Uintas Conditions 2013

[Aldaron]

No, we turned around and just went back down to 35...but the road over to Stillwater was completely clear at that low elevation.

 

[MtnMatt]

Scow Lake in the Boundary Creek drainage, between Stillwater and East Fork.

Did you go in from Christmas meadows?

 

[Dave]

Did you go in from Christmas meadows?

No, I snuck in through the BSA reservation to the defunct Baker Lake trailhead. If I were doing it again, I'd go up past Lilly Lake.

 

[bscuderi]

Found the south eastern slopes mostly snow free up to 11000 this weekend but that is anywhere east of lake fork which was still reporting 20 inches of snow at about 10500. Thanks for the satellite links it helped my planning emensly!

 

[Zep]

Found the south eastern slopes mostly snow free up to 11000 this weekend but that is anywhere east of lake fork which was still reporting 20 inches of snow at about 10500. Thanks for the satellite links it helped my planning emensly!

Did you end up dropping into Crow Basin?

Zep

 

[bscuderi]

Did you end up dropping into Crow Basin?

Zep

I did!

 

[Jon Zaremba]

This is a great thread. I appreciate the info!

Thinking of hiking around the Long Lake / Island Lake area tomorrow. Anyone been there yet? Elevation is around 10,200.

How much snow do you think i should expect?

 

[Nick]

This is a great thread. I appreciate the info!

Thinking of hiking around the Long Lake / Island Lake area tomorrow. Anyone been there yet? Elevation is around 10,200.

How much snow do you think i should expect?

I haven't been up yet but based on all the intel, I think you'll be golden. Watson pass might have some snow in the trees but shouldn't be too much of an issue. The last couple hundred yards to Island are pretty steep and shaded so I'd think that if anything is a problem, that would be it, but I still think it'll be okay. I'm probably going to do something similar this weekend.

Welcome to backcountrypost @Jon Zaremba.

 

[Jon Zaremba]

Thanks Nick! I'll report back here tomorrow evening to let you know how it looked.

I am moving to North Carolina on Monday so this will be my last visit of these gorgeous mountains for a while. I will miss them dearly.

 

[Jon Zaremba]

Great day! Gorgeous weather. And no snow on the trail. Clear to Long Lake and also down and over to Weir. What a day!

 

[Nick]

Sounds like the Uintas are open for business! Thanks for the update, Jon.

 

[Dave]

My brother was up at Bald Mountain Pass and Mirror Lake today, saw some isolated drifts in shadowed areas but nothing serious.

 

[Artemus]

Yes indeed, great idea for a thread @Nick. I think this should be an annual thread and I think it should be "sticky".. Same for the Windies thread.

 

[Artemus]

I just returned from a quick overnight on the south slopes of Notch Mountain in the Uintas. This is just north of the Trial Lake/Crystal Lake trailhead. Slept at 10,500' and climbed Notch Mtn at about 11,200'. Snow is no longer an issue. The meadows and trails are not really sodden either. I did not even get wet feet. Afterwords, drove up to Bald Mtn Pass to scope the wilderness and found it to be dry as well. Rocky Sea Pass is snow free. Hayden and Agassiz are also nearly entirely snow free. The High Uintahs are indeed open for business ladies and gentleman. Now get out there!

BTW the crowds were also surprisingly light for a Friday night and Saturday and there are NO bugs to speak of as of yet.

Camp at 10,500 feet. 11,200 foot Notch Peak in the background.


Looking down from the top of Notch Mountain into the basin containing Crystal, Wall, Haystack Lakes, etc.


Looking east into the High Uintahs Wilderness from Bald Mountain Pass. View includes Agassiz and Rocky Sea Pass.

 

[Nick]

I just returned from a quick overnight on the south slopes of Notch Mountain in the Uintas. This is just north of the Trial Lake/Crystal Lake trailhead. Slept at 10,500' and climbed Notch Mtn at about 11,200'. Snow is no longer an issue. The meadows and trails are not really sodden either. I did not even get wet feet. Afterwords, drove up to Bald Mtn Pass to scope the wilderness and found it to be dry as well. Rocky Sea Pass is snow free. Hayden and Agassiz are also nearly entirely snow free. The High Uintahs are indeed open for business ladies and gentleman. Now get out there!

Nice! We just missed you! I spent last night at Cutthroat Lake in the Ruth Lake area. I second everything you said. It was so nice out there that we didn't even bother setting up tents last night - a first for me in the Uintas.

 

[Artemus]

Nice! We just missed you! I spent last night at Cutthroat Lake in the Ruth Lake area. I second everything you said. It was so nice out there that we didn't even bother setting up tents last night - a first for me in the Uintas.

We all have high country fever! Did the whole family go? Was there any snow at the base of the climbing wall on the south side of the basin?

 

[Aldaron]

We saw nary a drop of snow at 10,300 feet at Brown Duck Basin...there weren't even any swampy areas, and the creeks and streams didn't even seem high. I'm with you guys: I'm calling it summer.

 

[Nick]

We all have high country fever! Did the whole family go? Was there any snow at the base of the climbing wall on the south side of the basin?

It was just me, @Ndheiner and Nikita. Kind of a last minute thing since my basement wasn't ready for us to move into as planned. There were some good drifts still over by the climbing wall but I'm pretty sure it was still useable. We saw two separate groups heading over there to climb - one on our way in and one on our way out.

Yes indeed, great idea for a thread @Nick. I think this should be an annual thread and I think it should be "sticky".. Same for the Windies thread.

Agreed! I'll get on it.

 

[Nick]

One of the finer aspects of backpacking the Uintas in mid-June.

 

[Artemus]

One of the finer aspects of backpacking the Uintas in mid-June.

View attachment 11321

AND, a finer aspect of a short approach. No need to distill it down to just Scotch