SLIDE MT/CANYON PIONEER TIMBER SLIDE EXPLORATION Sept. 17, 2016 & UCLA cheerleaders at the Y Casting A Spell on the BYU Football Team

PREVIOUS POST:

THE ASSAULT ON “LITTLE ANDY LAKE” near MOUNT JEDEDIAH, and being ABUNDANTLY BLESSED WHILE HOPEFULLY BLESSING OTHERS! & the ACID TEST OF MY RESOLVE TO “NEVER GIVE IN….EASILY!”

****************************
UPDATE:  Sept. 20, 2016, 5:30-6:00
Since successfully clawing my way up the Slide Canyon timber “chute”  to the launch site, my legs have been sorer–especially my thighs–than I ever remember in my whole life, but now have to build on that & with good weather still will:
EXPLORE TODAY THE BUCKLEY MOUNTAIN TIMBER SLIDE 
& FINISH WHAT I STARTED IN 2014 WHEN AFTER A MILE OR SO REALIZED I WAS SICK WITH “SHINGLES” & HAD TO RETREAT TO CIVILIZATION
SPOT TRACKER

TOUGH….BUT MADE IT…
REPORT UNDER CONSTRUCTION
*****************************
PIONEER TIMBER SLIDES:
 Slide Canyon to top of Slide Mountain
& UCLA Cheerleaders?
This project started back in 2014, first to get me in shape for High Uinta backpacking, and then after backpacking,   keep me in shape & investigate a fascinating, and courageous effort by the pioneers mostly unknown
among present day residents.


It began on researching the history of Provo, Utah.


 In this article I  noticed one simple phrase
that awakened my curiosity.


“Slide Canyon,” between Y & Maple Mountains east of Provo, and a visible pathway coming down the Canyon, and another down the face of what we always called Maple Mountain, all of a sudden came alive in my mind and sparked my curiosity.  Further research taught me that the pioneers called the front part of Maple Mountain, “Slide Mountain.”


Eventually that  Spring, early Summer, and Fall, I made 8 exploratory trips of discovery into the mountains and began posting on my website photo/essays of those adventures….and a couple of them were very literally 
“bloody survival adventures.”

That effort established me on GOOGLE as the “expert,” or maybe more correctly “the only person in the world” interested in PIONEER TIMBER SLIDES & associated me with children’s play apparatuses of the Pioneer brand!


By the end of the 2014 hiking season I put it all together in one 47 minute long
YouTube video that was & is quite historic.  The title page seen below……
 You can access this historic report clicking on:
  YouTube  video HEROIC 1853 PIONEER TIMBER SLIDES:  The Making of Provo/Springville
There is also a Photo/Essay  covering the same information, but with text where you can see the quotes & photographs
*****************************
NOW TO THE 2016 SEPTEMBER EXPLORATION
Below is a close-up of the area showing with the arrow the top of Slide Mountain, and roughly the two timber slides that were launched from there. 

 The one on the left that goes down into Eagle Pass and then down Slide Canyon is the focus of this exploration–particularly the portion that goes from the ravine up to the top of Slide Mountain.  The lower portion is reported on in the mentioned YouTube video.

On September 17, 2016, at 9:30 AM I began my hike up the Y Trail, and you will notice that for me these experiences, especially in popular areas like Y Mountain, it was also a wonderful social experience, observing the many who make this great hike, many with their families.

The Y area has become the property of Brigham Young University and the trail and area is being improved by BYU as you will notice….the one needed thing missing WATER FOUNTAINS! …..
…. maybe a Hot Dog & Refreshment Center


Meet KIMBERLY & WILLIS PUEBLO and family




Evelyn, Dallin, Mason, Olivia, Willis & Kimberly




UPDATE:  Reply from Kimberly & Willis Pueblo, Monday Sept. 19

Hi Cordell!
      Way to go on achieving your purpose and making it to the top of Slide mountain! When my mother called to ask me how our hike went, and to check on how my knees were feeling (I have really bad knees), I told her how you were up there hiking at age 80 and she was so impressed, as were Willis and I! Keep it up! 
      We checked out pictures of you and Little Andy Lake and did a little reading on your site. It looks like you are a man who has had many adventures!
      Thank you for the pictures! I did get one picture with you in it, as I was documenting our daughter trying to get out of the backpack carrier. I wish I would have taken a better one of you. 
      Mason’s team did win their soccer game. It was a pretty exciting game. That is so sweet of you to remember.
Good luck on your journey!
Kimberly and the Pueblo Crew
THANKS, KIMBERLY, for the nice message and photo…
.I FINALLY GOT INTO MY REPORT!

BUT  THE PHOTO SHOWS WHY IN MY 
YOUTH I WAS NICKNAMED
“LITTLE ANDY”
GUESS IT’S THE ANGLE,  BUT I LOOK LIKE A MIDGET OR WILLIS IS A GOLIATH!

&
CONGRATULATIONS, MASON, FOR YOUR WIN!
***********************************
THE EXCURSION TO THE Y IS A MUST FOR EVERYONE

THE BEGINNING IN UTAH VALLEY

In 1847, when the pioneers led by Brigham Young came into the Wasatch Front, there was some consideration given to settle in Utah Valley.  The area had been visited in 1776 by Fathers Escalante and Domingues who had established in their short visit a good relationship with the Timpanogos-Ute Indians.  The Utes of Colorado called the Timp-Utes, “THE FISH EATERS,” due to much of their diet coming from the abundant fish (“speckled trout,” and suckers) from the clear waters of the streams flowing  from the mountains, and the then clear water of Utah Lake.   

These Catholic explorers named the valley,

“The Valley of Our Lady of Mercy of Timpanogos,” 


and in a letter to the King of Spain, said, it was….


“….the most pleasing, beautiful, and fertile site in New Spain.”


The priests promised the Indians they would return and establish here a Catholic Mission.  Can you imagine how different the history of Utah would have been if they had of done so?   
But they never returned.

Taking a “selfie” with the background:
“The Valley of Our Lady of Mercy of Timpanogos,” 


UCLA cheerleaders (or fans) made the hike too and with
a few cheers cast a spell upon the BYU football team….


…….for the evening game!


NOW, UP THE TRAIL TOWARDS EAGLE PASS…
….with Slide Mountain ahead & above  us.

“Hey, do you speak KEKCHI?”
was the surprising question of a tall young man, with his girl friend hiking up the trail, and passing me.

They wondered what an old guy like me was doing climbing a mountain, and in the conversation I mentioned of course the “Timber Slide” thing, but that previously I had lived and worked for 35 years in Guatemala….which had him asking about the main dialect from the Alta Verapaz area of Guatemala.
Nine years before he had been an LDS missionary in the Polochic/Chulac area where  back in 1976-79 I had been involved in getting missionary work going in that area….and then in 1990-92 built and operated 2 schools in Chulac as the Field Director of the GUATEMALAN FOUNDATION.
http://www.guatemalanfoundation.org/

There he is way up the trail in Eagle Pass, and below
a zoomed in shot of him.  
I gave them my card and hope they email me so I can send them these pictures, and add them to my long list of “High Uinta Friends.” 



Now up the trail through Eagle Pass.  Below is a shot down into the ravine showing the pathway of the timber slide which is a bit up out of the ravine. This picture shows clearly the steepness of the terrain our pioneers worked in and did miracles!


From here in Eagle Pass the slide went down the canyon to the foothills.  I’ll insert a picture below from here showing it going down the canyon.


The launch site for the slide was up there on the top of Slide Mountain where I hoped to get to on this exploration.


Looking down from Eagle Pass at Utah Valley.

Now up the trail….



I’m getting up the ravine where looking across to the south we can see the area where the pioneer timber slide came down from the top of the mountain.

In the picture above…do you see the pathway coming down from the pines?
It is now 12:47 and taken me 3:15 hours to get here….a bit slow, but what with all the socializing, and needed rest stops for an old 80 year old…not too bad!

It will take me around 4:00  hours to find a way down into the ravine, up the other side just a little to find the old trail used by the pioneers, and then the pathway, that began the difficult task of clawing, and crawling, and dragging myself up the steep slide pathway we see with the arrows.

But as I was preparing to go down into the ravine, I heard voices from the pathway area, and zoomed into see a couple!
WHAT!  SOMEONE HAD BEATEN ME TO THE PATHWAY!


I then watched them leave the pathway, and work themselves to the right.


An overall view indicated they were heading for a cave on the right.  They likely didn’t have any idea about the pioneer timber slide pathway they had used.


The young lady sat down at the cave to adjust her boots, and then continued catching up with her boyfriend.


They soon disappeared from sight and I went back to my task.


I soon found the trail that is slightly visible here and there from Google Earth views.  

It’s hard to distinguish with so much scrub oak, maple and other underbrush, and is a trail that actually hasn’t been used for 150 years. The view above is looking up the canyon, the one below looking down.


Among other things I was looking for artefacts from the slide.  The task was difficult with a carpet of leaves on top of 150 years of erosion and deterioration.


I followed it up a ways, taking pictures ahead of me and behind, but finally decided to go back down, and then leave the trail struggling through the jungle of brush to find the slide pathway.



Here it is, looking up towards the pines….although it’s difficult, if not impossible to recognize  because of all the vegetation….that by the way was MUCH WORSE THAN ANY TREK I EVER TOOK THROUGH THE JUNGLES OF GUATEMALA!

Below we are looking down the pathway, with the valley in view.  
It is now 2:43 PM.

Now 2:56 a ways up the pathway, looking down into the ravine.

Below is pictured one of the few items we could call “artifacts.”  This entire, very steep and remote area is where people just don’t come and go, so a piece of wood like this found here is not a coincidence.  A few of these pieces of wood were found, cut with an ax,  about 6″ in diameter, that must have been support pieces for the slide.
 The “slide” sometimes was called a “chute”  “.. consisted[ing] of small logs on the bottom and large logs on each side, making a sort of trough”   p. 133.
“Workmen finished the timber slide down Slide Mountain in November.  George A. Smith informed the editor of the Deseret News that the two-mile-long timber slide ran from the top of the mountain to the foothills below. ”   p.133
Large logs as well as small ans [ones] would run with great rapidity….We would often start timbers at the top end of the slide an[d] it would run the entire [way to the] loading place with out a stop.”  

From the journal of John C. Dowdle,  we find a little detail, one reference saying, it worked admirably as far as tried.”  John and his brother  Robert, worked on the construction of the slide, harvested logs to be used as fuel and lumber, and slide them down the “chute.”  p.133

The information quoted above comes from two historical books by D. Robert Carter, 

 FOUNDING FORT UTAH FROM FORT TO VILLAGE: 

At 3:33 PM we look down the slide or chute pathway,
 and below look from this spot across the canyon at the south side of Y Mountain.


The struggle up the slide pathway didn’t get any easier, forcing my way through jungles of underbrush, but which I used to grab onto to pull myself upward.  
Previous explorations, such as reviewed in the YouTube video, and also in a Photo/Essay where you can see many historical quotes, showed that the adventures sometime became quite bloody as being “thin skinned” seems to be my lot in recent years.  Below are a couple of pictures from the 2014 explorations!














But this time I went better prepared with a long sleeved shirt, and my elk skin gloves, so no blood except on my shins.

REACHED THE TOP OF SLIDE MOUNTAIN
Made it by 5:37 and took a needed rest & lunch stop, and got a shot of Y Mountain’s south side.

WHAT DID I LEARN?
I did find a number of pieces of old, mostly rotted wood, cut with an ax.  I was hoping for more, but we’re dealing with a slide or chute made  in the 1853-60 period, around 160 years ago, and as I learned with the tie hackers on the Uinta’s North Slope, stumps from the 1867-1880 period were almost always completely rotted away.  So I was lucky to find at least a few pieces, likely braces.  I was hoping to find square nails, as I did in my tie hacker explorations, but so far nothing.  Note:  If you don’t know who the tie hackers were, go to my website where I have around 14 photo/essays and YouTube videos on said “unsung heroes who helped win the West!”  
SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO WOOD OVER TIME

I’ll insert below tie hacker stumps from the 1867-80 period.  Said stumps, 140-50 years old,  are almost completely rooted away.  Wood from the timber slide period are around 160 years old, and even more likely to be rotted away than the stumps from the tie hackers, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that little or nothing can be found. 

WHAT I DID LEARN:  
The nearly total fatigue I felt just trying to follow the slide pathway, showed me clearly that the pioneers were tough as nails to have been able to actually build a timber slide out of logs in very rough, steep country, and then go up there daily to cut timber they likely drug to the launch sites with horses or oxen, then…I repeat what was quoted previously from Mr. Carter’s books:

Large logs as well as small ans [ones] would run with great rapidity….We would often start timbers at the top end of the slide an[d] it would run the entire [way to the] loading place with out a stop.”  
Then quoting the journal of a John C. Dowdle,   who wrote:   [It worked] admirably as far as tried.”  John and his brother  Robert, worked on the construction of the slide, harvested logs to be used as fuel and lumber, and slide them down the chute. Since lumbermen used the slide mainly in the winter, they labored under unfavorable working conditions.  Dowdle said at times the snow was from two to eight feet deep on the mountain.  Alexander P. Chesley, who helped cut and slide the timber, lived in such destitution that he had to wrap his feet in  burlap sacking in place of shoes.  Working in these dire circumstances presented at least one advantage.  Dowdle wrote, ‘By laboring in this manner during the winter we made a tolarable good living.'”  p.133

My admiration for the pioneers grew exponentially once more, and I am filled with gratitude for the work and sacrifices they made to help make possible so many blessings we now enjoy–and we in turn  should in our own way focus some of our energies also on making the world a better place for others.

NOW TO GET HOME BEFORE DARK
NOTE:  I of course went prepared with basic survival items:  My SPOT tracker, headlamp with fresh batteries, weatherproof matches, a good pocket knife, and smart phone, plus a little extra food and water.By 5:55  I was on my way down to Maple Flats and passed by the ruins of this cabin discovcred on previous explorations in 2014.



As I was about to leave Maple Flats, and look for the trail down into the canyon, got a last shot of Y Mountain, showing the small depression behind the highest point, and the 2nd crest to the east.



The little used trail is a bit tricky to find, as there are game trails all over, but if you find it you will soon find the only spring in the entire area.  The old corroded  pipe is just barely seen on the left, disquised by moss and vegetation.

Here is a close-up of the pipe, with just a trickle of water still flowing…actually a drip.


Once down in the canyon and the meadows, by about 7:00 PM, I take another rest/eat stop.  If you are interested in hiking from here up to Maple Flats, let me help you find the trail by inserting a picture from previous years showing where it takes off.

Coming up the trail you get to the first meadow, and you will notice a well defined trail to the right taking you  20 yards or so to the spot you see below.

The trail takes off to the right of the large rock….with my little pile of rocks on top so you won’t go wrong.


By 7:30 PM I was a bit below where I crossed the ravine, and we are looking up at the area where the slide comes down into the canyon. 

 #1 marks the spot where the chute came up to the top of Slide Mountain.  #2 points down a bit to the launch site for the slide that goes down the front of the mountain.  Both pathways shown again in the shot below.  


By 7:50 I was between Eagle Pass and the Y and the sun set over 
“The Valley of Our Lady of Mercy of Timpanogos,”
“….the most pleasing, beautiful, and fertile site in New Spain.”

Soon I arrived at the Y and once again took a rest/eat stop that I needed pretty bad as my legs were getting pretty rubbery!  

I watched the Lavell Edwards Stadium fill up with people for the BYU vs UCLA game and could actually hear and understand some of what was on the PA system….in spite of my hearing which is the one body part that is in such bad shape that I find myself avoiding group social gatherings!

By 8:16 the game was about to start and I was tuned in with my tiny Apple square thingy, and hoped that listening to something interesting would help me make it to the parking lot in the dark–the trail sort of visible with the lights from Provo.

So I took a last shot of the Valley focusing on the LDS Temple at the mouth of Rock Canyon where in my youth I had great success hunting cottontail rabbits–as well as many other cherished adventures, and headed down the trail, grateful for having mostly achieved my purpose….and more than anything else………

……….EXPERIENCING A GREATLY ENHANCED APPRECIATION  FOR WHAT OUR PIONEERS DID SO WE COULD BE SO BLESSED TODAY….
….AND LITERALLY IN AWE AS I CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE HOW THEY COULD HAVE DONE WHAT THEY DID TO HELP BUILD PROVO, UTAH.
************************
Next up:
Finishing my exploration of the 1st Pioneer Timber Slide, which was on Buckley Mountain, between Provo & Springville
*********************

SLIDE MT/CANYON PIONEER TIMBER SLIDE EXPLORATION Sept. 17, 2016 & UCLA cheerleaders at the Y Casting A Spell on the BYU Football Team

PREVIOUS POST:

THE ASSAULT ON “LITTLE ANDY LAKE” near MOUNT JEDEDIAH, and being ABUNDANTLY BLESSED WHILE HOPEFULLY BLESSING OTHERS! & the ACID TEST OF MY RESOLVE TO “NEVER GIVE IN….EASILY!”

****************************
UPDATE:  Sept. 20, 2016, 5:30-6:00
Since successfully clawing my way up the Slide Canyon timber “chute”  to the launch site, my legs have been sorer–especially my thighs–than I ever remember in my whole life, but now have to build on that & with good weather still will:
EXPLORE TODAY THE BUCKLEY MOUNTAIN TIMBER SLIDE…. 
& FINISH WHAT I STARTED IN 2014 WHEN AFTER A MILE OR SO REALIZED I WAS SICK WITH “SHINGLES” & HAD TO RETREAT TO CIVILIZATION
SPOT TRACKER

TOUGH….BUT MADE IT…REPORT UNDER CONSTRUCTION
As you can see I again went prepared to protect my arms and hands from the jungles of scrub oak, maple & other underbrush…worse than any jungles in Guatemala, and, you can’t see it in this shot, but I also had on my hip my Colt .45 Defender, as I’d seen fresh  cougar signs on previous explorations up Buckley Mountain….nothing encountered this time.
*****************************
PIONEER TIMBER SLIDES:
 Slide Canyon to top of Slide Mountain
& UCLA Cheerleaders?
This project started back in 2014, first to get me in shape for High Uinta backpacking, and then after backpacking,   keep me in shape & investigate a fascinating, and courageous effort by the pioneers mostly unknown
among present day residents.


It began on researching the history of Provo, Utah.


 In this article I  noticed one simple phrase
that awakened my curiosity.


“Slide Canyon,” between Y & Maple Mountains east of Provo, and a visible pathway coming down the Canyon, and another down the face of what we always called Maple Mountain, all of a sudden came alive in my mind and sparked my curiosity.  Further research taught me that the pioneers called the front part of Maple Mountain, “Slide Mountain.”


Eventually that  Spring, early Summer, and Fall, I made 8 exploratory trips of discovery into the mountains and began posting on my website photo/essays of those adventures….and a couple of them were very literally 
“bloody survival adventures.”

That effort established me on GOOGLE as the “expert,” or maybe more correctly “the only person in the world” interested in PIONEER TIMBER SLIDES & associated me with children’s play apparatuses of the Pioneer brand!


By the end of the 2014 hiking season I put it all together in one 47 minute long
YouTube video that was & is quite historic.  The title page seen below……
 You can access this historic report clicking on:
  YouTube  video HEROIC 1853 PIONEER TIMBER SLIDES:  The Making of Provo/Springville
There is also a Photo/Essay  covering the same information, but with text where you can see the quotes & photographs
*****************************
NOW TO THE 2016 SEPTEMBER EXPLORATION
Below is a close-up of the area showing with the arrow the top of Slide Mountain, and roughly the two timber slides that were launched from there. 

 The one on the left that goes down into Eagle Pass and then down Slide Canyon is the focus of this exploration–particularly the portion that goes from the ravine up to the top of Slide Mountain.  The lower portion is reported on in the mentioned YouTube video.

On September 17, 2016, at 9:30 AM I began my hike up the Y Trail, and you will notice that for me these experiences, especially in popular areas like Y Mountain, it was also a wonderful social experience, observing the many who make this great hike, many with their families.

The Y area has become the property of Brigham Young University and the trail and area is being improved by BYU as you will notice….the one needed thing missing WATER FOUNTAINS! …..
…. maybe a Hot Dog & Refreshment Center


Meet KIMBERLY & WILLIS PUEBLO and family




Evelyn, Dallin, Mason, Olivia, Willis & Kimberly




UPDATE:  Reply from Kimberly & Willis Pueblo, Monday Sept. 19

Hi Cordell!
      Way to go on achieving your purpose and making it to the top of Slide mountain! When my mother called to ask me how our hike went, and to check on how my knees were feeling (I have really bad knees), I told her how you were up there hiking at age 80 and she was so impressed, as were Willis and I! Keep it up! 
      We checked out pictures of you and Little Andy Lake and did a little reading on your site. It looks like you are a man who has had many adventures!
      Thank you for the pictures! I did get one picture with you in it, as I was documenting our daughter trying to get out of the backpack carrier. I wish I would have taken a better one of you. 
      Mason’s team did win their soccer game. It was a pretty exciting game. That is so sweet of you to remember.
Good luck on your journey!
Kimberly and the Pueblo Crew
THANKS, KIMBERLY, for the nice message and photo…
.I FINALLY GOT INTO MY REPORT!

BUT  THE PHOTO SHOWS WHY IN MY 
YOUTH I WAS NICKNAMED
“LITTLE ANDY”
GUESS IT’S THE ANGLE,  BUT I LOOK LIKE A MIDGET OR WILLIS IS A GOLIATH!

&
CONGRATULATIONS, MASON, FOR YOUR WIN!
***********************************
THE EXCURSION TO THE Y IS A MUST FOR EVERYONE

THE BEGINNING IN UTAH VALLEY

In 1847, when the pioneers led by Brigham Young came into the Wasatch Front, there was some consideration given to settle in Utah Valley.  The area had been visited in 1776 by Fathers Escalante and Domingues who had established in their short visit a good relationship with the Timpanogos-Ute Indians.  The Utes of Colorado called the Timp-Utes, “THE FISH EATERS,” due to much of their diet coming from the abundant fish (“speckled trout,” and suckers) from the clear waters of the streams flowing  from the mountains, and the then clear water of Utah Lake.   

These Catholic explorers named the valley,

“The Valley of Our Lady of Mercy of Timpanogos,” 


and in a letter to the King of Spain, said, it was….


“….the most pleasing, beautiful, and fertile site in New Spain.”


The priests promised the Indians they would return and establish here a Catholic Mission.  Can you imagine how different the history of Utah would have been if they had of done so?   
But they never returned.

Taking a “selfie” with the background:
“The Valley of Our Lady of Mercy of Timpanogos,” 


UCLA cheerleaders (or fans) made the hike too and with
a few cheers cast a spell upon the BYU football team….


…….for the evening game!


NOW, UP THE TRAIL TOWARDS EAGLE PASS…
….with Slide Mountain ahead & above  us.

“Hey, do you speak KEKCHI?”
was the surprising question of a tall young man, with his girl friend hiking up the trail, and passing me.

They wondered what an old guy like me was doing climbing a mountain, and in the conversation I mentioned of course the “Timber Slide” thing, but that previously I had lived and worked for 35 years in Guatemala….which had him asking about the main dialect from the Alta Verapaz area of Guatemala.
Nine years before he had been an LDS missionary in the Polochic/Chulac area where  back in 1976-79 I had been involved in getting missionary work going in that area….and then in 1990-92 built and operated 2 schools in Chulac as the Field Director of the GUATEMALAN FOUNDATION.
http://www.guatemalanfoundation.org/

There he is way up the trail in Eagle Pass, and below
a zoomed in shot of him.  
I gave them my card and hope they email me so I can send them these pictures, and add them to my long list of “High Uinta Friends.” 



Now up the trail through Eagle Pass.  Below is a shot down into the ravine showing the pathway of the timber slide which is a bit up out of the ravine. This picture shows clearly the steepness of the terrain our pioneers worked in and did miracles!


From here in Eagle Pass the slide went down the canyon to the foothills.  I’ll insert a picture below from here showing it going down the canyon.


The launch site for the slide was up there on the top of Slide Mountain where I hoped to get to on this exploration.


Looking down from Eagle Pass at Utah Valley.

Now up the trail….



I’m getting up the ravine where looking across to the south we can see the area where the pioneer timber slide came down from the top of the mountain.

In the picture above…do you see the pathway coming down from the pines?
It is now 12:47 and taken me 3:15 hours to get here….a bit slow, but what with all the socializing, and needed rest stops for an old 80 year old…not too bad!

It will take me around 4:00  hours to find a way down into the ravine, up the other side just a little to find the old trail used by the pioneers, and then the pathway, that began the difficult task of clawing, and crawling, and dragging myself up the steep slide pathway we see with the arrows.

But as I was preparing to go down into the ravine, I heard voices from the pathway area, and zoomed into see a couple!
WHAT!  SOMEONE HAD BEATEN ME TO THE PATHWAY!


I then watched them leave the pathway, and work themselves to the right.


An overall view indicated they were heading for a cave on the right.  They likely didn’t have any idea about the pioneer timber slide pathway they had used.


The young lady sat down at the cave to adjust her boots, and then continued catching up with her boyfriend.


They soon disappeared from sight and I went back to my task.


I soon found the trail that is slightly visible here and there from Google Earth views.  

It’s hard to distinguish with so much scrub oak, maple and other underbrush, and is a trail that actually hasn’t been used for 150 years. The view above is looking up the canyon, the one below looking down.


Among other things I was looking for artefacts from the slide.  The task was difficult with a carpet of leaves on top of 150 years of erosion and deterioration.


I followed it up a ways, taking pictures ahead of me and behind, but finally decided to go back down, and then leave the trail struggling through the jungle of brush to find the slide pathway.



Here it is, looking up towards the pines….although it’s difficult, if not impossible to recognize  because of all the vegetation….that by the way was MUCH WORSE THAN ANY TREK I EVER TOOK THROUGH THE JUNGLES OF GUATEMALA!

Below we are looking down the pathway, with the valley in view.  
It is now 2:43 PM.

Now 2:56 a ways up the pathway, looking down into the ravine.

