Uintas Conditions

[kaiman]

Hi Everyone,

I know there are some folks on this website that spend time in Utah so I thought I'd see if anyone had any condition reports for the Uintas, particularly the Swift/Yellowstone Creek, Henry's Creek, and West Fork Black Fork drainages? I am looking to head into the Uintas during the week of July 17th-23rd to summit the peaks on the Kings/Emmons ridge and a couple further west in the Black Forks area (trying to finish the Utah 13ers), but am wondering what the snow conditions, creek crossings, bugs, etc. are like right now? Anyone here been in these areas recently? Any information is appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Kai

[Teresa Gergen]

Currently in the eastern Uintas on 12ers. Mostly snow free except for where cornices were along the edges of some ridges. Mosquitoes at the THs and lower down, not higher up. Pretty.

Farther west on north slopes had more snow.

[Scott P]

Although I haven't been recently, I used to work summers in the camp at East Fork Bear River I used to visit all those areas very frequently. It was a fairly typical snow year for the Uintas.

Snow shouldn't be much of a problem, but there will be mosquitoes around all the lakes and meadows. They should be starting to taper off from peak though.

Creek crossings won't be a problem in most of those areas, as long as you look for the bridges. If you do a loop with the Uinta River though, there can be one creek crossing.

West Fork Blacks Fork has un-bridged stream crossings on the main trail marked on the maps, but there is a secondary trail that stays to the east of the river the entire way that avoids the creek crossings.

The major creek crossing at Henrys Fork has a bridge at Elkhorn Crossing.

The East Fork Bear River has a bridge too.

PS, I'd recommend the Uinta River route as more scenic than the Swift Creek route if you are climbing those 13ers. West Fork Blacks Fork is more scenic than East Fork Blacks Fork, but the road is rougher to the West Fork Trailhead.

[kaiman]

Great, thanks for the replies and information from both of you.

Scott, since you've spend quite a bit of time in the Uintas, do you know an easy way to get back to the Henry's Fork area from the southern end of the Kings/Emmons Ridge? Looking at a map it looks like it it cliffs out for much of it on the north side. I am trying to avoid running the ridge with full packs or retracing my steps back to Anderson Pass in one day.

Thanks,

Kai

[Teresa Gergen]

IMG_0386.JPG (275.71 KiB) Viewed 3135 times

Taken today from "Wooley Peak," 12,062 ft (here: http://listsofjohn.com/mapf?lat=40.7416 ... 9.955&z=14" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), which is more or less directly east of Kings Pk. Think the peak with more snow in the distance is Kings?

[Scott P]

Think the peak with more snow in the distance is Kings?

The arrow points to Kings Peak.

Kings.JPG (124.26 KiB) Viewed 3069 times

[Scott P]

Scott, since you've spend quite a bit of time in the Uintas, do you know an easy way to get back to the Henry's Fork area from the southern end of the Kings/Emmons Ridge?

To me it doesn't make as much sense to come in from Henrys Fork if you are doing the peaks along the Kings-Emmons Ridge. I'd recommend coming in from the Unita River/Chain Lakes, or Swift Creek and the east bench above Yellowstone Creek (no trail, but easy meadows) if you want to do that ridge. There are cliffs around, but there are easy ridges on all of those peaks from either direction. If you really wanted to come in from Henrys Fork, you could, but I'd suggest taking at least 5 days.

[kaiman]

To me it doesn't make as much sense to come in from Henrys Fork if you are doing the peaks along the Kings-Emmons Ridge. I'd recommend coming in from the Unita River/Chain Lakes, or Swift Creek and the east bench above Yellowstone Creek (no trail, but easy meadows) if you want to do that ridge. There are cliffs around, but there are easy ridges on all of those peaks from either direction. If you really wanted to come in from Henrys Fork, you could, but I'd suggest taking at least 5 days.

After looking into it further, I am thinking you may be right Scott. I am meeting my climbing partner from CO at Flaming Gorge and suggested Henry's Fork because it has the shortest approach and most established trail. He has never been in the Uintas and is interested in tagging along. I have already climbed King/South Kings and Emmons and am looking to summit the "minor" peaks along the ridge in between. However, if it adds that many additional days or mileage on to drop into the Chain Lakes/Uinta Trail drainage and then hike back over to the Henry's Fork then it may just be easier to start there and do an out-and-back skipping Kings/South Kings. I'll chat with him and see what his thoughts are.

Thanks again for your all your help!

Kai

[cschmidt1023]

I'm wondering how the bugs will be Labor Day Weekend.

Also the crowd - I know to avoid Mirror Lake, Highline, and Henry's Fork. Would it be safe to assume other trailheads are likely to be less busy (WFBF for example)

[Scott P]

I'm wondering how the bugs will be Labor Day Weekend.

More than likely there will be none at all, or at the most very few.

Would it be safe to assume other trailheads are likely to be less busy (WFBF for example)

Most other trails will be less busy than those (China Meadows can also be busy). West Fork Blacks Fork is somewhat popular by Uinta standards, but it won't be that crowded. It's a beautiful drainage as well; one of the best in Utah. It's more scenic than the areas in the Eastern Uintas.

[kaiman]

I'm wondering how the bugs will be Labor Day Weekend.

Also the crowd - I know to avoid Mirror Lake, Highline, and Henry's Fork. Would it be safe to assume other trailheads are likely to be less busy (WFBF for example)

Scott has answered your questions so I won't add too much. I'll just point out that the bugs were in decline when I was there during the third week of July and will probably be gone completely by Labor Day (particularly if the have a good freeze between now and then).

As far as people are concerned, most of the people I ran into were Scout or church groups of kids coming out of Henry's Fork to climb Kings Peak. Now that they're all back in school, the crowds should have thinned out considerably.

I agree with Scott that the Black Fork drainages on the western part of the Uintas are very scenic as are the Yellowstone and Uinta drainages to the south. However, if you've never been into the Uintas, the Henry's Fork is also quite nice (particularly if you hike the Bear Lake loop which sees less traffic), so give it some consideration as well unless your main goal is to not see anyone during your trip.

Kai

[cschmidt1023]

I have only been to the Uintas once and hit King's from Henry's Fork to Mirror Lake (with car shuttle). Ever since I have had the itch to go back and see more. Unfortunately car shuttle will not be an option this time around, I will have 1 less day, and a 1st time backpacker from LA.

I can't seem to make up my mind because there are so many good options. I'm curious to hear estimates on time from the SLC airport to trailhead for WFBF, EFBF, EFBR. Those are sort of my top 3, but I'm open to the thought of Christmas Meadows and China Meadows. I haven't even looked at any of the trailheads from Duchesne area because they look so much further. Are they, and should I?

Very interested in Tokewanna/Wasatch, Powell, Beulah, Cathedral/North Cathedral, and Lamotte. Lovenia looks really good but I don't think we will have enough time.