Last Minute Over Nighter to Packard Lake

Perry

Formerly Cuberant
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Aug 8, 2016
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I've been dealing with a troublesome knee on and off since about March of this year. Recently it got really bad to the point that I couldn't even do my daily walks around town. Pretty discouraging to say the least. I decided I better see an orthopedist to see what was up. After an x-ray and an exam the conclusion was either a torn meniscus or arthritis. In either case the initial treatment would be the same: a steroid injection. The injection was not nearly as bad as I had feared and he sent me on my way to see if there was any improvement which could happen in a matter of days or up to two or three weeks. The first few days we discouraging with no apparent relief when all of a sudden right about one week things started to lookup. Shortly after I started my daily walks working my way up to my normal 4-5 miles. To my surprise things were looking up.

Fast forward to Saturday morning. I was itching to get on a trail and thought I might try a quick over nighter of modest mileage. I decided on Packard Lake in the High Uintas Wilderness. I had been there before on a late season, snow packed trail just a month or two after the Murdock Fire in 2018. This would provide about ten miles round trip on a trail I knew fairly well. So I threw things together and headed out.

I arrived at the Hayden Pass trail head at about 3:30pm. The parking lot was pretty packed but I managed to find a spot, registered and was on my way.

Approaching the Scudder Lake area I started to enter the fire zone. I was so pleasantly surprised to find the area was beginning to come back. As badly as the trees had been burned I had feared the ground had been sterilized by the heat but I was wrong. Signs of life were appearing...

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Leaving the burn area I arrived at the Packard Lake Trail junction and started the drop down to the first of the three lakes along the trail, Wilder Lake...

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I continued past the next lake, Wyman Lake, and arrived at Packard Lake. I scouted along the south east shore for a camp site. There are quite a few nice sites here. I grabbed one with a view to the east and made camp...


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Next up, get some water for dinner and the night and have a look around. Had to visit one of my favorite sights overlooking the Duchesne River dainage.

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I hadn't realized that just near from where I had taken pictures in 2018 there was a beautiful water fall cascading over the cliffs on its way to the Duchesne River. I heard the water right away and figured that late in the year the lake was low enough to not have any outflow so I missed this back then...


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A view "over the falls"...

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After filtering some water at the falls I noticed the overcast day was starting to clear up a bit and things were looking up for some photos. Mt Agassiz over Packard Lake...


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I had been hoping to be able to catch a nice sunset but the conditions were not favorable. I was able to get nice sunburst from the sun's reflection in Packard Lake though...

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Not too many wild flowers out yet but the low angle of the sun revealed a few beauties in the area...

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My family was planning a Ring Central Video Father's Day conference call so I needed to get out to internet access to make the event. As soon as the photo ops were done I hit the sack. I had the robins singing me to sleep and they would wake me first thing in the morning.

Morning light...

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I packed up and was on the trail by 6:15am. The skies we looking less gray than were on Saturday so I was hoping for some nice pics in the early light. I managed to get a few nice shots.

Marshy area along the trail just a short way from Packard Lake. The burn made it up to this point...

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Mt Agassiz over Wyman Lake...

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Wyman Lake...

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Bald Mountain over Wilder Lake...


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Bald Mountain and Reid's Peak over Scudder Lake. View is definitely different with the burned out trees...


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Made it out in time to get home for the Fathers Day meeting. It was quick but much needed trail time. Looking forward to the next trip.
 

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glad your knee was doing better! that's a good looking waterfall you got there.
 
glad your knee was doing better! that's a good looking waterfall you got there.
Thanks! I was looking for a way down to get a good shot from below but all cliffs in the area.
 
Really good pics and overnighter! that view down the Duchesne looks really nice without smoke.
 
Looks like a great trip! We're trying to get out for a short trip this coming weekend. How were the temps at night?
 
Looks like a great trip! We're trying to get out for a short trip this coming weekend. How were the temps at night?
I would say it was in the 40's. It was really very pleasant.
 
Sorry about your knee! I hope it feeling better.

Thanks for sharing! Everything looked so peaceful, and of course, love those flower shots!!
 
Sorry about your knee! I hope it feeling better.

Thanks for sharing! Everything looked so peaceful, and of course, love those flower shots!!
Thanks! The knee did well on this trip but has become a bit more angry of late . Hoping treatment I got at the dr today will be more long lasting.
 
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