North Erickson Lake - Uintas - August 15, 2026

[scatman]

I headed up to the Uintas over the weekend for my annual get together with the Petersens and the Vanderbilts at Ledgefork Campground. On Saturday the 15th, I managed an 11.6 mile day hike from the campground up to North Erickson Lake. It was approximately a 2300 foot climb from our campsite to the lake and it took me a good portion of the day to complete. Showy Goldeneye and thistles were the star wildflowers on this hike, and fresh raspberries, thimble berries, currants and Oregon grape were consumed in large quantities as I made my way up and back down. Temperatures were in the low 70's which made for nice hiking.

Review Image:




Friday, August 14th:


We drove up Friday night, and after getting the tent set up, Sheila and I took a hike down to the reservoir.


Smith and Morehouse Reservoir on our drive into Ledgefork Campground,


Setting up our tent at campsite B-37


This bumblebee stayed on this thistle near our campsite the entire time we were there


Beautiful Canada thistles on our hike to the reservoir


Musk thistle


Cone flower


Contemplating life at the south end of the reservoir


A spider


Saturday, August 15th


Time for my day hike.

I couldn't get anyone to join me on this one, so I was all by my lonesome.



Overview map


The Canon EOS 5Ds and the Canon PowerShot G16 would be my companions, along with a Canon PowerShot SX160


Katie turned a quarter century on this day. Nice cat watch! Happy B-day!


I had to walk through the campground to get to the Ledgefork Trailhead


If you go by the signed mileage, I actually did 17 miles roundtrip. I don't believe that that is the case.


Nice footbridge over Smith and Morehouse Creek


Smith and Morehouse Creek


Looking back down the canyon


Moose print on the trail


A butterfly on some showy goldeneye


A little help to get across a boggy area


View up of the west ridgeline. That highpoint is 10,268 feet.


More showy goldeneye


More of the western ridgeline above


View to the south (my direction of travel) towards unnamed peak 10,396. I'll be taking a right up the draw when I reach the base
of that peak,


Fleabane?


Old thistle


Butterfly on an aster flower


Let the eating begin! Wild raspberries in season.


And thimble berries too


And don't forget the red elderberries!


Oh, serviceberries too. Yum.


Bumblebees sure like musk thistle


Crossing a small creek


Monkey flower


Mountain ash


Another look back down the canyon


Smith and Morehouse Creek


The highest peak along the west ridgeline - unnamed peak 10,673.


Arriving at the trail junction. Right turn Clyde!


Paintbrush


Up the draw.


Wet trail at this point


Monkshood


Crossing Erickson Creek


Fireweed


Pearly everlasting


Erickson Creek below


Love the shadow


Groundsel


Stonecrop


Still heading up the draw at this point


Fresh currants


The perfect sitting rock, and you know what the Scatman did don't you?


Common yarrow


I lost the trail just before this meadow and had to search for it to get back on track


A marshy meadow it was with these finger streams running all through it


Gentian were plentiful in the meadow


@Bob 's horse trail begins now.


High enough now to get some more expansive views


Lone boulder


First view of North Erickson Lake


North Erickson Lake. I stopped for lunch here


My lunch consisted of an Envy apple, tomato wheat thins, dried cherries, habanero almond, sunflowers, carrots and broccoli, some
colby-jack cheese and some Mott's fruit snacks.


Couldn't resist @Rockskipper .


The Canon PowerShot SX160 ready for action at the lake. Wait for it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


I just couldn't resist.


Lily pads and pond lily


Mountain dandelion


Time to head back




Erickson Creek


Back at the sitting rock. And you know what I did?


Fungi


Alpine dandelion



Rounding unnamed peak 10,396


Oregon grape


Back at the trail junction


View of the eastern ridge


Footbridge over Smith and Morehouse Creek


Richard's geranium


Looking back at unnamed peak 10,396 with a little better lighting in the afternoon sun


Unnamed peak 11,247


More of the eastern ridge


Skyrocket


Up that draw is the route to Hell's Kitchen


Smith and Morehouse Creek


Back at the trailhead


And back at the Sube


Worn out!


Navajo tacos were on the menu for dinner



Mr. Petersen was in charge of cooking up the ground beef. You can clearly see that he
takes his job seriously.


Oh, look at those fixins!


Nice!


