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The Journey is the Thing
As with most avid travelers, the past year has been a real challenge for the traveling nQ8s.
The day we scored vaccination appointments, I started planning. The world wasn’t ready, but a few states in our own country seemed to be, so I booked two domestic trips, the first to begin Day 15 post vaccination (a seven night mini road trip within our home state of CO) and a 15 day trip for May covering bits of CO/WY/ID/UT. Our hope was that we’d get ahead of the summer crowds which are no doubt descending upon the places we visited even as I type. The itinerary for our 15 day trip: Vernal, UT – two nights as a base for exploring Dinosaur National Monument Rock Springs, WY – one night to break up our long meandering wander from Vernal, UT to Pinedale, WY via Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area Pinedale, WY – three nights as a base for exploring the Wind River Range and environs Jackson, WY – three nights as a base for exploring Teton National Park Lava Hot Springs, ID – one night to break up our long meandering wander from Jackson, WY to Park City, UT Park City, UT – three nights to explore whatever we came across Palisade, CO – one night to break up the drive between Park City and home And what a wander it was, 2,567 miles! May 11 – Living in Colorado means crazy weather; so it was no surprise that after a week of spring like temperatures, 4-6 inches of snow was expected the night before we left. The snow was delivered as promised, but we left as planned and headed west on Highway 24, Pikes Peak invisible due to the low clouds. Just past Lake George we saw several elk, and then several bison (even a calf) as we turned on CO 9 towards Fairplay. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a080b29f43.jpg We motored through Alma, North’s America’s highest incorporated town, and worked our way over 11,542 foot high Hoosier Pass, where the temperature dropped to 25 F and it began to snow as we crossed the Continental Divide. There was plenty of leftover snow up here. A red fox trotted across the highway right in front of us as we made our descent into Breckenridge, which was much quieter than when we drove through last September; the slopes were still open; town still a mess from ongoing construction. We continued on CO 9 to Frisco, then I-70 east for three miles, then rejoined CO 9 through Silverthorne and towards Kremmling passing a herd of yaks. It began to rain, and then snow, and then rain again. And then came the fog and poor visibility. At Kremmling we turned onto US 40 and eventually began the climb over Muddy Pass and Rabbit Ears Pass; where things got really hairy really fast. Soon we were in the thick of a spring snowstorm; the snow wet and heavy, the wind howling and creating white-out conditions; we were unable to see the road in front of us. A couple of snow plows passed - headed in the opposite direction - while we broke trail through slicker-than-snot snow and ice. The windshield wipers on our AWD vehicle took this opportunity to freeze; we couldn’t see well enough to pull off the road to break them free. The west summit of Rabbit Ears Pass was a mess. Suffice to say, things were very tense, but Bill’s skilled driving eventually got us safely down to Steamboat Springs. After settling our nerves over lunch at our new favorite Steamboat Springs eatery (Cinco de Mayo), we continued our drive on 40 West. The remainder of the afternoon was spent trying to outrun the nasty looking clouds to the east that threatened hail; fortunately, we were westbound headed towards a sliver of blue. We passed through Hayden, Craig, and Maybell, where the road became long and straight, in the prairie now, albeit a prairie with relief. We passed through Elk Springs and Massadona, where Bill spent two weeks geologic mapping back in the day; and stopped at the Blue Mountain overlook where we admired "important orogeny s***" (the engineer’s words, not mine). Soon we were passing through Dinosaur, CO, the town a car junk yard, not much to the place. Of course there was the ubiquitous cannabis shop, Bill commenting that one of those would have made geologic mapping much more fun, me surprised to see leaves on the trees. We crossed into Utah, welcomed to a very well irrigated Jensen with temperatures of 60 F. I’ve just learned that the green oasis of Jensen is home to a Chinese owned 22,000 acre alfalfa ranch, where hay is grown for export to China’s booming dairy industry. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...74956e6d5d.jpg We arrived in Vernal, UT some seven hours after leaving home, the driver in desperate need of a beer. Our digs for the next two nights was Dinosaur Inn, a perfectly adequate upscale motel, doing its best to overcome its unfortunate highway location (Vernal reminded us of Moab, essentially a very long one street town, that one street the highway). Our room was fairly quiet considering the location, clean and comfortable. And, the best part, it was walking distance to the Vernal Brewing Company, which has a mask free, enter at your own risk policy (UT lifted its mask mandate on April 10). This this being Utah, one must order food to have alcohol, so it was a She’s a Peach wheat beer, She’s a Hot One Jalapeno wheat beer and beer cheese/sausage soup for the knackered driver, homemade root beer for me. And what a deal, $4 a pint. To be continued... |
Sounds like the stare of a fun trip. I am waiting to see if you did the things in the Vernal area that we did. We did the trip from Boulder through Steamboat Springs and on to Vernal on 40 and it was beautiful, but I am so glad we saw no snow that sounds like a nail biter.
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Nice to have you along for the ride oldemalloy.