Below is pictured one of the few items we could call “artifacts.”  This entire, very steep and remote area is where people just don’t come and go, so a piece of wood like this found here is not a coincidence.  A few of these pieces of wood were found, cut with an ax,  about 6″ in diameter, that must have been support pieces for the slide.
 The “slide” sometimes was called a “chute”  “.. consisted[ing] of small logs on the bottom and large logs on each side, making a sort of trough”   p. 133.
“Workmen finished the timber slide down Slide Mountain in November.  George A. Smith informed the editor of the Deseret News that the two-mile-long timber slide ran from the top of the mountain to the foothills below. ”   p.133
Large logs as well as small ans [ones] would run with great rapidity….We would often start timbers at the top end of the slide an[d] it would run the entire [way to the] loading place with out a stop.”  

From the journal of John C. Dowdle,  we find a little detail, one reference saying, it worked admirably as far as tried.”  John and his brother  Robert, worked on the construction of the slide, harvested logs to be used as fuel and lumber, and slide them down the “chute.”  p.133

The information quoted above comes from two historical books by D. Robert Carter, 

 FOUNDING FORT UTAH FROM FORT TO VILLAGE: 

At 3:33 PM we look down the slide or chute pathway,
 and below look from this spot across the canyon at the south side of Y Mountain.


The struggle up the slide pathway didn’t get any easier, forcing my way through jungles of underbrush, but which I used to grab onto to pull myself upward.  
Previous explorations, such as reviewed in the YouTube video, and also in a Photo/Essay where you can see many historical quotes, showed that the adventures sometime became quite bloody as being “thin skinned” seems to be my lot in recent years.  Below are a couple of pictures from the 2014 explorations!














But this time I went better prepared with a long sleeved shirt, and my elk skin gloves, so no blood except on my shins.

REACHED THE TOP OF SLIDE MOUNTAIN
Made it by 5:37 and took a needed rest & lunch stop, and got a shot of Y Mountain’s south side.

WHAT DID I LEARN?
I did find a number of pieces of old, mostly rotted wood, cut with an ax.  I was hoping for more, but we’re dealing with a slide or chute made  in the 1853-60 period, around 160 years ago, and as I learned with the tie hackers on the Uinta’s North Slope, stumps from the 1867-1880 period were almost always completely rotted away.  So I was lucky to find at least a few pieces, likely braces.  I was hoping to find square nails, as I did in my tie hacker explorations, but so far nothing.  Note:  If you don’t know who the tie hackers were, go to my website where I have around 14 photo/essays and YouTube videos on said “unsung heroes who helped win the West!”  
SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO WOOD OVER TIME

I’ll insert below tie hacker stumps from the 1867-80 period.  Said stumps, 140-50 years old,  are almost completely rooted away.  Wood from the timber slide period are around 160 years old, and even more likely to be rotted away than the stumps from the tie hackers, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that little or nothing can be found. 

WHAT I DID LEARN:  
The nearly total fatigue I felt just trying to follow the slide pathway, showed me clearly that the pioneers were tough as nails to have been able to actually build a timber slide out of logs in very rough, steep country, and then go up there daily to cut timber they likely drug to the launch sites with horses or oxen, then…I repeat what was quoted previously from Mr. Carter’s books:

Large logs as well as small ans [ones] would run with great rapidity….We would often start timbers at the top end of the slide an[d] it would run the entire [way to the] loading place with out a stop.”  
Then quoting the journal of a John C. Dowdle,   who wrote:   [It worked] admirably as far as tried.”  John and his brother  Robert, worked on the construction of the slide, harvested logs to be used as fuel and lumber, and slide them down the chute. Since lumbermen used the slide mainly in the winter, they labored under unfavorable working conditions.  Dowdle said at times the snow was from two to eight feet deep on the mountain.  Alexander P. Chesley, who helped cut and slide the timber, lived in such destitution that he had to wrap his feet in  burlap sacking in place of shoes.  Working in these dire circumstances presented at least one advantage.  Dowdle wrote, ‘By laboring in this manner during the winter we made a tolarable good living.'”  p.133

My admiration for the pioneers grew exponentially once more, and I am filled with gratitude for the work and sacrifices they made to help make possible so many blessings we now enjoy–and we in turn  should in our own way focus some of our energies also on making the world a better place for others.

NOW TO GET HOME BEFORE DARK
NOTE:  I of course went prepared with basic survival items:  My SPOT tracker, headlamp with fresh batteries, weatherproof matches, a good pocket knife, and smart phone, plus a little extra food and water.By 5:55  I was on my way down to Maple Flats and passed by the ruins of this cabin discovcred on previous explorations in 2014.



As I was about to leave Maple Flats, and look for the trail down into the canyon, got a last shot of Y Mountain, showing the small depression behind the highest point, and the 2nd crest to the east.



The little used trail is a bit tricky to find, as there are game trails all over, but if you find it you will soon find the only spring in the entire area.  The old corroded  pipe is just barely seen on the left, disquised by moss and vegetation.

Here is a close-up of the pipe, with just a trickle of water still flowing…actually a drip.


Once down in the canyon and the meadows, by about 7:00 PM, I take another rest/eat stop.  If you are interested in hiking from here up to Maple Flats, let me help you find the trail by inserting a picture from previous years showing where it takes off.

Coming up the trail you get to the first meadow, and you will notice a well defined trail to the right taking you  20 yards or so to the spot you see below.

The trail takes off to the right of the large rock….with my little pile of rocks on top so you won’t go wrong.


By 7:30 PM I was a bit below where I crossed the ravine, and we are looking up at the area where the slide comes down into the canyon. 

 #1 marks the spot where the chute came up to the top of Slide Mountain.  #2 points down a bit to the launch site for the slide that goes down the front of the mountain.  Both pathways shown again in the shot below.  


By 7:50 I was between Eagle Pass and the Y and the sun set over 
“The Valley of Our Lady of Mercy of Timpanogos,”
“….the most pleasing, beautiful, and fertile site in New Spain.”

Soon I arrived at the Y and once again took a rest/eat stop that I needed pretty bad as my legs were getting pretty rubbery!  

I watched the Lavell Edwards Stadium fill up with people for the BYU vs UCLA game and could actually hear and understand some of what was on the PA system….in spite of my hearing which is the one body part that is in such bad shape that I find myself avoiding group social gatherings!

By 8:16 the game was about to start and I was tuned in with my tiny Apple square thingy, and hoped that listening to something interesting would help me make it to the parking lot in the dark–the trail sort of visible with the lights from Provo.

So I took a last shot of the Valley focusing on the LDS Temple at the mouth of Rock Canyon where in my youth I had great success hunting cottontail rabbits–as well as many other cherished adventures, and headed down the trail, grateful for having mostly achieved my purpose….and more than anything else………

……….EXPERIENCING A GREATLY ENHANCED APPRECIATION  FOR WHAT OUR PIONEERS DID SO WE COULD BE SO BLESSED TODAY….
….AND LITERALLY IN AWE AS I CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE HOW THEY COULD HAVE DONE WHAT THEY DID TO HELP BUILD PROVO, UTAH.
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Next up:
Finishing my exploration of the 1st Pioneer Timber Slide, which was on Buckley Mountain, between Provo & Springville
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THE ASSAULT ON “LITTLE ANDY LAKE” and being ABUNDANTLY BLESSED WHILE HOPEFULLY BLESSING OTHERS! And, the ACID TEST OF MY RESOLVE TO “NOT GIVE IN….EASILY!”


Previous Post

You should all be aware of special Facebook Page

 Cordell Andersen Photography, and the STORE
where many of my photographs from the High Uintas are available. 
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UPDATES ARE BEING MADE DAILY AS MY “FRIENDS” SEND ME PHOTOS & DETAILS–which I’m posting,  like from:
Cesar de la Cruz Santos, Paula & Wade, Elisabeth Johanson & crew, John Sowell, Nathan Gibbons, Christina Ogrin, Kevin Parks, Jake Hirschi & kids, Grace & Isaac,  Brant & Jennell Humphrey, & Linda Turner….and I expect more soon


LITTLE ANDY LAKE
“The highest lake in Utah”

Note:  It looks sort of low down & humble in this picture from 13,512 ft. South Kings Peak taken by my friend Elisabeth Johanson, but…..
PERSPECTIVE:  Little Andy Lake  is 550 ft. higher than Mt. Timpanogos that looms over Utah Valley, 409 ft. higher than Gunsight Pass we will see in the report–which pass is also 141 feet higher than Timp.  Mt. Jedediah that looms over it in the extreme right, 13,387 ft. high, is 1,085 ft. above LAL, & 1,635 ft. higher than Timp. 


“Little Andy’s Olympics”

Maybe I should say “ParaOlympics”

Backpack #3-2016 Aug. 22-27 On the HIGH UINTAS North Slope
HENRY’S FORK TRAILHEAD (9,426 elevation) >Gunsight Pass (11,893 ft.)>
Highline Trail>U-75 lake (11,402 ft)>“Little Andy Lake”–The Uintas highest lake at 12,302 ft.>back to U-75 lake>Back to Gunsight Pass>to Henry’s Fk Basin> Timberline camp before Dollar Lake> Return to  Henry’s Fk Trailhead> .
Note: Camp #1 to Camp #5  all above 11,000 ft. timberlineTOTAL MILES = 36 miles in 6 days

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The “Culminating Chapter” HOW AN 80 YEAR OLD OVERCAME “GLITCHES” LIKE:

“3rd worst backpacker among the 3 originals,” Cancer, Heart attack, Worn out “Football ankle,” Deteriorated “Motorcycle Knee,” Nasal obstruction–breathing problem, “Cripple” with worn out ankle, knee, hip & pinched nerve, “Metatarsalgia” in feet, “Peripharal Neuropathy” in feet, High Altitude Sickenss, & some said “being quixotic Crazy!”

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SPOT  Satellite Tracker link: SPOT
Note:  My 1st SPOT track at the Trailhead starting point didn’t work, so the 1st SPOT track is where I got to the 1st day
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THE PHOTO/ESSAY WITH BACKGROUND HISTORY OF THE EFFORT TO GET TO
“LITTLE ANDY LAKE”
The actual HIGH UINTAS WILDERNESS PROJECT began in 2003, but really got its start in 1952 when my family moved from California to Provo, Utah, and soon afterwards Ted Packard and Charlie Peterson invited me to “The Grandaddies” beginning my 64 year relationship with the HIGH UINTAS. Below, to the left are the three of us in September 1954 after a two week backpack traversing what then was THE HIGH UINTAS PRIMATIVE AREA.
Ted & Charlie were always better backpackers than me, in spite of me considering myself an athlete even being Provo High School’s All-State Football Candidate in my senior year–when I was nick-named 
“Little Andy”..
…but, in the Uintas I more often than not found myself  in the prone position as seen on the right above…..and it isn’t a stretch to imagine me doing that much more now in my 81st year (I’m 80, but in “my 81st year”).  Nevertheless, I fell in love with the Uintas and swore then that 
“Sooner or later I will explore, photograph and report on the entire area,” 
“The area” doubled in size when in 1984 it was designated the 
HIGH UINTAS WILDERNESS AREA

From 1967 to 2002 I dedicated my life in Guatemala among the Mayans in a gigantic personal/family effort to save and help as many as possible (http://www.guatemalanfoundation.org/)….and it involved a lot of hard work with my plantation, dairy, and then coffee farm….. that kept me in pretty good shape, in addition to the dangers from guerrillas and criminals that forced me to be strong–always ready and able to either fight or flee.    In the closing years I anticipated returning to Utah and making good on my vow with the Uintas, and so increased my work-outs, hiking 4 miles around my farm 2-3 times a week with a hundred pound bag of fertilizer on my back!
So,  in 2002 I returned to the U.S. and in 2003 began what I called….. 

THE HIGH UINTAS WILDERNESS PROJECT
….beginning with a 27 day, 236 mile–no re-supply–backpack across the Wilderness begining with  83 lbs. on my back and around my waist, then  continued now for 14 years with around 1,900 miles of exploration….so far.  
Most of those years I became associated with Russ Smith/SKYCALL SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS, and 
Tim Hughes at 
KSL OUTDOORS radio giving satellite phone reports from the Uintas.
Then, a couple of years ago, Tim & Russ suggested that a lake in the Uintas be given my name.  The search was on for a no-name, no-number lake nobody would care about, and I found one under the eastern shadow of South Kings Peak, and named it 
“LITTLE ANDY LAKE”
As it worked out, the small lake turned out to be what I’m told is 
“the highest lake in the Uintas &  in Utah!” 
By that time in 2014, being 78 years old,  backpacking was becoming a bit more difficult and I even mentioned on my website that getting to it would perhaps have to be done by some “young bucks” who would have to do me the favor……but, then…
 …I experienced a renewal with better health & physical stamina and decided I had to do it myself!

 So, during the 2015 backpacking season, I made my first attempt with the plan of going from the Uinta River Trailhead and ascending the Atwood Trail up to Trail Rider Pass and U-75 lake, but at the trailhead found a Forest Service notice that the trail was closed by a “FLY OVER” by helicopters working on the dam at Lake Atwood…..
…..so the first effort FAILED, due to the Forest Service.

A couple of weeks later I was back at the Uinta River Trailhead and ascending the Atwood Trail.
A PROBLEM: As I have got older, and, when adding to that weakness, due to sickness or excessive fatigue, I began experiencing HIGH ALTITUDE SICKNESS, and such was the case in this attempt up the Attwood Trail when getting  near timberline, with tough Robert’s Pass ahead of me & then further along, Trail Rider Pass.  My blood pressure was up, and I noticed all of a sudden an irregular heart beat–that I used to have, but which I thought had been overcome.  So, not feeling well, and with worrisome vitals,  indicating High Altitude Sickness, I decided it was wise for me to to retreat down the trail.  So my 2nd attempt to get to “Little Andy Lake” failed….this time MY FAULT!  

FINDING A WAY……..
Of course I wasn’t about to give up and came up with a plan that might work.  The other approach to the Kings Peak/Little Andy Lake area, was the Henry’s Fork Basin on the North Slope.  The Trailhead beginning point was 1,000 feet higher than the Uinta River Trailhead, and there was a gradual climb, giving time for acclimitazion as I scaled just one pass, Gunsight Pass. 
 So, on August 19th I was at the Henry’s Fork Trailhead to make my 3rd attempt getting to Little Andy Lake.  I made it to Elkhorn Crossing and camped, hopefully giving my body time to acclimatize.  I continued the next day going by the Dollar Lake area and continued to above timberline where I hoped to camp and wait until the next day to climb Gunsight Pass…….but………it was there that “the silent killer” attacked again.

So, wisdom had me descending…..which I did going back to Elkhorn Crossing, and the next day back to the Trailhead.

That backing off….again, proved fortunate as it had me meeting up with an old friend, Teresa…..who when she saw me, screamed:
 She had seen on the internet the obituary of CORDELL M ANDERSEN, who died a few years ago  in St. Louis!
But, I assured her she wasn’t seeing a ghost.

SO…..BACK TO THE STRATEGY BOARD…...
……outlining a STRATEGY TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE for success in 2016.

The “strategy” during the remainder of 2015 and winter/spring 2016 was basically to workout everyday and get much stronger.  So, with pack on my back–full of rocks & containers full of water, I was on the streets of American Fork, Utah every day, along with other exercises, and achieved losing 26 lbs. to get down to my weight when I was 20 years old.
With the backpack,  rather than the weighted vest, I had fun meeting a few good hearted people who stopped to offer me money and rides, like, Spencer, on the left, and Lincoln & his mom, Vilma, on the right. I’d tell them, 

“Thanks, for being such good hearted people, but I’m not homeless, rather an eccentric millionaire out getting my exercise….and meeting my goal of:
BEING 80+, LOOKING LIKE 60, BEHAVING LIKE 30, & WEIGHING LIKE WHEN 20!”
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WEIGHT?
Let me comment on this critical item…I mentioned losing 26 lbs. of body fat.  How important is it?  I have calculated it for the half-marathons I used to run every year…and will again in May 2017 in Guatemala, in my 82nd year.  I figure that I take more or less 26,000 steps during the 13 miles, and with having lost 26 lbs. each step lifts 26 lbs. less, for a total during the race of 676,000 pounds LESS!
Add to all of that incredible amount of energy saved, I now use the lightest weight mountain running shoes pictured below…of the Saloman brand.

Each shoe, compared to the lightweight Salomon hiking books I used to wear, weighs 8 oz. less multiplied by 26,000 steps, comes to an additional 13,000 lbs. less weight lifted, for a grand total of 688,000 lbs. less weight lifted over the 13 miles.  I averaged about 6 miles a day on this backpack, which comes out lifting 317,538 lbs. less every day–a total for the 6 days almost 2,000,000 lbs.  less weight my body had to lift!  
SIGNIFCANT?  YOU’D BETTER BELIEVE IT!
Any additional weight that can be eliminated will just enhance the whole experience, making possible such efforts for an old guy like me.  
Otherwise, I likely wouldn’t be able to do it!

WARM UP BACKPACKS
Two were done in June & July to help me be prepared, and then…..
…..I WAS READY FOR:

Backpack #3-2016 Aug. 22-27 On the HIGH UINTAS North Slope
>U-75 lk (11,402 ft) >The Uintas highest lake at 12,302 ft.>

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GOING ALONE ON SUCH AN ADVENTURE? …..NEVER!  
UNLESS YOU TAKE THE PRECAUTIONS LISTED BELOW:

 SOME OF THE ESSENTIALS FOR ACHIEVING PURPOSE:
This obviously isn’t a complete list…..but let me say a word about two items…on the left and on the right:
On the left:  Topographical maps, with elevation profiles, plus National Geographic High Uintas Wilderness Map, and prints of Google Earth.

On the right:  Blister preventing socks next to your skin.  I tire of hearing even experienced backpackers, mountaineers, marathoners, etc.  talk about getting blisters.  Since I started using “blister preventing socks” I have never had a blister–during the 14 year Uinta Project, and  during 14 consecutive years  running the International Half Marathon in Coban, Guatemala!

NOW THE CRITICAL ESSENTIALS
 The SPOT PERSONAL SATELLITE TRACKER…..
…..or other similar devices to signal to family and friends each day one is OK, and a Google Earth view exactly where you are–and of course if the Emergency arrises, hit the 911 button to have Search & Rescue on the way. No one should go alone without such a device, and I believe each group should have one.

NOTE:  Eric Robinson, 64 year old Australian adventurer went missing in the High Uintas 6 years ago, and during my backpack his remains were found. He had a personal satellite tracking device, but DIDN’T USE IT!
He was likely saving it for an emergency, but it apparently suprised him not giving him time to turn it on and press 911!

SATELLITE PHONE
Once again, I believe this is essential, especially if one goes alone, such as I have done on most of my backpacks over 14 years.  I would also recommend that each group, like Boy Scouts, or Explorer Scouts, have one.  I’m sure the parents would be happy to pay the rental cost.
Note:  Once again, Eric Robinson, didn’t have a satellite phone to keep his loved ones aware of his whereabouts and changes in his schedule…..like somehow getting way off course from the Highline Trail onto the North Slope Alsoop Lake area where his remains were mysteriously found.
 On this adventure Russ Smith, at SKYCALL SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS,, provided the one you see on the left which was very effective in giving my Saturday morning report to KSL OUTDOORS radio , the podcast of which you can listen to at:  PODCAST

BLOOD PRESSURE GAUGE
Due to my history of heart and altitude problems I took with me my lightweight gauge, and used it often to monitor my vitals as I ascended to above timberline and beyond.
AN OXIMETER
It measures the oxygen content of your blood, along with pulse.  My normal oxygen reading  at home was 96.  What would be dangerously low?
In 2006, when on a late season mid-September backpack to Crater Lake I ran into bad weather, was snowed on, and got sick–laying there for several days while the emergency anti-biotic I always take began taking effect.  I then had to get out of there as big-time snow was on its way.  Up on 12,150 foot East Fork Pass a blizzard hit, and everything went wrong……I called Russ Smith on the sat phone as depicted in an above picture, and asked for help.  Soon it was a conference call between me, Russ, the Summit County sheriff, and the U of Utah Rescue unit. I was able to give them my coordinates as I moved down 1,300 ft.  By the time the helicopter got there I was feeling pretty good and joked about them just doing me the favor of taking me to the Trailhead…..or the LaVell Edwards stadium as the BYU game was about to start!  
They insisted on checking my vitals:  Even after resting for 30 minutes my blood pressure was sky high, pulse racing, and oxygen in my blood at 50!  They insisted on taking me out of there.
So:  96 is good, 50 is BAD….in fact a friend told me a corpse has a higher count than 50!

So on this critical backpack I was going to monitor my vitals as I ascended, and pause to acclimatize if I had to.  I also had  DIAMOX, a prescription medication that speeds up acclimatization, taking two tablets/day.

Had with me a print-out of
THE WEATHER REPORT FOR THE WEEK
At least it gave me the idea that I had to go especially prepared for cold, rainy & even snowy weather–including rain pants, waterproof gloves, and of course the normal rain parka, poncho, and warm/lightweight Mountain Hardware jacket. 

THE HENRY’S FORK TRAILHEAD

AS READY AS POSSIBLE!
I actually went with 9 days of food in case acclimatization and/or weather would prolong the trip.  That had my pack heavier than I wanted at about 46-48 lbs.  But, if I deduct the 26 lbs. of body fat I had lost, it was like reducing my backpack load to 20 pounds! I had also trained with a gradually increasing pack weight up to 60 lbs.,  so…..….theoretically I would just float up the trail!
THE CHALLENGE at 80 years old…..
….as I say, vainly,  to be more impressive, “In my 81st year!”
THE “GLITCHES” ALONG THE 1,900 MILES OF BACKPACKING!

1.  In 1994 I was diagnosed with metatarsalgia” a painful problem with the ball of my feet, and told “No more running half-marathons, or backpacking”   but of course I found a way to solve this problem myself, and, as I have reported, gradually cured the problem….except for only a partial cure with the right foot when doing heavy duty running or backpacking, that required extra Cod liver oil, Excedrin, etc.  For this backpack  #3-2016 I modified my lightweight mountain running shoes, with an extra insert with a hole in the ball of the foot area, and it worked for the metatarsalgia” but caused a new problem,  jamming  my toes, especially my big toe that became extremely painful and I only made it back to the Trailhead with adjustments on the trail, but on the last day I was limping  on arrival after my longest day of hiking–around 9 miles,  going mostly downhill. 
2.  In addition, over the 14 years of the Project, every year I had to deal with problems, each in turn with a solution to make possible continuing.  Problems, like:  In 2003, cancerous thyroid removed, & two Mohs surgeries removing cancerous growths on my upper body, plus several radiation treatments over the next few years; Then in 2004 a temporary surgery on my “motorcycle knee,” & eventually, in 2008, reconstruction now with a titanium right knee;  Then from 2004-to the present, coping with the aftermath of a heart attack in 2004;  In 2007,  reconstruction of the “football ankle,” with a tendon transplant and 3 screws holding it together;  Next,  in 2009 “terminate reduction surgery” to make possible better breathing;  Then in 2011  came back surgery due to a pinched nerve that was making me a cripple, installing a device to keep spine straight;  Last of all in 2012 hip replacement with a titanium joint on my left side;  And, as explained lately,  dealing with High Altitude Sickness and its corresponding complications.
3  Last of all from 2012 on “PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY” in my  feet, but which went away when I had a load on my back, motivating me to train usually with a backpack weighing around 40 lbs., and also when jogging with more than normal pressure on my feet that would have me feeling fine.  So, even day hikes required me to have at least 10-15 lbs. of weight on my back.
THIS BACKPACK WOULD BE THE ACID TEST…..OF MY RESOLVE to 
“NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE IN…..EASILY!” 

 This is the first in a series of topographical maps……marking my route, including distances to key places, and elevations.

Note: For any who are new, I’ll insert some interesting historical info taken from my backpack last year up Henry’s Fork.
We are in historic country…..
The trail parallels the Henry’s Fork of the Green River.  This well known land-mark river was named after he who most of his life was known as “Major Andrew Henry,”  but who had actually ascended to  be a brigadier general in the military, and then was elected lieutenant governor of Missouri.  Later he became the partner of General William H. Ashley and  their fur-trading venture on the upper Missouri River and together would go on to revolutionize the Western fur trade with the help of  all the famous mountain-men such as Jim Bridger, Jedediah Smith, and others mentioned below. 
The historic HENRYS FORK OF THE GREEN RIVER  the trail parallels

As we can read in this Historic marker just over the line into Wyoming, it was on the Henry’s Fork where the very first ROCKY MOUNTAIN RENDEZVOUS was held in 1825.
On one of my explorations I made it a point to try and pin-point the exact spot where this famous Rendezvous was held….seen below

A WHO’S WHO OF MOUNTAIN MEN & EXPLORERS

So, here we go up the famous  Henry’s Fork of the Green River.  Once again, as many of the streams coming out of the High Uintas, very seldom if ever fished.  I’m toying with the idea that said “streams of the Uinta” will be my next focus, once I get the “unique book” put together I’m now working on.

Up the trail a horseman approached with his pack horse.  It happens to be one of the many sheepherders tending large flocks in the high country.  Fifty years ago they were usually Basques, from Spain, but now are rather Mexicans, Peuvians and Chileans.

Cesar de la Cruz Santos happens to be from Peru on his way back to his Kings Peak (Painter Basin) camp and herd.  Cesar spends his winters in Bigelow, Wyoming.  Interestingly he gave me his Facebook page, and told me at their camp they had internet!  So he would be able to check out my website with my business card I gave him.  By September 6th they will begin moving their sheep down from the high country.

Here is Cesar’s profile picture on his FACEBOOK page…..

WOW!
We now have an incredible
“Peruvian sheepherder artist/photographer” 
creating beauty from his camp in the eastern shadow of Kings Peak in the Painter Basin!
FELICITACIONES, CESAR!


 Soon we get our first glimpse of KINGS PEAK, Utah highest at 13,528 ft.  The air was a bit smokey, as you’ll see, but not as bad as last year.

