On Wednesday, June 28th I explored again the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway and below will compare conditions now compared to two weeks ago, and interestingly to much worse snow/accessibility conditions in 2011.
This was Wednesday, June 28, 2023 — The Bald Mountain Trailhead & parking lot are closed with a big snowdrift blocking the road.
This was two weeks ago, June 16, 2023.
This was June 28, 2011, the Highway not quite open yet with crews working down by the Mirror Lake entrance….scroll down to see that picture.
This was the entrance to the HIGHLINE TRAILHEAD on June 16, 2023.
This is the entrance TODAY, picture taken on June 28, 2023.
There was one big drift between the highway and here–THE TRAILHEAD–someone had plowed threw it opening up the way for me to do it too. There were no parked cars. I checked the register which you see below.
You will notice that there are three entries for 2023. No notation how they did. Three people have checked in this year. No report about how they did. BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT ACCESS TO PACKARD LAKE might be possible as you actually go down to get to Wilder, Wyman and Packard, but OTHERS AS NATURALIST BASIN, Etc. MIGHT BE A BIT DIFFICULT as they are higher. BEST WAIT A FEW DAYS. Call the Kamas Forest Service for up-to-date details: 435-783-4338
HEY, THE TRAIL IS DRY!!! But, don’t be deceived as down the trail there will be snow on the trail. The wildflowers are in bloom, but it was raining so I only got one close-up.
It was raining (with a few snow flakes) most of time in the high country, but I did take one picture at the Trailhead, and a few down in lower country I had not previously photographed as seen below.
Then we come to “THE GATEWAY TO THE GRANDADDDIES” the GRANDVIEW TRAILHEAD. I’ll insert again my picture arriving at the Trailhead finally open on July 7, 2011.
As explained in my previous post, I didn’t do any backpacking then, but just barely got out of there before a washout closed the road and stranded those parked at the Trailhead.
But, now to 2023. At Wolf Creek Pass I could see that the entire North Fork of the Duchesne and Grandaddy area was locked in a very dark, ongoing storm, so decided against going to the Grandview Trailhead, from where I wanted to actually try and hike to the bridge, then the Wilderness sign, and do the following first switchback that is an extremely rocky stretch of the trail that could be an obstacle to me in my condition.
But with the storm I rather called the Duchesne Forest Service (435-735-2482) and learned that road up Hades Canyon is open to the Trailhead, and that a few have made it up over Hades Pass (still with some snow) and to the Grandaddies.
This was actually my last backpack into the Grandaddies in 2017 with my original backpack buddy & still brother, Ted Packard, and his son, Mike.
I am still limping along, and doing my darndest to workout daily , every other day in the foothills….and by the way AMAZED EVERY DAY with new VISIONS OF NATURE even in what is actually a desert environment I will report on soon….but, I hope I can do a little hiking and even an overnight backpack in the High Uintas, even though I’ll have to admit that on my two car trips up there to be able to report to all of you, I found that the high elevation had my blood pressure rise a lot, and my oxygen content in blood drop. Life for this old guy is maybe just too complicated, but I’ll keep moving as best I can, and always be supportive of all of you HIGH UINTA FRIENDS!
ONE MORE THING…..an important and WONDERFUL VISION of NATURE I wanted to see one more time was: THE NATIVE CUTTHROAT SPAWN in the 3 small creeks that empty into Grandaddy Lake’s western shorre….from ice out to perhaps the first week in July. I’ll insert a few photos of this amazing event:
LASTLY, perhaps the MOST IMPORTANT for HIGH UINTA LOVERS, what some are calling THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE HIGH UINTA MOUNTAINS….
Get the book to make your adventuring more enjoyable, inspiring, and SAFE!
Since publishing online my digital book only one backpacker’s life has been lost, and HE DIDN’T HAVE MY BOOK! Several have emailed me thanking my book for SAVING THEIR LIVES!
Link to info on the menu of the opening page, ignoring a little the beginning of what you see, and continue getting to what you need to do. Maybe best include it below the picture:
For a digital copy for your computer send me $20 along with your email address so I can send you the link to download it (a $20 bill will be fine as we can trust the mails here north of Latin America):
Cordell Andersen, 444 Elm St., American Fork, Utah 84003
As soon as I receive it I will email you the link along with permission to share the link with one other person.
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