Upper Rock Creek and the high trail to Lighning Lake was my favorite part of my last trip. I can't wait to see that area again!

That is too bad about the sheep. My grandpa use to call them Mountain Maggots. In cases like that, it sounds like Grandpa was spot on!

 

[JoshuaDyal]

OK Blake, I doctored up your map. I hope it is not TMI. Let me know and I will remove some detail. Turns out we did the route in 7 days six camps. In general are early days were shorter than yours and then we surpassed your later days in distance. wOOt!

I know it's not my map or my thread, but thanks from me, too! I'll be doing a loop in about a month or so too, from EFBF over Bald Mountain to Red Castle. Then I'll go around to the East side of Red Castle, over Smith's Fork Basin, and join much of this trail (to Deadhorse Pass at least) before coming up between Tokewanna and Lovenia to close the loop and get back to my car. The comments in your "Navigation Crux" box are great for me too. And I'm tempted to slow down and spend a night in your "Beautiful" box where "Art Camp 4" is, but if I do, I'll have to give up my day trip from Dead Horse lake to go see Reconnaissance Lake. But maybe I should anyway; I'm a little concerned that the three pass day of Smiths Fork, Tungsten and Porcupine all in my second day of the loop is biting off more than we care to chew anyway.

Curiously, it's nice to be vindicated by your "Wild!" claim, as I was going to make a big point of heading off trail and spending a night at Crater Lake before coming back and going over Red Knob Pass.

 

[Artemus]

I know it's not my map or my thread, but thanks from me, too!

You are also welcome JD. Sounds like you have a most excellent loop planned. I've walked many parts of it and they were most excellent.

On the three pass day... Kind of depends on where you stop and start. Tungsten pass is basically trivial and the other two aren't too bad. You'll want to get over Bald Mountain and in close to Smiths Fork Pass before you start that day. Bald Mountain and the three passes are high, tree-free and exposed so the weather will be your guide.

 

[JoshuaDyal]

On the three pass day... Kind of depends on where you stop and start. Tungsten pass is basically trivial and the other two aren't too bad. You'll want to get over Bald Mountain and in close to Smiths Fork Pass before you start that day. Bald Mountain and the three passes are high, tree-free and exposed so the weather will be your guide.

My plan was to set up camp near Lower Red Castle Lake, spend some time in the evening exploring all three western Red Castle Lakes, and then hitting the hay early so I can get an early start on the next day. That gives me somewhere between 2-3 miles to hike before hitting Smith's Fork Pass.

Although I have my itinerary getting over Porcupine Pass by nightfall, if it doesn't work out, then I can camp somewhere near North Star Lake. It doesn't look like there are tons of below treeline campsite opportunities anywhere nearby, so if the weather turns really bad, I'll have to head a mile or so south, I'm guessing?

It looks like one of the tougher parts of the Highline Trail, at least when it comes to finding sheltered camping sites anywhere for a several mile stretch.

 

[Artemus]

The hike up to smiths fork pass from red castle (from the south) isn't too bad and goes fast.The upper Yellowstone is spectacular and we camped there with great delight. The whole way around the corner through Porcupine Pass is spectacular too and makes me grin sitting here writing this. Our camp in Upper Yellowstone was above tree line and sheltered in that we were up against some ledges. I wouldn't have been too worried about a storm there. From that camp we could have run downhill to the south and been in krumholtz trees and larger if we needed tree cover. I think there were trees around the corner to the west as well. At that next, intermediate low pass or just below.

 

[JoshuaDyal]

The hike up to smiths fork pass from red castle (from the south) isn't too bad and goes fast.The upper Yellowstone is spectacular and we camped there with great delight. The whole way around the corner through Porcupine Pass is spectacular too and makes me grin sitting here writing this. Our camp in Upper Yellowstone was above tree line and sheltered in that we were up against some ledges. I wouldn't have been too worried about a storm there. From that camp we could have run downhill to the south and been in krumholtz trees and larger if we needed tree cover. I think there were trees around the corner to the west as well. At that next, intermediate low pass or just below.

Thanks for the advice. Luckily, they don't look like really steep passes, but I'm still on the fence about whether or not I'll end up making three of them in one day. That's a lot of climbing. I can play it by ear, though--I have a lot of padding in my schedule after I get past the first two admittedly rather strenuous days.

 

[DrNed]

Our camp in Upper Yellowstone was above tree line and sheltered in that we were up against some ledges. I wouldn't have been too worried about a storm there. From that camp we could have run downhill to the south and been in krumholtz trees and larger if we needed tree cover. I think there were trees around the corner to the west as well. At that next, intermediate low pass or just below.

@langutah Wondering what you can tell me about approaching Smith's Fork Pass from the Yellowstone side. On day 3 we're going to summit King's from Gunsight, descend from Anderson, turn north on the Smith's Fork Pass trail and hopefully camp somewhere near the bottom of Smith's Fork Pass. The map shows Yellowstone Creek running with the trail so I'm assuming water will be okay, but the topo makes it look like a pretty good climb once you make the turn north on the SFP trail. Tell me what you can on viable camp spots on the south side. Or do I need to push over the pass to the north side?

 

[Artemus]

Sorry @Blake Merrell for hijacking your thread...
The approach to Smiths Fork Pass is trivial. The USGS map even shows a trail - I can't vouch for it being there the whole way but it is open tundra and you can travel anywhere. There is water everywhere and flat spots abound albeit without much cover. More camping on the south side then the north. I am tired. What is SFP?

 

[Blake Merrell]

No worries guys. Carry on

 

[JoshuaDyal]

Yeah, sorry--I was trying to keep my questions mostly concerned with parts of my route that coincided with your route too; just to make sure that it wasn't going too far afield from your original questions.

 

[DrNed]

I am tired. What is SFP?

SFP = Smith's Fork Pass. Trying to say more with less words - poor choice on my part.

My thanks & apologies to @Blake Merrell. Thank you @langutah for sharing your experience & insights.
You both have proven why this is my favorite site on the net.

 

[Blake Merrell]

It all good If a thread weeds out little gems like this:

Sounds like you have a most excellent loop planned

I get very interested. My ears perk up when experienced backpackers say "most excellent"