Hiking: Deseret Peak a challenge, but well worth it

Today I went hiking to the top of Deseret Peak with my brother, Mike Roe, and his son Lawson. It was a great day to keep putting one foot in front of the other until that objective was reached.
We knew starting out that our vistas weren't going to be all that great, due to the vast amount of smoke in the air caused by all the wildfires in the west. Wasatch and Uinta Ranges in the north, and  the red rock areas of the south.

Smoky views obscured the vistas

Still you can tell how Beautiful it is on a clear day.

Still, the forest around us is beautiful, really in many ways, an untapped resource for Utahns and others who remain focused mostly on the
Along the way we saw several deer. And there were tons of butterflies and colorful moths flitting around. That was really the extent of the wildlife. Some flowers remained in bloom though it was obvious that we were past the prime season. Dry, hot summers shorten the season for Beautiful blossoms. Still, the plentiful butterflies found the remaining blooms and though the flowers were fewer, the missing color was made up for by the colorful wings of the insects.

The butterflies and moths were finding plenty of blossoms.

Winding down the season with spectacular shows.

Due to some health issues we assume were related to altitude, we were fairly slow getting to the top. We made it though, and that's the important thing.  We hung around for a while and signed a log book that is tucked inside an ammo can up on top. There were three women who had played leapfrog with us along the way and when I started looking for a good rock to use as a tripod so I could take a picture of the three of us, one of the women was gracious enough to snap the shot. The way she handled the camera, she seemed like a pro. I thought the shots she took were all good.

Stunning flowers still remain, but not for much longer.

Mike (L) and Lawson (R) taking a breather.

This huge meadow extends along much of the trail.

Fabulous vistas to the north.

The saddle. From here it's about a mile to the top.

She did a great job of capturing the shot, don't you think?

We made it down in about half the time it took us to get up. We got a little worn out by the time we were done, but all in all it was an excellent adventure.

Lupines as we neared the top

For a full report on what the trail is like, visit my earlier post on Deseret Peak here: clickety-click

Hiking: South Willow Canyon

One of my goals this year in hiking was to explore the Stansbury Mountain Range a bit more. In particular, there is a road called "Mining Fork Road" that I have been wanting to find out about. In 2016 I had been on the road twice, but never to either end of it. Thus, I had no idea if I could drive it, and I only found out recently where I would end up if I did. In my travels around the area, I had yet to find the beginning of the road, so I thought the best way to do that, would be to get on it on foot and follow it.
To do that, I had to head up to Medina Flat Trailhead in South Willow Canyon. The Medina Flat Trailhead is part of the Stansbury Front Trail system.

Nice views of the Oquirrh Range to the east

The surrounding peaks with their snow cover were Beautiful

Another couple of miles up the road from the turnoff to Medina Flat is the Loop Campground and that's where the trailhead to Deseret Peak is located. Another one I'd like to do again and soon.
I arrived about 8:30 and began my hike. The weather was cloudy, and the trail was muddy from the recent snowstorm we had. Most of the snow was melted off the trail leaving a gooey mess in places that clung to the soles of my hiking shoes and added at least a pound to each shoe. As soon as I got to a less muddy spot, I scraped off my shoes. It reminded me of the days of my youth when I had gone on a summer camp as a Boy Scout, which included hiking in for about 27 miles. Luckily we had pack animals. However, on the day we hiked out, we had to deal with mud left over from a torrential downpour the day before, and the huge slaps that accumulated on the soles of our boots. I don't think I have ever been so tired at the end of a hike!
Today's hike wasn't like that and served only as a reminder of things of the past. There were also more pleasant memories of this trail that I decided to spend time thinking about. Like the time the wildflowers were in full bloom which is depicted in the main picture with me in it at the top of my blog.
Probably about 1/2 mile along this trail, it goes down into a canyon and crosses Mining Fork Road. I had already decided that this month I would follow it to the east to try and discover where the road began and to determine if I could get on it somewhere in my vehicle. There were tire tracks on it, so I was hopeful. I was planning on coming back again later on in the year when the snow has melted to find the end of the road. I have already found out that it ends at South Willow Lake, but have yet to visit that lake.
I headed east on the road and it went out to a point which was the furthest I had been on it in the past. There is a fabulous view from this point. The overcast sky made the view not quite as spectacular as it could have been, but it was still Beautiful. Great views of the Great Salt Lake, Stansbury Island, and Antelope Island were to be had from this and  many other vantage points along the route.