Elkhorn Crossing with trails going south to Gunsight Pass & Kings Peak, east to the Beaver Creek Drainage and on to Thompson Pass and to Hoops Lake, etc., and west on the North Slope Highline Trail, with take offs to Henry’s Lake and many others in the basin, on crossing Smiths Fork, Blacks Fork and on to to the East Fork of Bear River.


 The original plan had been to camp out here, at about 10,400 ft.  and give my body time to acclimatize, but my oxygen content was only down to 89, actually up 1 from the 88 at the Trailhead.  After a 20 minute rest the oxygen had risen to 91, and I so decided to go on to the Dollar Lake area.


So up the trail, crossing the bridge, and to the junction on the other side, and from there head south and up into the high country.

 Now,  up out of the canyon with the wonderful panorama of the High Uintas spreading before us:  Gilbert Peak, 13,442 ft (3rd highest); no-name, 13, 263 ft.; Kings Peak, 13,528 ft.; no-name, 13, 260 ft.; etc.

 All the light green vegetation we see are willows.

At Elkhorn Crossing I had a little water left, so decided to go on a mile or so where the maps indicated the trail crossing two small streams, but when I got to them they were dry, and I was out!  There were signs everywhere of this being a dry year for this portion of the Uintas.  I had to push on until getting to the outlet of Dollar Lake we see below. 

 This Forest Service marker prohibiting campfires closer than 1/4 from the lake, indicates the lake is close–actually a little to the east behind the row of pines in the picture.  I chose to be separate from the many who camp there.  Most of them make it here the first day and set up their camp, then the next day  make a round-trip day hike of 16 miles to Kings Peak.

 CAMP # 1 at 10,700 ft. elevation. 
Oxygen at 87, until after taking my recovery supplements, when it rose to 91.  Most of my “recovery” formula was:  
1.  Three Calcium/Magnesium gel caps (studies of marathon runners shorts show that the mineral lost most is Calcium);  
2,  5 gms. of Glutamine (studies among marathoners show, if this is replaced after a race,  the chance of sickness is vastly reduced);  
3.  Then I follow my formula to strengthen the immune system, when one feels you are  on the verge of getting sick (which as an old guy I feel always after a hard day): 6 Wellness Formula capsules;  1 Defense Plus tablet; and suck on Cold-Eeze (same as Zicam Cold Remedy, but better & cheaper).

A little friend near my 1st camp.
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2015 photograph of Castle Peak, with “mysterious” Castle Lake at its base found at the low spot in dead center.   This picture shows there was much  more smoke in the air from forest fires last year.

Up the trail, DAY TWO, getting closer to Kings Peak.
A GIANT Spruce, be it Englemans, or Colorado–which used to be the Utah State tree, up the trail a bit from the Dollar Lake area.
Looking up the trunk through the abundance of branches……and…..
looking down at the massive roots.
 Getting up near timberline, the low spot in the middle of the picture is where no-name lake G-98 is located which originally I had hoped to visit on my way back…..but as you will notice, all the extras listed were left pending a backpack just into the Henry’s Fork Basin for 2017.

 To the right, or west, of G-98 lake, we see Kings Peak and the “chute” some use to get to and from King’s Peak.
 Zooming in on KING’S PEAK,we  just barely see a few hikers scaling the peak.

 Continuing  towards the west we come to the basin where Cliff Lake is found–the most remote lake in the Henry’s Fork Drainage–where I once had an “alligator-like” rush at my spoon that splashed water 20 feet to the shore where I stood.  I still want to get back there….one more time (2017)


 Down the drainage and more to the west from Cliff Lake we see the stream that comes out of Blanchard Lake….a picture of which I’ll insert below looking back towards the Gunsight Pass trail.


Our photograph swing around the basin ends at Castle Peak
 Right at timberline we come to the trail that will take one west to Henry’s Lake and many others in this basin. Our trail continuing towards Gunsight Pass.
 More sheepherders coming down the trail……but they strangely didn’t respond to my greeting in Spanish and veered off trail to keep their distance from me.  Who knows why?  I guess I looked pretty tough!


 As I approached the pass, two backpackers were coming towards me, and I met Paula & Wade Whitlock.
Note:  Remember the low spot–Gunsight Pass is 141 ft. higher than Mt. Timpanogos!
 They were on a very ambitious backpack, having left their car at the Hoop’s Lake Trailhead, way to the northeast,  and from there worked their way up into the high country coming over Divide Pass into the Uinta River Drainage, and then followed the Highline Trail across that drainage, then over Gunsight Pass where we met.  From there they would continue down to Elkhorn Crossing and there take the North Slope Highline Trail taking them through the Beaver Creek Drainage, and over Thompson Pass 11,450 ft. and back to Hoopes Lake.  I calculate the distance at 65 miles.  

Above is the elevation profile of their trip from Hoopes to Hoopes.  WOW!
Congratulations to Paula & Wade. I’ll look forward  to getting a report from them.

To the pass there are two long switchbacks.  We can see two hikers on the first switchback.
There is also a very rough trail that goes right up the ravine, the beginning of which I didn’t like–just a bunch of boulders, so I backed off and started up the switchbacks.
 Now, on to the 2nd switchback! 

It was a good time to see the hearty Mountain Sorrell , a beautiful, delicate plant that grows in very harsh conditions.

The Bluebells were also doing fine.

 Looking back at the Henry’s Fork Basin.

The wind was blowing hard, and it was quite cold, so my gloves felt good as I came right up to the 11,893 ft. pass, with a huge rock karn marking the spot.
 Coming right up the difficult “ravine trail” was a young lady, followed by her companions, and it was great meeting a pretty unique group of youth from Washington, working on climbing the 50 peaks, along with Utah’s Thirteeners.

 Meet  (not necessarily in order), Phebe, Rachel, Ben, Elizabeth, & Naomi JOHANSON, & McChensi McClellan.    They not only were on their way to climb Kings Peak (13,528), but from there follow the ridge south and southeast climbing South Kings Peak (13,312), then continue down the ridge climbing 3 no-name 13,000+ peaks, including 13,387 ft. Mt. Jedediah (I have named), and end at 13,440 ft. Mt. Emmons, and from there hike back to the Henry’s Fork Trailhead–ALL OF WHICH I FIND INCREDIBLE!

 I didn’t want to discourage them, but did mention that it would be miles and miles of boulder hopping, no flat areas to set up tents, only water likely being melting snow, plus they would be right up in the weather that was forecast and did happen as I show further along.  Many times in the next few days they were in my prayers!
I will be anxious to get their report and publish it here.

UPDATE:  September 2, 2016
I just reeived an email from Elisabeth Johanson and some special photographs a few of which I’ll add here, and others later when we get to Little Andy Lake.

 I also expect to receive some details about what Elisabeth  called 
“Our hike up to Kings Peak and across to Mt. Emmons that was amazing!”
As soon as I get more information I’ll add it to this post, and then advise my entire list of “High Uinta Friends.” 

This photo was taken without me realizing it….as I was checking my vitals, seeing that at 11,893 ft. my blood oxygen count was down to  81, the lowest on the trip.  Dropping down to where I camped, where the group was also camped, my oxygen went back up to  92 quickly after taking my “recovery supplements.”  It likely would have normalized even up on the pass by just waiting 30 minutes or so.

Another picture taken of me by Elisabeth as they were dropping down ahead of me, and I was shouldering my pack to follow them.


 As mentioned above, before leaving the pass, I checked my blood pressure, which was fine, and then the oxygen which was 81, the lowest so far. I then shouldered my pack and headed down  from the pass.  Along the way we view the Painter Mountain, on the other side of which are the isolated Painter Lakes, and on this side the arctic tundra  of Painter Basin.

Following the Painter Mountain to the west we come to Trail Rider Pass, 11,780 ft.,  seen faintly in the middle of the photo, with Mt. Emmons in the center,  and Mt. Jedediah, 13,387 ft.–5th highest in Utah,  on the extreme right.  The mountain between those two is a no-name mountain, 13,305 ft. high.

 Once down off the pass you come to a junction.  The right hand fork is the short-cut for those climbing King’s Peak.  The left hand fork, goes out in the middle of the valley and eventually connects onto the Highline Trail.  I came up that trail on my return.

As I came down from the pass I needed water, and a good place to camp as I was pretty tired, and water gone.  I soon found myself in the first Alpine firs where the youthful mountaineers were already camping, and nearby I set up my camp.

 My 2nd CAMP at about 11,400 ft.  with Gunsight Pass in the distance, and Gilbert Peak on the right.  After my recovery my oxygen was up to 92, and blood pressure perfect.

From my camp I followed the trail until it headed straight up the mountain towards King’s Peak.   I then went off trail until I began seeing the rock karns of the Highline Trail………
 ………and there met a lone backpacker coming from the east.

 It was John Sowell, from Colorado, who was another unique backpacker working on doing something most don’t even know about.  He was doing the ENTIRE HIGHLINE TRAIL, including a 30 mile segment from what most think is the eastern end at the Hacking Lake Trailhead, near Leidy Peak, to the Highline Trail’s actual starting point on Utah Highway 191 between Vernal and Flaming Gorge.  I’ll soon make a trip over there to at least get a picture of said starting point of the famous trail.
I knew something about this and once had the plan of doing as he was doing–and even made a series of 14 topographical maps showing the route, distances, etc.   My total distance came to 106.6 miles.  I since have been in email contact with John who met his objective, for which I heartily congratulate him.

I should add that John talked about once, I believe with a son, being on South King’s Peak, and for some reason they decided to go down the mountain, and in so doing passed by Little Andy Lake, and from there dropped down into the Painter Basin, one ravine before the one I went up from U-75 lake.   I thought he maybe had a picture with the LAL included, which he’d send to me so I’d have a picture in case I didn’t make it.   So, I know of at least one person who had in a sense been to the lake…..so I wouldn’t be able to claim to the first
 John took my picture with his camera and emailed it to me–you see above, with Gunsight Pass in the background.
Thanks, John!
Note:  Remember Gunsight Pass is 141 ft. higher than Mt. Timpanogos

 I bid farewell to John, he heading up towards Anderson Pass, and me bushwhacking south, soon with Kings Peak in full view as seen above……..

 ……..and swinging our view a bit to the southwest, Mt. Jedediah is getting closer, my objective for the day being at its base at U-75 lake……

 …..and then directly south looking at Trail Rider Pass, that leads to the George Beard Basin, and then to the Lake Atwood area.  Along the way I began seeing signs of sheep in the area and soon got a shot of some of the herders horses.

Then jumped a few Arctic Ptarmigan, better pictures of which I’d get a day later…….

 …….and then I begin hearing and soon seeing Cesar’s flocks of sheep.

 Crossing the arctic tundra I got a good view of Kings Peak all the way south to Mt. Jedediah…….and beyond.
 ……..and found an OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN still…sort of… in bloom.

Finally made it to U-75 with Mt. Jedediah looming over it.  

 This is one of my favorite pictures from near Trail Rider Pass, looking north at Kings Peak, with no-name U-75 lake in the middle, with a blossoming OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN and Gunsight Pass on the right.

UPDATE: 
I’ll insert below the response by Linda Turner in relation to Mt. Jedediah & the photo/essay:

Cordell, 
Oh my gosh, such beauty, and your writings are so informative. I feel like I was there! Of course, my favorite…the trappers and *Jedediah Mountain. Okay…the whole thing was my favorite.  I especially love the photo with Old Man in the Mountain flowers/clouds/peaks. I hope you make a ‘hard copy book too. 
Well, my new dream and hope is that  someone knows how make it official… ‘Jedediah Mountain’ the 5th tallest in Utah.  I’ll forward your email to the Jedediah Smith Society near Sacramento if you don’t mind, so they can see the mountain and your work sharing the adventures.  Thank you for being you, a very rare and special person. God bless you sweet (and your family), kind, Cordell.. courageous and bright light of the Uinta’s.   
Best always,
Linda Turner
OCTA Crossroads PR
Salt Lake City, Utah 

 I named the mountain in honor of Jedediah Smith, for me one of the very greatest of all the mountain men and explorers of the West.
 Mt. Jedediah is the 5th highest mountain in Utah.

Do you see my camp?


I set up my CAMP  for nights #3 & #4 at one end of lake U-75

For whatever reasons I was having digestive problems, but they were solved by taking Redmond Clay, the powder mixed in a small bottle, with water and left for a couple of hours turning it into a thick, gel-like  mixture, swallowed by the spoonful, with a glass of water afterwards.  Pretty soon I was regular again.  This is another item I won’t go on a trip without, be it to the Uintas, or to Guatemala.
 U-75 produced in 2003 on my 27 day expedition incredible fishing for Eastern brook trout, one you see below.  

 This was a heavy bodied brookie 17″ long.  Don’t know about the weight.

Two years later I was back and caught the brookie seen below which measured 21 inches long, but emaciated and ready for the grave.  The cycle for U-75 ended in 2005.  Since then it has gone through two more 5 year cycles.
Lakes planted by airplane are usually done  following a cycle of 5 years.  So if you get to a lake at the beginning of the cycle, you will only see fingerlings that have been planted by airplane and fishing won’t be good.  On the other hand, if you get to a lake at the end of the cycle, you might just catch large fish.  

2016 seemed to be  the beginning of the cycle as I could only see tiny fish.  Maybe 2019-20 will be a year when the long hike in would payoff!

NOW TO THE ASSAULT ON 
“LITTLE ANDY LAKE”
 My pack just had water, food, RAIN GEAR, CAMERA &  EMERGENCY ITEMS ALREADY EXPLAINED TO MONITOR MY VITAL SIGNS, plus SPOT TRACKER & SATELLITE PHONE.

I leave below lake U-75, after getting  through steep boulder fields.
I gradually worked my way up the ravine that I  had thought would have a little stream coming out of the lake.  As it worked out, it was mostly underneath the boulder fields.


Getting some photographs of a pair of Arctic Ptarmigan, made the steep climb a bit more interesting.
They were found at an elevation higher than the summit of Mt. Timpanogos.

As seems to be the case in nature, the male is the most colorful.  The female more adaptable to hiding and blending in with the terrain.

As I got closer, and higher, the wind was biting and very cold, and once in a while there were snow flakes in the air.

 I finally came over a rise and there it was in the distance at the foot of South Kings Peak.  
We are here at an elevation 550 ft. higher than the summit of Mt. Timpanogos.

 As I got closer I could see that the dry year had dried up the shallow end of the lake, revealing what looked like dry mud flats, and my joke over the last couple of years about “finding a swamp,” seemed to have come true!   But, as I have said–like on KSL OUTDOORS, 
“IT’S MY SWAMP & THE ONLY ONE I’VE GOT!


Closer examination and zooming in show that we aren’t seeing a mud flat, rather rocks covered by sediment and water growth that has dried, but there is a deeper portion of the lake as we see by zooming in from Google Earth. 
 So it’s not so bad after all and it might be a good idea to have the DWR plane drop a few trout in next year…….in old man’s talk I’m talking to you guys at Utah FISH & GAME!   
But, the weather was closing in on me and I didn’t want to have to navigate some steep, rocky areas if wet with rain and snow–so did what I had to do and then headed quickly for camp…..I actually forgot the SPOT Tracker, until about 150 yards down from the lake, but remembered just in time.
I checked the oxygen and found it at 82, about the same as had been the case at Gunsight Pass, and immediately headed down the mountain, seeing along the way my old buddy, OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAINS, in much worse shape than me.


OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN on Trail Rider Pass in 2005, early in the season with gale force winds blowing.

NOW THE GOOD FORTUNE!I’ll insert here a photograph of Little Andy Lake taken by Elisabeth Johanson from South Kings Peak, just sent to me today, September 2nd, 
 and then zoom in some.


This is a wonderful photograph showing that Little Andy Lake really isn’t a “swamp” as I have talked about  jokingly…like on KSL Outdoors, but does show that the level has dropped a lot due to the dry year, but a fairly deep portion remains.  Remember lowly looking Little Andy Lake is 550 ft. higher than Timp!
On the left is seen the long Painter Mountain, dominated by Trail Rider Peak, then in the middle 11,780 ft. Trail Rider Pass, with Lake Atwood in the background.  To the right of the Pass is seen 11,745 ft. high Beard Lake (U-74), then in the right background 13,440 ft. Mt. Emmons, with Mt. Jedediah’s 13,387 peak on the extreme right.
Special thanks to Elisabeth Johanson for the photograph taken from South Kings Peak (13,512 ft. 2nd highest in Utah).

Here we zoom in a bit on 12,302 ft. high Little Andy lake,  with
 Beard Lake just barely seen on the extreme right–a zoomed in view of Beard Lake is shown in a couple of pictures, along with the record brook trout that fell there for my Thomas Cyclone Spoon.
But first let’s zoom in just a little more….

 Along the way I focused on Trail Rider Pass, seeing on the other side Lake Attwood, with Beard Lake on the extreme right.
 Zooming in a bit.

And, zooming in on Beard Lake (U-74) right near Trail Rider Pass.  It was in this alpine lake that I hooked the brook trout seen below that I have calculated would easily have been a Utah State record,  if I could have got him out of the water and to a certified scale! The present record is 7.5 lbs. from the Boulder Mountains…..I calculate this one as much as several lbs. heavier.

I got back to camp just as the snow was beginning to fall and took refuge in my tent and did some reading & resting, grateful for having achieved my objective of getting to “Little Andy Lake,” 

 The next morning, day 5, I waited for the sun to warm things up and melt some snow, and then packed up and was on my way, determined to get to the Dollar Lake area for my last night.  By around noon thesky gave all the signs that I was in for some weather that day, but I was ready for it.

 I bid farewell to Mt. Jedediah, and was on my way.
As I hiked towards Gunsight Pass, I looked back and saw the area I had been in shrouded in the weather, and also wondered about the kids who maybe were up high on those mountains trying to achieve their objective–and said repeatedly a prayer for them…a prayer that seems to have been answered.   Prayed for me too, as I was pretty tired and having a tough time.
 The weather looking east, where I had been on Backpack #2 was also closed in.
As I plodded along, I entertained myself with prayer, and reviewing out loud some of the greater spiritual experiences of my life–and I more than once prayed that the storm be “held back just a little” so I could get up and over the pass.
Maybe it was a lack of faith, but several times, just to be safe, I put on my rain pants, my Mountain Hardward jacket, with rain parka over it, and got out the rain cover for my pack.–and then moved along.

Anticipating bad weather ahead of time is an important skill to help one get properly dressed in time, and getting  your tent set up before the storm hits.
I finally got to the Highline Trail junction, and removed my pack to rest a little and take a few pictures.

Fox Queant Pass, conquered a few weeks ago, is seen enshrouded in tough weather, as is North Pole Pass.

Looking back again at where I had been…..and grateful as it seemed like I was leaving the storm path behind me.


Soon I was past the forked trail and climbing the pass, and got over it and down the other side without actually being rained on.  There were many storms, but they would move through quickly and be gone.  I had wanted to get to the Dollar Lake area, but it didn’t look like I would make it as the night was coming on, so when I saw water down below the trail, I turned off and located a spot for my tent with the opening pointing south which I needed for the satellite phone in the morning for my call to KSL OUTDOORS.

My prayer to hold back the storm to get my tent set up worked, and so I pushed it wanting just a little more time to run down and get some water and have my gravity purifying system working……and just as I got it all done…THE RAIN, SLEET and SNOW all of a sudden broke lose from the heavens–but I was snugly into my little abode with enough water to mix up a couple of egg nogs that would be my dinner and breakfast. 

Had a great call with KSL OUTDOORS, and then snuggled into my sleeping quilt again and waited for the sun to warm everything….BUT IT NEVER HAPPEND!
In my hurry the evening before I had forgot to position the tent to get the first rays of sunlight in the morning….so finally just got up and packed up.


Nearby other campers had left a mess…..but at least gathered it up into their fire-pit.  
LET ME SAY,  THIS VIOLATES THE FIRST LAW OF THE WILDERNESS:
LEAVE NO TRACE! 
As I shouldered my pack, I got the last shot of KINGS PEAK, but vowed to be back to the Henry’s Fork Basin next year, and focus just on the many lakes of the basin I’d like to visit one more time.
That will include getting to the base of Castle Peak where Castle Lake is found.

As I headed down the trail, all of a sudden I heard:

“HEY CORDELL, I FOUND YOU!”
Nathan Gibbons, went on saying, 
“I’ve been following your SPOT Tracks all week, and knowing you’d be here, I jumped in my car and came running up the trail to meet you!” 

While we talked, all of a sudden we were joined by two young ladies, Cameo White and Janae Welling.   Their emails indicate “ldschurch.org” so, were they missionaries on their “P Day,” or seminary teachers?  Hey gals, tell me what the deal is.
 Whatever, it was nice meeting them, along with Nathan and they helped us out by taking a picture of me and Nathan with my camera, seen below.
Soon I was back to the huge Spruce, and in the Dollar Lake area.

With a unique backpacker coming up the trail…..

In the area I was looking for a memorable spot that I had got to in mid-September 2004, in fact a SACRED SPOT which is seen below:
In mid-summer 2004 my “motorcycle knee” was operated on.  Six weeks later I was determined to do a special backpack camping out near  Andersons Pass under the eastern shadow of Kings Peak.  My 3rd day had me day hiking down to U-75 lake, but along the way I became very sick, with high fever, an acute digestive component, headache, etc. but made it to U-75, took one cast and decided I had to focus on survival–getting back up to my camp where I had emergency medications, etc. That climb back up was a faith filled experience and I was deeply grateful for having made it and started an emergency anti-biotic.  I laid there two days letting it to begin taking effect but on the 3rd day I had to get out of there as snow was on its way.  
That afternoon I did a test to see if I might be ready to make the move in the morning.  I hiked up to Anderson’s Pass and took the picture at sunset when I found
“the whole mountain turned to gold!”  
In the morning  I packed up knowing I had to move carefully in hopes that the sickness wouldn’t notice it had a great opportunity to knock me down for the count.  I had to hike the 8 miles to the Dollar Lake area, and then hope to do the remaining 8 miles the next day. 
I made it to the spot above and set up camp, believing I was like, “Home free!”  On the sat phone I called the family letting them know I was alright.
But, I was having a hard time resting as every time I would dose off I would suddenly awake unable to breath.  By around 10 I was imagining how long it would take me to get to the Trailhead the next day, when…..ALL OF A SUDDEN IT FELT LIKE KNIVES WERE BEING JAMMED INTO MY HEART!  I grabbed my chest putting pressure on believing that it would burst without the pressure.  As the unbearable pain continued I cried out a simple and desperate prayer, 
“Father in Heaven, too many people are dependent on me and I have to hike out of here tomorrow.   PLEASE HELP ME!”
At that instant I felt my heart literally jumping around inside my chest….and IT WAS OVER!
I carefully let up the pressure on my chest and finally removed my hands.  
The next day it took me all day to do the 8 miles, but I made it and was alive, and since, at the Cardiologist’s suggestion, have carried constantly a little packet with aspirin, Nitro Glycerin, and extra blood pressure medication. 

THE SPOT I FOUND & PICTURED ABOVE IS SACRED GROUND FOR ME! 
***************************************8
I continued down the trail passing the Dollar Lake area……………and looked back up towards the pass, with Gilbert Peak on the left, and grateful for having been able to do as well as I could in my 81st year.
Remembering  all the special experiences had in this whole area, and feeling a renewed gratitude to the Lord……
…….I found the  wonders of nature  even more amazing as I hurried down the trail.

WOW!

 Soon a backpacker approached coming up the trail slowly.  He introduced himself as 
DARRYL CHRISTOFFELSZ from Calsbad, California.

Nathan came down the trail and joined the conversation with Darryl…….
…….and took my picture along with Darryl.
 Darryl is a member of THE HIGH POINTERS CLUB, dedicated to climbing the highest point in each of the states, having already done 42 states, but with the tough ones remaining.  He was making his 5th attempt at Utah’s Kings Peak.  Each previous time stopped due to some problem, like once in October with a couple of feet of snow.
Apparently he was having some difficculties at 57, even with only a backpack weighing 22 lbs. and wondered how the heck I was able to do what I was doing being 80 years old?
“Did you smoke or drink?”  he asked.
Hearing my reply that such have never interested me, he pressed for what my secrets were, and I replied telling him I have revealed pretty well everything in a long article on my website, entitled:
 I went on to explain to Darryl, and Nathan,  “I take a lot of stuff, but something is working so well that I’m afraid to leave any of it.  Once I started experimenting stopping one item at a time and noticing the results, and with some didn’t feel an effect, but there were 4 or 5 that made such a difference I got back on them quick, and before I sacrifice any of them, I would rather sacrifice my Mt. Dew or eating!”  

 Then we were invaded by an armed group…..of Arctic Ptarmigan hunters led by Johnny Clare.
 I told them where I had seen Ptarmigan on this trip and previous ones and told them to keep an eye on my website and I’d include some pictures and description of where they were seen….but basically it was in alpine tundra between 11,500 and  12,000 ft.  It would be one tough hunt, with little to show for it, except some great exercise and seeing many beautiful 
“visions of nature.”  

The hunters hurried down the trail, as had Nathan, leaving me with Darryl.
 Darryle expressed profound gratitude for our chance meeting, and felt like my example, and what I’ve written about “longevity secrets”  would be a great blessing in his life, and that it was almost like “divine intervention” that we had met. 
I hope and pray he will take seriously my “secrets!” 

 Down the trail three young ladies stopped to say hello, as I was resting at the moment.  They, as almost everybody else wondered about what the heck I was doing up there.  I got names and emails for some, but passed out my business cards to all, and hope they will email me, and check out the website.  The middle one, Christina Ogrin, emailed me today and reported that two out of the three made it to the peak.  
 There were dozens of others I didn’t talk to or take pictures of–as it was just too time consuming.  

Finally got down to Elkhorn Crossing, and a bit below a handsome couple from Montana I had talked to the day before stopped to talk a little, and I was able to get their picture.  

