Uintas Conditions 2019

OwenM said:
I'd appreciate seeing some actual temps w/altitude or location as we head into September.
My fall trip, which had already been shortened and limited to the 3rd week of September, may get pushed into October, as recovery from a SI joint injury has been taking longer than I'd hoped.
Definitely ok with lower temps(much preferred!), really just curious about when snow might become an issue.
Click to expand...

Spent 3 nights up around Kings Peak and Red Castle last weekend. Our final night, at about 10800 feet, our water bottles, left outside our tent, froze solid all the way through. The meadows were covered in frost with water vapor emerging from the creek. Inside our tent with fly fully zipped up, our little keychain thermometer registered just under 30. I figure it probably got down to at last 25 outside the tent through the night. Fortunately it didn't take long for everything to thaw out and warm right up once the sun was up, and we were well positioned for some early sun to hit our camp that morning. Snow will most likely be a real possibility in October, and temps most likely dipping down to the low teens by then.
 
Thanks! May make a small wardrobe adjustment if things are already getting that cool. Except for 2 nights out of 4 weeks total, my last 3 September trips to the CO Rockies and Sierras have all been too warm for my taste.
Looking like I'll be in the field Sept 25-Oct 2, so barely October...
 
Was out at Lake Fork drainage and the Red Castle area this weekend. Cold and damp both nights. Frost on the tent this morning. 30 degree bag was marginal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Perry said:
No, no, no, no!
Click to expand...
Sorry! It always does that when I arrive in the state(at least the SW part, to date).
I joke about posting a severe weather warning whenever I head that way, but it's not really a joke.
I was originally supposed to fly in today.
Someone must not have gotten the memo about the schedule change.

Uhhh, might be some more coming week after next...fyi!
 
Perry said:
Where you heading to?
Click to expand...
I think the Red Castle area just for one night. Wife and dog are coming along, so there's a chance we'll end up somewhere off of MLH instead if we need more time to get stuff done at home over the weekend.

We were originally headed to Glacier for a trip encompassing this weekend, but we decided to save that trip for next year.
 
OwenM said:
Sorry! It always does that when I arrive in the state(at least the SW part, to date).
I joke about posting a severe weather warning whenever I head that way, but it's not really a joke.
I was originally supposed to fly in today.
Someone must not have gotten the memo about the schedule change.

Uhhh, might be some more coming week after next...fyi!
Click to expand...
I appreciate the warning! Be sure to spend a good bit of time in SLC. I love a good thunderstorm up here.
 
Jackson said:
I think the Red Castle area just for one night. Wife and dog are coming along, so there's a chance we'll end up somewhere off of MLH instead if we need more time to get stuff done at home over the weekend.

We were originally headed to Glacier for a trip encompassing this weekend, but we decided to save that trip for next year.
Click to expand...
Sounds fun.

I'm going to try hopping south from Hoop Lake over the divide to the Kidney Lakes area and loop back along the Highline. FIngers crossed the snow melts before then. The pass I'm hoping to cross is 12k (Yikes). Working on Plan B right now. :)
 
Perry said:
Sounds fun.

I'm going to try hopping south from Hoop Lake over the divide to the Kidney Lakes area and loop back along the Highline. FIngers crossed the snow melts before then. The pass I'm hoping to cross is 12k (Yikes). Working on Plan B right now. :)
Click to expand...
The weather should be warmer and sunny after today, so hopefully all the stuff that fell last night will be melted off by tomorrow, even.

Those trips you've been doing are awesome! Very cool routes. I've enjoyed following along.
 
It's starting to get wild out here. Having to put my trip off a couple of weeks has me healed up, and hiking really strong as of yesterday, but certainly hasn't done me any favors with the weather.
I hiked in to Amethyst Wednesday afternoon. T-shirt weather for me(left my thermometer at home) on the way in. Sub-freezing lows even 1-2000ft below the lake, evidenced by ice over standing water along the trail otw out Thursday morning.
Hiked in to the Highline via Mirror Lake, and a bit past Naturalist Basin to camp Thursday afternoon. Felt about the same as the previous night below Amethyst.
Was headed to Dead Horse Lake, but good sense got the better of me after a couple miles, and I bailed when dark clouds started in.
Turned around and hiked ~9 miles out, then dayhiked around Ruth Lake, and up Whiskey Creek to Bourbon Lake.

Now the expected temps aren't quite as low as before, but one forecast is showing 33-49mph winds with 75mph gusts for Dead Horse Lake tonight. My other destination, Red Castle Lakes, is just...ugh.

Currently in Evanston, WY, and have been debating my options for the next few days all night long, looking as far south as Zion.
I always joke(sort of:rolleyes:) that I should post a severe weather warning for the area whenever I come to Utah, but it looks like I've managed to shut down about 2/3 of the state this time, with wind advisories for 60mph gusts all the way down I15. So I guess Capitol Reef and Zion are out for the moment, and I need to be back in SLC Thursday night. I've actually got time to knock out the Teton Crest, but GTNP is all rain and snow with flash flood watches.
What's left, Arches and Canyonlands?
 
OwenM said:
It's starting to get wild out here. Having to put my trip off a couple of weeks has me healed up, and hiking really strong as of yesterday, but certainly hasn't done me any favors with the weather.
I hiked in to Amethyst Wednesday afternoon. T-shirt weather for me(left my thermometer at home) on the way in. Sub-freezing lows even 1-2000ft below the lake, evidenced by ice over standing water along the trail otw out Thursday morning.
Hiked in to the Highline via Mirror Lake, and a bit past Naturalist Basin to camp Thursday afternoon. Felt about the same as the previous night below Amethyst.
Was headed to Dead Horse Lake, but good sense got the better of me after a couple miles, and I bailed when dark clouds started in.
Turned around and hiked ~9 miles out, then dayhiked around Ruth Lake, and up Whiskey Creek to Bourbon Lake.

Now the expected temps aren't quite as low as before, but one forecast is showing 33-49mph winds with 75mph gusts for Dead Horse Lake tonight. My other destination, Red Castle Lakes, is just...ugh.

Currently in Evanston, WY, and have been debating my options for the next few days all night long, looking as far south as Zion.
I always joke(sort of:rolleyes:) that I should post a severe weather warning for the area whenever I come to Utah, but it looks like I've managed to shut down about 2/3 of the state this time, with wind advisories for 60mph gusts all the way down I15. So I guess Capitol Reef and Zion are out for the moment, and I need to be back in SLC Thursday night. I've actually got time to knock out the Teton Crest, but GTNP is all rain and snow with flash flood watches.
What's left, Arches and Canyonlands?
Click to expand...
Weather in the San Rafael Swell and Robbers Roost areas looks pretty good! And honestly so does Capitol Reef. All I'm seeing is sun in the forecast after today.
 
I hadn't even thought of the San Rafael Swell, and am going to some quick research. That's away from 15 and the wind advisory(flying blind here, so just acceptng all that, true or not for whatever area), and definitely won't have the people that Canyonlands and Arches will.
Sounds like a great suggestion, thank you!

Edit: 35mph winds there, so staying put today, but I'm liking what I'm seeing. That could go on a future trip, too.
I'm far from done with UT, that's for sure!
Edit pt2: Google initially lied to me on the distance, but still a bit closer than Canyonlands.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top