Uintas Conditions 2014

I may just have to sneak up there for a night this week. sweeeeeeeet.

Contrary to most in this thread, I do prefer the desert, but a short 1.5 hours away makes this destination perfect for 1 nighters.
 
Heads up for anyone going up this week, from National Weather Service:

...A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 9AM MDT TUESDAY
UNTIL NOON WEDNESDAY FOR THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 8000 FEET...
.AN UNSEASONABLY COLD PACIFIC STORM WILL BRING SNOW TO THE
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 8000 FEET TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND TUESDAY
NIGHT.
UTZ007>009-171000-
/O.NEW.KSLC.WW.Y.0020.140617T1500Z-140618T1800Z/
WASATCH MOUNTAINS I-80 NORTH-WASATCH MOUNTAINS SOUTH OF I-80-
WESTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WOODRUFF...RANDOLPH...ALTA...BRIGHTON...
MIRROR LAKE HIGHWAY
126 PM MDT MON JUN 16 2014
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TUESDAY TO NOON
MDT WEDNESDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SALT LAKE CITY HAS ISSUED A
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM
TUESDAY TO NOON MDT WEDNESDAY.
* AFFECTED AREA...NORTHERN UTAH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 8000 FEET
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...4 TO 6 INCHES
* TIMING...RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW AND BEGIN TO ACCUMULATE
TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND TUESDAY NIGHT WITH LINGERING SHOWERS
WEDNESDAY MORNING
* SNOW LEVELS...STARTING AROUND 10 THOUSAND FEET TUESDAY
MORNING...LOWERING TO NEAR 8000 FEET TUESDAY AFTERNOON
* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL ADVERSELY IMPACT
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES IN THE MOUNTAINS...SNOW MAY ACCUMULATE ON THE
HIGHEST ROADS SUCH AS THE MIRROR LAKE HIGHWAY IN THE UINTA
MOUNTAINS
Click to expand...
 
Did some back country fishing around 9700' and everything was clear with a few exceptions. The lakes were real marshy with all the run off. Planning on fishing above 10,000' next week around Christmas Meadows. By then I think conditions should be good.
 
This isn't so much of a condition of the mountains, but a condition of the roads and traffic that can be on the roads. I was going up 2 weeks ago on the Mirror Lake Highway and a 14 YO kid driving a farm truck pulled out in front of me about 9 miles south of Evanston - I ended up T-boning him - my Xterra was totaled so I have been without a vehicle for a bit (not to mention in quite a bit of pain). Just got a new truck and am ready to head for the hills. Talking to others around here, it is good to go.

There was a write up in the local paper about the extreme fire danger as a large percentage of the lodge pole pines are dead. They are also worried about a new bug that could kill the Firs up in the high elevations - if that happens they are projecting up to a 100% forest mortality rate in some areas. Pretty sad. It is important to enjoy the mountains while we can as they could be closed due to fire or may not be as pretty in the near future. http://www.uintacountyherald.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=72&story_id=7175
 
We are planning a non-hiking 3 day trip this week to the Trial lake area. My wife is a hotel girl, how are things looking in that area? If she freezes at night, it will probably turn into a one night trip. I am telling her to expect overnight temps in the 40's, will I be right? Did last weeks cold front take the overnight temps down?
 
I don't know about temps, but I've seen some pics on Facebook this weekend that say definitively that the Uintas are open for business. Snow drifts here and there but hike away. Typically 40's for a low up there is a reasonable expectation, but it could be a smidge early. Buy some handwarmers and give her a hot water bottle in a sock in her sleeping bag! And if possible, time your trip when the temps are hitting 100 down here in the valley.
 
There's usually a good window between snow off and the bugs hitting hard. Maybe a week or two. I bet it won't be a very bad bug season though.
 
Was up at Kermsuh lake this weekend and mosquitoes were absolutely terrible! It might just be that particular lake, there was a lot of standing water nearby. But either way Take a headnet and long sleeves it could save your trip
 
I went over Rocky Sea Pass, and Camped at Margarie for two nights. There is a snow bank blocking part of the trail, but navigable.

mosquitoes were pretty bad when standing still in most spots, but not terrible.

fishing was GREAT! fish on every other cast.
 
@slc_dan I'm doing Rocky Sea Pass in 2 weeks... How much snow are you talking about?
 
Mosquitoes at Lake Lorena were immature and not biting last weekend. Today up by Mirror was a different story. They're definitely biting.
 
DrNed said:
@slc_dan I'm doing Rocky Sea Pass in 2 weeks... How much snow are you talking about?
Click to expand...
I bet in two weeks it's totally melted. Even now, just scree walk around the snow. I stupidly did it in the dark.
 
I was planning a Uintas trip with my brother from CA starting on the 28th of July but it sounds like the Mosquitoes are going to be a problem and his fiance absolutely hates getting bit up. Hmm... I may have to change some of our plans. I'm guessing that mid to late Aug should be fairly bug free but July will be the absolute worst?
 
All this talk of mosquitos has me thinking. I was planning on taking my kids up to Ruth and Wall Lake areas next week for a couple overnighters and some fishing. Will they be ok with some bug repellent or would it be wiser to look elsewhere?

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk
 
Eric O said:
I was planning a Uintas trip with my brother from CA starting on the 28th of July but it sounds like the Mosquitoes are going to be a problem and his fiance absolutely hates getting bit up. Hmm... I may have to change some of our plans. I'm guessing that mid to late Aug should be fairly bug free but July will be the absolute worst?
Click to expand...
Eric, the bug season varies year by year, location by location, and even bug species by bug species. In general, the Uinta's mosquitoes are worse in June/July then August and September is even better. I was also in the Uinta's the last two weekends. Seems to me the mosquito season is late getting started this year and starting to ramp up now. I expect it to get worse now for a few weeks before it gets better.
 
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