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May 12 –
Dinosaur National Monument has been on my radar for a while, my Mom occasionally reminding me that we might enjoy a visit. We’re partial to the SW of our state and although I’m not sure why, I didn’t expect much in this far NW corner of CO. After the usual not very good hotel breakfast, we left the hotel at 7:15 am (46 F) and backtracked some 36 miles to Dinosaur, CO. The Canyon Visitor’s Center was closed (only open on weekends at the time), so it’s a very good thing that we’d borrowed a park map from my SIL and her partner who’d visited in April. Also thanks to them, we had some very vague directions to a hiking trail they’d discovered and recommended. So with that in mind, we drove some 25 miles into the rugged, desolate park, crossing back into Utah about 21 miles in, and then another 12 miles down the steep, rocky Echo Park Road (closed to passenger cars, impassable in wet weather and a bit dicey today, a few fords to cross) in search of this wonderful mystery spot, not sure if we were in the right place, hoping we’d not get stuck, but taking notes for future reference just the same. WOW. What a gorgeous, serene spot. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6d52bffe88.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...56d5c54d42.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...91f2cd9a9b.jpg Not only did we find the near empty primitive camp ground at the bottom of the canyon, we found the trail (Mitten Park, begins between campsites 9-10), which turned out to be more than I bargained for. We hiked in about a mile, then I chickened out…the trail led up a rocky slope to a terrace dangling over the Green River. The views were incredible throughout the hike. Bill made it up to the terrace, I waited down below. https://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvis...nparktrail.htm https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a50784d992.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ef867ed60d.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c7f8ef7e51.jpg We then sought out the Confluence Trail, where the Green River and the Yampa River meet, later discovering that we’d found it early on, but didn’t realize it (an easy path that led down to the river’s edge). So we kept going, thinking the trail must lead to the very end of the canyon. Oh boy. It soon became a 12 inch wide primitive trail and rock scramble, perched atop a ledge clinging to the side of the canyon with a drop off to the river below. We could see a group of people in rafts waaaay below us, taking the easy way:). The trail became more and more difficult and there didn’t seem to be an end in sight, so we turned back (3.4 miles return, 2:10). We later discovered that we’d actually been hiking the Narrows of Lower Sand Canyon. https://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvis...nyon-route.htm https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2bf5f9c0fa.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...15f42d9c86.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4a1bf18104.jpg With only one full day in Dinosaur, we needed to get a move on, so we drove the 12 miles back up to the asphalt to take in the views from the Echo Park Overlook to see where we’d just been (awesome) and then to the end of the road at Harper’s Corner. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ff1cbe8850.jpg Back in CO, we took Highway 40, then turned onto 149 towards the Quarry Exhibition Hall, a sign advising us at the turn that advance reservations were needed. We drove on anyway, and good thing, as business was slow and we were given tickets for entry to the hall minutes after our arrival (still at limited capacity and requiring masks at the time of our visit). I’ve never been much interested in dinosaurs, but this place was fascinating: https://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvis...hibit-hall.htm And just like that the day was shot. In retrospect, we should have allowed two full days for Dinosaur National Monument. We returned to Vernal and made an encore visit to Vernal Brewing Company where we dined on the patio, enjoying a decent pizza with candied bacon, beer soup, a couple of Ms. Bee Hiven Blonde Ales for the beer drinker, and more root beer for me. To be continued... |
Very nice trip report so far. I have never been to theses places before so it’s nice to see what they look like and know what you did so that I can put it on my list of places to visit.
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Thanks for the great trip report.
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You guys always have an adventure or two don't you? Great report and photos.
>"and towards Kremmling passing a herd of yaks." You say that so nonchalantly, as if one always expects to see yaks while driving through Colorado. I had heard there was talk of loosening the requirements to purchase alcohol in a Utah restaurant, but that might have been just talk. If Bill likes dark beers have him try Polygamy Porter next time, "Why Have Just One?". It's actually pretty good. Looking forward to more adventures that are coming, I believe, based on the title. |
Nelson -
He's definitely a dark beer drinker - I'll pass that on. At least the Utahns (can't get used to that words, looks strange) have a sense of humor. I saw a Five Wives spirit on a menu in Vernal. |
Great start! We had half a day at Dinosaur National Monument so only made it to the quarry area. It's nice to see what the other side looks like. Looking forward to more.
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May 13 –
After a second night of fighting with the fitted sheets that refused to stay fitted, we left our hotel around 8:15, sunny and 55 F. The plan for today was to take our time getting to Rock Springs, exploring Flaming Gorge National Recreation area along the way. https://utah.com/flaming-gorge As we headed north on 191 and passed sign after sign pointing out the Bishop Conglomerate, the Webber Formation, Manco Shale, the Dakota Formation, the Humbug Formation et al., I learned that the area around Vernal “is a big chunk of the geologic column” (Bill’s words) and evidently a geologist’s dream. Our drive also took us past a huge open pit, so we stopped at the overlook and discovered it was a phosphate mine. Some 25-30 miles north of Vernal we found ourselves in the Ashley National Forest in the Uinta Mountains, having climbed from an elevation of 5,328 feet to over 8,400. We stopped to walk the short Aspen Interpretative Trail which led to some beaver ponds and then forged on, both surprised to see so many long drops up here. We joined UT 44 and worked our way north towards Manila, stopping at the Red Canyon Lodge for a map (visitor’s center closed until Memorial Day) and a stroll down to the lake. As we left, we followed a sign pointing to Red Canyon overlook, having no idea what lay ahead. WOW. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2bad90ba3d.jpg Red Canyon https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9db77f3a47.jpg Red Canyon We had the overlook almost entirely to ourselves. After ogling the incredible views, we continued our drive, deciding to explore the Sheep Creek Loop, which turned out to be another geologist’s orogenous zone. Bill pointed out the bent and twisted rock layers; the diversion not only scenic, but educational and unexpectedly interesting. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...85e86f0ed6.jpg Sheep Creek Loop https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5795567562.jpg Sheep Creek Loop The scenery became less dramatic as we approached Manila just south of the Wyoming border. We’d foolishly thought we’d have lunch here, but not much on offer in this town of 211 so we parked and rummaged through the cooler instead. Our plan was to see at least some of both sides of the gorge, so we backtracked on UT 44 south towards 191, stopping to ogle the views at the Sheep Creek Bay Overlook. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...36dfe58cd6.jpg Sheep Creek Bay https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...48480323b9.jpg Sheep Creek Bay At the junction of UT 44 and 191, we turned back north to the Flaming Gorge Dam (visitor center closed) and then to the dam viewpoint, which we had to ourselves. Needing exercise, we parked at the Little Hole Recreation complex and set out on the Little Hole Trail (parks pass or recreation pass required), which was supposed to be easy…and it was…once we made the steep descent down to the Green River and the even steeper ascent via the boat ramp trail. This very pretty National Scenic Trail follows the river and is surrounded by towering canyon walls. Pressed for time, we were only able to walk 2.75 miles return, which meant we had to pass the same five foot long snake that scared the bejesus out of me twice, making it unhappy and prepared to strike on the second pass (not sure what species, but relieved that nothing rattled!). It was a warm, sticky 73 F when we finished. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...df29b9c68d.jpg Little Hole Trail Back on 191 north we eventually crossed into Wide Opening, aka Wyoming; there was no sign to indicate this, but the sudden increase in speed limit (55 to 70) and much smoother road tipped us off. The drive to Rock Springs was hilly; the roads curvier than one might expect, lonely, and even pretty, in a desolate sort of way. Bill called it “the empty quarter of WY”; one can understand why this road is closed more than open in the winter; the snow markers are taller than most, the snow fences abundant. The windblown drifting snow must be a nightmare. We eventually joined I-80 to Rock Springs and despite the GPS losing its mind, we located our hotel for the night; The Clarion, an old fashioned place that was probably rather grand in its day. Our room was large and pretty quiet, not because the walls weren’t thin, but because we had no neighbors. Dinner found us across the hotel’s parking lot at Super Torta Mina Taqueria, where we were presented with naked tacos served on paper plates with plastic cutlery by servers not wearing masks (Wyoming’s mask mandate was lifted on March 16). A sign at the condiment bar asked patrons to use the hand sanitizer, yet none that we saw did. It was an interesting introduction to WY’s COVID mixed messaging, and needless to say, not a culinary highlight. To be continued... |
Looking forward to more!