The northern edge of the Oquirrhs and the Great Salt Lake

Visible in the haze, the Great Salt Lake, Stansbury Island, and Antelope Island

At that point the road switchbacks to the west and heads down. I followed it for maybe a mile and another switchback or two before it settled in on top of the ridge between South Willow Canyon and North Willow Canyon. At this point the sun began peeking out a bit now and then, but it still remained largely overcast.

There are a lot of interesting geological formations and rock specimens in the area.

Picturesque peaks of the Stansbury Range

I couldn't figure out what this was. Mining stuff maybe?

I followed it for another mile down the ridge before running into a "No Trespassing" sign. At this point I could see the main road going up South Willow Canyon down below and since I didn't want to trespass, I headed down the mountainside, through the junipers and sliding scree. About fifty feet above the main road, I found a nice rock to take home to Ann and I took it with me the rest of the way. I got down to the road, put the rock down where I could find it, as it was too big to carry back to the trailhead,  and began the two mile walk back up the road to where the 4Runner was parked at Medina Flat.

This photogenic truck was parked at one of the cabins.

I had come down near the cabin area and a guy was outside working at one of the cabins and came over and talked to me a bit. I told him about where I had been and the "No Trespassing" sign and how I had decided to come down the mountain.

Later on, when I was just about back to the vehicle, an older guy in a Jeep pulled over and talked to me, asking me where I'd been. I told him the same thing I'd told the other guy and he said "that's my niece's property". I said, "Oh, okay." We then spent a few minutes talking about whether or not I'd seen any deer or turkeys up there. I hadn't, but I'd seen tracks of both, and I mentioned that I had seen a couple of turkey hunters on Mining Fork Road a couple of years ago. He said that both the turkeys and deer had been a bit scarce up there the last year or so. We said our good-byes and I took a couple of pics then got into my vehicle and drove home. Disappointed that I hadn't accomplished my goal of finding the eastern end of the road, and still not sure if there was a way to get on it without crossing private land, but thrilled that I had had another great  adventure. We always discover something even though it's not always what we had planned on discovering. Today was one of those days, but I would be back for more adventure and more discovery in the weeks and months to come.

There's always more adventure to come.

Hiking: It's warming up, and time for some nice weather hiking!

I generally don't let bad weather deter me from hiking.

My October hike to the Notch in the Uintas yielded shots like this one.

That being said, once it starts warming up, my eyes light up as I start thinking about the hikes I'm wanting to do sometime between now and next time the snow flies. I never get to do all of them, but one can always dream, can't one?
There are several trips I'd like to make this year. I'll be doing an unscheduled one this month, so I won't count that one. Most of the ones I want to do this year require the snow to be pretty much gone. In May, I'm going up into the Stansbury Mountains to follow a road/trail called "Mining Fork Road". I was on it a couple of times in 2016 and never followed it all the way up. It ends at South Willow Lake, which I'd really love to see. I also want to follow the road down as far as it goes, because I've been unable to locate where someone might get on it and drive partway then hike the rest. So, that's on the agenda. Whether that will take one day or two, remains to be seen.

On the trail to the top of Deseret Peak in the Stansburys

Second on the list is the Pfeifferhorn. It has been on my list for a number of years and I haven't ever made it.
There are a number of other peaks that I have climbed before, but would like to do again. If I do them though, I want to do them with someone this time. I've been a solo hiker for a long time, simply because of my schedule, but I'm wanting to share the experience with others on these peaks. The peaks are Timpanogos, Nebo, and Deseret Peak. I also wouldn't mind doing the relatively easy hike to the top of Baldy in the Uintas if someone were to tag along.

Some of my best hiking partners are my grandkids.

But I also like taking other family members and friends along.

Of course, I'm open to other hikes that aren't as strenuous as the three tougher hikes mentioned above. Hikes to some of the Uinta lakes for a little fishing and relaxation are always part of my agenda.

If I could, I'd do a backpacking trip. I'd really love to go to Red Castle in the Uintas as I have never been there and I've heard a lot of great things about it. One of my friends would really love to go to Kings Peak with me, and I'd do that one again if I could swing the time away from home. My wife. Ann is disabled and hasn't felt comfortable with me going away over multiple nights, or even one night for several years. She has hinted that she might be open to it in the future though, so here's to hoping.

I imagine I'll do my share of solo hiking as well. Maybe up to Silver Glance Lake or elsewhere in the Wasatch. No matter what happens though, it will be great to get out and experience whatever the good Lord allows me to experience. I will be counting each adventure as just a bonus to an already amazing life.

