Uinta Highline Trail

[JohnSkoolie]

So I'm planning on doing the whole trail starting 7/12

I want to do it in 8 days, which I think is pretty doable @ about 13 miles a day. I am going back and forth between starting at Leidy and doing 80mile skipping the dry section and doing the whole trail. I want to do the whole trail. I am going to call the forest service tomorrow and see what the conditions are like out there.

Anyone know anyone that has done the trail yet?

 

[LarryBoy]

Dead Horse Pass will still be snow-covered. Ice axe and crampons mandatory.

If steep snow ain't your thing, wait til August.

 

[JohnSkoolie]

Dead Horse Pass will still be snow-covered. Ice axe and crampons mandatory.

If steep snow ain't your thing, wait til August.

I seen videos of people doing it in July and I didn't see that. I don't want to get myself in a sticky situation... is there a way to verify that via satellite, rangers, other hikers when it gets closer to time? Thanks for the help

 

[LarryBoy]

I seen videos of people doing it in July and I didn't see that. I don't want to get myself in a sticky situation... is there a way to verify that via satellite, rangers, other hikers when it gets closer to time? Thanks for the help

Check recent satellite imagery (most recent clear-sky run, from a week ago, had the pass 100% covered and the lake still frozen). Easiest way to access is via a Caltopo Pro subscription (I find Sentinel's earth explorer to be clunky and terrible). Plus you get the benefit of self-solving and building your skills!

Rangers won't be able to provide much help, as that area is infrequently patrolled. Trail crews will not be up there, given the lingering snow.

In a normal snow year, the 3rd week of July is the soonest I recommend tackling Dead Horse. And this is not a normal snow year.

 

[fossana]

NASA provides recent satellite imagery w/o a subscription. They're having some image loading issues at the moment.

 

[WasatchWill]

Echoing what @LarryBoy said. Just because you seen some reports or videos or other info somewhere showing people having no trouble with Dead Horse in early July doesn't mean it's like that every year. There are years where you get well above average snowpack and years where you get well under average. This year was above average. Years where it's well below average, which we've had a few in the recent past, then yes, Dead Horse can be melted out by early July. But again, like Larry said, that's not the case this year. As for the east end, it's been reported that the few springs or other water sources out that way were all reliable last year and I don't think that'd change at all this year, because, again, the snowpack has been above average the last couple winters. And we are ever grateful for it.

 

[JohnSkoolie]

Echoing what @LarryBoy said. Just because you seen some reports or videos or other info somewhere showing people having no trouble with Dead Horse in early July doesn't mean it's like that every year. There are years where you get well above average snowpack and years where you get well under average. This year was above average. Years where it's well below average, which we've had a few in the recent past, then yes, Dead Horse can be melted out by early July. But again, like Larry said, that's not the case this year. As for the east end, it's been reported that the few springs or other water sources out that way were all reliable last year and I don't think that'd change at all this year, because, again, the snowpack has been above average the last couple winters. And we are ever grateful for it.

I'm totally cool with doing some snow travel, I just have to plan to start at Leidy instead. Looking at the satellite image attached to this post, It seems to have about a half mile of dark ground. Using a caltopo map for UHT, DHP point on the trail is to the left of the measure I took. The smaller sections of brown path is around 900-1000ft. Thanks @fossana for the link. I guess I'll just play it by ear as time goes on. Hopefully I can get in touch with someone who treks it before I go and get some beta. Thanks yall for helping.

 

[b.stark]

Caltopo Sentinel from 6-23-24, the most recent one I saw without too many clouds to see anything.