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On its way - stuck in moderation
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Still stuck in moderation since 4:20 yesterday afternoon. Seems a bit long, eh?
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Sorry the mods have you on the naughty list.
We always look for rock art when we are in the west. There are some great lizard pictographs down the road past the VC. The area called McKee spring has some fantastic petroglyphs too. Keeping my fingers crossed that your report will be posted soon. |
I assume you're talking about the Visitor's Center at the Quarry entrance?
The installment in moderation has since posted. Will try to get another out pretty quick. |
May 14 –
I’m not much of a breakfast eater, but Bill is, and he said the Clarion’s breakfast was the best of our two week trip. They offered made to order omelets and pancakes as well as the standard continental fare. We were only 1:40 from our next stop, Pinedale, WY, so in no hurry. After a leisurely start and a grocery run, we left Rock Springs, both surprised that it was so big - population 23,000 – I’m not sure why but I was expecting a much smaller town. We drove east on I-80, then joined 191 north, not much to look at other than a straight road and a dry and dusty landscape. There wasn’t a tree in sight and signs advised us to keep our headlights on, which made seeing oncoming traffic easier out here on the plains. Distant snow-covered peaks came into view as we approached Eden. We’d lived in Wyoming for several years back in the 80’s and one thing hadn’t changed in our absence, the relentless wind. It eventually started to rain, and the temperature dropped like a rock, from 64 to 49 in a matter of minutes. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c6723f54c0.jpg We saw smoke ahead as we approached the ramshackle town of Boulder, elevation 7,058 (later learning it was a controlled burn), trees suddenly reappearing, naked of leaves, but trees just the same. Soon we were rolling into Pinedale, WY, population 2,050. The first thing we noticed was that the Wind River Brewery, which was on my must try list, was closed for repairs. Bummer. A quick sandwich for lunch and a visit with a chatty woman at the Visitor’s Center later, we were checked into our room at the Best Western. Our assigned room wasn’t ready, so we were upgraded to a suite, which turned out to be huge, although the bathroom was comically small in comparison. The chatty woman at the Visitor’s Center had mentioned that two moose were seen in the town park that morning, so naturally we hightailed it over there, finding it on the edge of town (Boyd-Skinner) and walking it from end to end. What a nice spot – homes backed right to the forest and creek. Sure enough, we saw one of the moose lounging by the creek, but in an effort to keep a respectful distance, and having left my zoom lens back in CO, my photo attempts were awful. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b256240e89.jpg Boyd-Skinner Park https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a9a85725cb.jpg Boyd-Skinner Park We then drove towards the Wind River Range to check out the hiking options, making it as far as the White Pine Ski Area before running into substantial snow on the road, an indication that we’d need to find lower elevation trails. To be continued… |
You are a good TR writer!
Too bad Wind River Brewery was closed, it's been a happening joint the few times I've been there. There is fabulous hiking in the Winds but most of it requires a long (6-10 miles) approach before you get to the good stuff. And, as you noted, the season is short. It will be interesting to see what you guys came up with. |
Yes the VC at the quarry.
Nice that you got to see the moose and are in good graces with the mods. |
Why thank you Nelson!
oldemalloy - SIL had suggested the Sounds of Silence trail at Quarry, I think they saw petroglyphs there. We just ran out of time (and steam). Guess we need to go back. |
Melnq, we look for rock art wherever we go in the west. I have lots posted in my Flickr page and organized a bit in the albums
flickr.com/photos/emalloy2009 I have not posted a TR under my new user name but if you care for directions to any of the sites we have been to you can look for old TRs under emalloy |
May 15 –
As it happened our room was located directly over the swimming pool, and due to some bizarre acoustics, it got crazy noisy when people were in the pool; it seemed as if they were in the room with us (only a problem the first night, otherwise the hotel felt pretty empty). https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1561f7f5a7.jpg Sign on door leading from hotel to parking lot At the suggestion of the woman in the Visitor’s Center Bill had popped into The Great Outdoor shop the previous afternoon and picked the brains of one of the guys there who gave him some pointers on what trails could be accessed this time of year. So, armed with the map he’d purchased, we headed up Freemont Lake Road/Skyline Road/Half Moon Lake Road in search of the Half Moon Lake Trailhead in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, which we found some eleven miles from Pinedale. The trail was undulating and serene, we only saw seven other people. We hiked 3.5 miles, just over two hours, but had to turn back at Pole Creek since neither of us could get excited about wading through knee deep water. I was surprised by all the downed trees, which would become a theme over the next few days. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...533c5da961.jpg Half Moon Lake We then decided to approach it from the other side (Little Half Moon Lake) driving back to town then taking 191 to 121, which we followed for eleven miles, two of which was very rough 4x4 road. We’d been warned that the Forest Service didn’t have the funds to maintain many of its roads, and that was definitely our experience. As soon as we got onto a Forest Service road, things got interesting. Alas, Pole Creek separated us from the trail again, this crossing the size of Texas, so we settled for following a primitive elk and moose poop-riddled track around Little Half Moon Lake which led us to yet another Pole Creek crossing. So we walked along the creek to an area overlooking (Big) Half Moon Lake, logging another 2.5 miles and seeing not another soul. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5b85b45263.jpg Little Half Moon Lake Then it was back up that bone jarring dirt road, back to Freemont Lake Road/Skyline Road/Half Moon Lake Road one more time for drinks on the peaceful patio of Half Moon Lake Lodge overlooking…the lake. It’s here that Bill discovered his new favorite beer, Wasatch Brewing Company’s (Utah) Apricot Hefe. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9754c5f86a.jpg Drinks with a view, Half Moon Lake Lodge Our circular route had taken us some 65 miles, yet we didn’t really go anywhere. Back in Pinedale we popped into Heart and Soul Café, where the woman manning the place glanced up from her cell phone and gruffly advised us that the only option tonight was pizza and it would be a 40 minute wait, yet only one table was occupied. We passed. That evening we lost electricity in the hotel for about two hours. We learned later that it was wildlife related, and affected several towns. To be continued… |
I'm really enjoying this. Great photos with some stunning views. We've been to that part of the world but in summer. The snowstorm you encountered sounded very scary. I much prefer the hot, dry weather we had on our last visit to Colorado and Utah. When you mentioned long drops, I immediately thought of what we call long drops in Australia (extremely rustic toilets). I'm trying to figure out what you meant...
