Uinta Highline - Part 3 - [9/5/23]

An image of snow capped mountains in the distance. In the foreground is a forest with a lake in the middle.

9/1 - Day 1: McKee Draw to East Park Reservoir (4.48 miles, +1150' / -340')
9/2 - Day 2: East Park Reservoir to Manila Park (7.94 miles, +1385' / -539')
9/3 - Day 3: Manila Park to Leidy Peak TH (14.05 miles, +2420' / -1244')
9/4 - Day 4: Leidy Peak TH to Sharlee Lake (14.13 miles, +2122' / -2450')
9/5 - Day 5: Sharlee Lake to Painter Basin (19.2 miles, +3186' / -2775')
9/6 - Day 6: Painter Basin to Paradise Lake (17.65 miles, +3291' / -3285')
9/7 - Day 7: Paradise Lake to Ledge Lake (11.96 miles, +2804' / -3110')
9/8 - Day 8: Ledge Lake to Hayden Pass TH (14.49 miles, +2657' / -3138')

Day 5: Sharlee Lake to Painter Basin

(19.2 miles, +3186' / -2775')

We woke up at Sharlee Lake cold and damp. The layer of frost covering our tents and campsite glistened white in the 8:00 AM sunlight. It was the coldest night of the trip so far, with a low of 36-ish degrees per my Thermodrop thermometer. We packed up slowly, putting on our wet socks and frozen shoes, then began our ascent towards North Pole Pass.

I complete “preparation” of my daylight meals in my tent as I pack-up. Various granola bars and a liquid IV to start the morning, then a cold-soaked PackIt Gourmet meal with crackers for lunch. Snacks/junk food for the afternoon.

Morning at Sharlee Lake.

We enjoyed the sun as this was the first blue-sky morning of the entire trip. Although we had a taste of sunshine the day prior, we were finally hiking above the meadows and treeline, so the views, finally not obscured by fog or clouds, really started to open up. After stopping for a quick break at a rocky outlook, we pushed to the base of North Pole Pass.

Climbing above the treeline towards North Pole Pass.

My reliable ULA Ohm 2.0, contrasted with my (unreliable) Hoka Torrent 2s.

Hiking-wise, North Pole Pass was my favorite on the UHT. The elevation gain was extremely gradual and pleasant, and Taylor Lake to the south provided a constant view. There were proper switchbacks up the pass itself, with numerous passings over a stream - no water carry required!

Taylor Lake, though slightly off trail, looked like a beautiful place to camp. If you’re searching for a 2-3+ night section of the trail, North Pole Pass via Chepeta Lake entry seems like a great choice.

Taylor Lake from the base of North Pole Pass.

The North Pole climb itself. No false peak here.

The top of North Pole Pass was spectacular. Snow-capped peaks lined the horizon, framing the trail as it disappeared into the lake-dotted valley below. A strong flow of water descended adjacent to the trail, forming short waterfalls out of the rock. For some of us, this was best vista of the trip. Like the ascent, the descent was gradual. Unlike the ascent, it was filled with shale-y and fist-sized boulders/rocks. It was during this descent that my Hoka Torrent 2’s really started to fail. I was experiencing full-blown separation of the tread. I figured that as long as the sole fully didn’t delaminate, I’d be OK.

Looking at Brooks, Fox, and Crescent Lake in the valley below.

Barney on the descent.

It was good we soaked in the views at North Pole Pass, because we were about to start my least favorite part of the trail: the forest following Fox Lake Dam. From noon to sunset, outside of a quick gear dry-out and meal break at 2:00 PM, we navigated the rocky forest. We’d occasionally lose the trail and have to check our GPS, but the path was well defined for the most part. The terrain was somewhat challenging and taking a wrong step often meant your foot would slip into deep mud or marshy standing water. Barney was starting to feel pain in his ankle, and morale felt lower as we realized we still had many hours of hiking ahead of us. From a meadow clearing just past Fox Lake all the way to Gilbert Creek, no more than 25 words were spoken (all of which were along the lines of “is this the trail?”).

