Highline to WFBF part 4

DrNed

The mountains are calling and I must go
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After leaving the Gladys Lake area we hike through some nondescript areas and eventually to some high mountain meadows that were filled with beautiful wild flowers.



This picture simply doesn't do this area justice. First off this meadow is huge. The trail bobs up and down for more than a half mile next to this meadow. The variety of colors from the flowers, mixed with the green grass, blue skies and puffy white clouds made for a cornucopia of visual stimuli. For me it was an area where I just wanted to lay down in the grass, inhale the fresh air and take this place into my soul.

After passing this meadow we descended to the last of the "lady lakes" - Helen Lake, where we would make our camp for the next two nights.




Here we are walking around Helen Lake, looking for a camp spot. You might be thinking why not set up camp in this relatively flat patch of grass. Many patches of grass around Uinta lakes are marshy and that was the case here. Besides we needed shade and to be at least a quarter of a mile away from the lake to have a fire. So our target is through the trees in front of us, where we will find a small, flat, dry and well shaded meadow, perfect for camping the next two nights.


Here are the screen shots of the GPS once we arrived at our camp spot. This information is cumulative from the time we started on Monday.





Though this was actually taken the next day, here's a great shot of our Helen Lake camp site.



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Thinking of hitting up this area in July. Would you say Helen Lake is the best lake to camp at for a couple nights in this Basin? Or did you see any other better spots?
 
Thinking of hitting up this area in July. Would you say Helen Lake is the best lake to camp at for a couple nights in this Basin? Or did you see any other better spots?
My favorite without a doubt was Ledge Lake. It's just on the south of Dead Horse.
I could have easily spent a couple of days there. Get back in the woods on the
south west side (I think) and there's a waterfall and spring water and from the
18 hours I spent there I get the impression it's not a popular site to stop and camp.

I haven't been to the Winds where I hear the skeeters are really bad,
but Helen was my worst mosquito experience bar none.

Helen is good in that it's kinda in the middle of the basin.

Lightning has a nice little meadow on the far side that would make for a decent
camp, depending on how picky you are.

When I do this again, because I will do this again, I would spend at least a day
at Glady's too. That might be one to consider.
IMG_4786.JPG

So if you don't mind being on the far side of the basin go to Ledge. If you want to be in the middle of the basin
Helen is probably your best bet, but consider Glady's.
 
Ledge is nice. I've camped there too. I've been through the basin a couple times but I missed the lady lakes sitting high on the west side. They look pretty sweet from what I've seen. Uintah also looks amazing.
 
Thinking of hitting up this area in July. Would you say Helen Lake is the best lake to camp at for a couple nights in this Basin? Or did you see any other better spots?

The meadows in the middle of Upper Rock Creek basin, next to the meandering streams was dream-like place! not even near a lake, just next to the forest, meadow, stream and mountain. ahhhh. wish I was there now
 
The meadows in the middle of Upper Rock Creek basin, next to the meandering streams was dream-like place! not even near a lake, just next to the forest, meadow, stream and mountain. ahhhh. wish I was there now
Indeed!

Let's take a moment of silence and just absorb some Upper Rock Creek Basin goodness into our souls. oooommmmmmmmmmmm.:)

Is it summer yet?
 
The meadows in the middle of Upper Rock Creek basin, next to the meandering streams was dream-like place! not even near a lake, just next to the forest, meadow, stream and mountain. ahhhh. wish I was there now
How much do you remember about Rock Creek? In particular the meadows you were talking about for the campsites...I'm headed there this summer and am knee deep in planning. It's very addictive to plan summer Uintas trips when it's cold outside!
 
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