WASATCH STOKE, CONDITIONS, OBSERVATIONS and ASSORTED DRIVAL 19-20

[westoxified]

Mt Ogden certainly was a nice place to be this past April.

[Dantheman]

The highway system is great (you can thank the 2002 winter Olympics for getting billions from Feds) and getting places is normally short and fast other than I-15 during rush hour.

Fully agree here. Other than powder day ski traffic and I-15 for a couple hours per day traffic is a non-issue here. Anyone who complains that the Wasatch Front has bad traffic outside of those two specific conditions has clearly never driven in LA, Bay Area, Seattle, DC, NY, etc. That may all change since the population is expected to double in 15-20 years.

It's also worth noting that the air quality issue can vary a lot year-to-year. No periods of extended high pressure the last two seasons meant that inversions were a non-issue. But, there have been and will continue to be years where it's fucking awful for weeks. Do an image search for "SLC inversion"

Anyways let's get this thread back on track..... am I the only one that wouldn't mind a repeat of last spring? I mean that shit was pretty sweat having the whole wasatch without lifts running.

I'm not rooting for it, but wouldn't mind it. I had to sit out the whole thing recovering from a TBI and it looked like a Wasatch BC skier's paradise.

[mall walker]

Mt Ogden certainly was a nice place to be this past April.

[bigdude2468]

I make concrete for a living when not skiing and am supplying for 12 avalanche control towers today at Alta.

https://snowbrains.com/utah-installi...anche-control/
Attachment 336191
Attachment 336187

What’s the cost of the systems UDOT is installing? The RACS that Alta installed on East Baldy are about $250,000 each. My understanding is these use cylinders of hydrogen & oxygen to make little Hindenburg explosions.

[jmills]

What’s the cost of the systems UDOT is installing? The RACS that Alta installed on East Baldy are about $250,000 each. My understanding is these use cylinders of hydrogen & oxygen to make little Hindenburg explosions.

I’m not sure of the cost but in talking to UDOT and the crew building the new system it is a more simple solution compared to Gazex (RACS). The Wyssen system uses explosives that are detonated above the snow level.

[zion zig zag]

Mt Ogden certainly was a nice place to be this past April.

This does not suck.

[D-Roc]

Well Guys... I have a problem, skiing just wont stop...

Like a moth to a flame... atleast im consistent, but this was easily the longest approach i may have ever done haha. But Fuck, its August AMMIRIGHHT? Plus i needed to get the hell out of hell? SLC is sooo hot....

Got the text from my bud over this idea. I knew it was going to be a long day and made sure i kept my research minimal so i wouldnt talk myself out of going lol. Pulled out all the gear AGAIN and stuffed the sack for a litany of conditions and a fuckton of bugspray...

TO THE WIND RIVER! (This is my first time skiing here, I have climbed up here alot, so it felt somewhat sacrilegious to be up here not climbing haha)

Trip Metrics:

Depart SLC: 5PM Saturday
Arrive Pinedale: 930 PM Saturday

Start Time: Elkhart TH to Titcomb, 1247 AM
End Time: 9ish PM

Vert: 7kish+
Mileage: 41 ish
Move Time: 21 hrs
Bug Bites: 2345112
Ski Runs: 1
Blisters: 1
Regret: 0

Headed out for Mt Helen in the dark, im sure we scared the fuck out many a sleeping hiker... but once the sun rose, it was just Ansel Adams prints all over...


Another one of the approach


Me booting up the Northwest Coulie of Mt Helen, its such a striking line, very reminiscent of the Champagne Couloir on Nebo. 45ish degrees. The WTF its August face...


My man Sam making the first hop turn down. It was surprisingly good, the sun cupping and run striations were very soft at that point given the sun gain, Id say 60% or so of the entire run was very fun!


At the bottom with a view of our work.... now for the 20 mile walk home, well back to the car, and then the 4 hour drive home, and the 4 hours of sleep, then the 8 hours of work... aw fuck...

[Dantheman]

Sweet merciful Jesus!

[snowaddict91]

Sweet merciful Jesus!

For real.

[jtran10]

damn, that's a long tour

[gimpy]

animal style+++

[zion zig zag]

Goddamn D-Roc!


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Boissal]

Sweet merciful Jesus!