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Kay - thanks for coming along. Unfortunately, I can't read most of your post due to the mysterious grey square! I hope they get this fixed soon - its maddening.
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May 16 –
We found it interesting that no employees in our hotel wore a face mask, yet they didn’t offer any service either. Until the last day of our stay, breakfast was all pre-wrapped, paper plates, plastic cutlery, etc. We had to empty our own trash and collect more soap at the front desk. None of this was mentioned when we checked in. It was all due to COVID of course, but it felt as if the hotel had implemented only the protocols that benefited them. It was 43 F when we left the hotel and drove west on 191, turned right on 352 towards Cora, and then joined CR 162 and New Fork Lake Road and entered the Bridger-Teton National Forest, the last two miles on rough dirt road. We saw plentiful antelope and raptors during the drive, now some 26 miles from Pinedale. Our destination, the New Fork Lake Trailhead, but we drove into the campground first, the bear lockers reminding us that we’d need to carry our bear spray. We spent the next three hours walking above the lake and then into the wilderness area at the base of the Wind River Range, seeing bear scat, but fortunately no bears. The views were gorgeous, the people few, and we even saw a wolf! A gorgeous hike on a gorgeous day. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2571f741f3.jpg New Fork Lake Trail https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4aad2f1b12.jpg New Fork Lake Trail https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...35ee564ecd.jpg New Fork Lake Trail https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...62c8e036fc.jpg New Fork Lake Trail We then continued north on 352 until the pavement ended and became Green River Lakes Road, deciding to turn around when the road became too rough. What we didn’t know at the time, is that Green River Lakes is one of Wyoming’s most scenic drives; the lakes are 52 miles north of Pinedale in the northern Wind River Range and are considered the source of the Green River. I’ve since read that the road leads to a ‘stunning view’ of Square Top Mountain looming over the lakes and is a good place to see moose, elk, deer, bear, hawks and eagles. Damn. Now we have to go back. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8ad19694b7.jpg Green River Lakes Road On a whim we followed a dirt track back to Kendall Valley Lodge, where we sipped cold beer and cider at their picnic table, the temperature a lovely 64 F. Here we discovered from the woman manning the lodge that Green River Lakes Road is a popular spot for snowmobilers in the winter. One of the guests staying at the lodge showed us photos of a moose he’d taken just hours before. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a5dd77382f.jpg Drive to Kendall Valley Lodge The dining table in our room came in handy that night; Bill zeroed in on the barbecued ribs in the warmer at the Ridley’s grocery store and just had to give them a go (he said they were really good). To be continued… |
Originally Posted by KayF
(Post 17248211)
I'm really enjoying this. Great photos with some stunning views. We've been to that part of the world but in summer. The snowstorm you encountered sounded very scary. I much prefer the hot, dry weather we had on our last visit to Colorado and Utah. When you mentioned long drops, I immediately thought of what we call long drops in Australia (extremely rustic toilets). I'm trying to figure out what you meant...
I picked up the phrase long drop when I lived in Australia. Here they're known as outhouses. |
May 17 –
With only a short drive to our next stop, we walked from our hotel to Boyd-Skinner Park to see if the moose was still there. We found her, noshing on the trees very near the playground, making us wonder if the parents of Pinedale remain on high alert. We continued walking for a while along Pine Creek, enjoying the quiet cool morning, not another person in sight. We then walked over to the very pretty Cooley Memorial Park to get in some extra mileage, but not expecting to see a male moose, dozing in the weeds. Not wanting to test his temperament by walking past him, we got a few poor quality long distance photos and returned the way we'd come. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f5173480a7.jpg Cooley Memorial Park It was 52 F when we left Pinedale around 10 am, headed northwest on 191 for the 77 mile drive to Jackson, WY. About 28 miles later the drive became much prettier, the trees leafless. Soon we were driving through a fog bank, the temperature dropping to 45 F. We passed through Bondurant, population 100, seeing patches of snow on the hills ahead and then snow covered mountains. The landscape became prettier and prettier and we were soon driving alongside the Hoback River. We entered Teton County and turned right towards Jackson, a major road construction project underway, now down to one lane, necessitating a short wait. Soon we were driving alongside the Snake River, the trees in full leaf, and then suddenly…we were deposited in very busy Jackson. We followed the GPS through town, trying to find a lunch venue I’d sussed out in advance, Persephone Bakery. Jackson’s town center was under construction as well, some roads closed, making the clog of traffic even worse. We lucked into a parking spot and settled in for an al fresco lunch. The bakery was hopping, people inside and out. We’d only been in town for a few minutes, but had already seen more people here than we had in a week. Our food was okay, certainly nothing to get excited about, and rather pricy for what it was. But this is the tourist town of Jackson. It was too early to check into our hotel, so we hightailed it out to Grand Teton National Park, entering at Moose Junction. We collected a hiking map at the Visitor’s Center (busy, but not horrible), finding the sign outside the entrance interesting – vaccinated, no mask needed, non-vaccinated, wear a mask. Of course few people were wearing one. There was also a sign advising that every trail in the park likely had snow. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e4c290109d.jpg Grand Teton National Park We decided to hike the first trail we came to; Taggart Lake, snagging the last available parking spot. The trail was pretty busy, but most people just hiked to the lake and back. We continued from Taggart Lake to Beaver Creek making it a loop; this section of the trail had a lot of snow drifts covering the trail, ice and mud, but we had it to ourselves other than a young couple hiking in flip flops (four miles, 2:15). https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...273728a884.jpg Hike to Taggart Lake https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...70227c903f.jpg Taggart Lake https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8b4431acb6.jpg Taggart Lake to Beaver Creek On the return drive to town we saw a white fox in a standoff with some cyclists on the bike path. The cyclists were patiently waiting for the fox to move on, the fox seemed frozen in place. About those bike paths – we were last at Grand Teton in the 80’s - a lifetime ago - so we were surprised by all the bike paths. A Google search turned up this interesting timeline of bike pathways in Grand Teton, an idea that was born in 1978 and not implemented until 2008. https://www.wyopath.org/brief-histor...comment-again/ We then checked into the most expensive accommodation of our trip, The Lexington (three nights, $637, booked two months in advance), which turned out to be a great choice (excellent service, great water pressure, spacious and comfortable, short walk to town, average breakfast, thin walls, extremely hot hot tub). Dinner found us at the Silver Dollar Grill at the Wort Hotel, drawn in by their $6 Monday night margaritas. The place was busy, full capacity, not a mask in sight. It was good - fish and chips for Bill, corn chowder for me, tart margaritas, just how we like them. To be continued… |
Thanks Mel. Great trip report and fabulous photos.