Sometimes ya gotta go it alone if ya want to get out there.

Hiking: Deseret Peak

I have spent some time over the years in Utah's Stansbury Range, but never had I hiked to the top of the highest mountain in it. Deseret Peak towers at 11,035 and is the highest point in Tooele County. It had been on my bucket list, but I had never done it. Yesterday seemed like the right time, so I did it.

The trail begins at the far end of the Loop Campground in South Willow Canyon. After doing the hike, I personally divide it up into three sections. The lower section winds its way up through an evergreen and aspen forest. It is mostly in the shade. The second section begins when you get to a large meadow area. This meadow area continues until up the canyon until you are nearly to the top of the canyon and has a lot of loose, gravel-like rock on it. It wasn't that bad going up, but coming down was killer on this loose rock. This second section ends when you top out on the saddle above the canyon. From that point you can see into Skull Valley to the west. The last section starts here, because the base of Deseret Peak is to your right.

The early morning sunlight was spectacular on the surrounding peaks.

My day began great. The temps were supposed to be high, summer giving one final push to show us who's boss, so I was glad to get up in the mountains. As I made my way up the first section, I was grateful for the shade. I had started at 7:15, and it was nearly 9:00 before I got into the sun. I saw a doe and a Mormon cricket along the trail during this section, and I spent a lot of time taking pictures of both the wildlife (deer, birds, and insects), and scenery on this hike. 

I noticed that most of the wild flowers had died off and much of the plant life was beginning to change color. As I crossed the stream bed of South Willow Creek, it was dry, unlike how it had been when I had been on this trail earlier in the summer. That time, I had turned back because the streak was raging and I didn't want to chance falling in and ruining my camera or phone. About fifteen minutes after crossing the stream bed, I made it to the meadow area. I imagined how green it must have been earlier in the year, and promised myself that I would return sometime to see it.

After crossing the South Willow Creek streambed, you come to a fork in the trail

This Mormon cricket was about three inches long

Topping out on the saddle I was amazed with the views. It was here that I stopped and talked with my Maker, much of it in gratitude for his grace in my life. That's one nice thing about hiking alone is that you can talk to God (if you so desire) to your heart's content. The views were just majestic. I continued on up the last part. I was a little tired, but invigorated. I had seen the last of the wild flowers at about 8500 feet and was surprised to see more after 10,000 feet, but there they were. I also had a large hawk cruise past me along that part of the trail and it was beautiful!

This sign post was at the saddle. The wind was blowing so hard here I had to take off my hat to keep from losing it.

The Antelope Canyon trailhead must be in Skull Valley somewhere. It looked intriguing.

View looking northeast from the saddle.

I spotted this katydid on the final approach to the peak

As I neared the top, I noticed that the trail went right on up, with no scrambling. So this hike, would be suitable for nearly anyone who was in good enough shape to make it, without any worries of having to use your hands to help climb.

Once on top, I took in the amazing 360 degree view. To the southeast, there was something going on at the Tooele Army Depot. They were setting off some charges and I could hear them up there, and see the puffs of smoke in the valley floor.

Explosions in the valle

There were stunning views of Skull Valley, and the nearby peaks and I thought that it would be even more spectacular if the forest fires in the surrounding states and in Utah were out and the haze was gone.

This was another trail coming up to the top from another direction. I told myself that I would one day follow it.

There was a geocache on top, in an ammo can. It was out in the open. There was another container of notes beside it.

I took the time to put an entry in the pages inside the ammo can.

I then ate lunch, took a few pics, and then just sat there. So often I am so involved in trying to get good pictures, that I fail to actually take in the events that are happening. For this reason, I make it a point now to put the camera away and just spend a few minutes absorbing what I'm seeing.

After about 30-40 minutes, I headed down. When I got to the saddle and started down the middle portion I noticed how tough that loose rock was to negotiate going downhill. By the time the next hour was over, my toes were really feeling it. I finally tightened the laces on my shoes as much as possible and that seemed to help a great deal.

Looking back up toward the saddle. All the yellow is fall coloring, not flowers.

See the bird in the middle of this pic? I still don't know what kind it is.

I made it back to the 4runner at 2:20. It had taken me seven hours, but I had spent a lot of time taking pics (I took 132 shots during the day) and dawdling. I'm pretty sure I could have shaved at least an hour off that time easily.

It was a great hike and one that you should consider doing sometime if you like hiking.

This butterfly paused just long enough for me to get a shot.