Last week we went out for a few days. I injured my toe a couple days before it so we kept things low key. Managed to get some decent views in either way:
this post was submitted on 30 Aug 2023
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Overnight backcountry backpacking/hiking in the spirit of taking less and doing more. Ask yourself: do I really need that?
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This looks familiar, so I'm curious, where was it?
It's in the Collegiates.
Huh, that's so interesting! I have not hiked there, but that picture looks incredibly similar to some areas in Idaho. Thanks!
I definitely need to do some hiking in Idaho. The Sawtooths are there, correct?
Did a single night trip in the Tetons on the Green Lake/Granite basin loop on Labor Day weekend with my husband+dog and my friend who is a casual backpacker. Got rained on like crazy on the second day, part of the same storm system that gave Miles grief.
I go about once a year with this friend, and I really don't know if I will do it again. I'm basically an unpaid guide for her, and she doesn't have the same stamina/conditioning as me and DrBohr. Worse, she doesn't seem to understand how dangerous conditions can actually arise and how sometimes you have to hike fast, get uncomfortable, and get out back to safety. We estimated we would be out before noon on day 2 and would miss the worst rain, and I communicated these concerns and considerations... but we were so slow (and I built in more time!) that we got slammed with rain the last four miles, the trail turned to running streams and thick mud. Thunder was rumbling up high.
I was really mad for a day, and then I realized that I can't blame her for who she is. But I do have to take responsibility as trip "leader" for safety (I do the initial trail planning and navigating on trail - husband is a partner in giving feedback and learning the planned route and executing the plan). I want us to go in, have a great time, and get out safely taking into account conditions. But I don't have the ability to accurately plan a trip with her, especially when our margins of safety go down.
Sorry to hear you got rained on but glad to hear you made it out ok. My wife and I have lost a hiking friend years ago after a harder-than-expected Presidential Traverse with a friend who had gotten badly out of shape. Back then we didnβt really know anything and didnβt realize what we were getting into. But it sounds like you do know what youβre doing; is there an opportunity to limit trips with the casual friend to lower risk endeavors?
That was the trail, and not even the worst of the mud. Wee!
Oof that sounds tough. Sorry you lost a hiking buddy.
Yeah, husband and I talked about limiting to low risk, short endeavors (7 miles max per day) but that makes it quite challenging to do something around here. And we will have to go on bluebird days only, meaning being willing to cancel a planned hike.
Give me a year... I'm sure by then I will be willing to come up with something. Right now I'm still, shall we say, not in the mood.
Welp, got rained/snowed out of the High Uintas just as I was about to go over North Pole Pass, the weather over Labor Day weekend was truly awful with 3+ days of cold rain, thunderstorms and the first snow of the season.
We're seeing the first snows in CO. Trying to plan something this week, but have to figure out where we can go.
P.S. Post some pics when you get a chance!
Does the snow signal the end of the season for you or do you do winter hiking/touring as well? I only got a few decent pictures as my trip was cut short but hereβs some:
Gabbro Pass, with snow still on it end of August. Locals said there may have been as much as 20 feet this past winter.
Locals fishing at Chepeta Lake
Sunset over SLC
My favorite picture of all was completely unrelated to the Uintas or SLC, it was a mother and daughter watching buffalo at Antelope Island State Park:
Sucks the rain/snow came in so hard for your trip. The landscapes in the Uintas are so cool. I do want to get there some time soon. We had an experience like that a couple years ago where rain/snow came in a day earlier than the forecast said and had to turn a loop into an out-and-back. It rained on us for two days straight, our gear wetted out and we got to the brink of hypothermia.
We're expecting snow this week, but I'm not sure how much, so it might not mean anything for the remainder of the season. We might be able to still go to high elevation spots. If the high country is too snowy, we go to lower elevation mountains or maybe high plains canyons.
Crap... I am getting thunderfrozensnowed out of my trip to the Winds I planned this weekend. Should have gone in August...
Oh well. Going to do a short trip to Alaska Basin in the Tetons to test the gear out in slightly less difficult conditions and much less I'll-be-fucked-if-something-goes-wrong outcomes. Husband and I want to test out temperatures down to about 30 F and some rain/snow.
Nice backup π be safe, take pictures and let us know how it goes!
Got out for a few days. Originally planned for 4 days, but Monday's weather was nasty and Friday was supposed to get snow and 50 mph winds, so we cut out part of the route and did 3. We got snowed/sleeted on the first night and woke to a completely glazed over tent. Super fun to clean up before packing up.
The rest of the trip was mostly uneventful beside winds picking up as the trip went on. We saw plenty of wildlife. Moose, elk, owls, bats, pika, a salamander. Someone supposedly saw a wolf there recently. Below is a very fresh mtn goat kill we found up on the ridge line.
We didn't see more than a few people the whole time, but that didn't keep us from having to put out someone's still very alive bed of coals at their campsite. They could've easily taken the 5 minutes to do it as they were less than 100 feet from water. Extremely annoying.
Good trip otherwise. The fall colors were really starting to pop.
Looks nice, great pics! Love hearing about the weather and wildlife, how do salamanders survive up there? Howβd you hear about the wolf sighting? Sad to hear about the fire but itβs all too common.
Thanks. I believe the salamanders burrow under mud and go into a sort of torpor. There are a ton of meadows and marshes. It seems like the area supports a large variety of wildlife.
My SO read about the wolf sighting. We weren't too far from Wyoming, which could explain it. I'm not sure of they've done it yet, but the state was planning on releasing some wolves as well.
Sad to hear about the fire but itβs all too common.
Yes, definitely. UC Boulder did a study and found that 84% of wildfires are human-caused. Nuts.
New John Zahorian video: hiking across oregon on the PCT [no music] [2023]
love the nature shots and the minimal sound, the guy has a tasteful aesthetic
The sound is really nice in this one. Headphones recommended!