I thought I had got their names, but I’m afraid I lost pages that started falling out of my ledger.  But they got my card and I hope they will contact me and become High Uinta Friends. 
RECEIVED THEIR EMAIL….WHAT A RELIEF, as I didn’t want to forget
 Brant and Jennell Humphrey, from Helena, MONTANA

Speed & Power.
1455147063474_logo
Brant Humphrey, MS, CSCS, FMSC
Director of Performance
Fundamental Athlete Sports Training

406-502-1901 
Thanks, Brant & Jennell  for contacting me and assuring our  
“HIGH UINTA FRIENDSHIP!”
I’m not surprised at all  about your business….as both of you are
INCREDIBLE ATHLETES!
I’ll now go back to my description done initially:
They referred to something that had worried me the day before when seeing them.  As I was coming down the pass at about 5:30 three young men, obviously on a day hike, only with wind breakers, passed me saying they were going to climb Kings Peak.  That worried me  as  at best it would take them until 7:30 to scale the peak, and then in the dark, rain and maybe snow,  have to come all the way back to their camp between the pass and Dollar Lake.

My Montana friends said they had seen them on Andersons Pass late at about 6:35  and being late & with bad weather, they had decided it not wise to scale the peak, but rather decided to work back to Henry’s Fork Basin by going down the “chute,” mentioned previously.  So, at least they would have been going down, rather than up into the teeth of a storm and the jaws of Kings Peak!

I meant to ask them about Montana and tell them how I used to love my fishing trips on the Beaverhead River near Dillon, Montana…which I will soon be doing again.  I actually tried to hike pretty fast to catch up to them….but apparently fast for this old guy was pretty slow compared to this athletic couple…so I never saw them again…and hope they will make contact……

…..which of course they did.  THANKS BRANT!

P.S.  When I get some pictures from them, I’ll insert them here:


Down the trail I was passed by a number mountain runners who had left the Trailhead early, and were almost back after a run of 32 miles in tough terrain and at high altitude….all done the same day….which for me is awe inspiring!
Soon I was in the Lodgepole pine belt, where the tie hackers did their heroic work 150 years ago.  We need them again to do a little thinning!

Soon it was heartening to get into the Quaking Aspen  belt, knowing that I was getting close to the Trailhead.
Then a father, who said he had climbed Kings Peak a number of times, came up the trail with his two kids who he was helping to also do the Peak.
 Once again I seem to have lost their names,  but did leave a card and hope they will contact me as I want to give them a photograph to remember this special experience.
HOLD ON..JUST HEARD FROM THEM
 I did have the father’s name, but didn’t recall who it was. 
He is JAKE HIRSCHI with the following report followed by their pictures:

Cordell,
Nice to meet you on the trial last weekend. 
We spent one night at Dollar Lake and headed for Kings early the next morning. 
y 9 and 10 year old made it to the top of Kings Peak by 11:30am. We then stomped all the way out to the car that day by 8:30 PM just as darkness closed in.  We easily made it home that night in time for school on Monday morning. Mom was impressed. 
First mountain peak for my 9 year old. She did great on this long trek. My 10 year old had done Mt Ogden 2 time and Ben Lomond 1 time before. They both helped motivate each other. 
I took the tent, one sleeping bag and one pad and our stove to the peak for safety. We were set for self containment in case of accident or need to help others along the trail. We had good weather and no accidents. Not one trip or fall. Kids did great. Some sore feet but they didn’t seem to mind after a little doctoring

Another email from Jake introduced me to his kids….now with names as seen below.

Here I am with Jake’s kids:  GRACE, 9, and ISAAC, 10

Grace & Isaac fooling around and getting ready  to climb KINGS PEAK, seen in the background.

Jake, justly proud of his two climbing companions on top of Utah’s world!

I’m not sure whether this foot belongs to Grace or Isaac?

JAKE’S REPLY this morning, September 3rd:
You are an inspiration for them and for me. Hope to follow in your well traveled footsteps.  They remembered the exact spot on the trail where they met you while we were hiking out the following day. They referred to our “trail buddy” (that’s you) many times along our journey. 
Hope our paths cross again. 
Happy trails,
Jake

Since I’m now the kid’s “TRAIL BUDDY” I’ll insert a picture of me also on top of Utah’s world,  back on my 27 day expedition” in 2003:


Now, down the trail, anxious to get to the Trailhead


Met more new High Uinta Friends, Kevin Park & friend,  at the junction where the trail takes off to Alligator Lake.  Kevin has emailed me and I have emailed him this picture as I will for any photographed on this wonderful backpacking experience in our wonderful Wilderness.


We all admired the sign made by someone and hope that the Forest Service will take the hint! 

 More mountain runners….now walking almost as much as jogging, but I don’t blame them a bit!

It was August 27th, and all along the trail signs of summer coming to an end were colorfully visible.


I was very grateful for having been able to finish off my summer of backpacking  by achieving my goal of getting to LITTLE ANDY LAKE, & in a sense finishing the backpacking/exploration portion of my Project…..although backpacks will continue each summer, gradually filling in the gaps with explorations into areas that have escaped me. 
HIGH ALTITUDE SICKENSS...
… was avoided due to several critical factors: 
 1. Having done heavy duty workouts all winter & spring, had me STRONGER;  2.  LOSING 26 lbs. following a special diet to lose fat, rather than muscle;  
3.  Persisting with my special supplements designed to STRENGTHEN MY IMMUNE SYSTEM, & COUNTER-ACT THE AGING PROCESS;  
4.  Taking DIAMOX, that helps speed up the acclimatization process; 
5.  Monitoring my vitals with Blood Pressure gauge & Oximeter, and at times resting a little more than usual to give my body time to acclimatize before continuing.

EXCITED WITH THE NEW FOCUS OF MY PROJECT
 I will now  begin serious efforts of putting together the unique book which will be much more than a guide book for hikers, but will….let me insert here what I told several on  Backpack #1 into the Grandaddies:
It will be  an E- book with lots of the stunning color of the Uintas none of which is seen in any of the guide books.  Yes, it would be a guide  book for hikers and backpackers, but much more mixing throughout  the incredible history, the fascinating legends and myths of gold & Big Foot, and, I asked, “Do you know about the tie hackers?”  They shook their heads, and I described these “unsung heroes of the Uinta’s North Slope without whom the West might not  have been won!”   I went on mentioning Tom “Bear River” Smith, President Eisenhower’s hero from Abelene, Kansas, and Beartown, where Tom got his nick-name, which tie hacker/railroad town was described as 
 “The liveliest if not the most wicked town in America!”
 all tied to the Uintas, and much more that will be in the book, with special emphasis on SURVIVAL, telling the stories of those who didn’t make it, and WHY…
……then my personal survival experiences, and lessons learned 
that will save many
 lives, 
plus enhance everyone’s enjoyment of the Uintas.  They were wide eyed and seemingly pretty interested and said, 
Their reaction?

 “WOW….You’d better get to it before it’s too late!”

“I WILL NOW FOCUS ON THAT!”
*****************************************

THE ASSAULT ON “LITTLE ANDY LAKE” near MOUNT JEDEDIAH, and being ABUNDANTLY BLESSED WHILE HOPEFULLY BLESSING OTHERS! & the ACID TEST OF MY RESOLVE TO “NEVER GIVE IN….EASILY!”

Scroll down for the photo/essay 
ASSAULT ON “LITTLE ANDY LAKE” 
or what I called,
“LITTLE ANDY’S OLYMPICS”
*****************
LONGEVITY….
“Use it or lose it!” …. I feel need of frequent HEAVY DUTY WORKOUTS!
So, on Saturday, September 17th, back to…
THE PIONEER TIMBER SLIDES EXPLORATIONS…..
….up past the Y, then to Eagle Pass and down into the ravine to follow the pathway up through the pines to the top of Slide Mountain.  
I’ll use my SPOT TRACKER.
MADE IT…scratching, clawing, & dragging  myself…. UP THE PATHWAY…legs sore like never!
Click on:  TIMBER SLIDE EXPLORATION #1-2016

LITTLE ANDY LAKE
“The highest lake in Utah”
It looks sort of low down & humble in this picture from 13,512 ft. South Kings Peak 
taken by my friend Elisabeth Johanson, but…..
…..PERSPECTIVE:
 Little Andy Lake  is 550 ft. higher than Mt. Timpanogos 
that looms over Utah Valley, 409 ft. higher than Gunsight Pass 
we will see in the report.  
UPDATES ARE BEING MADE OFTEN AS MY “FRIENDS” SEND ME 
PHOTOS & DETAILS–which I’m posting,  like from:

Cesar de la Cruz Santos, Paula & Wade, Elisabeth Johanson & crew,
 John Sowell, Nathan Gibbons, Christina Ogrin, Kim, Kevin Parks,
Jake Hirschi & kids–Grace & Isaac,  Brant & Jennell Humphrey, 
Linda Turner, & Johnny Clare….and I expect more soon

**************************************
Sept. 14 – Just heard from Wade & inserted his message & photo
*******************************************

UNORGANIZED ORGANIZATION!

Sorry, but this backpack in my eyes was for several reasons perhaps the most signifcant of my approximately 1,900 miles over the last 14 years, & has me so pumped up that I’m already  making backpack plans for 2017 in my 82nd year and getting to 2,000 miles–   I’m constantly making little additions & improvements to this post so that in the end it will be more complete for my own history & for those really interested in learning how an 80 year old did it–and will do more!

ADDED MY SECRET SIX SUPPLEMENTS!
I’ve inserted them when describing my encounter with Darryl, 
 including also links to the details.

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Previous Post
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There is a special Facebook Page
 Cordell Andersen Photography, and a STORE
where many of my photographs from the High Uintas are available. 
********************************
“Little Andy’s Olympics”

Maybe I should say “PARAOLYMPICS”

Backpack #3-2016 Aug. 22-27 

On the HIGH UINTAS North Slope
HENRY’S FORK TRAILHEAD (9,426 elevation) >Gunsight Pass (11,893 ft.)>
Highline Trail>Off-trail to U-75 lake (11,402 ft)>“Little Andy Lake”–The Uintas highest lake at 12,302 ft.>back to U-75 lake>Back to Gunsight Pass>to Henry’s Fk Basin> Timberline camp before Dollar Lake> Return to  Henry’s Fk Trailhead> .
Note: Camp #1 to Camp #5  all above 11,000 ft. timberlineTOTAL MILES = 36 miles in 6 days

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The “Culminating Chapter” 
HOW AN 80 YEAR OLD OVERCAME “GLITCHES” LIKE:

The smallest Andersen (son) among 5 on the football team, so….became “Little Andy,” 
“Football Ankle,” “3rd worst backpacker among the 3 originals,” “Motorcycle Knee,” Cancer, Heart attack, “Football ankle,” &“Motorcycle Knee,”  Both wore out, 
Nasal obstruction–breathing problem, “Becoming a cripple” with worn out hip & pinched nerve,  Overweight with 26 extra pounds!  “Metatarsalgia” in feet, “Peripharal Neuropathy” in feet, 
High Altitude Sickenss, & most agree about me “being quixotic Crazy!”

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SPOT  Satellite Tracker link: SPOT
Note:  My 1st SPOT track at the Trailhead starting point didn’t work, so the 1st SPOT track is where I got to the 1st day
*************************************
THE PHOTO/ESSAY WITH BACKGROUND HISTORY OF THE EFFORT TO GET TO
“LITTLE ANDY LAKE”
The actual HIGH UINTAS WILDERNESS PROJECT began in 2003, but really got its start in 1952 when my family moved from California to Provo, Utah, and soon afterwards Ted Packard and Charlie Peterson invited me to “The Grandaddies” beginning my 64 year love affair with the HIGH UINTAS. Below, to the left are the three of us in September 1954 after a two week backpack traversing what then was THE HIGH UINTAS PRIMATIVE AREA.
Ted & Charlie were always better backpackers than me, in spite of me considering myself an athlete even being Provo High School’s All-State Football Candidate in my senior year–when I was nick-named 
“Little Andy”..
…but, in the Uintas I more often than not found myself  in the prone position as seen on the right above…..and it isn’t a stretch to imagine me doing that much more now in my 81st year (I’m 80, but in “my 81st year”).  Nevertheless, I fell in love with the Uintas and swore then that, 
“Sooner or later I will explore, photograph and report on the entire area,” 
“The area” later doubled in size when in 1984 it was designated the 
HIGH UINTAS WILDERNESS AREA

From 1967 to 2002 I dedicated my life in Guatemala among the Mayans in a gigantic personal/family effort to save and help as many as possible (http://www.guatemalanfoundation.org/)….and it involved a lot of hard work with my plantation, dairy, and then coffee farm….. that kept me in pretty good shape, in addition to the dangers from guerrillas and criminals that forced me to be strong–always having to be ready and able to either fight or flee.    In the closing years I anticipated returning to Utah and making good on my vow with the Uintas, and so increased my work-outs, hiking 4 miles around my farm 2-3 times a week with a hundred pound bag of fertilizer on my back!
So,  in 2002 I returned to the U.S. and in 2003 began what I called….. 

THE HIGH UINTAS WILDERNESS PROJECT
….beginning with a 27 day, 236 mile–no re-supply–backpack across the Wilderness begining with  83 lbs. on my back and around my waist, then  continued now for 14 years with around 1,900 miles of exploration….so far.  
Most of those years I became associated with Russ Smith/SKYCALL SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS, and 
Tim Hughes at 
KSL OUTDOORS radio giving satellite phone reports from the Uintas.
Then, a couple of years ago, Tim & Russ suggested that a lake in the Uintas be given my name.  The search was on for a no-name, no-number lake nobody would care about, and I found one under the eastern shadow of South Kings Peak, and named it 
“LITTLE ANDY LAKE”
As it worked out, the small lake turned out to be what I’m told is 
“the highest lake in the Uintas &  in Utah!” 
By that time in 2014, being 78 years old,  backpacking was becoming a bit more difficult and I even mentioned on my website that getting to it be done by some “young bucks” who would have to do me the favor……but, then…
 …I experienced a renewal with better health, no pain for the 1st time in 30 years & increased physical stamina and decided I had to do it myself!

FIRST ATTEMPT:
 So, during the 2015 backpacking season, I made my first attempt with the plan of going from the Uinta River Trailhead and ascending the Atwood Trail up to Trail Rider Pass and U-75 lake, but at the trailhead found a Forest Service notice that the trail was closed by a “FLY OVER” by helicopters working on the dam at Lake Atwood…..
…..so the first effort FAILED, due to the Forest Service.

SECOND ATTEMPT:
A couple of weeks later I was back at the Uinta River Trailhead and ascending the Atwood Trail.
A PROBLEM: As I have got older, and, when adding to that weakness, due to sickness or excessive fatigue, I began experiencing HIGH ALTITUDE SICKNESS, and such was the case in this attempt up the Attwood Trail when getting  near timberline, with tough Robert’s Pass ahead of me & then further along, Trail Rider Pass.  My blood pressure was up, and I noticed all of a sudden an irregular heart beat–that I used to have, but which I thought had been overcome.  So, not feeling well, and with worrisome vitals,  indicating High Altitude Sickness, I decided it was wise for me to to retreat down the trail.  So my 2nd attempt to get to “Little Andy Lake” failed….this time MY FAULT!  

FINDING A WAY……..
THIRD ATTEMPT:
Of course I wasn’t about to give up and came up with a plan that might work.  The other approach to the Kings Peak/Little Andy Lake area, was the Henry’s Fork Basin on the North Slope.  The Trailhead beginning point was 1,000 feet higher than the Uinta River Trailhead, and there was a gradual climb, giving time for acclimitazion as I scaled just one pass, Gunsight Pass. 
 So, on August 19th I was at the Henry’s Fork Trailhead to make my 3rd attempt getting to Little Andy Lake.  I made it to Elkhorn Crossing and camped, hopefully giving my body time to acclimatize.  I continued the next day going by the Dollar Lake area and continued to above timberline where I hoped to camp and wait until the next day to climb Gunsight Pass…….but………it was there that “the silent killer” attacked again.

So, wisdom had me descending…..which I did going back to Elkhorn Crossing, and the next day back to the Trailhead.

That backing off….again, proved fortunate as it had me meeting up with an old friend, Teresa…..who when she saw me, screamed:
 She had seen on the internet the obituary of CORDELL M ANDERSEN, who died a few years ago  in Council Bluffs, Iowa!
But, I assured her she wasn’t seeing a ghost.

SO…..BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD…...
……outlining a STRATEGY TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE for success in 2016.

The “strategy” during the remainder of 2015 and winter/spring 2016 was basically to workout everyday and get much stronger.  So, with pack on my back–full of rocks & containers full of water, I was on the streets of American Fork, Utah every day, along with other exercises, and achieved losing 26 lbs. to get down to my weight when I was 20 years old.
With the backpack,  rather than the weighted vest, I had fun meeting a few good hearted people who stopped to offer me money and rides, like, Spencer, on the left, and Lincoln & his mom, Vilma, on the right. I’d tell them, 

“Thanks, for being such good hearted people, but I’m not homeless, rather an eccentric millionaire out getting my exercise….and meeting my goal of:
BEING 80+, LOOKING LIKE 60, BEHAVING LIKE 30, & WEIGHING LIKE WHEN 20!”
*************************************
WEIGHT?
Let me comment on this critical item…I mentioned losing 26 lbs. of body fat.  How important is it?  I have calculated it for the half-marathons I used to run every year…and will again in May 2017 in Guatemala, in my 82nd year.  I figure that I take more or less 26,000 steps during the 13 miles, and with having lost 26 lbs. each step lifts 26 lbs. less, for a total during the race of 676,000 pounds LESS!
Add to all of that incredible amount of energy saved, I now use the lightest weight mountain running shoes pictured below…of the Saloman brand.

Each shoe, compared to the lightweight Salomon hiking books I used to wear, weighs 8 oz. less multiplied by 26,000 steps, comes to an additional 13,000 lbs. less weight lifted, for a grand total of 688,000 lbs. less weight lifted over the 13 miles.  I averaged about 6 miles a day on this backpack, which comes out lifting 317,538 lbs. less every day–a total for the 6 days almost 2,000,000 lbs.  less weight my body had to lift!  
SIGNIFCANT?  YOU’D BETTER BELIEVE IT!
Any additional weight that can be eliminated will just enhance the whole experience, making possible such efforts for an old guy like me.  
Otherwise, I likely wouldn’t be able to do it!

WARM UP BACKPACKS
Two were done in June–to “Grandaddies” & July–to “FoxQueant Pass” … to help me be prepared, and then…..
…..I WAS READY FOR:

FOURTH ATTEMPT:
Backpack #3-2016 Aug. 22-27 
On the HIGH UINTAS North Slope
>U-75 lk (11,402 ft) >The Uintas highest lake at 12,302 ft.>

********************************

GOING ALONE ON SUCH AN ADVENTURE? …
..NEVER!  
UNLESS YOU TAKE THE PRECAUTIONS LISTED BELOW:

 SOME OF THE ESSENTIALS FOR ACHIEVING MY PURPOSE:
This obviously isn’t a complete list…..but let me say a word about two items…on the left and on the right:
On the left:  Topographical maps, with elevation profiles, plus National Geographic High Uintas Wilderness Map, and prints of Google Earth & info. from Guide Books, with printed pages.

On the right:  Blister preventing socks next to your skin.  I tire of hearing even experienced backpackers, mountaineers, marathoners, etc.  talk about getting blisters.  Since I started using “blister preventing socks” I have never had a blister–during the 14 year Uinta Project, and  during 14 consecutive years  running the International Half Marathon in Coban, Guatemala!

NOW THE CRITICAL ESSENTIALS
 The SPOT PERSONAL SATELLITE TRACKER…..
…..or other similar devices to signal to family and friends each day one is OK, and a Google Earth view exactly where you are–and of course if the Emergency arrises, hit the 911 button to have Search & Rescue on the way. No one should go alone without such a device, and I believe each group should have one.

NOTE:  Eric Robinson, 64 year old Australian adventurer went missing in the High Uintas 6 years ago, and during my backpack his remains were found. He had a personal satellite tracking device, but DIDN’T USE IT!
He was likely saving it for an emergency, but it apparently suprised him not giving him time to turn it on and press 911!

SATELLITE PHONE
Once again, I believe this is essential, especially if one goes alone, such as I have done on most of my backpacks over 14 years.  I would also recommend that each group, like Boy Scouts, or Explorer Scouts, have one.  I’m sure the parents would be happy to pay the rental cost.
Note:  Once again, Eric Robinson, didn’t have a satellite phone to keep his loved ones aware of his whereabouts and changes in his schedule…..like somehow getting way off course from the Highline Trail onto the North Slope Alsoop Lake area where his remains were mysteriously found.


 On this adventure Russ Smith, at SKYCALL SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS,, provided the one you see on the left which was very effective in giving my Saturday morning report to KSL OUTDOORS radio , the podcast of which you can listen to at:  PODCAST

BLOOD PRESSURE GAUGE
Due to my history of heart and altitude problems I took with me my lightweight gauge, and used it often to monitor my vitals as I ascended to above timberline and beyond.
AN OXIMETER……
…..to warn you of “the silent killer” HIGH ALTITUDE SICKENSS.
It measures the oxygen content of your blood, along with pulse.  My normal oxygen reading  at home was 96.  What would be dangerously low?

In 2006, when on a late season mid-September backpack to Crater Lake I ran into bad weather, was snowed on, and got sick–laying there for several days while the emergency anti-biotic I always take began taking effect.  I then had to get out of there as big-time snow was on its way.  Up on 12,150 foot East Fork Pass a blizzard hit, and everything went wrong……I called Russ Smith on the sat phone as depicted in an above picture, and asked for help.  Soon it was a conference call between me, Russ, the Summit County sheriff, and the U of Utah Rescue unit. I was able to give them my coordinates as I moved down 1,300 ft.  By the time the helicopter got there I was feeling pretty good and joked about them just doing me the favor of taking me to the Trailhead…..or the LaVell Edwards stadium as the BYU game was about to start!  
They insisted on checking my vitals:  Even after resting for 30 minutes my blood pressure was sky high, pulse racing, and oxygen in my blood at 50!  They insisted on taking me out of there.

So:  96 is good, 50 is BAD….in fact a friend told me a corpse has a higher count than 50!


So on this critical backpack I was going to monitor my vitals as I ascended, and, when needed, pause to acclimatize.  I also had  DIAMOX, a prescription medication that speeds up acclimatization, taking two tablets/day.

Had with me a print-out of
THE WEATHER REPORT FOR THE WEEK
At least it gave me the idea that I had to go especially prepared for cold, rainy & even snowy weather–including rain pants, waterproof gloves, and of course the normal rain parka, poncho, and warm/lightweight Mountain Hardware jacket. 

THE HENRY’S FORK TRAILHEAD
AS READY AS POSSIBLE!
I actually went with 9 days of food in case acclimatization and/or weather would prolong the trip.  That had my pack heavier than I wanted at about 46-48 lbs.  But, if I deduct the 26 lbs. of body fat I had lost, it was like reducing my backpack load to 20 pounds! I had also trained with a gradually increasing pack weight up to 60 lbs.,  so…..….theoretically I would just float up the trail!

THE CHALLENGE at 80 years old…..
….as I say, vainly,  to be more impressive, “In my 81st year!”
THE “GLITCHES” ALONG THE 1,900 MILES OF BACKPACKING!
1.  In 1994 I was diagnosed with metatarsalgia” a painful problem with the ball of my feet, and told “No more running half-marathons, or backpacking”   but of course I found a way to solve this problem myself, and, as I have reported, gradually cured the problem….except for only a partial cure with the right foot when doing heavy duty running or backpacking, that required extra Cod liver oil, Excedrin, etc.  For this backpack  #3-2016 I modified my lightweight mountain running shoes, with an extra insert with a hole in the ball of the foot area, and it worked for the metatarsalgia” but caused a new problem,  jamming  my toes, especially my big toe that became extremely painful and I only made it back to the Trailhead with adjustments on the trail, but on the last day I was limping  on arrival after my longest day of hiking–around 9 miles,  going mostly downhill. 
2.  In addition, over the 14 years of the Project, every year I had to deal with problems, each in turn with a solution to make possible continuing.  Problems, like:  In 2003, cancerous thyroid removed, & two Mohs surgeries removing cancerous growths on my upper body, plus several radiation treatments over the next few years; Then in 2004 a temporary surgery on my “motorcycle knee,” & eventually, in 2008, reconstruction now with a titanium right knee;  Then from 2004-to the present, coping with the aftermath of a heart attack in 2004;  In 2007,  reconstruction of the “football ankle,” with a tendon transplant and 3 screws holding it together;  Next,  in 2009 “terminate reduction surgery” to make possible better breathing;  Then in 2011 back surgery due to a pinched nerve that was making me a cripple, installing a device to keep spine straight;  Last of all in 2012 hip replacement with a titanium joint on my left side;  And, as explained lately,  dealing with High Altitude Sickness and its corresponding complications.
3.  Then, from 2012 on “PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY” in my  feet, but which went away when I had a load on my back, motivating me to train usually with a backpack weighing around 40 lbs., and also when jogging with more than normal pressure on my feet that would have me feeling fine.  So, even day hikes required me to have at least 10-15 lbs. of weight on my back.
4.  Last, but not least, I  became 26 lbs. overweight, and this year went on the CARB NITE DIET designed to lose fat and not muscle, and finally got down to me weight when I was 20 years old! 
THIS BACKPACK WOULD BE THE ACID TEST…..OF MY RESOLVE to 
“NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE IN…..EASILY!” 
 This is the first in a series of topographical maps……marking my route, including distances to key places, and elevations.

