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- Jul 23, 2013
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Hi all. I'd like some August destination advice. I have my mother-in-law reserved to babysit next Friday/Saturday as well as the 13th through 15th so I can take my wife out on a couple trips before school starts back up. First trip will have to be an overnighter and the second will be a two-nighter. We're also hoping skies will be clear enough to catch the remnants of the Perseid showers on the latter trip.
Here's what's on the table for the overnighter so far:
Timpanogos
Day 1 - Start from Alpine Loop Summit trailhead, take Willow Hollow Trail over to Timpooneke then up Timpooneke and cross fingers to find a good campsite still available between the main basin and Hidden Lakes. Have dinner, then head to Saddle and stake out a spot to catch the sunset and night-hike back to camp.
Day 2 - Shoot for the summit early in the morning then down Aspen Grove trail and return to trailhead and car via Lame Horse Trail. Go home.
And here's what's on the table for the two-nighter with some additional questions on some of them:
Naturalist Basin
Day 1 - Start early in the morning from Highline trailhead. Seek out a good spot around Jordan lake or move on to an upper lake. Set up camp and explore surrounding lakes and waterfalls. Get in some fishing before retiring to camp for the night.
Day 2 - Bag Mount Aggasiz or Spread Eagle Peak, whichever is least technical and safest from the basin (if any). Spend afternoon doing some more lake-hopping and fishing in the basin.
Day 3 - Head back toward trailhead. Bag Hayden Peak or side trip out to Mirror Lake, depending on energy levels and weather. Return Home.
Will the waterfalls I see in pictures still be as picturesque this late in the summer, or would this area really be worth saving for mid to late June when the cliffs and walls are really erupting with snowmelt as I have read in other reviews?
Is Mount Aggasiz or Spread Eagle Peak safe enough to summit by just boulder hopping up and along the ridge there above the basin? When I say safe, think Kings Peak ridge.
Notch Mountain - Ibantik Lake - Bench Lake
Day 1 - Hike from Crystal Lake TH up over pass to Ibantik Lake and set up camp. Check out nearby falls and ponds and do some fishing.
Day 2 - Pick up camp and move to Bench Lake. Scout out and fish nearby lakes.
Day 3 - Head out to Bald Mountain TH. Dump packs and head up Bald Mountain for the view. Return Home.
I read where Nick described a steep section into the Ibantik drainage from the eastern side in a previous TR post. Would that make this whole hike significantly less strenuous to reverse the route?
Stillwater Basins (West, Middle, Amethyst Basins)
Day 1 - Seek out and set up camp at Kermsuh Lake. Go Fishing.
Day 2 - Head down and around to Ryder Lake. Set up camp. Check out McPheters Lake, then back down to Ryder for some fishing.
Day 3 - Head back toward trailhead. Side trip up to Ostler and Amethyst lakes. Return home.
Would we be over-exerting ourselves trying to fit a visit to all three basins in three days? If we were to narrow down to two basins, which ones would typically have the best balance between crowds, good fishing, and scenery?
Kings Peak
I got to do this for the first time earlier this year but my wife would now like to bag it sometime. Only risk is that the only day we would have to summit could turn out to be too stormy which would result in some disappointment. We're content to wait until late June knowing it would probably be a bit less crowded and the weather likely to be more favorable throughout each day. That's when the group I went with this year went and we had the whole mountain to ourselves.
Day 1 - Head up Henry's Fork and set up camp in middle of basin. Hike out to Henry's Fork Lake and falls, fish, return to camp.
Day 2 - Head up and over Gunsight Pass and summit Kings Peak. Return to camp, pick up and move camp to Dollar Lake area. Fish.
Day 3 - Head back home.
Alaska Basin (Teton Wilderness)
Based on pics and videos I've seen of this area, I really, really want to get up here. My fear is that 3 days and 2 nights would not be nearly enough time and would only tease me to the point of driving me crazy until I could get up there again for a week long outing and do the whole Teton Crest. If it would be best to be patient and put this on hold until next year, I will.
Day 1 - Drive up to Teton Canyon Campground TH. Head up to Alaska Basin and set up a base camp.
Day 2 - Day hike Tabletop Mountain and/or Death Canyon Shelf (depending on time and energy levels).
Day 3 - Return to Car. Drive up Darby Canyon and day hike to Wind Cave. Return home.
While it's looking more and more like we'll be committing to Timpanogos for the overnighter, regardless of crowds, I'm still open to other suggestions of nearby Wasatch Front overnight hikes equal in beauty and features. It also provides us the advantage of being real close to home, since this overnighter will be a test to see how all our kids, aged 1 to 6, will do with my wife and I being away. Assuming that goes well, we'll be making plans for the two-nighter to follow a couple weeks later.
I would really appreciate any advice, suggestions, or even other recommendations beyond what I've already listed as options for that trip. Based on the time of year, which of these would be ideal? We're hoping to avoid the bigger crowds by going in the middle of the week. We don't mind seeing a couple people here and there, but still want to have ample campsites to choose from that will be open, comfortable, and spaced away from others. My wife also loves rainstorms, so she'll be just as happy sitting out a storm and relaxing in a tent for an afternoon as she would be doing anything else. In fact, she may even be disappointed if we don't get one, so the Uintas become more appealing with that in mind. Whatever we end up choosing, the other areas and itineraries will certainly be bumped onto a list to try and fit in through the summer of next year.