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Nice to see you here marg!
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May 18 –
By 8:15 we were on our way back to Grand Teton National Park, and at Jenny Lake by 9 am, where we spent the next four hours and 7.2 miles hiking the Jenny Lake Loop, a beauty of a trail, even with the snow, ice and mud. We saw what we think was a yellow-bellied marmot, bravely walking across a bridge, seemingly unafraid of humans. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6ab84d3211.jpg Grand Teton National Park https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...69bac155c4.jpg Jenny Lake https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2f60a7825e.jpg Jenny Lake Loop https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7873027e3a.jpg Jenny Lake Loop https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...47eaae4fdd.jpg Jenny Lake Loop https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...38d6418e44.jpg Fearless https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...775bfe1827.jpg Yellow-bellied marmot (?) By the time we finished the hike, the parking lot was full and every available spot along the road was taken as well, making us wonder where all those summer visitors were going to park if it was already this busy. It was 48 F when we started the hike, 68 F when we finished, perfect. Afterwards we spent a couple of hours driving through the park, passing String Lake, Jenny Lake Lodge (closed), following the Jenny Lake Scenic Trail, driving up to Jackson Lake and Colter Bay, seeing fewer cars and people. We then backtracked to Moose and then on to Teton Village to see if the Mangy Moose was still in business. It is! Bill has fond memories of the Mangy Moose from a ski trip back in 1978. We enjoyed drinks on the terrace (where he discovered a nice Wild Berry Wheat) and had a nice chat with a waiter who told us the place has been in business since 1966. We also discussed the local housing issue – evidently Jackson currently has 450 job openings and only three housing opportunities. He and his co-workers have been running their tails off, each doing the work of about three people. Sounds like it’s going to be a long summer. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7ed88ce13e.jpg Mangy Moose, Teton Village Then it was back to Jackson via Wilson and a stop at Wendy’s for a quick bite, surprised to find their dining room still closed considering all of downtown Jackson was open to full capacity (perhaps an indication of those unfilled jobs). The traffic was awful, the town felt even busier than the day before. To be continued… |
Yep, that is a yellow-bellied marmot. They are pretty common above tree line in RMNP. Have you managed to see a pika yet? You often hear them before you see 'em. They are so cute. Great report.
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No on the pika, at least not that I'm aware of.
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Melnq8: Your photos are OMG-AWESOME!
It looks like a fantastic trip. I think CO needs to be on my radar--especially since I do some work (online) in Boulder. |
Thanks Songdoc, good to see you here.
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Great going so far, I hope to make it there this summer and that there are not too many crowds.
The pictures are stunning |
May 19 –
We left the hotel at 7:50, the NO VACANCY sign still on display as it had been since our arrival. We drove back to GTNP and set out on the String Lake Loop, encountering more snow and ice than we had on previous trails. As we detoured from the trail to the Leigh Lake overlook, we encountered a young couple at lakeside, one sleeping in a hammock, the other making tea on the steps leading down to the lake, a tent nearby. Legal camping? I’m not sure. I know that dispersed camping/boondocking is legal in national forests, but national parks? As we backtracked from our detour, we passed two other hikers, who asked if we’d seen the bear. Huh? Evidently, they’d seen a bear in an area we’d passed just minutes before. Sometimes ignorance really is bliss. This was yet another lovely trail, four miles 2:20. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...744c1a8449.jpg Leigh Lake https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...73e53cbd4e.jpg String Lake Trail https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0ea37aba0c.jpg String Lake Trail https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eef9a8fe9a.jpg String Lake Trail There were even more people in the park today; the Taggart Lake parking lot was completely full, every available spot alongside the road taken (this at 11:20 am on a Wednesday). As we left the park, we made a pit stop at the Visitor’s Center. When I was here two days prior I was immediately let in by the woman counting the number of people entering, but today I had to wait in the queue, as the center had reached its full COVID limited capacity. We then took Wilson Road back towards Teton Village in search of the Lake Creek-Woodland Trail Loop, mistakenly turning off on a paved road that quickly turned into a rough rutted dirt road. We followed the road to its end, discovering when we got there that it led to the Death Canyon Trailhead. https://www.nps.gov/tripideas/deathcanyon-hikes.htm We hiked to the Phelps Lake Overlook (2.2 miles, one hour return), which we had entirely to ourselves for a while. We sat on logs and ate lunch while we soaked up the lovely views. The overlook soon became busy with other hikers, including a woman carrying a dog dangling from her backpack (pets are allowed inside Grand Teton National Park, but they must be restrained at all times and are not permitted on hiking trails, inside visitor centers or other facilities). A hiker climbing up to the overlook from the valley below warned the dog owner that she shouldn’t proceed any further as there was a black bear down there who might take an interest in her dog. We were a bit surprised at how busy this trail was considering the rough road to get there. And even more surprised when Bill’s phone, which rarely rings, suddenly blared out the Swiss Post Bus three tone horn, his ringtone of choice. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e5bbb22b46.jpg Death Canyon Trail https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ec8194d6d0.jpg Phelps Lake https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fcf4fc090f.jpg Dog torture or bear bait? Back on Wilson Road we found the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve and the trailhead for Lake Creek-Woodland Trail Loop, which we decided to save for the next day. https://www.jacksonholewy.net/park_h...r_preserve.php Then we drove back to Teton Village for an encore at the Mangy Moose. A storm was moving in, so the terrace was blustery, sending many patrons inside. Then came the rain. I found it interesting (and encouraging) that Teton Village isn’t overgrown like so many ski areas. It’s managed to retain its character (and perhaps it’s exclusivity), but it looks like that is going to change: https://www.jacksonholerr.com/area-info/teton-village As we drove back to Jackson, we saw a moose grazing in a field, but too far away to get a good photo. To be continued... |
> Dog torture or bear bait?
Either way that is one unhappy looking dog. You guys really manage to pack in a lot for one day. Great Teton / Mount Moran photos. But not much snow up there for mid - May, is there? |
Nelson - there was still plenty of snow on the trails. Drifts mostly.