The McKee Draw “dry” section has nothing on this part. Maybe it was the cumulative mileage adding up, but this section seemed far harder in all aspects. Horse tracks really helped me maintain orientation of the trail.

Target acquired.

The single photo I took during this section. The trail wasn’t exceptionally hard to follow, but it did disappear into the trees often.

We finally reached Painter Basin at sunset. It was windy and cold with temperatures creeping towards the 40s the moment the sun started to dip. We experienced the ‘best’ sunset of the trip here, an intense yellow-orange glow illuminating the clouds above Anderson Pass and Kings Peak. We were tired and searching (poorly) for a flat campsite. We had hiked almost 20 miles, which ended up being the longest day of the trip.

We struggled to find an ideal camp, so we chose a relatively flat, off-trail area underneath some trees on the south side of the meadow. The wind picked up, there was some rain that night, and the ground was lumpy, but I slept well. I knew the 3 passes of the next day were going to be tough.

Sunset over Painter Basin. I was really hoping for some splashes of pink.

Image of three hikers walking in a valley. It is dark, but there are some lightly orange clouds because the sun just set.

The group was really spent.

Uinta Highline Trail - Part 2 - [9/4/23]

9/1 - Day 1: McKee Draw to East Park Reservoir (4.48 miles, +1150' / -340')
9/2 - Day 2: East Park Reservoir to Manila Park (7.94 miles, +1385' / -539')
9/3 - Day 3: Manila Park to Leidy Peak TH (14.05 miles, +2420' / -1244')
9/4 - Day 4: Leidy Peak TH to Sharlee Lake (14.13 miles, +2122' / -2450')
9/5 - Day 5: Sharlee Lake to Painter Basin (19.2 miles, +3186' / -2775')
9/6 - Day 6: Painter Basin to Paradise Lake (17.65 miles, +3291' / -3285')
9/7 - Day 7: Paradise Lake to Ledge Lake (11.96 miles, +2804' / -3110')
9/8 - Day 8: Ledge Lake to Hayden Pass TH (14.49 miles, +2657' / -3138')

Day 4: Leidy Peak/Highline TH to Sharlee Lake

(14.13 miles, +2122' / -2450')

The storm ramped up again at 5:00 AM and by 7:00, the thunder was in full swing. These strikes sounded far closer, and far louder. Soon the thunderous rain transitioned to pea-sized hail, then to snow, which for the most part, failed to stick.

I ordered a Deluxe Forecast on my InReach, which estimated a storm till 1:00 PM. As I looked out my tent at 8:45 AM, I saw blue in the horizon and called for us to get hiking. We broke camp and hit the dirt by 9:00 AM, opting for the northern route around Mt. Leidy. The other group of 3 UHT’ers broke camp at the same time and took the southern route. Despite the weather, light drizzle and 15mph winds, spirits were high. The storm left a dusting of snow and the trail finally began to feel like a ‘highline.’

Cromwell’s tent held up through the storm.

As we climbed higher towards Mt. Leidy, the drizzle turned to snow and the winds grew heavier. Before long we were in low-visibility conditions as we walked in the clouds. We stopped to put our Sawyer filters in our pockets, put on extra layers, and to remind everyone: stay close, communicate if you’re feeling too cold, and hike fast. My layers performed excellently. My KUIU Peloton 97 insulated while the Versalite kept me dry and blocked the wind. I looked down to see my Patagonia pants’ DWR beading off the melted snow. Everyone was good, minus cold fingers.

Navigation became more difficult as visibility plummeted: the cairns couldn’t be seen and the trail was covered in snow. We used our sense of the contours, plus occasional GPS to check our work, to get us to the base of Gabbro/Lake Wilde.

Don’t forget to hydrate.