Note: For any who are new, I’ll insert some interesting historical info taken from my backpack report last year up Henry’s Fork.
We are in historic country…..
The trail parallels the Henry’s Fork of the Green River.  This well known land-mark river was named after he who most of his life was known as “Major Andrew Henry,”  but who had actually ascended to  be a brigadier general in the military, and then was elected lieutenant governor of Missouri.  Later he became the partner of General William H. Ashley and  their fur-trading venture on the upper Missouri River and together would go on to revolutionize the Western fur trade with the help of  all the famous mountain-men such as Jim Bridger, Jedediah Smith, and others mentioned below. 
The historic HENRYS FORK OF THE GREEN RIVER  the trail parallels

As we can read in this Historic marker just over the line into Wyoming, it was on the Henry’s Fork where the very first ROCKY MOUNTAIN RENDEZVOUS was held in 1825.
On one of my explorations I made it a point to try and pin-point the exact spot where this famous Rendezvous was held….seen below

A WHO’S WHO OF MOUNTAIN MEN & EXPLORERS

So, here we go up the famous  Henry’s Fork of the Green River.  Once again, as many of the streams coming out of the High Uintas, very seldom if ever fished.  I’m toying with the idea that said “streams of the Uinta” will be my next focus, once I get the “unique book” put together I’m now working on.

Up the trail a horseman approached with his pack horse.  It happens to be one of the many sheepherders tending large flocks in the high country.  Fifty years ago they were usually Basques, from Spain, but now are rather Mexicans, Peuvians and Chileans.

Cesar de la Cruz Santos happens to be from Peru on his way back to his Kings Peak (Painter Basin) camp and herd.  Cesar spends his winters in Bigelow, Wyoming.  Interestingly he gave me his Facebook page, and told me at their camp they had internet!  So he would be able to check out my website with my business card I gave him.  By September 6th they will begin moving their sheep down from the high country.

Here is Cesar’s profile picture on his FACEBOOK page…..

WOW!
We now have an incredible
“Peruvian sheepherder artist/photographer” 
Creating beauty from his camp in the eastern shadow of Kings Peak in the Painter Basin!
FELICITACIONES, CESAR!

 Soon we get our first glimpse of KINGS PEAK, Utah highest at 13,528 ft.  The air was a bit smokey, as you’ll see, but not as bad as last year.

Elkhorn Crossing with trails going south to Gunsight Pass & Kings Peak, east to the Beaver Creek Drainage and on to Thompson Pass and to Hoops Lake, etc., and west on the North Slope Highline Trail, with take offs to Henry’s Lake and many others in the basin, on crossing Smiths Fork, Blacks Fork and on to to the East Fork of Bear River.


 The original plan had been to camp out here, at about 10,400 ft.  and give my body time to acclimatize, but my oxygen content was only down to 89, actually up 1 from the 88 at the Trailhead.  After a 20 minute rest the oxygen had risen to 91, and I so decided to go on to the Dollar Lake area.


So up the trail, crossing the bridge, and to the junction on the other side, and from there head south and up into the high country.

 Now,  up out of the canyon with the wonderful panorama of the High Uintas spreading before us:  Gilbert Peak, 13,442 ft (3rd highest); no-name, 13, 263 ft.; Kings Peak, 13,528 ft.; no-name, 13, 260 ft.; etc.
 All the light green vegetation we see are willows.

At Elkhorn Crossing I had a little water left, so decided to go on a mile or so where the maps indicated the trail crossing two small streams, get water there and camp, but when I got to them they were dry, and I was out!  There were signs everywhere of this being a dry year for this portion of the Uintas.  I had to push on, and on and it was getting real tough approaching 8 miles on my first day….. until finally getting to the outlet of Dollar Lake we see below where I filled my water buckets and went on to set up camp in the first pines.

 This Forest Service marker prohibiting campfires closer than 1/4 mile from the lake, indicates the lake is close–actually a little to the east behind the row of pines in the picture.  I chose to be separate from the many who camp there.  Most of them make it here the first day and set up their camp, then the next day  make a round-trip day hike of 16 miles to & from Kings Peak.

 CAMP # 1 at 10,700 ft. elevation. 

Oxygen at 87, until after taking my recovery supplements, when it rose to 91.  Most of MY  “RECOVERY”  FORMULA was:  
1.  Three Calcium/Magnesium gel caps (studies of marathon runners shorts show that the mineral lost most is Calcium);  
2,  5 gms. of Glutamine (studies among marathoners show, if this is replaced after a race,  the chance of sickness is vastly reduced);  
3.  Then I follow my double formula to strengthen the immune system, when one feels you are  on the verge of getting sick (which as an old guy I feel always after a hard day): 6 Wellness Formula capsules;  1 Defense Plus tablet; and suck on Cold-Eeze (you get at Walmarts, same as Zicam Cold Remedy, but better & cheaper).

A little friend near my 1st camp.

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2015 photograph of Castle Peak, with “mysterious” Castle Lake at its base found at the low spot in dead center.   This picture shows there was much  more smoke in the air from forest fires last year.


Up the trail, DAY TWO, getting closer to Kings Peak.

A GIANT Spruce, be it Englemans, or Colorado–which used to be the Utah State tree, up the trail a bit from the Dollar Lake area.

Looking up the trunk through the abundance of branches……and…..
looking down at the massive roots.

 Getting up near timberline, the low spot in the middle of the picture is where no-name lake G-98 is located which originally I had hoped to visit on my way back…..but as you will notice, all the extras listed were left pending a backpack just into the Henry’s Fork Basin for 2017.
 To the right, or west, of G-98 lake, we see Kings Peak and the “chute” some use to get to and from King’s Peak.

 Zooming in on KING’S PEAK,we  just barely see a few hikers on the skyline scaling the peak.
 Continuing  towards the west we come to the basin where Cliff Lake is found–the most remote lake in the Henry’s Fork Drainage–where I once had an “alligator-like” rush at my spoon that splashed water 20 feet to the shore where I stood.  I still want to get back there….one more time (2017)
 Down the drainage and more to the west from Cliff Lake we see the stream that comes out of Blanchard Lake….a picture of which I’ll insert below looking back towards the Gunsight Pass trail.

 Our photographic swing around the basin ends at Castle Peak


 Right at timberline we come to the trail that will take one west to Henry’s Lake and many others in this basin. Our trail continuing towards Gunsight Pass.
 More sheepherder types coming down the trail……but they strangely didn’t respond to my greeting in Spanish and veered off trail to keep their distance from me.  Who knows why?  I guess I looked pretty tough!


 As I approached the pass, two backpackers were coming towards me, and I met Paula & Wade Whitlock.
Note:  Remember the low spot–Gunsight Pass is 141 ft. higher than Mt. Timpanogos!

 They were on a very ambitious backpack, having left their car at the Hoop’s Lake Trailhead, way to the northeast,  and from there worked their way up into the high country coming over Divide Pass into the Uinta River Drainage, and then followed the Highline Trail across that drainage, then over Gunsight Pass where we met.  From there they would continue down to Elkhorn Crossing and there take the North Slope Highline Trail taking them through the Beaver Creek Drainage, and over Thompson Pass 11,450 ft. and back to Hoopes Lake.  I calculate the distance at 65 miles.  

Above is the elevation profile of their trip from Hoopes to Hoopes.  WOW!
Congratulations to Paula & Wade. I’ll look forward  to getting a report from them.

HEARD FROM THEM
September 14, 2016 with the following message:
Hello Cordell, 
e it back to Colorado safe and sound.  I would say we made it home, but the high places feel more like home to 
us than the city, so we plan to return home again several times before the deep winter sets in.  We were so happy to see you made it to Little Andy Lake!  We pray God gives you many more years of backpacking in the mountains you love. 
I attached a picture of you near Gunsight.
Wade

Thanks, WADE, for the email & photo!

To the pass there are two long switchbacks.  We can see two hikers on the first switchback.

There is also a very rough trail that goes right up the ravine, the beginning of which I didn’t like–just a bunch of boulders, so I backed off and started up the switchbacks.

 Now, on to the 2nd switchback! 

It was a good time to see the hearty Mountain Sorrell , a beautiful, delicate plant that grows in very harsh conditions.  

For me, focusing on such “visions of nature” gets my mind off of the fatigue and makes much more enjoyable the adventure.

The Bluebells were also doing fine & they were helping me also do pretty darn good!

 Looking back at the Henry’s Fork Basin.

The wind was blowing hard, and it was quite cold, so my gloves felt good as I came right up to the 11,893 ft. pass, with a huge rock karn marking the spot.

This pass is around 200 feet higher than the summit of Mt. Timpanogos that dominates Utah Valley.

 Coming right up the difficult “ravine trail” was a young lady, followed by her companions, and it was great meeting a pretty unique group of youth from Washington, working on climbing the 50 peaks, along with Utah’s Thirteeners.
 Meet  (not necessarily in order), Phebe, Rachel, Ben, Elizabeth, & Naomi JOHANSON, & McChensi McClellan.    They not only were on their way to climb Kings Peak (13,528), but from there follow the ridge south and southeast climbing South Kings Peak (13,312), then continue down the ridge climbing 3 no-name 13,000+ peaks, including 13,387 ft. Mt. Jedediah (I have named), and end at 13,440 ft. Mt. Emmons, Utah’s 4th highest, and from there hike back to the Henry’s Fork Trailhead–ALL OF WHICH I FIND INCREDIBLE!

 I didn’t want to discourage them, but did mention that it would be miles and miles of boulder hopping, no flat areas to set up tents, only water likely being melting snow, plus they would be right up in the weather that was forecast and did happen as I show further along.  Many times in the next few days they were in my prayers!
I will be anxious to get their report and publish it here.

UPDATE:  September 2, 2016
I just reeived an email from Elisabeth Johanson and some special photographs a few of which I’ll add here, and others later when we get to Little Andy Lake.

 I also expect to receive some details about what Elisabeth  called 
“Our hike up to Kings Peak and across to Mt. Emmons that was amazing!”
As soon as I get more information I’ll add it to this post, and then advise my entire list of “High Uinta Friends.” 

This photo was taken without me realizing it….as I was checking my vitals, seeing that at 11,893 ft. my blood oxygen count was down to  81, the lowest on the trip.  Dropping down to where I camped, where the group was also camped, my oxygen went back up to  92 quickly after taking my “recovery supplements.”  It likely would have normalized even up on the pass by just waiting 30 minutes or so.

Another picture taken of me by Elisabeth as they were dropping down ahead of me, and I was shouldering my pack to follow them.
As mentioned above, before leaving the pass, I checked my blood pressure, which was fine, and then the oxygen which was 81, the lowest so far.

  I then shouldered my pack and headed down  from the pass.  Along the way we view the Painter Mountain, on the other side of which are the isolated Painter Lakes, and on this side the arctic tundra  of Painter Basin.
Following the Painter Mountain to the west we come to Trail Rider Pass, 11,780 ft.,  seen faintly in the middle of the photo, with Mt. Emmons in the center,  and Mt. Jedediah, 13,387 ft.–5th highest in Utah,  on the extreme right.  The mountain between those two is a no-name mountain, 13,305 ft. high.
 Once down off the pass you come to a junction.  The right hand fork is the short-cut for those climbing King’s Peak.  The left hand fork, goes out in the middle of the valley and eventually connects onto the Highline Trail.  I came up that trail on my return.

As I came down from the pass I needed water, and a good place to camp as I was pretty tired, and water gone.  I soon found myself in the first Alpine firs where the youthful mountaineers were already camping, and nearby I set up my camp.
 My 2nd CAMP at about 11,400 ft.  with Gunsight Pass in the distance, and Gilbert Peak on the right.  After my recovery my oxygen was up to 92, and blood pressure perfect.

From my camp I followed the trail until it headed straight up the mountain towards King’s Peak.   I then went off trail until I began seeing the rock karns of the Highline Trail……..coming from the east across the Uinta River Drainage.

 ………and there met a lone backpacker coming from the east.

 It was John Sowell, from Colorado, who was another unique backpacker working on doing something most don’t even know about.  He was doing the ENTIRE HIGHLINE TRAIL, including a 30 mile segment from what most think is the eastern end at the Hacking Lake Trailhead, near Leidy Peak, to the Highline Trail’s actual starting point on Utah Highway 191 between Vernal and Flaming Gorge.  I’ll soon make a trip over there to at least get a picture of said starting point of the famous trail.
I knew something about this and once had the plan of doing as he was doing–and even made a series of 14 topographical maps showing the route, distances, etc.   The total distance came to 106.6 miles.  I since have been in email contact with John who met his objective, for which I heartily congratulate him.

I should add that John talked about once, I believe with a son, being on South King’s Peak, and for some reason they decided to go down the mountain, and in so doing passed by Little Andy Lake, and from there dropped down into the Painter Basin, one ravine before the one I went up from U-75 lake.   He thought he maybe had a picture with the Little Andy Lake included, which he’d send to me so I’d have a picture in case I didn’t make it.   So, I know of at least one person who had in a sense been to the lake…..so I wouldn’t be able to claim to be the first.


 John took my picture with his camera and emailed it to me–you see above, with Gunsight Pass in the background.
Thanks, John!
Note:  Remember Gunsight Pass is around 200 ft. higher than Mt. Timpanogos

 I bid farewell to John, he heading up towards Anderson Pass, and me bushwhacking south, soon with Kings Peak in full view as seen above……..which is nearly 2,000 feet higher than Timpanogos.

 ……..and swinging our view a bit to the southwest, Mt. Jedediah is getting closer, my objective for the day being at its base at U-75 lake……

 …..and then directly south looking at Trail Rider Pass, that leads to the George Beard Basin, and then to the Lake Atwood area.  Along the way I began seeing signs of sheep in the area and soon got a shot of some of the herders horses.
Then jumped a few Arctic Ptarmigan, better pictures of which I’d get a day later…….

 …….and then I begin hearing and soon seeing Cesar’s flocks of sheep.

 Crossing the arctic tundra I got a good view of Kings Peak all the way south to Mt. Jedediah…….and beyond.  


 ……..and found an OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN still in bloom….sort of.
Finally made it to U-75 with Mt. Jedediah looming over it.  
 This is one of my favorite pictures from near Trail Rider Pass, looking north at Kings Peak, with no-name U-75 lake in the middle, with a blossoming OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN and Gunsight Pass on the right.

 I named the mountain in honor of Jedediah Smith, for me one of the very greatest of all the mountain men and explorers of the West.
UPDATE: 
I’ll insert below the response by Linda Turner in relation to Mt. Jedediah & the photo/essay:

Cordell, 
Oh my gosh, such beauty, and your writings are so informative. I feel like I was there! Of course, my favorite…the trappers and *Jedediah Mountain. Okay…the whole thing was my favorite.  I especially love the photo with Old Man in the Mountain flowers/clouds/peaks. I hope you make a ‘hard copy book too. 
Well, my new dream and hope is that  someone knows how make it official… ‘Jedediah Mountain’ the 5th tallest in Utah.  I’ll forward your email to the Jedediah Smith Society near Sacramento if you don’t mind, so they can see the mountain and your work sharing the adventures.  Thank you for being you, a very rare and special person. God bless you sweet (and your family), kind, Cordell.. courageous and bright light of the Uinta’s.   
Best always,
Linda Turner
OCTA Crossroads PR
Salt Lake City, Utah 

 Mt. Jedediah is the 5th highest mountain in Utah.  In my book I’ll tell the story of Jedediah Smith, his experience with the Uintas, and why I look up to him as one of the greatest of the mountainmen.
Do you see my camp?

I set up my CAMP  for nights #3 & #4 at one end of lake U-75, over 11,400 ft. elevation.
For whatever reasons I was having digestive problems, but they were solved by taking Redmond Clay, the powder mixed in a small bottle, with water and left for a couple of hours turning it into a thick, gel-like  mixture, swallowed by the spoonful, with a glass of water afterwards.  Pretty soon I was regular again. 

This is another item I won’t go on a trip without, be it to the Uintas, or to 
Guatemala.

 U-75 produced in 2003 on my 27 day expedition incredible fishing for Eastern brook trout, one you see below.  
 This was a heavy bodied brookie 17″ long.  Don’t know about the weight.

Two years later I was back and caught the brookie seen below which measured 21 inches long, but emaciated and ready for the grave.  The cycle for U-75 ended in 2005.  Since then it has gone through two more 5 year cycles.
Lakes planted by airplane are usually done  following a cycle of 5 years.  So if you get to a lake at the beginning of the cycle, you will only see fingerlings that have been planted by airplane and fishing won’t be good.  On the other hand, if you get to a lake at the end of the cycle, you might just catch large fish.  

2016 seemed to be  the beginning of the cycle as I could only see tiny fish & besides just focusing on my main objective had me so fatigued at the end of each day that I just didn’t  bother wetting a line.  Maybe 2019-20 will be a year when the long hike in would payoff!

NOW TO THE ASSAULT ON 
“LITTLE ANDY LAKE”

 My pack just had water, food, RAIN GEAR, CAMERA &  EMERGENCY ITEMS ALREADY EXPLAINED TO MONITOR MY VITAL SIGNS, plus SPOT TRACKER & SATELLITE PHONE.

I leave below lake U-75, after getting  through steep boulder fields.

I gradually worked my way up the ravine that I  had thought would have a little stream coming out of the lake.  As it worked out, it was mostly underneath the boulder fields.


Getting some photographs of a pair of Arctic Ptarmigan, made the steep climb a bit more interesting.
They were found at an elevation higher than the summit of Mt. Timpanogos.

As seems to be the case in nature, the male is the most colorful.  The female more adaptable to hiding and blending in with the terrain.

As I got closer, and higher, the wind was biting and very cold, and once in a while there were snow flakes in the air.
 I finally came over a rise and there it was in the distance at the foot of South Kings Peak.  
 As I got closer I could see that the dry year had dried up the shallow end of the lake, revealing what looked like dry mud flats, and my joke over the last couple of years about “finding a swamp,” seemed to have come true!   But, as I have said–like on KSL OUTDOORS, 
“IT’S MY SWAMP & THE ONLY ONE I’VE GOT!
Closer examination and zooming in show that we aren’t seeing a mud flat, rather rocks covered by sediment and water growth that has dried, but there is a deeper portion of the lake as we see by zooming in from Google Earth. 
 So it’s not so bad after all and it might be a good idea to have the DWR plane drop a few trout in next year…….in old man’s talk I’m talking to you guys at Utah FISH & GAME!   

We are here at an elevation 550 ft. higher than the summit of Mt. Timpanogos.

NOW THE GOOD FORTUNE! I’ll insert here a photograph of Little Andy Lake taken by Elisabeth Johanson from South Kings Peak, just sent to me today, September 2nd, 
 and then zoom in some.

This is a wonderful photograph showing that Little Andy Lake really isn’t a “swamp” as I have talked about  jokingly…like on KSL Outdoors, but does show that the level has dropped a lot due to the dry year, but a fairly deep portion remains.  
On the left is seen the long Painter Mountain, dominated by Trail Rider Peak, then in the middle 11,780 ft. Trail Rider Pass, with Lake Atwood in the background.  To the right of the Pass is seen 11,745 ft. high Beard Lake (U-74), then in the right background 13,440 ft. Mt. Emmons, with Mt. Jedediah’s 13,387 peak on the extreme right.
Special thanks to Elisabeth Johanson for the photograph taken from South Kings Peak (13,512 ft. 2nd highest in Utah).

Zooming in…..

 Here we zoom in a bit on 12,302 ft. high Little Andy lake,  with
 Beard Lake just barely seen on the extreme right–a zoomed in view of Beard Lake is shown in a couple of pictures, along with the record brook trout that fell there for my Thomas Cyclone Spoon.
But first let’s zoom in just a little more….

But, the weather was closing in on me and I didn’t want to have to navigate some steep, rocky areas if wet with rain and snow–so did what I had to do and then headed quickly for camp…..I actually forgot the SPOT Tracker, until about 150 yards down from the lake, but remembered just in time.
I checked the oxygen and found it at 82, about the same as had been the case at Gunsight Pass, and immediately headed down the mountain, seeing along the way my old buddy, OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAINS, in much worse shape than me.


OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN on Trail Rider Pass in 2005, early in the season with gale force winds blowing.

 Along the way I focused on Trail Rider Pass, seeing on the other side Lake Attwood, with Beard Lake on the extreme right.

 Zooming in a bit.


And, zooming in a lot on Beard Lake (U-74) right near Trail Rider Pass.  It was in this alpine lake that I hooked the brook trout seen below that I have calculated would easily have been a Utah State record,  if I could have got him out of the water and to a certified scale! The present record is 7.5 lbs. from the Boulder Mountains…..I calculate this one, at least 28″ long,  as much as several lbs. heavier.

I got back to camp just as the snow was beginning to fall and took refuge in my tent and did some reading & resting, grateful for having achieved my objective of getting to “Little Andy Lake,” 
 The next morning, day 5, I waited for the sun to warm things up and melt some snow, and then packed up and was on my way, determined to do the 8 miles and get to the Dollar Lake area for my last night.  
 I bid farewell to Mt. Jedediah, and was on my way.
By around noon the sky gave all the signs that I was in for some weather that day, but I was ready for it.

As I hiked towards  Gunsight Pass, I looked back and saw the area I had been in shrouded in the weather, and also wondered about the kids who maybe were up high on those mountains trying to achieve their objective–and said repeatedly a prayer for them…a prayer that seems to have been answered.   I prayed for me too, as I was pretty tired and having a tough time.

 The weather looking east, where I had been on Backpack #2 was also closed in.
As I plodded along, I entertained myself with prayer, and reviewing out loud some of the greater spiritual experiences of my life–and I more than once prayed that the storm be “held back just a little” so I could get up and over the pass.  I felt the presence of the Lord, and was grateful for being given the strength & weather good enough to keep going.


Maybe it was a lack of faith, but several times, just to be safe, I put on my rain pants, my Mountain Hardware jacket, with rain parka over it, and got out the rain cover for my pack.–and then moved along.

Anticipating bad weather ahead of time is an important skill to help one get properly dressed in time, and getting  your tent set up before the storm hits.
I finally got to the Highline Trail junction, and removed my pack to rest a little and take a few pictures.
Fox Queant Pass, conquered a few weeks ago, is seen enshrouded in tough weather, as is North Pole Pass.

Looking back again at where I had been…..and grateful as it seemed like I was leaving the storm path behind me.

Soon I was past the forked trail and climbing the pass, and got over it and down the other side without actually being rained or snowed on.  


There were many storms, but they would move through quickly and be gone.  I had wanted to get to the Dollar Lake area, but it didn’t look like I would make it as the night was coming on, so when I saw water down below the trail, I turned off and located a spot for my tent with the opening pointing south which I needed for the satellite phone signal in the morning for my call to 
KSL OUTDOORS.

My prayer to hold back the storm to get my tent set up worked, and so I pushed it wanting just a little more time to run down and get some water and have my gravity purifying system working……and just as I got it all done…THE RAIN, SLEET and SNOW all of a sudden broke lose from the heavens–but I was snugly into my little abode with enough water to mix up a couple of egg nogs & munches that would be my dinner and breakfast. 

The morning came……

 On Saturday at 6:20 AM had a great call with KSL OUTDOORS. Click for 
KSL OUTDOORS PODCAST Aug. 28th.   
 I then snuggled into my sleeping quilt again and waited for the sun to warm everything….BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED!

In my hurry the evening before I had forgot to position the tent to get the first rays of sunlight in the morning & was in deep shade….so finally just got up,  packed up and headed down the trail.

Nearby other campers had left a mess…..but at least gathered it up into their fire-pit. They should have burned what they could, and carried out the rest.
 
LET ME SAY,  THIS VIOLATES THE FIRST LAW OF THE WILDERNESS:
LEAVE NO TRACE! 
As I shouldered my pack, I got the last shot of KINGS PEAK….

….but vowed to be back to the Henry’s Fork Basin next year–a panorama of which we see below, and focus just on the many lakes of the basin I’d like to visit one more time…..Like G-98, and especially Cliff Lake, the most remote in the basin.  

That will include getting to the northern base of Castle Peak, seen below,  where mysterious Castle Lake is found.

In 2017 there will also be first another warm-up backpack into the Grandaddies, and likely another to Crater Lake to finally get that “perfect” shot of one of the most exotic and spectacular scenes in Utah we see below.


As I headed down the trail, all of a sudden I heard:


“HEY CORDELL, I FOUND YOU!”
Nathan Gibbons, went on saying, 
“I’ve been following your SPOT Tracks all week, and knowing you’d be here, I jumped in my car and came running up the trail 8 miles to meet you!” 

While we talked, all of a sudden we were joined by two young ladies, Cameo White and Janae Welling.   Their emails indicate “ldschurch.org” so, were they missionaries on their “P Day,” or seminary teachers?  Hey gals, tell me what the deal is.
 Whatever, it was nice meeting them, along with Nathan and they helped us out by taking a picture of me and Nathan with my camera, seen below.
Soon I was back to the huge Spruce in the Dollar Lake area.
With a unique backpacker coming up the trail…..
In the area I was looking for a memorable spot that I had got to in mid-September 2004, in fact a SACRED SPOT which is seen below:

WHAT HAPPENED HERE TO MAKE IT “SACRED?”

In mid-summer 2004 my “motorcycle knee” was operated on.  Six weeks later I was determined to do a special backpack camping out near  Andersons Pass under the eastern shadow of Kings Peak.  My 3rd day had me day hiking down to U-75 lake, but along the way I became very sick, with high fever, an acute digestive component, headache, etc. but made it to U-75, took one cast and decided I had to focus on survival–getting back up to my camp where I had emergency medications, etc.

That climb back up was a faith filled experience and I was deeply grateful for having made it and started an emergency anti-biotic.  I laid there two days letting it  begin taking effect but on the 3rd day I had to get out of there as snow was on its way–by then it was September.  

That afternoon I did a test to see if I might be ready to make the move in the morning.  I started a hike up to Anderson’s Pass, didn’t feel good and turned back to rest 2 more hours, and then made it to the pass  and took the picture at sunset when….