More like cruel merciless Jeebus in this case...
Any deity who'd compel someone to get into that savage of a beatdown is kind of a dick!

[D-Roc]

^Amen

[Vt-Freeheel]

What's next? lol

[Dshack89]

That's seriously awesome, well done

[brutah]

damn dude! that's hardcore, can't wait to see what september turns have in store for ya

[Lone Star]

^^^^ FKNA Titcomb Basin shenanigans!!! did you have an outfitter spot pack your gear to the lower lake???

[zion zig zag]

^^^^ FKNA Titcomb Basin shenanigans!!! did you have an outfitter spot pack your gear to the lower lake???

I'm curious what the trailhead looked like in these times of Covid. Big Sandy has been ridiculous for years now, I can't even imagine this year.

[D-Roc]

I'm curious what the trailhead looked like in these times of Covid. Big Sandy has been ridiculous for years now, I can't even imagine this year.

Started from Elkhart, so not Sandy, was actually busy with folks parking down the road a little, but we actually snagged a spot in the lot towards the end, managed to sleep under the truck for a couple hours so i did have space to do so...

[D-Roc]

^^^^ FKNA Titcomb Basin shenanigans!!! did you have an outfitter spot pack your gear to the lower lake???

Nah that would be too smart... we slogged start to finish, the old fashioned way haha

[Lone Star]

I'm curious what the trailhead looked like in these times of Covid. Big Sandy has been ridiculous for years now, I can't even imagine this year.

July 4 every day all summer. definitely the year to check out any trailhead besides those 2. meadow, burnt, boulder probably your best options for some sort of solitude. just gotta hike an extra 1500 vert on a hot sunny trail, preferable to passing 200 people in a day?

[Boissal]

July 4 every day all summer. definitely the year to check out any trailhead besides those 2. meadow, burnt, boulder probably your best options for some sort of solitude. just gotta hike an extra 1500 vert on a hot sunny trail, preferable to passing 200 people in a day?

That's been my experience in the Uintas this year. Insane crowds, every trailhead packed by 7:30AM, cars on the shoulder for 1/2 mile around the popular ones. Every dirt pullout is now used by people camped 30' from the road, given the traffic the experience can't be that great. I had to drive around the Mirror Lake campsite looking for a buddy and it made me want to gouge my eyes out: multiple cars per site, people on top of each other, generators running everywhere, loud music, dogs running amok... Same thing on trails, conga lines of people everywhere within 3 miles of the trailheads then things calm down a bit. I hiked a bunch of the Highline trail this weekend and saw horses get spooked by out of control dogs, people yelling at horses, horses trying to punt dogs, horse riders threatening hikers and shoving them off the trails, generally what you'd expect when the mob rushes the Walmart door on black friday. Depressing.

[Canada1]

That's been my experience in the Uintas this year. Insane crowds, every trailhead packed by 7:30AM, cars on the shoulder for 1/2 mile around the popular ones. Every dirt pullout is now used by people camped 30' from the road, given the traffic the experience can't be that great. I had to drive around the Mirror Lake campsite looking for a buddy and it made me want to gouge my eyes out: multiple cars per site, people on top of each other, generators running everywhere, loud music, dogs running amok... Same thing on trails, conga lines of people everywhere within 3 miles of the trailheads then things calm down a bit. I hiked a bunch of the Highline trail this weekend and saw horses get spooked by out of control dogs, people yelling at horses, horses trying to punt dogs, horse riders threatening hikers and shoving them off the trails, generally what you'd expect when the mob rushes the Walmart door on black friday. Depressing.

I understand the numbers of people escaping from California, New York and Florida. I'm trying to understand why so many Texas plates? I thought they would all go to Colorado?

I'm trying to be extra polite to others and hoping it is contagious. I had been doing overnights into some of the non trailed lakes in Murdock Basin and seeing no one. And then it lit on fire.

[Boissal]

I had been doing overnights into some of the non trailed lakes in Murdock Basin and seeing no one. And then it lit on fire.

Looks like it's now more or less contained? For a while it was looking like it was heading toward the late 2018 burn that made it from Murdock Basin all the way to the toe of Agassiz and crossed the Highline trail. As if that area hadn't taken enough of a beating...

From Bald mtn a couple weekends ago:



Burnt section of highline a couple miles from the TH:



At least the fireweed has come back already and make things a bit less nasty: