While on the Tie Hack Tour I noticed a Toyota pickup full of tough backpackers looking for something. They eventually followed me into the unmarked road (just east of Steel Ck.) to the Hewinta Guard Station. I stopped to hike into the Steel Creek Commissary tie hack site when they pulled up. One came tumbling out and introduced himself as “High Uinta Friend Nick Gough!” From my website he knew I would be on the North Slope, and we found each other. They were looking for the little known and even less used West Fork Smith’s Fork Trailhead to head to Bald Lake–as suggested by my trip there in 2008 (Trip #5-2008). Later at the Trailhead I got their picture. The register pages were unmarked–and soaking wet, so it looked like they would be the first into the area for 2011.
Nick is second from the left. On the far left is Matt Jenkins, then to the right, Scott Jenkins and Andrew Larson. They will be coming out today, Saturday, August 6th, and get me their report that I will post here.
Tune in to KSL OUTDOORS Radio online each Saturday morning from 6:00-8:00 a.m.
On their website you can go to the Podcast of your choice. My report today can be listened to at 41:58 at PODCAST (Recap Of The State Parks Road Trip /Great Fishing In August/Cordell Andersen /Fish Bytes)