.….”the whole mountain turned to gold!”  
In the morning  I packed up knowing I had to move carefully in hopes that the sickness wouldn’t notice it had a great opportunity to knock me down for the count.  I had to hike the 8 miles to the Dollar Lake area, and then hope to do the remaining 8 miles the next day. I made it down to level terrain, but turned my ankle, and so was limping with both legs, and as I climbed Gunsight Pass entertained myself listening to Dan Rather, on my tiny radio, lie about George Bush, ruining Dan’s career!
I made it over the pass and to the spot above and set up camp, believing I was like, “Home free!”  On the sat phone I called the family letting them know I was alright.
But, I was having a hard time resting as every time I would dose off I would suddenly awake unable to breath.  By around 10 PM  I was imagining how long it would take me to get to the Trailhead the next day, when…..ALL OF A SUDDEN IT FELT LIKE KNIVES WERE BEING JAMMED INTO MY HEART!  I grabbed my chest putting pressure on believing that it would burst without containing it.  As the unbearable pain continued I cried out a simple and desperate prayer, 
“Father in Heaven, too many people are dependent on me and I have to hike out of here tomorrow.   PLEASE HELP ME!”
At that instant I felt my heart literally jumping around inside my chest….and IT WAS OVER!
I carefully let up the pressure on my chest and finally removed my hands.  
The next day it took me all day to do the 8 miles, but I made it and was alive, and since, at the Cardiologist’s suggestion, have carried constantly a little packet with aspirin, Nitro Glycerin, and extra blood pressure medication. 

THE SPOT I FOUND & PHOTOGRAPHED ABOVE IS SACRED GROUND FOR ME! 
***************************************8
Back to 2016, I continued down the trail passing the Dollar Lake area……………and looked back up towards the pass, with Gilbert Peak, on the left, 3rd highest in Utah at 13,442 ft.,   and grateful for having been able to do as well as I did in my 81st year.

Remembering  all the special experiences had in this whole area, and feeling a renewed gratitude to the Lord……

…….I found the  wonders & visions of nature  even more amazing as I hurried down the trail.
WOW!

 Soon a backpacker approached coming up the trail slowly.  He introduced himself as 
DARRYL CHRISTOFFELSZ from Calsbad, California.

Nathan came down the trail and joined the conversation with Darryl…….
…….and took my picture along with Darryl.

 Darryl is a member of THE HIGH POINTERS CLUB, dedicated to climbing the highest point in each of the states, having already done 42 states, but with the tough ones remaining.  He was making his 5th attempt at Utah’s Kings Peak.  Each previous time stopped due to some problem, like once in October with a couple of feet of snow.
Apparently he was having some difficulties at 57, even with only a backpack weighing 22 lbs. and wondered how the heck I was able to do what I was doing being 80 years old?
“Did you smoke or drink?”  he asked.
Hearing my reply that such have never interested me, he pressed for what my secrets were, and I replied telling him I have revealed pretty well everything in a long article on my website, entitled:
 ANTI-AGING CHALLENGE:  Fun, Humorous, Tough but Wonderful Journey

 I went on to explain to Darryl, and Nathan, 
“I take a lot of stuff, but something is working so well that I’m afraid to leave any of it.  Once I started experimenting stopping one item at a time and noticing the results, and with some didn’t feel an effect, but there were 5 or 6 that made such a difference I got back on them quick, and before I sacrifice any of them, I would rather sacrifice my Mt. Dew or eating!” 
THE ESSENTIAL SIX! 

1.  COD LIVER OIL – has solved the arthritis problem that was making me a cripple at 49!
2. HGH stimulator.…Human Growth Hormone stimulator taken daily at night–HGH SURGE, has been a major contributor turning the aging process around!
3. CALCIUM/MAGNESIUM taken at night, sometimes with extra magnesium as a relaxant to avoid cramps & irritable leg syndrome,  as it helps one sleep better and  much more.  I’ve been taking this for years resulting in the Dr. who did my hip replacement remark that my bones “were the hardest” he had ever seen. They couldn’t saw off the ball joint end of the femur, but had to take it off in  4 pieces with a hammer and chisel!
3. TESTOSTERONE activator….ANDRO 400 MAX, taken daily for increased energy, stamina  & mood–said to be “the cornerstone of men’s health.” 
4. Tiny tablet daily of Hyaluronic Acid & Collagen“MOVE FREE ULTA: Triple Action,” replacing the previous Glucosamine/Chondroiton/MSM I had taken for years.
5. Immune System double whammy taken daily as my multi-vitamin/mineral & “recovery program:”  Wellness Formula capsules, & Defense Plus tablets, plus Calcium/magnesium gel caps, & Glutamine.
6. EXERCISE…daily, plus ONE HEAVY DUTY ONE/weekly!  …..such as I have done in September, with Pioneer Timber Slide explorations, climbing Squaw Peak, plus others that will continue weekly and be reported on….

JOKINGLY I SAY MY GOAL IS….
“BEING 80+, LOOKING LIKE 60, BEHAVING LIKE 30, & WEIGHING LIKE WHEN 20!”
 Doing all the above, plus a few minor details,  has seemingly boosted me to a higher level I never thought possible for an old guy!  I hope & pray that a few can be blessed by all of this, just as I have been.  
Hope to meet you on the trail…..

Cordell M Andersen


  Then we were invaded by an armed group.
….of Arctic Ptarmigan hunters led by Johnny Clare.

September 13, 2016 …..  just heard from Johnny, who says:

Dear Cordell,
Please forgive me for not writing sooner.  I saw the pictures you posted of your trip.  Thank you for including my friends and me.  I used one as my Facebook profile picture.
I enjoyed reading the articles on your website and the pictures are fantastic!  Next year we are planning on going to Cliff Lake.  I hope to see you on the trail.
Your friend,

Johnny 

I told them where I had seen Ptarmigan on this trip and previous ones and told them to keep an eye on my website and I’d include some pictures and description of where they were seen….but basically it was in alpine tundra between 11,500 and  12,000 ft.  It would be one tough hunt, with little to show for it, except some great exercise and seeing many beautiful 

“visions of nature.”  

The hunters hurried down the trail, as had Nathan, leaving me with Darryl.

Darryl expressed profound gratitude for our chance meeting, and felt like my example, and what I’ve written about “longevity secrets”  would be a great blessing in his life, and that it was almost like “divine intervention” that we had met. 
I hope and pray he will take seriously my “secrets!” 

  Down the trail three young ladies, Kim, Christina & Cambria,  stopped to say hello, as I was resting at the moment.  They, as almost everybody else wondered about what the heck I was doing up there.  I got names and emails for some, but passed out my business cards to all, and hope they will email me, and check out the website.  
The middle one, Christina Ogrin, emailed me today and reported that two out of the three made it to the peak.  Kim has since emailed me too.  Thanks to both. I’ll insert below emails from Chrisina & Kim:

Hi Cordell!
It was great meeting you on the trail last Saturday afternoon.  I am one of the 3 girls (the one in the middle of your pictures)  that stopped for a little chat as we made our way to Dollar Lake.  You gave us your card to email you, so I wanted to let you know how the rest of our trip went.  We were very much inspired by your story and I just listened to your report on KSL as well as read your latest report on your website. We are looking forward to reading your book when you finish it!  
We ended up hiking to the peak on Saturday instead of Sunday morning as we originally planned.  It was a long and exhausting day of hiking, but Kim and I made it.  It was a little too much for Cambria though.  She made it just past Gunsight Pass.  We were lucky to have made it before any storms caught up to us.  This was my first time hiking in the Uinta’s, and I will definitely be back for some more backpacking and hiking.  Last year I started a 52 Hike Challenge to get myself out in the mountains more.  I achieved that goal last November, and didn’t stop after that. This year I did the same challenge and King’s Peak was my 52nd hike for this year.  It was quite the achievement for me, and everyone I met on the trail made it extra special.  I hope to still be out exploring the wilderness when I am 81 as you do!  
Happy Hiking!
Christina Ogrin   
********************************
Hi Cordell – Thanks for the reply, I did see that post actually, and I now see you list my friend Christina Ogrin on it. 🙂 We hope you can send us copies of the pics you took of us 3 gals backpacking up to Dollar Lake. Congrats on such a great hike and story!
Kim

**********************************

 There were dozens of others I didn’t talk to or take pictures of–as it would have been  just too time consuming.  

Finally got down to Elkhorn Crossing, and a bit below a handsome couple from Montana I had talked to the day before stopped to talk a little, and I was able to get this wonderful picture of two wonderful athletes. 

I thought I had got their names, but I’m afraid I lost pages that started falling out of my ledger.  But they got my card and I hope they will contact me and become High Uinta Friends. 
RECEIVED THEIR EMAIL….WHAT A RELIEF, as I didn’t want to forget
 Brant and Jennell Humphrey, from Helena, MONTANA
************************************

Speed & Power.
1455147063474_logo
Brant Humphrey, MS, CSCS, FMSC
Director of Performance
Fundamental Athlete Sports Training

406-502-1901

****************************
Thanks, Brant & Jennell  for contacting me and assuring our  
“HIGH UINTA FRIENDSHIP!”
I’m not surprised at all  about your business….as both of you are
INCREDIBLE ATHLETES!
I’ll now go back to my description done initially:
They referred to something that had worried me the day before when seeing them.  As I was coming down the pass at about 5:30 three young men, obviously on a day hike, only with wind breakers, passed me saying they were going to climb Kings Peak.  That worried me  as  at best it would take them until 7:30 to scale the peak, and then in the dark, rain and maybe snow,  have to come all the way back to their camp between the pass and Dollar Lake.

My Montana friends said they had seen them on Andersons Pass late at about 6:35  and being late & with bad weather, they had decided it not wise to scale the peak, but rather decided to work back to Henry’s Fork Basin by going down the “chute,” mentioned previously.  So, at least they would have been going down, rather than up into the teeth of a storm and the jaws of Kings Peak!

I meant to ask them about Montana and tell them how I used to love my fishing trips on the Beaverhead River near Dillon, Montana…which I will soon be doing again.  I actually tried to hike pretty fast to catch up to them….but apparently fast for this old guy was pretty slow compared to this athletic couple…so I never saw them again…and hope they will make contact……

…..which of course they did.  THANKS BRANT!

P.S.  When I get some pictures from them, I’ll insert them here:


Down the trail I was passed by a number mountain runners who had left the Trailhead early, and were almost back after a run of 32 miles in tough terrain  at high altitude….all done the same day….which for me is awe inspiring!

Soon I was in the Lodgepole pine belt, where the tie hackers did their heroic work 150 years ago.  

We need those tough tie hackers  again to do a little thinning!


Soon it was heartening to get into the Quaking Aspen  belt, knowing that I was getting close to the Trailhead.

Then a father, who said he had climbed Kings Peak a number of times, came up the trail with his two kids who he was helping to also do the Peak.

 Once again I seem to have lost their names,  but did leave a card and hope they will contact me as I want to give them a photograph to remember this special experience.
HOLD ON..JUST HEARD FROM THEM
 I did have the father’s name, but didn’t recall who it was. 
He is JAKE HIRSCHI with the following report followed by their pictures:

Cordell,
Nice to meet you on the trial last weekend. 
We spent one night at Dollar Lake and headed for Kings early the next morning. 
y 9 and 10 year old made it to the top of Kings Peak by 11:30am. We then stomped all the way out to the car that day by 8:30 PM just as darkness closed in.  We easily made it home that night in time for school on Monday morning. Mom was impressed. 
First mountain peak for my 9 year old. She did great on this long trek. My 10 year old had done Mt Ogden 2 time and Ben Lomond 1 time before. They both helped motivate each other. 
I took the tent, one sleeping bag and one pad and our stove to the peak for safety. We were set for self containment in case of accident or need to help others along the trail. We had good weather and no accidents. Not one trip or fall. Kids did great. Some sore feet but they didn’t seem to mind after a little doctoring

Another email from Jake introduced me to his kids….now with names as seen below.

 Here I am with Jake’s kids:  GRACE, 9, and ISAAC, 10

 Grace & Isaac fooling around and getting ready  to climb KINGS PEAK, seen in the background.

 Jake, justly proud of his two climbing companions on top of Utah’s world!


 I’m not sure whether this foot belongs to Grace or Isaac?

 JAKE’S REPLY this morning, September 3rd:

You are an inspiration for them and for me. Hope to follow in your well traveled footsteps.  They remembered the exact spot on the trail where they met you while we were hiking out the following day. They referred to our “trail buddy” (that’s you) many times along our journey. 
Hope our paths cross again. 
Happy trails,
Jake

Since I’m now the kid’s “TRAIL BUDDY” I’ll insert a picture of me also on top of Utah’s world,  back on my 27 day expedition” in 2003:

Now, down the trail, anxious to get to the Trailhead
Met more new High Uinta Friends, Kevin Park & friend,  at the junction where the trail takes off to Alligator Lake.  Kevin has emailed me and I have emailed him this picture as I will for any photographed on this wonderful backpacking experience in our wonderful Wilderness.

We all admired the sign made by someone and hope that the Forest Service will take the hint! 

 More mountain runners….now walking almost as much as jogging, but I don’t blame them a bit!

 It was August 27th, and all along the trail signs of summer coming to an end were colorfully visible.

I was very grateful for having been able to finish off my summer of backpacking  by achieving my goal of getting to LITTLE ANDY LAKE, & in a sense finishing the backpacking/exploration portion of my Project…..although backpacks will continue each summer, gradually filling in the gaps with explorations into areas that have escaped me.

REMEMBER JUST HOW HIGH 
LITTLE ANDY LAKE IS!


HIGH ALTITUDE SICKENSS?
It was avoided due to several critical factors: 
 1. Having done heavy duty workouts all winter & spring, had me STRONGER;  2.  LOSING 26 lbs. following a special diet to lose fat, rather than muscle;  
3.  Persisting with my special supplements designed to STRENGTHEN MY IMMUNE SYSTEM, & COUNTER-ACT THE AGING PROCESS;  
4.  Taking DIAMOX, that helps speed up the acclimatization process; 
5.  Monitoring my vitals with Blood Pressure gauge & Oximeter, and at times resting a little more than usual to give my body time to acclimatize before continuing.

************************************************************
EXCITED WITH THE NEW FOCUS OF MY PROJECT
 I will now  begin serious efforts of putting together the unique book which will be much more than a guide book for hikers, but will….let me insert here what I told several on  Backpack #1 into the Grandaddies:
It will be  an E- book with lots of the stunning color of the Uintas none of which is seen in any of the guide books.  Yes, it would be a guide  book for hikers and backpackers, but much more mixing throughout  the incredible history, the fascinating legends and myths of gold & Big Foot, and, I asked, “Do you know about the tie hackers?”  They shook their heads, and I described these “unsung heroes of the Uinta’s North Slope without whom the West might not  have been won!”   I went on mentioning Tom “Bear River” Smith, President Eisenhower’s hero from Abelene, Kansas, and Beartown, where Tom got his nick-name, which tie hacker/railroad town was described as 
 “The liveliest if not the most wicked town in America!”
 all tied to the Uintas, and much more that will be in the book, with special emphasis on SURVIVAL, telling the stories of those who didn’t make it, and WHY…
……then my personal survival experiences, and lessons learned 
that will save many
 lives, 
plus enhance everyone’s enjoyment of the Uintas.  They were wide eyed and seemingly pretty interested and said, 
Their reaction?

 “WOW….You’d better get to it before it’s too late!”
**************************

“I WILL NOW FOCUS ON THAT!”
*****************************************

Backpack #3-2016 HENRY’S FK to GUNSIGHT PASS to “LITTLE ANDY LAKE” then to GEORGE BEARD BASIN, and back to HENRY’S FORK BASIN

Click for:  Previous 
Including:  The precautions I will take in addition to the sat phone, and the SPOT Tracker
*********************
“Little Andy’s Olympics”
Backpack #3-2016 Aug. 21-30 On the HIGH UINTAS North Slope
HENRY’S FORK TRAILHEAD (9,426 elevation) To Gunsight Pass (11,803 ft.) >U-76 lk (11,482 ft)>U-75 lk (11,402 ft)
>“Little Andy Lake”–The Uintas highest lake at 12,302 ft.>U-74 Beard Lk (11,745 ft)>Trail Rider Pass (11,780 ft)
 >George Beard Basin: Geo.Beard Lk (11,420 ft), U-19 (11,420 ft)U-20  (11,417 ft), U-22 (11,430 ft)>
Back to Henry’s Fk Basin> G-98 lake (11,208 ft)>Cliff  Lk (11,443 ft)Blanchard Lk (11,164 ft) , Castle Lk (11,363 ft.), etc.
Note: All 12 lakes are above 11,000 ft. timberline
********************************
SPOT  Satellite Tracker link: SPOT
MADE IT!  Photo report under construction…..in the meantime listen to my report on 
KSL OUTDOORS RADIO

Photo taken by new High Uinta Friend, John Sowell, at the Highline Trail east of Kings Peak, with Gunsight Pass in the background.  John, seen below was doing the entire  106 mile Highline Trail from Highway 191 between Vernal & Flaming Gorge to the western end on the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway.


*****************************************
NOW TO THE GIANT TASK OF PUTTING TOGETHER THIS WHOLE PROJECT IN A UNIQUE BOOK 
**************************

CHECK OUT THE  SPECIAL FACEBOOK PAGE:   

 Cordell Andersen Photography, and the STORE
where many of my photographs from the High Uintas are available. If you don’t see in the STORE what interests you, but find it in the Photography,  or in one of my trip reports, 
let me know and I’ll advise the site manager to get it there. 

YOU NEED  A TOUCH OF BEAUTY IN YOUR HOME LIKE THE FOLLOWING THAT MY DAUGHTER MAHANA PLANS ON HAVING AS HER 2nd HIGH UINTAS SCENE DECORATING HER APARTMENT  AS SEEN BELOW

“Sunset over Milk Lake”
or a similar one a few minutes earlier as seen  below…


The photograph, printed on canvas, already purchased by my daughter, Mahana, is seen below decorating her living room


***********************************

PREPARING for BACKPACK #3-2016 “Henry’s Fork Trailhead to Little Andy Lake”

Previous post
******************** 
Aug. 18th update
PREPARING FOR
 “Little Andy’s Olympics”
Backpack #3-2016 Aug. 20-30 On the HIGH UINTAS North Slope
HENRY’S FORK TRAILHEAD (9,426 elevation) To Gunsight Pass (11,503 ft.) >U-76 lk (11,482 ft)>U-75 lk (11,402 ft)
>“Little Andy Lake”–The Uintas highest lake at 12,302 ft.>U-74 Beard Lk (11,745 ft)>Trail Rider Pass (11,780 ft)
 >George Beard Basin: Geo.Beard Lk (11,420 ft), U-19 (11,420 ft)U-20  (11,417 ft), U-22 (11,430 ft)>
Back to Henry’s Fk Basin> G-98 lake (11,208 ft)>Cliff  Lk (11,443 ft) ,Blanchard Lk (11,164 ft) , Castle Lk (11,363 ft.), etc.
Note: All 12 lakes are above 11,000 ft. timberline
********************************
SPOT  Satellite Tracker link: SPOT
*********************************
COPING WITH BEING 80 YEARS OLD WITH ALMOST MY WHOLE BODY RECONSTRUCTED–WITH SOME DEFECTIVE PARTS REMOVED & PREVIOUS HIGH ALTITUDE PROBLEMS
I will have with me two instruments to monitor my condition:
1st my BLOOD PRESSURE gauge                                         2nd my new OXIMETER

 I will begin at the Trailhead  monitoring my blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen level in my blood and continue to do so as I move up above timberline from the 9,400 foot elevation at the Trailhead,  and be prepared  as I proceed  to Gunsight Pass and beyond,  to make pauses–if I begin to notice my oxygen level is low……and give my body time to acclimatize when necessary.  I also will have with me Diamox, a prescription medication that helps your body  acclimatize faster. 
*********************************
PREPARATION:
 2-3 hrs. hiking/day around American Fork with pack today, 
Thursday–Aug. 18th at 60 lbs. 
NOTE:  I did just an hour with the 60 lb. backpack, and will do it again tomorrow–Friday, Aug. 19th, prior to leaving for Ft. Bridger & Mt. View, Wyoming, Gateway to the Uinta’s North Slope,  on Saturday around noon, August 20th, and on the trail August 21st, or the latest, 22nd when SPOT tracker can be checked out if you want to follow my progress.

Near American Fork’s cemetery a nice car pulled up to me.  
LINCOLN,  said, “Hi.” His mother, VILMA, asked,  “Could we give you a ride?” 
I thanked her for having a good heart, but explained I wasn’t “homeless,” rather  in training for my High Uintas Wilderness Project’s 
last backpack of the season, and promised to give them a bit of deserving publicity!
“THANKS, VILMA & LINCOLN!”

**************************************

BE AWARE OF A SPECIAL FACEBOOK PAGE:   
 Cordell Andersen Photography, and the STORE
where many of my photographs from the High Uintas are available. If you don’t see in the STORE what interests you, but find it in the Photography,  or in one of my trip reports, 
let me know and I’ll advise the site manager to get it there. 

YOU NEED  A TOUCH OF BEAUTY IN YOUR HOME LIKE THE FOLLOWING THAT MY DAUGHTER MAHANA PLANS ON HAVING AS HER 2nd HIGH UINTAS SCENE DECORATING HER APARTMENT  AS SEEN BELOW

“Sunset over Milk Lake”
or a similar one a few minutes earlier as seen  below…


***********************************

Photo/Essay: BACKPACK #2-2016 July 27

Click for PREVIOUS POST
Photo/Essay August 1, 2016
Just added 2/3rd thru a link to KSL PODCASTS & important discussion of 
“High Altitude Sickness”
BACKPACK #2-2016 July 28-31
WEST FORK WHITEROCKS TRAILHEAD:  The PLAN:  To Cleveland Lk….Fox-Queant Pass (11,400 ft.)…upper Eastern Uinta River  drainage to Brook & Divide Lakes…on to North Pole Pass (12,250 ft.)  and down to Taylor & Queant Lakes….to Trailhead.
SPOT SATELLITE TRACKER LINK:  SPOT  LINK
NOTE: This was to be sort of a test in my 81st year to see if my efforts to defeat a tendency towards High Altitude Sickness were working.  All went fine during the Grandaddy backpack (#1-2016), but maximum altitude was only 10,700 ft. Backpack #2 would take me up to Fox Queant Pass at 11,400 ft. and if all went well, I’d go on to the 3rd highest pass in the Uintas–North Pole Pass at 12,250 ft.

LEFT EARLY July 28th Thurs. 
  A “glitch” hit early on in Orem, hearing something was arriving at my cell phone. I pulled off to check, and found a highly important email from archaeologist friend, Garth Norman, inviting me to go on an “expedition” for 10 days to Guatemala and Southern Mexico. I almost made a U-turn right there, but contacted him about the dates which will be from August 9-18, then had to send a series of necessary emails changing future plans.

 I finally  continued towards Roosevelt in the Uintah Basin. From there drove up to the mouth of the Uinta River Canyon, and there turned onto the dirt Elk Horn Loop Road that took me up to the Chepeta Lake Road, and soon was at the Trailhead–167 miles from American Fork, Utah.

It took me a while to put my pack together only to find that I had too much weight, so did it again eliminating 5 lbs. and getting it down to 38 lbs. including my photography gear, sat phone, SPOT Tracker–but no tripod as I’ve learned to just set it on a rock or a log if I want to get into the action.  Of course the satellite phone was provided by Russ Smith at Skycall Satellite & KSL Outdoors Radio.  Since I just had to get backpacking again, it was necessary  to renew my subscription for my  SPOT Personal Satellite Tracker.


Here’s the information at the Trailhead.  As you can see in the first photo, there are restrooms, but no water.  You’ll have to do as I did, get it when you cross the bridge  across the West Fork of the Whiterocks River a couple of hundred yards up the trail.


In the above map, we are on the right side of the dark green line to the left of which is the High Uintas Wilderness Area.  Our first objective will be Fox Queant Pass which,  as you’ll see is on the boundary line.


Didn’t look like too many adventurers were on the trail, but I’ve noticed that many don’t sign in.  We all should for a lot of reasons.



All my water essentials are accessible carried in the large mesh stretch pocket on the back of my pack.


You will notice that I am constantly amazed by what I have variously called, 

“The TEXTURES OF NATURE,” or “VISIONS of NATURE,”  
which will be shared liberally throughout my report. You  will  be seeing these marvelous beauties of nature, as I was seeing them along the trail.  This area in particular has many geologic wonders, showing the patient hand of the Creator, and His wavy artistic lines that never cease to awe me!


At first water, the West Fork of Whiterocks River,  got my Gravity Works water purification system working for me.  I’ve tried all the systems, tablets, boiling, pumping, & squeezing and none of them can even come close to touching the Gravity system….it does the work while you rest, eat, set up your tent, go fishing, etc.


This is the beautiful Fireweed flower.   In my report I’ve got to hurry along so I won’t attempt to identify each flower,  much less tell the geologic history behind each rock!


I haven’t been able to figure out what the difference is between the “backpacker” and “horse” trails.  If I can find out tomorrow with Shiela at the Forest Service, I’ll insert it here.


WOW!

I didn’t intend to do a lot the first day, having left the Trailhead at 4:00 PM, so when I  found a good spot to camp with water nearby I set up for a relaxing evening…..and hoped for less sore muscles the next day. 


In the area found the bones of several cows…..and nearby droppings from coyotes.  The coyotes obviously wouldn’t have had anything to do with the death of the cows, but would happily get what nourishment they could from the remains.    I did hear coyotes yapping that night in the area.   

A friend asked, “Aren’t coyotes dangerous to humans?”  I replied, “Not unless you’re already dead–then they likely will happily have a great meal!”  
I continued telling of two experiences when coyotes came close to the tent nosing around in some of my gear.  I yelled at them and they were gone.


In the meadow nearby, I did jump a young buck.


The next morning I continued up the canyon.




As the trail began climbing a little more towards Queants Lake, there was an area with a whole series of what,  in Guatemala,  we would call “mounds” under which there would be ruins.


They are right out in the middle of the canyon and I’m quite sure they are piles of debris left by glaciers that formed these canyons many, many years ago.











“Hey, I know you!  I met you on the Uinta River/Atwood Trail last year when you were having a bit of trouble with High Altitude Sickness.”  
He was J.C. Batty and his companion Graham.

They seemed quite impressed that in my 81st year I was still doing my darndest to NOT GIVE IN…..EASILY!

They were on their way to Fox Queant Pass too, and from there would camp out at Fox Lake in the upper Uinta River Drainage.