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May 20 -
Wanting to get one last GTNP hike in before leaving Jackson, we were in the breakfast room when it opened at 6:30, and on our way to the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve shortly thereafter. We made a left at Moose Junction and then a left onto Wilson Road, passing the sign to Death Canyon that we hadn’t seen yesterday. There was only one other car in the parking lot as we set out on the three mile Lake Creek-Woodland Trail Loop; it was 1/3 full when we finished at 9 am. We thoroughly enjoyed this trail, which we had almost to ourselves so early in the day, although I was a bit jumpy thinking about bears, bear spray notwithstanding. We took lots of photos and dallied at the lake, serenaded by frogs. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f84d41ee42.jpg Park near Jackson https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d756bb537e.jpg Lake Creek-Woodland Trail Loop https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...782748ae8a.jpg Lake Creek-Woodland Trail Loop https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...33177723b7.jpg Lake Creek-Woodland Trail Loop https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7414b9f540.jpg Bidding adieu to GTNP It was 55 F when we left Jackson; we couldn’t help but feel that we were leaving just in time, as a steady stream of traffic was headed towards Grand Teton National Park, this week before Memorial Day. When planning this trip, we’d considered a two night stay in Pocatello, wedged between our three night stays in Jackson, WY and Park City, UT as a way of seeing some of Idaho. When I floated this idea to fellow Fodorites and over on TA, I was strongly discouraged from doing so, especially since Jackson and Park City are less than six hours apart even going by way of Idaho. Fodorite tomfuller then suggested that if we wanted to spend a night in ID that we look into Lava Hot Springs; the seed was planted. And so began our day of diversion. We began our meandering wander by taking WY 22 over Teton Pass west to Wilson, where there was plentiful traffic and lovely views. As we crossed the state line into Idaho, WY 22 became ID 33. We were now in the Teton Valley, where we called in at Grand Teton Brewery in Victor, makers of the Wild Berry Wheat Bill had in Jackson, but it was closed. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fbb5b2b023.jpg Departing Wyoming (taken from across the highway eastbound into Wyoming) https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...76fd7e83d7.jpg Entering Idaho The scenery isn’t nearly as dramatic on this side of the Tetons, and we found Victor rather dull, but we continued north towards Driggs, which was much prettier and felt much bigger than its population of 1,600. Cute town this, I could see myself spending some time here. We then turned towards Alta, now back in Wyoming, where we poked through the Altamont housing area trying to jog memories of a land hunting trip through here years ago. We continued driving east through Targhee Town, looking for forest service access, and then drove up to the Grand Targhee Ski area, stopping at an overlook to take in the views and admire all the healthy looking pines. Now this was more my style, pretty, peaceful and secluded, a nice reprieve from busy Jackson. And this was Bill’s kind of ski area, the kind where you park and walk to the slopes. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6f61577714.jpg Drive up to Grand Targhee Ski Area It had taken us two hours to drive 54 miles. It was going to be that kind of day. We then backtracked to Victor and continued towards Swan Valley via 31, stopping to photograph the huge spud at the Spud Drive-in (Driggs). https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...71f8403f15.jpg Driggs, Idaho Soon we were in Targhee National Forest again, the aspen in leaf. We worked our way over squiggly Pine Creek Pass (6,747 feet), the road in bad shape. We then passed field after field of overturned soil being prepared for…potatoes? We turned east on 26 towards Irwin (population 26), where we detoured for a quick picnic lunch, and then continued on to the massive Palisades Dam and Reservoir, which straddles the Idaho-Wyoming border in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, stopping to take in the views from the overlook. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e560256479.jpg Palisades Reservoir Then it was on to Alpine, now back in Wyoming, where we were surprised to see watercraft border patrol inspecting all watercraft entering the state. Alpine is where the Greys, the Salt and the Snake Rivers merge and flow into the Palisades Reservoir. We were also just 37 miles from Jackson, having taken hours to get there. I’ve just read that many who work in Jackson live in Alpine. Now on US 89 (which links seven national parks across the Mountain West), we encountered a massive road project. Worried that the GPS was taking us on wild goose chase, we nevertheless obeyed as she directed us out of Wyoming and then back into Idaho (only knowing this when she said “Welcome to Idaho”) via a series of country roads, diverting us from the construction and joining ID 34 west, signs telling us we were now on the Pioneer Historic Byway. We entered Caribou National Forest, driving alongside Tincup Creek, the road curvy and wavy, our surroundings a vibrant green. We passed Caribou Mountain, and skirted Gray’s Lake Wildlife Habitat, the countryside now lonely, the undulating road requiring every bit of Bill’s attention. The landscape ran out of pretty near Henry, ID; we were now in the land of silos and potato farms. The curvy, wavy road finally straightened out and we passed the Conda mine, (which I’ve since learned mines phosphorus-phosphates) and then a huge plant, which I now know is the 800 acre Monsanto Chemical Company (interestingly enough, our waitress in Lava Hot Springs had no idea what this plant was when we asked, and she’d lived in Soda Springs her entire life. Ah, youth). Soon we were passing the Soda Springs geyser, which was spouting, but at this point we were too tired to garner any interest. Per the Soda Springs website: In 1937, local businessmen set out to find hot water for a commercial bathhouse and health resort. On Nov. 28 of that year, the drill struck a carbon dioxide gas chamber 315 feet underground. Hot water soon began shooting out of the ground to more than 45 feet in the air. Once the 3,500-pound drill bit was removed, the water shot even higher to more than 70 feet. The Soda Springs Geyser was born. After a few weeks, the city received a telegram from the Secretary of the Interior asking them to turn the geyser off because “… it is throwing the world-famous ‘Old Faithful Geyser’ off schedule.” The City of Soda Springs has the geyser set on a timer to go off every hour on the hour. You can see the Geyser today blow 70 feet into the air and hear it roar "Like a mad dragon," as described by one of the developers in 1937. The Geyser is open to the public year round, no fees. We also passed another drive-in theater, the second in the same day; I’ve since read that Idaho has six drive-in theaters still in operation. We then turned onto 30 west for the final 21 miles to Lava Hot Springs, which felt like a super highway after 34. The drive became interesting again as we edged over Fish Creek Pass, elevation 6,109, now on the Oregon Trail. The descent into Lava Hot Springs was really pretty; we’d turned a 2.5 hour drive into a 6+ hour scenic meander, and I for one, was ready to get out of the car. Lava Hot Springs is a town of 232, so not a whole lot on offer. We’d