Looking up at Gabbro Pass, we noted the huge snow field blocking the typical switchback to the top. We waited for the snow to stop, and at 12:00 PM, began our ascent. As we neared the snowfield, it was obvious that the only choice would be to down climb it or scramble over the top. We were prepared to down climb, as we noted a solo pair of footsteps in the snow doing just that. By this time, the other group of 3 hikers caught up to us and decided to scramble over. Watching them climb, we determined we had the capability to follow their lines.

Julian and Barney scrambling over the snowfield. I think it was firmly a Class 3 scramble, but Class 4 moves may be required if you choose the wrong line.

The view from the top of Gabbro Pass, Lake Wilde pictured center. Mt. Leidy is obscured by the clouds.

We followed cairns and descended down to Deadman Lake in high spirits. Gathered there were all the UHT’ers who had just walked through the storm: our group of 4, the group of 3 we followed over Gabbro, a duo, and the solo hiker we were leapfrogging the day before. Minus the solo hiker, we’d see each group only one more time, as we overtook them, then not at all.

Looking back to the pass we just descended from.

The climb out of Deadman Lake.

The hike past Whiterocks was pleasant and our feet welcomed the soft plushy dirt. As we left the lake, the dirt turned to mud, then to marsh. The meadows were inundated with water and it was impossible to keep our socks dry, even as the clouds lifted to create a hot 70+ degree day. We pushed on past Chepeta; past the pit toilet and a hunting party making camp, finally making it to Sharlee Lake at sunset.

Chepeta Lake seemed like a great trailhead. The well maintained gravel road must be accessible by low clearance 2WD vehicles because we saw a Dodge Caravan unloading camping gear when we got there. Should be a nice spot for a resupply or rendezvous with a friend if they’re willing to make the drive.

Hiking with minimal trail and hopping (literally, to avoid ankle deep puddles) from cairn to cairn was typical.

The beautiful valley Chepeta Lake was in.

Sharlee Lake at sunset.

Uinta Highline Trail - Part 1 - [9/1/23 - 9/3/23]

9/1 - Day 1: McKee Draw to East Park Reservoir (4.48 miles, +1150' / -340')
9/2 - Day 2: East Park Reservoir to Manila Park (7.94 miles, +1385' / -539')
9/3 - Day 3: Manila Park to Leidy Peak TH (14.05 miles, +2420' / -1244')
9/4 - Day 4: Leidy Peak TH to Sharlee Lake (14.13 miles, +2122' / -2450')
9/5 - Day 5: Sharlee Lake to Painter Basin (19.2 miles, +3186' / -2775')
9/6 - Day 6: Painter Basin to Paradise Lake (17.65 miles, +3291' / -3285')
9/7 - Day 7: Paradise Lake to Ledge Lake (11.96 miles, +2804' / -3110')
9/8 - Day 8: Ledge Lake to Hayden Pass TH (14.49 miles, +2657' / -3138')

Day 0-1: SMF to DEN / Logistics & Travel

Travel logistics can be the hardest thing when planning a short point-to-point thruhike like the UHT, especially if you’re tackling it as a group. Luckily, with Cromwell in Salt Lake City and Julian in Denver, the trailhead situation worked itself out quite nicely.

  • On the east side, (1) Barney and I would fly into Denver, then (2) Julian would drive us to McKee Draw TH (trail start).

  • On the west side, (1) Cromwell would drive from SLC to Hayden Pass TH (terminus), then (2) take a shuttle to meet us at McKee.

  • Upon trail completion at Hayden Pass TH, we’d (1) take Julian back to McKee via Cromwell’s car, then (2) head back to Denver and Salt Lake City, respectively.

Pre-trail travel went as planned. Mountain Trails Transport based out of Vernal, were professional, very communicative, and punctual. For a relatively affordable $200, they shuttled Cromwell to McKee Draw by noon-ish, where he waited for me, Barney, and Julian to arrive.

Flying over the Sierra Nevada. Snow on the peaks still in September!

Food preparation on Julian’s kitchen counter.