J.C. said, as they headed up the trail, 
“Maybe we’ll see you in a couple of days!”

PROPHETIC?…..see what develops at the end.



Soon I came to the junction, and took the left fork to Cleveland Lake.



The first ford…….of course me not having as steady a balance as I used to have, looked for another crossing, and soon found one, part of it what had been a bridge many years ago.



Pretty soon I had to cross another stream and ripped a dead branch off of a tree, and broke off its branches,  to steady myself as I crossed as at my age one has to be real careful.


I was resting a bit when three young fellas came up the trail from Cleveland Lake, and….of course we got talking about my High Uintas Wilderness Project that I’m now beginning to put together.


They are….likely not in order:  Creedon,Treavor and Lance.  

They seemed a little surprised that an old guy in his 81st year would be backpacking still, so I told them what the objective is:
“Be 80+, look like 60, perform….no, I mean, behave like 30, and weigh like when I was 20!”


And….this “texture of nature” will be turned into something unique!


Soon I came to Cleveland Lake, with 12,514 ft. Cleveland Peak in the left background, and in the right center Fox Queant Pass.



Part way around the lake we come to the sign….but see off to the left in the middle of the lake….something?  Let’s change our focus…..

Sure enough it’s a bull moose.  Obviously Cleveland lake is for the most part quite shallow with the moose feeding on water weeds.



I wanted to camp some above the lake to get a good start the next day, but just had to test the waters for fishing as the three young men I had just talked to said the 

“FISHING WAS GREAT!”
It was very windy but I was able to cast my small Colorado Spoon pretty good and on the first cast caught a nice brook trout, and proceeded to catch others on almost every cast, and while doing so another bull moose appeared across the lake.


The brookies weren’t very colorful….at least not like the ones from above timberline Porcupine Lake in the Oweep Drainage….I’ll insert one of them below….

Finally I moved on to look for a good camping spot up above the lake.





Apparently I had intruded on the territory of a couple of does, who kept circling around  my camp……..



They persisted fooling around with a couple of things I left out….like my pot that was in its fabric bag….the bag, pot and lid scattered during the night.



Saturday morning up early and gave my satellite phone report to

KSL OUTDOORS RADIO 
There were a couple of minutes of report…then lost the signal, Tim & Russ  continued another few  minutes talking about the High Uintas Project with some ineresting comments.
To listen click on the following:  PODCAST  ….my report begins at about the 10 minute point,  but continues a great segment on….
HIGH ALTITUDE SICKNESS
A case of this problem, interviewing an experienced backpacker between 55-60, talking as though that was “old,”  is discussed in the first hour of the Podcast with the above link.  It is continued, describing the helicopter rescue, and importantly THE LESSONS LEARNED, in the 2nd hour at the following link: 
2nd hour PODCAST
THIS IS A CRUCIAL SUBJECT ALL BACKPACKERS SHOULD UNDERSTAND & THESE TWO PODCASTS DO A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING IT….
…….PAY ATTENTION!
Soon afterwards I began my routine to get ready to head for the pass.


FALSE DANDELION….this is not “the spinach of the weed world.”

That morning, the 3rd day,  soon saw me on my way towards the pass, but met coming down, Rick & Cassidy Frost, and Lynn, Trevor and Daxton Zubeck.


Then, while filling up with water for the assault on the pass, met another couple of new High Uinta Friends:  Bruce Hall and Randy McKnight


They had backpacked to Fox Lake & area…but had no backpacks!  Apparently while resting a bit earlier, Bruce’s son had passed me going down the trail….carrying their camping gear!
WOW…WHAT A SOFT DEAL!


There were others seen on the trail, mostly on horseback–including one group with about 10 horses and pack mules, but I only met and talked to those shown in this report.  One thing that I saw among almost all of those I met, and others just seen, is that most were armed with pistols or revolvers, and on asking didn’t’ get a reply concerning bears, rather mountain lions.

In the discussions I did get to tell the story of the bear attack on Josh Christensen in 2001 in the Lake Fork area between 9,500 and 10,000,  and explained that on my  backpacks above 10,000 feet I didn’t worry about bears–none of which I’d ever seen in all my thousands of miles of backpacking in the High Uintas, but that I had once seen a cougar on an elk hunt in the Uintas.  I went on to explain my two warning shots  fired with my Colt .45 Defender were:  Once to scare off a mama moose who came after me, and another time to keep a Charolais bull from charging.

Now I seriously have in view the pass, and soon will be above timberline.


By the way, what you see veering off to the left is THE TRAIL!





Can you see it?   THE TRAIL GOES RIGHT UP THE CENTER OF THE PICTURE!




Apparently it isn’t easy for the horses either with debri along the trail.




WOW!


We are now half-way there.  I keep grinding away, carefully as at my age, and especially being alone, I can’t afford to make a mistake!




Hallaleja!  
 Made it to FOX QUEANT PASS, 11,400 ft. with 

The HIGH UINTAS WILDERNESS boundary signs.


Yes, I really did make it…..even though I have to admit that I didn’t feel all that well, with just a hint or two of the altitude affecting me some.


So with that feeling of caution, and also storm clouds  that were gathering and lightning and thunder  heading my way, I decided it wise to not proceed into the Uinta River Drainage and the much higher North Pole Pass, at 12,250 ft.  3rd highest in the Uintas.

If I had of known this would happen, I could have left my camp set-up back at Cleveland Lake and without my backpack just bagged this pass with a “Day hike.”  

And, wouldn’t you know it….I found an old  favorite friend/flower 
OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN

Notice the wind blowing pretty strong.

This is the view looking northwest towards the Uinta River Drainage, with Fox Lake in the center.


This is the view looking southeast, where I had come from,   the West Fork of the Whiterocks Drainage.


I bid farewell to my friend, OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN,   which is beginning to wither and finish its life cycle for this year, so I begin my descent, carefully.  The storm clouds were getting more menacing.



Once down into the forest the rain came pretty hard and I kept moving protected some by my poncho, and got down to Cleveland Lake on this the 3rd day, but…… it didn’t look like what you see……rather the sky was black, and drops of rain were beginning to fall again.
I had to quickly find a spot to camp in the protection of the forest, and set up my tent as the rain was falling, not much fun when raining….and crammed inside what I needed, and put my pack in the small vestibule, and crawled in just as the rain really began pouring down along with earth shaking  with thunder & lightning…all of which continued most of the night.  
No hot meal, just some munches…actually for the whole day since a granola/raisens/dried bananas/egg nog breakfast, and not much water….but enough to swallow my supplements and get me through the night.

In the morning the rain stopped for a while and I packed up my wet gear–also not much fun, and got on the trail, moving a couple of miles–only stopping to fill my water bladder.  Then,  when the rain was about to begin again and I stopped to rest  and get out  my rain gear, determined to persist to the Trailhead…….
…..but who should appear?

J.C. and Graham had come from Fox Lake that morning.  J.C. said,

“We’ll get to the Trailhead, and then I’ll come back for you!”  
I thanked him, and told him I’d move in that direction as fast as I could….we estimated maybe 3.5 miles to the Trailhead.

In the next little while I did 2 miles in the rain, when J.C. arrived with my trusty steed, “SHIMMER!”

J.C. helped a sort of inflexible old cowboy up into Shimmer’s saddle.  J.C. took my pack across his saddle, and off we went as the rain started again.

As we jostled down the rocky trail, I told J.C. my “John Wayne” history from 66 years ago  when as a young Boy Scout I’d gone with a friend, Dick Johnson,  to get his Horsemanship Merit Badge.  The counselor asked “Are you both here to get it?”  Dick spoke up and said, “Yes!”  
I was about to panic as I knew next to nothing. She started the questions, and when I could….. I spoke up quickly, like as though I knew something. Dick answered the rest, making us together seem like we were experts!   
Then to the riding ring to test our horsemanship skills.  Dick did great, then it was my turn and I wanted to disappear……but my Dick,  being a lot taller than me, had the stirrups very long–each of my legs about 12 inches too short– so we would have to adjust.  The counselor spoke up, and said,  


“Let’s not waste time doing that.  BOTH OF YOU PASSED!”
Now, 66 years later, came MY ACID TEST IN THE RING OF LIFE!


J.C. laughed at my John Wayne story, and just said, 

“JUST HANG ON AND DON’T FALL OFF!”

Graham was waiting for us at the Trailhead, and inspite of the rain jumped out of the pickup to take a picture of me on Shimmer.  
As soon as I get that picture I’ll insert it here along with my buddy, John Wayne.
NOTE:  Never got the picture….Graham’s smart phone lens likely obstructed with a drop of rain!


NOW HOPEFULLY OFF TO THE MYSTERIOUS JUNGLES OF GUATEMALA & SOUTHERN MEXICO………

…..”In search of verifying another really important dream more than 50 years in the making!” 
NOTE:  As it worked out, my trip to Guatemala/Southern Mexico will now likely be in October, but I was asked by the archaeologist to remain in civilization “on call” in case he needs me in which case he’ll email me a ticket to fly down the next day. 
………and before the summer is over on to…..

LITTLE ANDY LAKE!
***********

NEXT BACKPACK (#2-2016), Photo/essay on Backpack #1-2016 “GRANDADDIES….WARM-UP TRIP …..An Instructive Comedy of errors!”

Click for PREVIOUS POST

You should all be aware of special Facebook Page
 Cordell Andersen Photography, and the STORE
where many of my photographs from the High Uintas are available. 
********************************
UPDATE July 24, 2016:
GOT THE ITCH….HAVE TO HEAD FOR THE HIGH UINTAS!
BACKPACK #2-2016 July 27-31
WEST FORK WHITEROCKS TRAILHEAD:  To Cleveland Lk….Fox-Queant Pass (11,400 ft.)…upper Eastern Uinta River  drainage to Brook & Divide Lakes…on to North Pole Pass (12,250 ft.)  and down to Taylor & Queant Lakes….to Trailhead.
SPOT SATELLITE TRACKER LINK:  SPOT  LINK
A GLITCH TODAY Tuesday July 26th….details erased

UPDATE:  July 27, 2016
GLITCH FIXED– LEAVE EARLY July 28th Thurs. 
& hit the SPOT TRACKER OK button at the Trailhead when leaving with pack on my back the same day, only having lost one day on the trail.

*******************************
KEEPING IN SHAPE  
on the streets of American Fork FOR AUGUST BACKPACKING

I’m getting itchy again for the High Uintas, so have planned a whole month of August in the high country, and have to keep in shape…..so out onto the streets every day with my backpack with its 40 lbs. of weight……. 

…..attracting some attention today, as a young man ran up to me and asked if he could give me a ride.  I joked about….“usually people offer me money”  assuming I’m an old homeless guy….

Of course I explained to Spencer that I’m rather an “eccentric millionaire” working out everyday so that in my 81st year, I’ll look like 60, and behave like 30–and be able to get my August backpacking done–as well as straighten out my back that sometimes starts acting up as a result of hovering over my computer doing my writing!
*********************************************

For those interested, the Photo/essay below on the Grandaddy Backpack has been edited and updated….
******************************
John Mark Goodman’s report from Lake Atwood backpack:
From: Goodman, John Mark 
Sent: Monday, July 11, 2016 10:09 PM
To: CORDELL ANDERSEN
Subject: The Uintas
We started at the Uinta River Trailhead first thing Friday morning.  We fished and hiked to a fine campsite just above the third chain lake.  On Saturday we fished and hiked up to a campsite next to Lake Atwood.  Along the way we took a detour to Oke Doke lake, crossed Roberts Pass, and also fished up the creek in the Atwood Basin.  On Sunday we hiked 17 long miles back to the car, with brief fishing/recovery stops at Roberts pass, chain lake 1 and Sheepsbridge. On the way out we passed two women going up to Sheepsbridge on horses.  Otherwise we did not see anyone else the entire trip.  Here is a photo of my very tired self enjoying sunrise at Lake Atwood:
Overall we had a great trip and really do appreciate your good help.
Thanks again.
John Mark

THANKS, John Mark,

Cordell M Andersen
The HIGH UINTAS WILDERNESS PROJECT

https://www.cordellmandersen.com/
**********************************
For future plans, scroll down to end of photo/essay
BACKPACK #1-2016 June 24-28:  GRANDVIEW TRAILHEAD 
“GRANDADDIES….WARM-UP TRIP”


“ARE YOU ALIVE?”

 In my 81st year, I rest often–especially in the beginning of the season  and made the mistake of doing it close to the trail, and I must have looked pretty bad, as a hiker saw me and asked “ARE YOU ALIVE?” maybe foreshadowing that this might not be my greatest trip into the Wilderness!  


 I had arrived at the…..”GATEWAY TO THE GRANDADDIES” the night  before, sleeping in the car and, to pump me up, watched on my laptop, “THE BOURNE IDENTITY,” and be at the Trailhead to get an early start on Thursday, June 24th.


The Grandview Trailhead has got to be the most picturesque of the 31 in  the High Uintas, the above shot actually taken in 2015, the one below this year showing the parking lot pretty well filled up.


 I parked as close as I could to where the trail heads into the mountains………which I would especially appreciate on returning to the trailhead……..

 ……..and was raring to go, except that I HAD FORGOTTEN MY PANTS, like the  convertible ones I’m wearing below last year at the same trailhead.  
WOW….WHEN AN OLD GUY FORGETS HIS PANTS…..must be some sort of dementia coming on….or worse!


Luckily I wasn’t too far gone…….as at least I had something on……..the shorts from a previous set of convertible pants, the bottom parts having been lost from my back pockets whose stitching (made in China) had come unraveled along some High Uinta trail!

Sorry about breaking  Rule #1 “Leave no trace”  but I didn’t mean to! For cold nights I threw into my pack a lightweight pair of waterproof pants…..so the first of a list of “comedy of errors” was taken care of.


But, I was at least  smart enough to know that at my age I had to be concerned with reducing to a minimum my load……and it began with my foot gear.  Above you see me with my lightweight Salomon hiking boots, but  for this year I would use the lightest weight  Salomon Mountain Running Shoes–with 9 ounces less weight lifted with every step compared to the lightweight boots seen above–NOTE:  that added up to, just on my first day, over 5,000 lbs. less weight lifted!  
 I am happy to announce that this feather-lite shoe is not on my list of “comedy of errors,”  as they were so perfect there aren’t  words capable of expressing it!  

They embraced my feet just  like a perfectly fit glove, and I did have with me my shoe horn to slip into them and not ruin them as many do with their shoes.

For those who have followed my adventures in the Uintas during the last 14 years, you’ll remember that in the beginning (2003) I was disobeying the order of a Rheumatologist who, after my first Intenational Half Marathon in 1994, had no solution to my feet problems & “football ankle,” and just told me 
“No more backpacking or jogging!” 
Of course I’m famous for doing my own thing, so found my own way to persist–running a total of 14 consecutive International Half Marathons in Guatemala, and during my first, and best years on the High Uintas Project used an incredible  combination of inserts with special boots, as seen below……

……..and gradually healed the problems using less and less inserts, then much lighter low top boots, and a couple of years ago started  using mountain running shoes, all reduced now to the lightest weight trail running shoes, with only one extra insert that has a hole cut out to reduce pressure on the ball of my feet.  My feet now give me no excuse to not keep backpacking….thanks to the Lord that had me persist in finding a solution to this glitch…..
…..one of many solved over the years!




If you’re thinking these feather-light shoes only worked because I wasn’t really in rough country, read on and you’ll see the rocky trail, plus about 1/3rd of my 18 miles in 3 days was bushwhacking off-trail in the roughest of terrain.






Seeing these maps at the Trailhead…….
…..ALL OF A SUDDEN I added  item #2 to my “list of comedy of errors:”
2.  FORGOTTEN:  My National  Geographic HIGH UINTAS WILDERNESS & TOPO MAPS!

Note:  Quite important for me as I do a lot of off-trail exploring, but for this trip I would just have to navigate by memory….
…..WHAT?  “MEMORY” for an old guy in the beginning stages of dementia!   This could make for an unforgettable trip….even with “dementia!”




Finally up the trail, soon arriving at the 1st (and only) bridge seen below as it was on 
June 24, 2016


Just to remind you every year is different I’ll insert below how it was a few days later in the season………2011




No, we’re not lost in the Wilderness, but going UP THE TRAIL!
I actually did better with my lightweight trail runners than I would have with boots!
We won’t starve either, as “the spinach of the weed world” is in full bloom, offering more vitamins & minerals overall than any vegetables  you’ll find in the supermarkets……oh, by the way they are DANDELIONS, brought early on to the New World because of their  medicinal qualities……and has spread everywhere in the hemisphere–including in the patio of friends in Patzicia as seen below in my recent Supervisory trip to Guatemala.

I continue up the “Grandaddy Trail.”


 One of the varieties of WILD DAISY’S
One of the many “textures of nature”  that never cease to awe me  along the trail.

 When you get to this sign in a sandy area, you have left behind 8 switchbacks that have taken you up to a new level, and from here on it’s a more gradual climb up to Hades Pass.

It would seem ridiculous to all you younger people out there, but about every 30 minutes, I rest for 10-15 minutes, now getting a bit further off the trail, removing my pack–making it obvious that I was at least alive enough to remove my pack….and likely still alive…..
 …..but also usually for rest stops I put on my extremely lightweight wind breaker (3 oz.) that stuffs into a back pocket. The mosquitoes can’t penetrate it, and it keeps my sweaty body from having chills which for older people can be dangerous.

 You’ll notice my OSPREY ATMOS 65 backpack which I introduced last year, and, in spite of weighing 4 lbs.–twice as much as recent packs used, but about the same as my original REI Morning Star pack in 2003.  This one  is the best thing I’ve every had on my back–hugging my back, distributing the weight evenly and is extremely stable.  If it wasn’t for the weight you eventually feel in your legs, you wouldn’t even know it was there!


SPRING BEAUTY soon greets us along the trail……..



 ……..and all along the way we see WILD CANDY TUFT

Meet Tom & DeAnn COSTANZO……new High Uinta Friends, on a day hike to Grandaddy Lake.  On their return they reported catching a few trout. 
They wanted to know more about my 14 quite intensive years exploring & photographing the High Uintas Wilderness…..and so I got into….
…”the plan”…..
 to do a book with lots of the stunning color of the Uintas, yes, it would be a guide  book for hikers and backpackers, but much more intertwining throughout it the incredible history, the fascinating legends and myths of gold & Big Foot, and, much more, with special emphasis on my personal survival experiences, and lessons learned that could save many lives and enhance everyone’s enjoyment of the Uintas.
Their conclusions:  “GET TO IT BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!”


We have now climbed to a new elevation and begin seeing the always elegant 
GLACIER LILLY 


All of a sudden a family breezed right by me, also on a day hike to Grandaddy Lake.


We come to a small stream of good water that crosses the trail–the first and only water since crossing the bridge,  where I usually replenish my supply of drinking water, and get my first shots of always beautiful MARSH MARIGOLD, above……….


……….and below its partner, WHITE GLOBE FLOWER.


I soon arrive at Hades Pass (around 10,650 ft.) and begin dropping down into the Grandaddy Basin. 
“THE GRANDADDY OF THEM ALL” 
glimpsed through the trees.  Grandaddy Lake, the largest in the High Uintas, was named by pioneer artist/photographer, George Beard. 

 Another rest stop gave me the opportunity of meeting the family that had sped past me earlier………
 ……..so meet the BRIAN AVERY FAMILY.  Sorry for not taking several shots to get one good one with everyone’s eyes open!
Brian said he had seen my website and they seemed curious about what an old guy like me was doing in the Uintas……so with that opening I once again described my plan:

 To do a book with lots of the stunning color of the Uintas none of which is seen in any of the guide books.  Yes, it would be a guide  book for hikers and backpackers, but much more mixing throughout  the incredible history, the fascinating legends and myths of gold & Big Foot, and, I asked, “Do you know about the tie hackers?”  They shook their heads, and I described these “unsung heroes of the Uinta’s North Slope without whom the West might not  have been won!”   I went on mentioning Tom “Bear River” Smith, President Eisenhower’s hero from Abelene, Kansas, and Beartown, where Tom got his nick-name, which tie hacker/railroad town was described as 
 “The liveliest if not the most wicked town in America!”
 all tied to the Uintas, and much more that will be in the book, with special emphasis on my personal 
survival experiences, and lessons learned that will save many lives 
plus enhance everyone’s enjoyment of the Uintas.  They were wide eyed and seemingly pretty interested and said, 
 “WOW….You’d better get to it before it’s too late!”

   As I headed down towards Grandaddy Lake, many thoughts were bouncing around in my brain,   and I concluded
 that for a guy who even forgot his pants on this trip, maybe I’d better stop fooling around backpacking so much, and get to work on my plan, 
BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!


One reason I love to visit Grandadddy Lake in late June & early July, is that there are  three small creeks on the west side of the lake, one we see above, which are invaded by thousands of native cutthroat trout for their annual spawn as you see in the following photographs.



I focus on this spot and get ready to snap off quick shots…..





 I’m now working my way around the south end of Grandaddy Lake, with Hayden Peak, on the left, and Mt. Agassiz in the middle.

It was slow go detouring around many marshy, areas, or I guess I should say “boggy areas,” as along the way I got a series of pictures of BOG LAUREL we see below,  showing how it develops–rarely seen by most hikers. 





 Eventually I climbed up above the lake and found a meadow where I could set up my little camp in full view of East Grandaddy Mountain and the saddle, down from which I  bivouacked one night a few years ago to get some unique photos of Grandaddy Lake.

I zoomed in on the approximate area …………


………….where I set up my bivouac camp. 



But, on setting up my camp my first order of business was RECOVERY from at least 6 miles of hiking that day……..all on top of possibly another “error” but this one not funny as  prior to leaving  all of a sudden I felt a small cough beginning…..but of course, me being “tougher than nails,”  I would be able to handle that with no problem…….
……but I needed to RECOVER from a hard 1st day of a new season, downing a recovery drink of ENDUROX, plus a Power Pak…….but the cough had got worse and so I took other supplements that normally worked well to fend off sickness, like Glutamine & Wellness Formula (which I didn’t have enough of).

…….and nearby beautiful ALPINE BUTTERCUPS


Night came and I got out my book, a Father’s Day gift from a dear friend.

But,  my glasses had one lens  popped out, and no matter what I did I not only couldn’t get it back in, but the other one popped out too…………it was hard to do things right without seeing clearly what I was doing……..
…………another in my “comedy of errors!”   I finally got one in…..sort of, and read  4 pages of the Forward using one eye and sort of learned why my pirate ancestor Henry Morgan, with a patch over one eye, had such a nasty attitude!
Note:  If you didn’t know my entire name is Cordell MORGAN Andersen, Morgan being my mom’s maiden name….and my possible connection to the Pirate and excuse for sometimes having a nasty attitude!

By 2:00 AM my cough & wheezing had got so bad that it started worrying me a lot, and I got out my Emergency Meds/Supplements, with:  Top row, Ibuprofen, Walmart “Excedrin,” Wellness formula, & the emergency Anti-biotic;  Bottom, Sleep items, Magnesium, Digestive enzymes, more Sleep items, & Glutamine.  To maybe be able to meet my objectives…..and at least get back to civilization, I started the anti-biotic–a 5 day treatment, but which builds up in the body with its curative effects lasting another 5 days.

I got through the night, and time for breakfast……….

……….which was Granola, plus raisens, dehyrated bananas, with  eggnog–half on the granola, & half as a  drink. You’ll notice, no expensive shaker bottles–rather from peanut butter, jam, or whatever….with smooth interiors easy to clean, but all wide-mouthed to easily pour in powders, etc. 


When the food was ready I got out my teeth……and added two more items to my list of
“comedy of errors.”  
The Adhesive I had brought was one that has been in my car, and for whatever reasons  had got thick and hard and I had one heck of a time getting any out, so from the beginning I had trouble, but found an old tube that had just a little left that would work and last for maybe a day or so,  but……..
…….”the comedy of errors” was to get even more interesting!


When I took out the upper that was anchored to my one last tooth…. the tooth (a crown) came out,  but  luckily didn’t fall onto the ground and get lost, rather stuck in the denture as you see below–the white one right in the middle.  

 It was actually a crown with its post, as you see below, but I needed it to anchor the upper denture……..in the meantime I couldn’t eat anything that required chewing!    So………

……..I  went to work cleaning and drying, not seeing very well with only one eye–no perspective, and got into my Emergency Repair bag for my PLASTIC SURGERY cement and glued the crown back onto its deteriorated base. 

 The repair only lasted for a day, and then had to be cemented in again…..but got me through the trip! This cement always goes with me, having repaired crowns several times, glasses, leaks in water bladders, air mattress, etc.  It is far superior to Super Glue. Link to it on my GEAR/SUPPLEMENTS, page.
Note:  At home, with glasses fixed at Walmarts, but told they would pop out again as they were worn out–so needed new ones–I solved that with two drops of Plastic Surgery on each so they’ll never pop out again, but then,  able to see, did a good job cementing my crown that continues to anchor my upper denture!
The thought occurs to some that to cement the crown onto a rotted  base might not work too well–but,  the Plastic Surgery glue is highly disinfectant and hopefully inhibits continued deterioration of the bas–for a while….sort of.  So far it’s working since returning home & doing a thorough and careful job of cementing it back  on.

Mentioning SUPPLEMENTS & SUCH, you might as well see the way I organize what is taken during the day……to get me through each difficult day &  trip.
 The Morning” sections have what I begin the day with.  Then after breakfast when getting on the trail, take the “Energy” section.  “Noon” is for mid-afternoon, and “Night” prior to going to bed.  The large tablets above are HGH (human grown hormone) Activators taken before going to bed at night.  


For details, and links to all, go to my website and click on:  GEAR/SUPPLEMENTSand scroll way down  
& at the end learn about “free nutrition.”

Some of them have proven in personal tests to make such an obvious difference  I have said 
“I’d stop eating almost everything before eliminating them from my diet!”  

GETTING RID OF THE LAST VESTIGES OF MY “BREAD BELLY!” 
 It was working as by the 2nd day I had to make a new hole in my belt.
Twenty lbs. had been lost since January and I was working on 10 more to get down to my weight when 20 years old.