booked an overnight/dinner package at the Riverside Hot Springs Inn and Spa, which touts itself as a historic boutique hotel located next to the Portneuf River. What they failed to mention is that the hotel is also located right next to the railroad tracks. Because the hotel has its own private hot springs in their basement, we never planned to visit the town’s hot springs, although we did get a glimpse of them. The hotel is indeed historic, full of creaky character. Our room was comfortable enough, and the newly renovated bathroom was lovely, the water pressure excellent, but our bedroom and the common areas of the hotel felt grubby and in need of some attention. Historic is one thing, unclean quite another. We were two of five guests in their dining room that evening. Bill ordered a huge steak, which he thoroughly enjoyed, I had the artichoke pasta which was pretty average. Guests can register for ½ hour private increments of soaking time, so we’d signed up for two sessions, one after the other, planning to move from one tub to another at the suggestion of the woman in reception. I like my water quite hot, but those springs were piping, and we ended up not needing a full hour. Idaho never had a state wide mask mandate, so it was no surprise that no one was wearing one. To be continued… |
May 21 –
A couple of trains rumbled by during the night, blasting their warning horns and depriving us of a decent night’s sleep. Our overnight package included two $10 vouchers to use for breakfast in the coffee shop, and I was very much looking forward to redeeming mine on a latte. But no, they wouldn’t allow the voucher to be used for their espresso based drinks, they offered free filter coffee instead…blech! They also controlled what you could use the voucher on, one yogurt, one juice, one bagel and a pastry or one egg sandwich and a pastry. It seemed unnecessarily complicated. Ten dollars is ten dollars right? Our stay in Lava Hot Springs had served its purpose, but the whole experience just felt a bit odd. The most direct route from Lava Hot Springs to Park City, UT takes about 2:45. But we didn’t want to do that, so we’d mapped out a longer, potentially more scenic route. It was 47 F and raining when we left just before 9 am, driving through town for a good look at the place. Then it was back towards Soda Springs, where we made a quick detour to the geyser, but it wasn’t due to blow for 25 minutes and we weren’t that interested, so we moved on. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a6deb6add2.jpg Soda Springs Geyser (sleeping) We followed 30 east, back on the Oregon Trail, passing through the agricultural towns of Georgetown and Bennington. We then turned south on 89 at Montpelier, noticing that every small town in Idaho seems to have an Ace, a Subway and a Broulims grocery store (had this been Colorado, it would have been a cannabis shop and a dollar store). Bear statues and bear benches dotted the streets of Montpelier; and a bit of trivia for the next pub quiz…Montpelier was the site of a bank heist by Butch Cassidy and members of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch in 1896. We crossed the Bear River and motored past a lot of cows and green irrigated fields, now on the Oregon Trail Bear Lake Scenic Byway. We passed through Paris, population 497, Bloomington, population 206, St Charles, population 131,…one tiny town after another, surrounded by barns, Mormon tabernacles, huge parked recreation vehicles, cows, propane tanks and rolling hills. Thus far the drive wasn’t as pretty as yesterday. Then came Bear Lake State Park, more massive tabernacles, and the town of Fish Haven, aptly named given its proximity to Bear Lake. I told Bill the glacial blue lake reminded me of a few in New Zealand, its color barely muted under today’s grey skies. I’ve since read that Bear Lake is often called the “Caribbean of the Rockies” due to its intense turquoise blue water. Bear Lake is 20 miles long and eight miles wide, and is divided almost equally between Idaho and Utah. Huge houses began to appear in the hills above Bear Lake and along its shores, giving this away as a resort area, and surprising us after so many small non-descript towns. We entered Utah and motored through Garden City, then turned right to stay on 89 towards Logan, the landscape becoming prettier and hillier. Soon we were entering Cache National Forest, our surroundings now full on gorgeous. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a8509f8031.jpg We stopped at the overlook/visitor’s center and learned that we were on the Logan Canyon Scenic Byway – choosing our route based on the green swaths on the map had paid off. The wind was blowing a gale up here, the temp 45 F; it was no wonder that the bus load of old timers from Florida were freezing their bits off. https://utah.com/scenic-drive/logan-canyon https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2fb9ce73ad.jpg Logan Canyon Scenic Byway We continued our drive, which just got prettier and prettier as we worked our way through the canyon, a bit of snow in spots. We were in the mountains now, passing Beaver Mountain Ski Resort and plentiful aspen as we followed the winding road alongside the near to bursting river. We didn’t know it at the time, but we were cutting through the Bear River Mountains, a branch of the Wasatch Range (pardon the poor quality photos - shot through dirty windshield). https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2ef6c78c6c.jpg Logan Canyon Scenic Byway https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e3ddf7406d.jpg Logan Canyon Scenic Byway https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3f6f02e0bb.jpg Logan Canyon Scenic Byway https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0962c83f0a.jpg Logan Canyon Scenic Byway As we made our descent into Logan, UT, its size caught us both off guard, neither of us expecting a city of almost 52,000. From this vantage point it seemed to go on forever. We drove right past UT State College, surprised again at its size, so I googled on the spot and learned it has some 28,000 students. I’d made a short list of promising spots for lunch, so we followed the voice to one of them, Romo’s Mediterranean Grill. Great choice this. Not only was the food very good, the service was wonderful. It’s here that I learned about fry sauce, which was offered to me by our waitress. My confused expression said it all, these folks aren’t from Utah. Turns out fry sauce is a mix of ketchup, mayo and various spices, and evidently it’s a Utah staple. I stuck with unadulterated ketchup. Afterwards we followed Main Street, surprised at the volume of traffic. I liked what we saw of Logan – a pretty city surrounded by mountains. The landscape changed almost immediately as we turned east on 101, now driving through the Blacksmith Fork Canyon, once again in the Cache National Forest, so green it was surreal. Giant recreational vehicles were camped in the grassy areas alongside the river as well as what we think were mobile shepherd huts. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e214efdc2e.jpg Blacksmith Fork Canyon https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1d612de35a.jpg Blacksmith Fork Canyon We’d expected 101 to join Ant Flat Road. But instead it just suddenly ended at a large dirt parking area (Hardware Ranch Trailhead). Uh-oh. Unable to access the map Bill had sent to my cell phone, I told him he was going to have to do that most dreaded of guy things…ask for directions. There were a few groups of people in the parking lot unloading some sort of off road vehicles, so he went out to discuss our predicament. After a long confab, he returned, and we followed one of the guys back to the turn off to Ant Flat Road, as evidently we’d sailed right past it. