regehr
Member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2012
- Messages
- 2,266
The Mill B North Fork trail is one of my favorites in the Wasatch -- instead of just following a drainage or a ridge it ducks in and out of several gullies, passes through different microclimates and kinds of vegetation, basically always seems to be doing something interesting. Also, it doesn't get that much traffic once you pass some of the overlooks lower down, I suppose because it doesn't exactly go anywhere and probably it has too many switchbacks for the fitness crowd. It works fine as an eight mile out-and-back (to the sign at the junction with the Desolation Trail) but is maybe better as part of a longer hike, the one that I've done most often is a lollipop route straight up Raymond and then down to Baker Pass, and back via the trail through Mill A Basin and Maxfield Basin.
Yesterday (Oct 8) the trail was snow-free down low, and mostly snow free until the last mile or so. At the trail junction there were 3-4 inches of snow and the trail was getting hard to follow at that point. I was wearing summer shoes and didn't feel like attempting the steep, off-trail route up to Raymond.
Steep terrain.
![IMG_0696.jpg IMG_0696.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70442-aa31a82739579e05e3b99893e81ae018.jpg)
Mostly I didn't get good views of Cottonwood Ridge.
![IMG_0697.jpg IMG_0697.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70443-4698fd921d192815e59da26af215b5db.jpg)
Pushing up into the snow.
![IMG_0702.jpg IMG_0702.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70444-8eeda5f188a7c39df077a95ad0f1150e.jpg)
The twins were only visible for a few minutes.
![IMG_0704.jpg IMG_0704.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70445-abd8a66341f6c9793992cf7516a28d8a.jpg)
![IMG_0708.jpg IMG_0708.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70447-3b0ad1c2d8b50dac1007f905afec7bde.jpg)
Some pretty good fall colors for a bit longer.
![IMG_0712.jpg IMG_0712.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70451-6d31267034ce46921690323e1497373a.jpg)
At the bottom of the photo, my pack leans against the sign marking the junction between Mill B North Fork and the Desolation Trail. Above, the upper slopes of Mt Raymond, but I think the summit is tucked away somewhere towards the left.![IMG_0724.jpg IMG_0724.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70458-fa3c4b45dc56bc3ddde3aa308e045335.jpg)
![IMG_0726.jpg IMG_0726.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70460-50413a9859c22fb3a490e4207fd3b402.jpg)
Looking up at Wildcat Ridge.
![IMG_0729.jpg IMG_0729.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70463-6bd41fbb355f795e88a37cc40ed8ed55.jpg)
I love this part of this trail!
![IMG_0736.jpg IMG_0736.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70465-74d2fd23c39e3196f051a20e104405f3.jpg)
![IMG_0737.jpg IMG_0737.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70466-336e1651f645fe946191fa84aaf909cd.jpg)
![IMG_0739.jpg IMG_0739.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70467-e7fdd5877867937955f7be6a81896873.jpg)
Yesterday (Oct 8) the trail was snow-free down low, and mostly snow free until the last mile or so. At the trail junction there were 3-4 inches of snow and the trail was getting hard to follow at that point. I was wearing summer shoes and didn't feel like attempting the steep, off-trail route up to Raymond.
Steep terrain.
![IMG_0696.jpg IMG_0696.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70442-aa31a82739579e05e3b99893e81ae018.jpg)
Mostly I didn't get good views of Cottonwood Ridge.
![IMG_0697.jpg IMG_0697.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70443-4698fd921d192815e59da26af215b5db.jpg)
Pushing up into the snow.
![IMG_0702.jpg IMG_0702.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70444-8eeda5f188a7c39df077a95ad0f1150e.jpg)
The twins were only visible for a few minutes.
![IMG_0704.jpg IMG_0704.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70445-abd8a66341f6c9793992cf7516a28d8a.jpg)
![IMG_0708.jpg IMG_0708.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70447-3b0ad1c2d8b50dac1007f905afec7bde.jpg)
Some pretty good fall colors for a bit longer.
![IMG_0712.jpg IMG_0712.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70451-6d31267034ce46921690323e1497373a.jpg)
At the bottom of the photo, my pack leans against the sign marking the junction between Mill B North Fork and the Desolation Trail. Above, the upper slopes of Mt Raymond, but I think the summit is tucked away somewhere towards the left.
![IMG_0724.jpg IMG_0724.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70458-fa3c4b45dc56bc3ddde3aa308e045335.jpg)
![IMG_0726.jpg IMG_0726.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70460-50413a9859c22fb3a490e4207fd3b402.jpg)
Looking up at Wildcat Ridge.
![IMG_0729.jpg IMG_0729.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70463-6bd41fbb355f795e88a37cc40ed8ed55.jpg)
I love this part of this trail!
![IMG_0736.jpg IMG_0736.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70465-74d2fd23c39e3196f051a20e104405f3.jpg)
![IMG_0737.jpg IMG_0737.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70466-336e1651f645fe946191fa84aaf909cd.jpg)
![IMG_0739.jpg IMG_0739.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/70/70467-e7fdd5877867937955f7be6a81896873.jpg)
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