Uintas Conditions 2014

[Aldaron]

Man, I wimped out of the stream crossing in my Xterra! I'd like to go to McCoy Park, but I'm afraid I won't have enough time to drive that far. If the weather doesn't cooperate, I may go to Cat Canyon in the Confusion Range. It's hard to pick a short weekend hike when you don't live there anymore and you want it to be a good one!

 

[andyjaggy]

I have never been to West Fork Blacks fork. How do you guys usually get there? Do you take the North slope road from the Mirror Lake Highway or drive up and down through Evanston?

 

[Aldaron]

Yeah, I go from Evanston down to Meeks Cabin Reservoir then to the trailhead. I went in early spring one year, and the road from Meeks Cabin was completely clear, but the North Slope road was still snowed in and very muddy in most places. So the Meeks Cabin route was the only passable route during that time of year.

 

[Nick]

I've always done it via North Slope Road from the Mirror Lake Highway. It's an easy graded road all the way to WFBF, then it turns into a two-track going up the canyon. The last mile or two of the road is accessed by driving your truck right through the river. Good times!

 

[andyjaggy]

For those of us with a sedan I assume the river is the end of the line? Is there a bridge or anything for walking over, or do you just have to get soaking wet and fjord it on foot?

 

[Aldaron]

Depending on water levels, you can pick your way across without getting too awful wet.

And yeah, as Nick said, you can drive the north slope to get there. I think I took the north slope once and then I had to take Meeks Cabin the other time because of the snow on the north slope road.

 

[Nick]

I've never had to cross it on foot, but I would probably just start hiking from the crossing and look for a better way. I fly fished it a bit and I seem to recall there being more crossable spots.

 

[Artemus]

Well it is runoff right now, albeit a light one. I think you will have a hard time crossing while wading at the moment and it might even be a spicy crossing.

 

[Aldaron]

After doing the math on my flight schedule and driving times to trailheads, I think I'll hit Christmas Meadows, instead.

 

[DrNed]

Curious . . . I've got a Suburban that I'm pretty sure I could drive through water like that pictured above . . . but I've never done it before - is the technique just gun it through? Or something else? And how do you know when it's too deep to attempt?

How far is this crossing from the trailhead?

 

[Nick]

A Suburban could totally do it. It just takes a bit of blind faith. I imagine you need to wait until the spring runoff is done too. No need to gun it, just slow and steady and keep the doors shut!

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Know how high your air intake is located under the hood. Don't drive in water deep enough to suck water into the engine.

Don't gun it...slow and steady.

 

[Artemus]

And how do you know when it's too deep to attempt?

The way you know and the only way I use when I think it is marginal is to wade it to measure it and then gage it to to Randy's recommended max. depth above. Everything else is guesswork. With consequences.

 

[Taylor F.]

I'm headed to Crystal Lake and Wall Lake this weekend, I'll post some pix.

 

[Udink]

Good info here, with photos and descriptions of conditions of Reid's Meadow, Lofty Lake, and a summit of Mt. Marsell. http://www.utahoutside.com/2014/06/the-finality-of-ski-seasons-end-in-the-uintas/

I'm looking at this area for a two-night trip in a couple of weekends.

 

[mccrookston]

I've always done it via North Slope Road from the Mirror Lake Highway. It's an easy graded road all the way to WFBF, then it turns into a two-track going up the canyon. The last mile or two of the road is accessed by driving your truck right through the river. Good times!

Another shot of the stream crossing looking the other way. This is probably in August when the river is low. This photo is probably 10 years old.

 

[andyjaggy]

Saturday evening I ran up there just to look around. The lakes are all melted out. Very little snow at the summit, just patches here and there. I think a trip to some of the lakes around the Bald mountain area would be very doable.

 

[Nick]

Sweet shot of Christmas Meadows!

 

[Aldaron]

I went to Christmas Meadows on Friday to do an overnighter. I changed my mind when I counted FIFTY boyscouts listed on the trailhead register who were currently on the trail. Fifty. One was an illegal group of 17. I made my displeasure with that known on the register.

I ended up at East Fork Blacks Fork. That was much better.

 

[Dave]

Satellite imagery sure makes it look like the Uintas are open for business.