The McKee Draw Trailhead has no water spigot or trash service, though there is a pit toilet. There were several RVs camped with their OHVs, but there was easily enough space to tent camp if needed. At the trailhead parking itself, there was one other car (per Cromwell’s shuttle driver, they were also on the UHT). Note, there was also a significant amount of broken car glass in the lot, and we did notice a vehicle on cinder blocks (stolen wheels) near the trailhead turnout, so beware. If you need water, there’s a stream (Cart Creek) about 1/4th mile on the UHT that had good flow. We hit the trail at about 4-5:00 PM.

Day 1: McKee Draw to East Park Reservoir

(4.48 miles, +1150' / -340')

The short hike to East Park Reservoir was a great warmup after long airport queues and longer car rides. This section is best described as cows, cows, and cows. Cow pies were everywhere, and distant 4x4 engines (ATVs, trucks) could be heard & seen across the water. Be sure to filter properly.

With the wind picking up and gusting 20-30mph, we decided to camp in the treeline.

Looking south to East Park Reservoir.

Cromwell’s budget Naturehike Taga 2, setup among tree blow down. The treeline would provide great cover for the intense wind gusts that night.

Day 2: East Park Reservoir to Manila Park

(7.94 miles, +1385' / -539')

A picture of a lone backpacker crossing a meadow. The grass is a golden yellow, and there's a green treeline in the distance. The sky is dark and overcast.

Barney crossing Lonesome Meadow.

Though this first section from McKee to Leidy Peak is typically described as a dry section, I saw dozens of sources saying that Manila Park reliably has water. The shuttle driver also confirmed this, and gave us the exact coordinates of the stream (40.80710, -109.63172). Once you hit Manila Park, following the treeline south and you’ll eventually hit it.

Stream at Manila Park.

With two of us coming from sea level, and me being sensitive to elevation, we intentionally planned for an easy first 3 days in order to acclimate. I hike in the Sierra often and I know that I need 3 days @ 9,000’ - 10,000’ in order to start tackling 12,000’ passes. Manila Park is located perfectly for this and it breaks up a potential large water carry.

Sunset over Manila Park.

Day 3: Manila Park to Leidy Peak/Highline TH

(14.05 miles, +2420' / -1244')

Another very easy day, with very gradual and steady climbs. The trail was relatively well marked and we did lose it several times, but never by much. The weather was foggy with occasional light drizzle, so I wore my Montbell Versalite (pit zips open) for most of the day. We played leapfrog with one solo hiker who was also doing the UHT.

Highlights include the view of Leidy Peak from Trout Creek Peak and the giant meadow of Summit Park.

Much of this first section looks exactly like this.

Looking toward Leidy Peak from the Trout Creek Peak area.

A moment of hot sunshine as we crossed Summit Park. We found deep (cow) puddles in the meadow, if you’re in a pinch for water.

Our initial plan for this day was to camp at Hacking Lake. When we made it there by 3:00 PM, it was filled with cars, OHVs, and RV campers. People were blasting music, and it was just too crowded for our taste. We opted to fill up water, then walk back to the UHT.

We ended up setting up tents near the Leidy Peak TH just as it started to rain. The dirt road trailhead (off of FR043) had half a dozen or so vehicles parked at it (lowest clearance vehicle was a RAV4), and we had a group of 3 UHT’ers, plus two hunters, camping in the vicinity. This would be a good UHT start point if you choose to skip the McKee Draw section of the hike.

Waiting out the storm. The sun peeked out for a moment at sunset.

The rain turned into an all-out storm by midnight with intense winds, cracking thunder, and hail. The falling ice rattled droplets off the interior of my Zpacks Plex Solo, causing condensation to drizzle down on my sleeping bag. It was loud enough to keep me awake, but I managed to keep dry and warm with occasional wipe-downs of my single-walled DCF tent.

An interior image of a wet tent. It's dark and blurry, but a flashlight reveals some dampness in the tent wall.

A stormy night in my Plex Solo.