 We are looking up at East Grandaddy Mountain.  My hike that day would parallel its base as I bushwhacked down to Fern Lake…..all of which had a purpose.  My hike down towards the east was in hopes of finding something very strange seen in the area 12 years ago when Ted Packard and me bushwhacked down to Fern………

………..and all of a sudden, right out in the middle of nowhere….and miles from any trail,  there was an outhouse!  Why I never took a picture of it, who knows, (of course now I take a picture of everything!) but I wanted to find it, try and identify where it had come from and get some pictures.  

From up at a high point before dropping down this is a panorama looking north.  Cyclone Pass would be in the dead center, then to the left Four Lakes Basin, Rocky Sea Pass, Naturalist Basin, and Mt. Agassiz.

I shouldn’t have done it, as bushwhacking for me at my age becomes  very difficult, if not an impossible task, especially as I was still struggling with the cough that if anything was getting worse.   I have finally learned my lesson:  
NO MORE BUSHWHACKING!

I come way down, and given up on finding the outhouse, veering off a bit to the north where on a hill I all of a sudden found an old rusty shovel and its handle.

 I scraped off  the rust to see better the markings on the shovel, you see above.  I decided to look around a little and see what else I could find.


Close-by I found a rotted away tent………. 

Then what looked like two tents that had been abandoned set-up, but, over who knows how many years, had deteriorated and come down with the polls sprawled  over them.

I carefully lifted open the tents to see if there were any bones, or bodies, but could see nothing, although I certainly didn’t tear things apart as I didn’t want to disturb the scene in case authorities of whoever might be interested.

This is the same scene as the previous, but from the other end.

 The red bag was empty.

 There were some papers stuck together, but on carefully prying them open could see nothing distinguishable.  

 This is the only readable item I found at the site.

 To pin-point the area, in case anybody is interested, from the shovel we see above, we are looking west at the cliffs that begin near East Grandaddy Mountain and continue on all the way to the  trail down to Brinton Meadows.  Between the picture and the cliffs, there is a stream that comes out of the base of East Grandaddy Mountain, tumbles down to the east, then  turns north going between us and the cliffs.  The same creek swings around the hill in question, and then parallels the Marla Lake Trail as it goes down  east.

 The shovel is in the extreme right of the picture, towards the bottom, the picture looking up at East Grandadddy Mountain.  The site in question should be easy to find from the trail from Lodgepole Lake that rises, then begins to descend, going east paralleling the stream. The hill in question is there to the south of the trail as it turns east and begins its descent.

 Of course for me, it was back to bushwhacking towards the east to find Fern Lake.


Along the way there were good views of the ground cover so frequent in the the Uintas, and for your interest I’ll insert below a few pictures showing when it blossoms with a tiny flower, you might have never seen before.  


ENJOY as we get closer and closer.




As has happened to me several times, I came upon Fern Lake from up high and scrambled down through the boulders to the lake, and had to take a cast or two for the healthy brook trout that inhabit its waters.  


I haven’t mentioned, but there were mosquitoes, a few at the Trailhead, but not in biting mode yet, and some all along the way………

……….Fern being at a lower elevation–about that of the Trailhead, had quite a few,  so I decided to head up the trail and camp on Grandaddy Lake.


More “textures of nature”  
A painting with these beautiful concentric lines & swirls  would be a prize winner & sell for a hefty prize to decorate some wall to AWE all!


Up the trail, fairly close to Lodgepole Lake this cabin is found right along the trail.  I will have to do a little research to learn about its history, but the one round nail I found, seen below, indicates it is from the 20th century.


Then we come to Lodgepole Lake and this beautiful scene with Mt. Agassiz  in the distance.
Louis Agassiz was a Swiss-American biologist & geologist, living from 1807-1873 who spent time in the Uintas, many lakes in the vicinity of Mt. Agassiz & Naturalist Basin given names of some of his students.  Interesting quotes from him are:
“I cannot afford to waste my time making money!”
&
“The study of Nature is intercourse with the Highest Mind.  You should never trifle with Nature.”

At Lodgepole Lake there is a stream to cross, but as you can see there is a “bridge” made up of a conglomeration of unstable logs.  There was a time when without hesitation I would just go across, but not anymore.  

 Balance is one of the weak points in some of us old guys, and for the first couple of days of backpacking, it’s best to be careful until you sort of get your “mountain legs” warmed up and working.


I did what I have learned is crucial for a crossing or a ford–get a sturdy pole, like the one you see in the picture, and use it to steady yourself as you carefully go across……..

 ……even with that,  the tail end of the crossing got a bit dicey as one log began dipping and turning, but, with my old “football agility” not completely gone, I was able to make a leap to one log and then to the bank safely.  It’s funny how such simple little things become 
REAL BIG FOR SOMEONE IN HIS 81st YEAR…..maybe with dementia coming on!

My desktop image on my computer is now this wonderful scene.

I’ve got to check out this old ruin between the trail and the falls that plunges down from Grandaddy Lake.  

Once again, this ruin is from the 20th century, as before 1910 nails were all square.


Up we go to Grandaddy Lake! 



Outlets to alpine lakes, like Grandaddy Lake, that the native cutthroat trout couldn’t get up from the rivers  below, had many such lakes with no fish until fingerlings were hauled in using milk cans on the backs of mules, and later, from about 1955 on,  by airplane drops.

Thanks to  the FISH & GAME….now the DWR:  Division of Wildlife Resources, we are blessed with some of the best fishing in the world…..

 ……..and of course THANKS TO THE CREATOR for the endless beauty of every kind imaginable in our wonderful Wilderness Areas.

 I’m  back at the “Grandaddy of them all, looking towards Hades Pass, and will camp close-by, but at least 200 feet from the water & trails, and see how I feel tomorrow.  
The plan had been to hike from Lodgepole Lake down to  Shadow Lake, near Brinton Meadows, then down to Lost Lake and take the faint trail to Powell Lake…..but the faint trail followed years ago from Lodgepole down, is one of those trails that are disappearing as the Forest Service is letting such areas become a more true Wilderness with no maintenance of such trails….meaning it would be “bushwhacking,” which I have to pretty much avoid now.

Sorry for being such a wimp….but in my 81st year I have to be careful!


I set up my camp and relax after a very long, hard day that somehow I was able to survive.  It’s good to see INDIAN PAINT BRUSH blooming, and all over the place are the mushrooms…..


I discuss some “mushrooms” I  in my YouTube video:
#6-2013 BIG FOOT in the Uinta’s East Fork of Blacks Fork?
on 2nd thought it might be in the following video:
#8-2013 Open Your Eyes to THE VISIONS OF NATURE


By now HEARTLEAF ARNICA is beginning to add its splash of color to the landscape.

I get through the night, but the anti-biotic hasn’t been able to fend off the cough that has got worse…..mainly due to the previous day being just too much…much of it due to the bushwhacking  from Grandaddy all the way down to Fern–that I’ll never do again!

Viewing Hades Pass over Grandaddy Lake.

My plan had been to get to places requiring  more bushwhacking as explained above, which I didn’t feel up to, so I packed up and headed for the Trailhead, measuring with great caution my pace so that I’d make it to Hades Pass………….

Another view of beautiful Grandaddy Lake, & the Mountain saddle where I’ve made 3 trips to get the most spectacular view of the Grandaddies.
 Making it to Hades Pass I’d THEN BE HOME FREE!


Made it to the junction at the south end of Grandadddy Lake, and soon was carefully starting up to the Pass which gratefully was achieved in great shape, and soon downhill 3 miles to the Trailhead.


On the switchbacks I was passed by a father, daughter and dog-packer.

 By the 6th switchback, counting from the top, or 3rd coming up,  I was in
THE QUEEN’S COUNTRY
The Queen being the QUAKING ASPEN, now Utah’s State Tree….
…. in my opinion a great choice.

 The 7th switchback was long and with the happy sound of the creek splashing down the canyon to my left, and Heart Leafed Arnica, along the trail.

 The switchbacks ended at the Wilderness boundary, and soon the welcome sight of my car in the Trailhead parking lot filled me with a great feeling of gratitude. I had done betweeb 16-18 miles, at least 6 of it bushwhacking,  in 3 days while being
sort of sick….and got WARMED UP!


But I also learned the lesson that I’ve got get to the task of putting all of this together…..
……IN A PACKAGE LIKE NEVER SEEN BEFORE!

 The parking lot was almost empty now……..

…….only with a father and son heading up the trail for high adventure in the HIGH UINTAS WILDERNESS.
****************
NOW THE PLAN OF ACTION 
for the 
HIGH UINTAS WILDERNESS PROJECT:
I refer to my chat with Tom & DeAnn Costanzo and Brian Avery & family on the trail….both ending  with them saying:
“WOW….You’d better get to it before it’s too late!”
In summary “it” is:
 A book with lots of the stunning color of the Uintas none of which is seen in any of the guide books, including the most exotic and stunning locations, often not even given mention in the present books.   Yes, it will be a guide  & “how to do it” book for hikers and backpackers (applicable in any “wilderness”), but much more mixing throughout  the incredible history, the fascinating legends and myths of gold–even Butch Cassidy’s connection,  and, of course,  Big Foot–even one personal experience.   Then I asked, 
“Do you know about the tie hackers?” 
They shook their heads, and of course I jumped on it,  describing  them as:
 “Unsung heroes of the Uinta’s North Slope 
without whom the West might not  have been won!”   
I went on mentioning the tie hacker’s  connection to Tom “Bear River” Smith, President Eisenhower’s hero from Abelene, Kansas, 
and the Uinta’s Bear River where Tom got his nick-name at Beartown, which tie hacker/railroad town was described as 
 “The liveliest if not the most wicked town in America!”
 That history and much more  will be in the book, with special emphasis on….. 
…….SURVIVAL….
….. relating histories of those lost in the Uintas & why,
plus  my personal survival experiences, and lessons learned that will save many lives in any wilderness area, 
This book, 64 yeas in the making, will enhance everyone’s safe enjoyment of this great swath of fascination & beauty we call The HIGH UINTAS.  
********************************************

Summer 2916: HIGH UINTAS ACCESS REPORT….updated daily!

NOTE:  None of the photographs  can be used  without written permission from Cordell Andersen.  
EMAIL:  cordellandersen@hotmail.com

You should all be aware of special Facebook Page

 Cordell Andersen Photography, and the STORE
where many of my photographs from the High Uintas are available. 

Click for PREVIOUS POST on
SCROLL TO THE END to see a brief report on
The Coban International Half Marathon

HIGH UINTAS ACCESSIBILITY UPDATE

**************************
BACKPACK #1-2016
 June 24-28:  GRANDVIEW TRAILHEAD 
To Grandaddy Lake, Fern Lake, Shadow Lake, Powell Lake & others in vicinity
SPOT TRACKER LINK: 
Photo/Essay Report under construction 
…..give me an hour…..

***************************

Update:  Sunday, June 19, 2016
FROM MIKE SLATER TODAY

Hello Cordell, just wanted to give you report on our weekend trip into the Granddaddy Lakes basin. My wife Ronda and daughters Janelle and Amber were able to make it with me to Granddaddy Lake without getting our feet wet. There was snow on the trail particularly once you got to Hades pass (attached photo of my wife) where there was snow that we had to step around or walk through. We had to look around a little to find places to camp out of the snow. We did not go past Granddaddy Lake so I'm not certain what is beyond there but again the majority of the snow, as is typical this time of the year was just coming down the north side of Hades pass but was very doable. By this coming weekend it should be very open. No ice on Heart or Granddaddy Lake but as you can see there is snow around the lake and in the basin. Over the night the temperature probably got down to around 35. Once again we had anexcellent trip, love getting up there. Take care and hope to see you on the trail, Mike




Wednesday, June 15One friend, Mike Slater & family, plan on attempting a backpack on Thursday, June 16 & will report….

Monday, June 13, 2016
Email from Sheila at the Forest Service in Duchesne

You can now access the Grandview Trail Head, but still a lot of snow at the pass and in the Basin. The lakes are still frozen over. In  most areas the snow line is around 10500 in elevation, anywhere higher than that expect post holing. Our trail crew and wilderness rangers have reported very high river crossings, so not recommended. Expect 3 feet of snow on  most wilderness passes at 12,000 feet. Trail crews have just begun clearing downed trees on accessible trails. If folks still want to backpack in, please advise them on conditions and to be extra cautious on campsite selection due to potential of falling hazard trees.

 If any of you have questions please call….

If any of you have questions please call,  

Sheila L Harper, Customer Service Representative

p: 435-738-2482 x5200
f: 435-781-5215
sharper02@fs.fed.us

FOREST SERVICE

***************************************************** 

Friday, June 10th
Grand View Trailhead:   
The road is now open to the trailhead, but there is snow on the trail 
SEND ME A REPORT IF YOU MAKE IT, WITH A PICTURE OR TWO.
NEW REPORT…evening Friday, June 10th
John Lawton just emailed me the following message regarding the Grandaddy Trail:

6/10/16 The trail is pretty clear the first half mile with only patches of snow cover here and there. Half way up the trail to the pass, the snow starts to get pretty thick with 1ft of coverage over the trail being pretty common. Up at the pass there are still 3ft drifts covering parts of the trail on the south facing part of the pass and lots of water running down the trail. I didn’t hike down too the lakes, but Grand Daddy and Heart are still frozen. The small pond at the pass is starting to thaw. Even with lots of snow there are patches of rocks and dirt exposed at the top of the pass and its melting fast. Attached some pics that you can use.
John Lawton

A MILLION THANKS…JOHN
DAILY SNOW DEPTH UPDATINGS:
                                                        6/5/16     6/15/16
BALD MT. PASS: 10767 ft….=31″……=19″

NOTE:  All areas previously reported now at basically -0-
On Saturday, June 4th I explored:
WOLF CREEK PASS–NORTH FORK OF THE DUCHESNE RIVER
and THE GRAND VIEW TRAILHEAD “Gateway to the GRANDADDIES”
Then…….
THE MIRROR LAKE SCENIC BYWAY–BALD MT. PASS–
and THE HIGHLINE TRAILHEAD.
A few photos of the trip follow, most of which are self explanatory:

NEW INFORMATION TODAY, June 7th, FROM FOREST SERVICE:
ACCESS TO SOUTH SLOPE TRAILHEADS: Rock Creek, Lake Fork/Moon Lake, Yellowstone/Swift Creek, Uinta River, Whiterocks…..all reachable, but streams running very high, with snow above 10,000 ft.  More info on Friday, or when advised by Forest Service.
Along the way…..just had to get a shot or two of this unique outdoor lover and his special kind of tough exercise machine!
 

Have to admire the guy…..but backpacking is still my preference!


Of course I just couldn’t resist inserting the beauty of one of the early bloomers….Western blue flax,  Linum perenne


 Wolf Creek Pass has  been open for about a month or more


The North Fork of the Duchesne River on the Defa Dude Ranch road….
SPLASH DAM collapsed…..it would have never worked anyway–to wash logs down the rugged canyon with two many snags along the way.
What remains of the lake.

Clossed due to “snow,”  but not much in sight,  so I suspect it won’t be long before being opened to the Trailhead.  I’ll investigate with the Forest Service and post an update here on Monday, June 6th. 
NOW TO THE ……..
MIRROR LAKE SCENIC BYWAY

FIRST STOP….always at the PROVO RIVER FALLS, which
is a raging stream with the shirt-sleeve warm weather melting the snow rapidly!


The lakes along the highway have ice breaking up quickly…above looking north towards Mt. Watson….and below turning around and looking south..
Bald Mountain Pass still with around 24′ of snow.

The panorama a little further along shows quite a bit of snow from Hayden Peak on the left, to Mt. Agassiz.

Above the east side of Mt. Baldy…..and below we see through the trees Mirror Lake still iced over, but it will go quickly with our continued hot weather.
Below, Pass Lake………
……..as we begin the climb up to Butterfly Lake and Hayden Pass.

Butterfly Lake…..above.
On Hayden Pass and the entrance to the famous HIGHLINE TRAIL, there are still a couple of feet of snow, so it will likely be 2-3 weeks before we can head east on the trail.

My bet, is on the GRANDADDY TRAIL from the Grand View Trailhead–in no longer than two weeks…….even the road to that trailhead likely open within a week, but with a wet trail to Hades Pass and to the Grandaddies.  My plan is to head to the Grandaddies first on June 25th for a 4-5 day backpack….to start getting in shape for my big objective:  “LITTLE ANDY LAKE” in July.

UPDATE: March 12, 2016..STRATEGY FOR DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE..BE 80–LOOK LIKE 60–FEEL LIKE 30!

NOTE:  None of the photographs  can be used  without written permission from Cordell Andersen.  

EMAIL:  cordellandersen@hotmail.com

You should all be aware of special Facebook Page

 Cordell Andersen Photography, and the STORE
where many of my photographs from the High Uintas are available. 


FORGIVE MY ABSENCE, BUT….
**************************
In June I’ll get back to the High Uintas Wilderness Project
….not to worry–Wed. May 13th…there’s still 40″ of snow on Bald Mt. Pass….but
WOLF CREEK PASS IS NOW OPEN


For May I’m working like a slave on the 
GUATEMALAN FOUNDATION
(http://www.guatemalanfoundation.org/)
1973-76 HISTORICAL REVIEW “AMBUSHED but WON ANYWAY….sort of!”
& SOON WILL HAVE THIS
MOST CRITICAL PERIOD DONE & ONLINE
<<<Will be printed for recent contributors & donors for whom we have no email>>>
Then a few days later the Photo/Essay in English & Spanish
***********************************
In spite of having had Pneumonia, I’m training for the 
International Half Marathon in Coban on May 22nd,
but now beginning my 81st year it’s going slow…..
…..maybe without enough time remaining,
but will be in Guatemala
May 18-30th!

FLASH! 
 An Old friend….has doubts about me!  
Check it out at the end of this  post 


Click below for previous post of choice for 2015:

NEW UPDATE: January 29, 2016: 

 IN THE …STRATEGY SECTION

UPDATE:  October 19, 2015
My effort to get to “Little Andy Lake” going up Henry’s Fork…failed…. as I was ambushed by a silent killer…check the photo/essay for important details that can SAVE LIVES!  Here are explained the outcome & future plans as….. 

…I WON’T GIVE UP…EASILY!

I’M GOING TO DO IT IN 2016 WHEN I’M 80 YEARS OLD! Read on to see how.


Normal backpacking must continue–as it has so far held at bay the “peripheral neuropathy” that was trying to cripple me….and of course also “old age,” so…
you’ll have to wait a while longer for me “to grow old!”
  So have to  keep alive, and in shape..
….for at least ONE MORE YEAR,  and so I’ll continue to scare the heck out of the residents of American Fork by walking around for the next 9 months with what some of them think is a 40 lb.  “explosive vest,” like you see below.  I’ll do my darndest to make the third attempt “the charm!”
Click below for important discovery & solution

MY STRATEGY FOR
–Giving hope to this old geezer– 
DOING 
“THE IMPOSSIBLE”
1.  Work out every day, no matter  the weather conditions- – From Feb. on prepare for the International Half Marathon mentioned next, plus get ready for backpacking…so, the program now is, in addition to “compound weight exercise training,”  & the special “Carb Nite Diet,” designed to lose only fat (20 lbs. of it) while building muscle, and workout  every day with 40 lb. weighted vest, doing a type of “interval training,” by jogging/walking beginning  with 30 yards….then walk 30 yards, gradually increasing repetitions…up to 25, then increase… 
NOTE: The first time my legs were sore.  
>Then lengthen distance to 50, and now (3/12) 100 yards per repetition, 
NOTE:  Now not experiencing any  soreness as I increase distances & repetitions.  
>Continue to gradually increase repetitions, lengthen the distances, and pick up the pace until down to target weight of 150-55 lbs.  (by end of March).
THEORY:  I would always see overweight guys and gals get to the finish line….some ahead of me!  They had to have incredible muscles under all that fat.  So I’m working on building those kinds of muscles with the 40 lbs. of weighted vest.  Soon I will have lost 20-25 lbs. of fat, while building muscle….then with 20 lbs. less body weight, and taking off the vest, I will essentially be 60 lbs. lighter, but with new muscle–and be able to fly, and then turn to more normal training and be ready for the race, and also backpacking.

2.  The DAILY WORKOUT now, as explained in 1. includes getting ready to compete with the Kenyans….after an 8 year layoff, in the  International Half Marathon in Coban, Guatemala on May 22nd….and be the only 80 year old to do it….SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS from the GUATEMALAN FOUNDATION website.
3.  Get rid of the “bread belly,” as explained above–  and be down to my weight at 30 yrs. old

4.  Apply faithfuly all the secrets  in my ANTI-AGING CHALLENGE 
              Be 80, look like 60, and feel like 30!

5.  Backpacking gear will basically be the same as I believe I have the optimum, except I will use light weight trail running shoes.
6.  Reduction of weight strategies will include: 
      a. Photo equipment weight reduction as used in the Henry’s Fk. backpack, reducing 4 lbs. from normal photo waist pack & equipment,  and 2 lbs. reduction with no tripod…total reduction 6 lbs.
       b. No backpack stove/butane, reducing 1 lb.  ;  
       c. Food will  all be high protein/fat/high energy  drinks, plus supplements/vitamin/minerals  only requiring adding water–no cooking, reducing 5 lbs. for 8 days;  Note:  Of course I’ll have fail-proof fire starter, aluminum foil & salt shaker…. to cook fish if needed.
     d. No Colt .45 Defender, reduction:  2 lbs. (no need in a high traffic area)

TOTAL REDUCTION OF WEIGHT FROM NORMAL LOAD FOR 
8 DAY BACKPACK = 14 lbs.
That will have my total load around 35 lbs. for 8 days, which, for me, essentially includes  my Nikon camera with 28mm to 300mm zoom & fish-eye lenses.

7. Sufficient food to make possible ample time for high altitude acclimatization…. enough for at least 8 days to not only  make it to “Little Andy Lake,” but also achieve exploration of George Beard Basin, & fishing one more time in Beard Lake, and U-75 where I have hooked record brook trout, plus maybe one more try at Cliff Lake and “the alligator-like swirl” attempt at my lure–the greatest ever experienced in fresh water–in “the Land Northward”…… from a native cutthroat trout.
NOTE:  The greatest was by a huge largemouth black bass in a lake near where I lived for 35 years in Guatemala.  Later in the same area a 27 lb. black bass was taken with a spear gun, and weighed at a friend’s store.  I imagine it was the one that went after my lure, but missed, which if caught on fishing gear would easily have been a World Record!

8. Prescription “Diamox” to help accelerate acclimatization;  

9.  Extra supplements to strengthen my body’s  ability to handle stress and altitude .
10.  Always have emergency survival items like:
*****Satellite phone*****SPOT Tracker****** 
Emergency Medical items for heart emergencies emergency antibiotic, etc.
  
11. Last, but not least, my buddy Ted Packard insists on going with me.  I think he’s afraid I’m just getting too old for this kind of youthful stuff, and thinks he will become famous by SAVING ME!  But…..he’s older than me….so who will be saving who?
His son MIKE, is also going….likely having doubts about
both of us old geezers!
KEEP IN TOUCH TO SEE HOW FUNNY THIS ENDS!

FINAL NOTE:  I’m already planning, doing my topo maps, for the backpacks I’ll do this summer, after getting to Little Andy Lake….so tune in to see my 
2016 QUIXOTIC TRAIL!
As you can see this area is all above timberline so I will likely have to wait until  mid-July as otherwise a lake at 12,302 ft. would be frozen over still.
Let me know what you think….in the meantime….
****
From the Guatemalan Foundation website:

Last of all the ANNOUNCEMENT
The successful flurry of donation activity at the end of 2015 is making possible the foundation doing something that was one for quite a few years, after we returned o the U.S. in 2002, but not possible in recent years.  I’m referring to an “INSPECTION TRIP” to Guatemala each year, which also made possible me participating in the Coban International Half Marathon in May–completing 14 consecutive years of competing against the Kenyans, Ethiopians, & Moroccans.
That’s of course a joke….but I did always make it to the finish line. 
The race has grown incredibly from 2,500 runners to now around 15,000, an incredible sight of color filling the narrow streets of Coban.
I will represent the Guatemala Foundation and be the oldest, at 80, who is a “cancer & heart attack survivor,” with  3 screws holding together his “football ankle,”   titanium jerry-rigging his “motorcyle knee” and a titanium hip…..and will have the Kenyans quaking in their running shoes!   Likely, “Quaking” with laughter!
I will be able to say “hello and goodbye” to all of our thousands of brothers and sisters, who we have served to the best of our ability, and return with video and photographs to produce an interesting YouTube video, or two, as well as a few interesting newsletters to make  complete our…..

THE RESULTS?
I had an incredible 12 days in Guatemala, which reports will begin to appear on http://www.guatemalanfoundation.org/  beginning late today, June 5th.  But the race? Results sent to me via email:
.….but, in the interest of “full disclosure” I have to stick to a vow made when young to never say vulgar words or lies to a woman!
So, the truth is that I tried a week before to see if I was ready, and came up 5 miles short (of the 13 miles), so decided I couldn’t risk it….and gave my number to a young friend, David Barrientos,  who did the time mentioned above, who you see above:
But, I was there and took  video and photos………of the 15,000 runners & 100,000 spectators…….


 ……and  the men’s winner from Kenya, who has won here 4 times in a row…….
……and the woman champion also from Kenya……

……and my dear friend Inque Chavarria, we see above,  who did well again as he has done for many years. As well as my son Lito’s (CordeLITO Ammon), father-in-law Edgar Pacay (Diana’s father), we see below when we visited him in his home in Coban, who did it in 2:08 


BUT….watching it I couldn’t help but think…..with my body all reconstructed and now without pain for the first time in 30 years,  “I CAN DO THIS…..SO MY TRAINING HAS BEGUN ALREADY FOR 2017 when I’ll be in my 82nd year!”
So my supposed final “ADIOS,” turned into an 
“HASTA LUEGO” to all my dear Guatemalan friends.

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY YEAR