Here's what's on the table for the overnighter so far:
Timpanogos
Day 1 - Start from Alpine Loop Summit trailhead, take Willow Hollow Trail over to Timpooneke then up Timpooneke and cross fingers to find a good campsite still available between the main basin and Hidden Lakes. Have dinner, then head to Saddle and stake out a spot to catch the sunset and night-hike back to camp.
Day 2 - Shoot for the summit early in the morning then down Aspen Grove trail and return to trailhead and car via Lame Horse Trail. Go home.
And here's what's on the table for the two-nighter with some additional questions on some of them:
Naturalist Basin
Day 1 - Start early in the morning from Highline trailhead. Seek out a good spot around Jordan lake or move on to an upper lake. Set up camp and explore surrounding lakes and waterfalls. Get in some fishing before retiring to camp for the night.
Day 2 - Bag Mount Aggasiz or Spread Eagle Peak, whichever is least technical and safest from the basin (if any). Spend afternoon doing some more lake-hopping and fishing in the basin.
Day 3 - Head back toward trailhead. Bag Hayden Peak or side trip out to Mirror Lake, depending on energy levels and weather. Return Home.
Will the waterfalls I see in pictures still be as picturesque this late in the summer, or would this area really be worth saving for mid to late June when the cliffs and walls are really erupting with snowmelt as I have read in other reviews?
Is Mount Aggasiz or Spread Eagle Peak safe enough to summit by just boulder hopping up and along the ridge there above the basin? When I say safe, think Kings Peak ridge.
Notch Mountain - Ibantik Lake - Bench Lake
Day 1 - Hike from Crystal Lake TH up over pass to Ibantik Lake and set up camp. Check out nearby falls and ponds and do some fishing.
Day 2 - Pick up camp and move to Bench Lake. Scout out and fish nearby lakes.
Day 3 - Head out to Bald Mountain TH. Dump packs and head up Bald Mountain for the view. Return Home.
I read where Nick described a steep section into the Ibantik drainage from the eastern side in a previous TR post. Would that make this whole hike significantly less strenuous to reverse the route?
Stillwater Basins (West, Middle, Amethyst Basins)
Day 1 - Seek out and set up camp at Kermsuh Lake. Go Fishing.
Day 2 - Head down and around to Ryder Lake. Set up camp. Check out McPheters Lake, then back down to Ryder for some fishing.
Day 3 - Head back toward trailhead. Side trip up to Ostler and Amethyst lakes. Return home.
Would we be over-exerting ourselves trying to fit a visit to all three basins in three days? If we were to narrow down to two basins, which ones would typically have the best balance between crowds, good fishing, and scenery?
Kings Peak
I got to do this for the first time earlier this year but my wife would now like to bag it sometime. Only risk is that the only day we would have to summit could turn out to be too stormy which would result in some disappointment. We're content to wait until late June knowing it would probably be a bit less crowded and the weather likely to be more favorable throughout each day. That's when the group I went with this year went and we had the whole mountain to ourselves.
Day 1 - Head up Henry's Fork and set up camp in middle of basin. Hike out to Henry's Fork Lake and falls, fish, return to camp.
Day 2 - Head up and over Gunsight Pass and summit Kings Peak. Return to camp, pick up and move camp to Dollar Lake area. Fish.
Day 3 - Head back home.
Alaska Basin (Teton Wilderness)
Based on pics and videos I've seen of this area, I really, really want to get up here. My fear is that 3 days and 2 nights would not be nearly enough time and would only tease me to the point of driving me crazy until I could get up there again for a week long outing and do the whole Teton Crest. If it would be best to be patient and put this on hold until next year, I will.
Day 1 - Drive up to Teton Canyon Campground TH. Head up to Alaska Basin and set up a base camp.
Day 2 - Day hike Tabletop Mountain and/or Death Canyon Shelf (depending on time and energy levels).
Day 3 - Return to Car. Drive up Darby Canyon and day hike to Wind Cave. Return home.
While it's looking more and more like we'll be committing to Timpanogos for the overnighter, regardless of crowds, I'm still open to other suggestions of nearby Wasatch Front overnight hikes equal in beauty and features. It also provides us the advantage of being real close to home, since this overnighter will be a test to see how all our kids, aged 1 to 6, will do with my wife and I being away. Assuming that goes well, we'll be making plans for the two-nighter to follow a couple weeks later.
I would really appreciate any advice, suggestions, or even other recommendations beyond what I've already listed as options for that trip. Based on the time of year, which of these would be ideal? We're hoping to avoid the bigger crowds by going in the middle of the week. We don't mind seeing a couple people here and there, but still want to have ample campsites to choose from that will be open, comfortable, and spaced away from others. My wife also loves rainstorms, so she'll be just as happy sitting out a storm and relaxing in a tent for an afternoon as she would be doing anything else. In fact, she may even be disappointed if we don't get one, so the Uintas become more appealing with that in mind. Whatever we end up choosing, the other areas and itineraries will certainly be bumped onto a list to try and fit in through the summer of next year.
Lake Blanche is also a beautiful place to spend the night. Sunsets up there are amazing! 
