- Joined
- Dec 23, 2013
- Messages
- 4,590
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.
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.
It was almost as good as a 