Some frybread - a bit on the small side.


Ground beef


And chili


The crowd begins to gather.


Look at that.


And a Smoked Habanero Porter from 2Row to wash it down.




Tried to get a good shot of the hummingbird while I ate my dinner.


Sunday Morning, August 16th:


Comfy in the Camp Dome 6


This guy was a real pest! I'm pretty sure he was in cahoots with @Rockskipper. Just after 7:00 am each morning, the pinecone
missile barrage would begin, hitting our tent and car with maximum force. Payback is hell Skipper!


The End.

 

[Rockskipper]

I just couldn't resist.

As a ham radio type, that photo reminds me of a few of my buddies when they're trying to get a signal.

And that squirrel heard that I bake peanut butter biscuits for my squirrel buddies and thinks you should do the same.

The tacos thing should be outlawed - at least photos and descriptions of it should be, anyway. Makes my daily oats seem pretty boring.

 

[Ugly]

That basin is pretty nice. My second backpack was up that trail.
Some good eating seems to be had. Were those scones from frozen dough or handmade up there? Either way, that looks good.

I think that sitting rock is a defunct Scatman or sasquatch deadfall trap? look at it's perfect fit with the top rock. Good thing it was triggered long ago and posed no hazard.

Berries galore!
When I was in the Uintas a couple of weeks ago the currants and other berries were slim pickings in most spots-seemed too dry, not even unripe berries. Then up by Brighton this past weekend there were some places that were coming on. Maybe I will be back this weekend.

 

[TractorDoc]

No images of what @scatman did with the sitting rock? How will we ever know what transpired there?

Nice hummingbird shots. I bet if you sat with the feeder in your hand long enough it might fly right up to you to take a sip.

Is the Oregon Grape edible? All I have growing in my yard are Concords and the racoons usually get to them before I can.

 

[Janice]

I love all your flower and fruit shots. Happy quarter century birthday to your daughter!

 

[scatman]

As a ham radio type, that photo reminds me of a few of my buddies when they're trying to get a signal.

And that squirrel heard that I bake peanut butter biscuits for my squirrel buddies and thinks you should do the same.

The tacos thing should be outlawed - at least photos and descriptions of it should be, anyway. Makes my daily oats seem pretty boring.

I was trying to reach out to @TractorDoc to let him know that I reached the lake safely.


How about some peanut butter biscuits for the Scatman?

 

[scatman]

That basin is pretty nice. My second backpack was up that trail.
Some good eating seems to be had. Were those scones from frozen dough or handmade up there? Either way, that looks good.

I think that sitting rock is a defunct Scatman or sasquatch deadfall trap? look at it's perfect fit with the top rock. Good thing it was triggered long ago and posed no hazard.

Berries galore!
When I was in the Uintas a couple of weeks ago the currants and other berries were slim pickings in most spots-seemed too dry, not even unripe berries. Then up by Brighton this past weekend there were some places that were coming on. Maybe I will be back this weekend.

The scones were handmade, but too small for my liking.

I had my eye out for the squatch while sitting leisurely on the rock.

I was surprised at the amount of berries along the trail, but I wasn't complaining other than it slowed this already slow fella down.

 

[scatman]

No images of what @scatman did with the sitting rock? How will we ever know what transpired there?

Nice hummingbird shots. I bet if you sat with the feeder in your hand long enough it might fly right up to you to take a sip.

Is the Oregon Grape edible? All I have growing in my yard are Concords and the racoons usually get to them before I can.

I didn't want to take the time to pull my tripod out of my pack and set it up at that point. Serious sitting and resting took place there. It was almost as good as a @Bob rest session.

The hummingbirds didn't seem bothered by my or others presence.

Yes, Oregon grapes are edible, though they are quite sour and they have seeds that one needs to deal with. I had a handful on my way back down the trail.

 

[TractorDoc]

It was almost as good as a @Bob rest session.

I certainly hope I can achieve @Bob rest abilities one day. . .

Yes, Oregon grapes are edible, though they are quite sour and they have seeds that one needs to deal with.

That sounds right up your alley. I'm sure the seeds get crushed in your gizzard long before they ever make it to your stomach.

 

[Bob]

Serviceberries? arent they bitter too?

Years of practice for that rest zone ........ you have a few years to get to it!!!