It's starting to get wild out here. Having to put my trip off a couple of weeks has me healed up, and hiking really strong as of yesterday, but certainly hasn't done me any favors with the weather.
I hiked in to Amethyst Wednesday afternoon. T-shirt weather for me(left my thermometer at home) on the way in. Sub-freezing lows even 1-2000ft below the lake, evidenced by ice over standing water along the trail otw out Thursday morning.
Hiked in to the Highline via Mirror Lake, and a bit past Naturalist Basin to camp Thursday afternoon. Felt about the same as the previous night below Amethyst.
Was headed to Dead Horse Lake, but good sense got the better of me after a couple miles, and I bailed when dark clouds started in.
Turned around and hiked ~9 miles out, then dayhiked around Ruth Lake, and up Whiskey Creek to Bourbon Lake.
Now the expected temps aren't quite as low as before, but one forecast is showing 33-49mph winds with 75mph gusts for Dead Horse Lake tonight. My other destination, Red Castle Lakes, is just...ugh.
Currently in Evanston, WY, and have been debating my options for the next few days all night long, looking as far south as Zion.
I always joke(sort of
) that I should post a severe weather warning for the area whenever I come to Utah, but it looks like I've managed to shut down about 2/3 of the state this time, with wind advisories for 60mph gusts all the way down I15. So I guess Capitol Reef and Zion are out for the moment, and I need to be back in SLC Thursday night. I've actually got time to knock out the Teton Crest, but GTNP is all rain and snow with flash flood watches.
What's left, Arches and Canyonlands?