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e8b1d3e14f.jpg Our kind escort Turns out that Ant Flat Road is 14 miles of rutted dirt…and of course, the skies took this opportunity to open, making for a very interesting drive. Just as I was beginning to think we were hopelessly lost, we joined a paved road (UT 39) and turned south towards Ogden. We followed curvy, wavy UT 39 to Huntsville and eventually joined UT 167 towards Snow Basin; it was gorgeous through here; the homes massive, the RV’s enormous, the various off road vehicles immense. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cbb2fd04a5.jpg Snow Basin area https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fc5e8929e5.jpg Snow Basin area We eventually joined I-84 E. We’d hoped to turn on 224, nine miles after getting onto I-84, but we couldn’t find the exit. So we continued on I-84 until it ended, then joined I-80 W towards Salt Lake. Then after more curves and torrential rain we finally arrived in Park City, some seven hours after leaving Lava Hot Springs. It’d been a long day, but the pretty drive made it worth the effort. Bill said the drive into Park City reminded him of Telluride. For some unknown reason I’d expected Park City to be a small town. But, it very much felt like a city, with wide highways, suburbs and shopping centers. We checked into our accommodation, Peaks Hotel, a nice place just a short hop to Old Town Park City, yet away from the traffic and chaos. Our room was spacious and comfortable, and had the biggest television I’ve ever seen in a hotel room. The style over substance furnishings and the thin walls left a bit to be desired, though. The hotel was hopping, and we worried we were in for a noisy weekend. The parking lot was full, the restaurant seemingly packed, and the swimming pool and hot tub a sea of bobbing heads. To be continued… |
May 22 -
We were up and out early trying to make hay while the sun was shining, as snow was predicted for the next day. It was 34 degrees when we set out on the Park City Hill track accessed from Quinn's Junction Trailhead just seven miles from our hotel. We didn't have high hopes, but it surprised us - 700 acres of preserved open space, with a very nice recreational complex nearby; only two cars in the lot when we arrived on this beautiful Saturday morning. Quinn’s Junction consists of a large network of walk/hike/bike trails. We meandered a few trails before making the climb to PC Hill, which leads to an overlook with great views of Park City. Afterwards we followed a few random paths and even walked up into the neighborhood of ginormous houses overlooking the recreational complex (1:42, 3.7 miles). When we finished at 10 am, the large parking lot was ¾ full, and felt like Subaru Outback Central. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ab6af74290.jpg There is no poop fairy! https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bad6f8a6d2.jpg Trail to Park City Hill, Quinn's Junction https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ae31114d75.jpg Views from Park City Hill https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6da6beaae0.jpg Views from Park City Hill We then took UT 248 to Kamas via Hideout, UT, made a left on Main Street and then joined UT 150 E, planning to drive the 31 miles to Mirror Lake. When planning this trip I’d read that Mirror Lake Byway “is one of Utah’s most scenic mountain roads, and snakes through the Uinta Mountains past numerous lakes and streams, over Bald Mountain Pass (elevation 10,700) through beautiful forest, and ends in Evanston, WY”. It sounded right up our alley, but this being May, we weren’t sure it would be doable. Bill had checked the state’s website the night before which indicated the road was open and dry, so we figured we’d check it out. When we stopped for gas in Kamas, the gas pump started playing music – this also happened in Vernal - a radio began playing through speakers on the gas pump as soon as a credit card was inserted. This was a first for us – or a second at this point - and a bit annoying – what customer wants to be blasted with radio advertisements while pumping gas? Which begs the question, is this another Utah thing, like Fry Sauce? Our drive took us past the Beaver Creek Nudist Ranch, and oddly, a sign posted some eight miles before Mirror Lake Byway advised that it was closed. We drove on anyway, thinking maybe it had just opened and the sign hadn’t been removed yet. https://todaysmama.com/traveling-wit...k-nudist-ranch But no, when we arrived at the start of the byway, there was another sign which said it was closed, yet the gate was open and the sign was off to the side. Hmmmm. We backtracked to a nearby parking area and as we sat there trying to decide what to do, we watched car after car come off the byway. Say what? One car parked next to us and the driver got out to use the loo. Bill popped out and asked the man if the road was indeed closed, and was told that he’d wondered the same thing, but he’d driven past the closed sign and there were loads of cars and campers up there. He told us there were some waterfalls, and that there was snow on the road eight miles up. Okay then. Off we went. Soon we were in Wasatch National Forest, making our way up the Mirror Lake Byway, surprised to see so many people camping – not in campgrounds as most were closed, but just anywhere they could find a pull out. Either the state’s website was correct, or Utahns are a bunch of rule breakers. Some six miles in we found the three tiered Provo River Waterfall and set out to explore the various short paths that led to several viewing points. Beautiful. It’s here that we needed our heavy jackets for the first time since we left home. It was freaking cold up here; the wind was fierce. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9852324f3b.jpg Provo Falls, Mirror Lake Byway https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6d73186696.jpg Provo Falls, Mirror Lake Byway We continued driving up UT 150, but turned around at mile marker 26 due to the slushy snow on the road. As we worked our way back towards Park City, we kept our eyes open looking for hiking opportunities. We parked at the North Fork Trailhead and walked several sections of the Pine Creek, Bear Creek and Soapstone trails, turning back when we came to my favorite thing, a river crossing (3.6 miles). The storm was moving in; our car got blown all over the road on the drive back to Park City. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5d467a2ed2.jpg Not another river crossing! After consulting my short list of potential lunch spots, we drove into Old Town and located the Bridge Café and Grill for a late lunch. I’d read several glowing reviews about their all day Eggs Benedict, and Bill, being an Eggs Bennie fan, was looking forward to giving it a go. Here we had a nice chat about housing prices and job opportunities with our Romanian waiter. Bill's assessment of his Eggs Bennie lunch? "Near the top of the US scale, average on the world scale". Are you listening Australia and New Zealand? You still rock. Then followed a six block uphill walk through a swarm of Saturday ice cream-eating, slow moving pedestrians, to Wasatch Brewing Company for a six pack of their Apricot Hefeweizen for the beer drinker, followed by a quick trip to the state liquor store for some warm white wine for me, thanks to Utah's bizarre liquor laws. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a969996d30.jpg Bentley anyone? To be continued… |
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