Backpacking in The Wasatch

Nick

Nick

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Any suggestions on good trails to backpack in The Wasatch range in the Salt Lake area? Little Cottonwood, Big Cottonwood, Mill Creek, etc.? Specifically looking for quick overnighters. I hear Lake Blanche would work pretty well. Anything else? And anything in any of the dog-friendly zones like Ferguson Canyon?
 
nick said:
Any suggestions on good trails to backpack in The Wasatch range in the Salt Lake area? Little Cottonwood, Big Cottonwood, Mill Creek, etc.? Specifically looking for quick overnighters. I hear Lake Blanche would work pretty well. Anything else? And anything in any of the dog-friendly zones like Ferguson Canyon?
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An FYI on Lake Blanche. My family and I hiked up to Blanche this past Sunday. The upper half of the ascent was in 2-4 inches of snow and slush. Blanche itself is still 50% (roughly) iced-over - but that could be due to the very cool temps of latter last week. We were snowed on at the lake. We had the trail mostly to ourselves, but apparently this is a very popular hike when the conditions are more favorable.
 
lake blanch is a great one up big! its short and I don't think its nearly as strenuous as people lead you to believe. Don't go on weekends though... red and white pines up little are good destinations as well. I've always wanted to backpack Alexander basin/gobblers knob via millcreek side (dogs yay). I've hiked it plenty and there's perfect spot to lay your bag down in some trees in the basin right below gobblers. I've also wanted to backpack up grandeur peak, not because its a good hike (its pretty busy for millcreek) but I've always thought it would make some good pics.


pretty processed image, but this is the little spot up Alexander basin that'd be pretty cool to stay in.

The Island by Gareth Loosle, on Flickr
 
I would love to do Blanche on a weeknight :twothumbs: Maybe head up around 4 or so, camp, head down after sunrise, and show up to work a bit late.

any takers?
 
You could always just head to the Stansburys and check out that area ;)
 
If your looking with dogs I think you can stay on the millcreek side of dog lake above the lake on the south side they have a few campsites. Lake blanche we head down to the lillian and you can get some good sites in there and a good chance for wildlife goats to moose in the lake.
 
gloo said:
lake blanch is a great one up big! its short and I don't think its nearly as strenuous as people lead you to believe. Don't go on weekends though...
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nick and I backpacked at Lake Blanche last night.
Killer spot for a quick overnighter on a weeknight :twothumbs:
 
brewpacker said:
An FYI on Lake Blanche. My family and I hiked up to Blanche this past Sunday. The upper half of the ascent was in 2-4 inches of snow and slush. Blanche itself is still 50% (roughly) iced-over - but that could be due to the very cool temps of latter last week. We were snowed on at the lake. We had the trail mostly to ourselves, but apparently this is a very popular hike when the conditions are more favorable.
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Man, that's wild. We did it 4 days later and it was dry as a bone all the way to the lake and zero ice on the lake. Hell, the water wasn't even that cold! Crazy!
 
nice guys! saw a few of your shots on facebook I think and looks like you guys as always got some great shots. Such a nice little destination that's so close to home it almost doesn't feel right
 
A couple years ago I did a section of the Great Western Trail in the Wasatch from Big Cottonwood to Provo Canyon as an overnight. I started from that pass that drops you down into Midway. You cross a couple roads, a campground (Timponookee), and ski resorts, but lots of good stuff too. The Ridge Trail section is nice, as is the front side of Timp. I'm looking to repeat this route the last week of June but perhaps expanding the route north (perhaps City Creek... involving an I-80 crossing @ Lambs) or south down into the Diamond Fork area maybe coming out on Hwy 6. Still doing my map recon. As I recall, as long as you stay on the sections of the GWT that don't drop into BCC, you're not violating any dog restrictions... or I may have had to be creative in the Clayton Peak to Pioneer Peak section to keep my dog legit. Can't exactly remember. But I know that dropping down into the Mary Lake area with the dog is a no-no.
 
I think Red Pine up Little Cottonwood would make a great backpacking destination. I noticed a couple nice spots to camp when I was up there last year. Plus you have several options for exploring at Red Pine. You can climb Pfeifferhorn, visit Upper Red Pine, or hit Maybird Gulch on the way in or out. Apparently you can also scramble over a ridge to White Pine from Red Pine.
 
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