September 2, 2017
Daily Distance: 4.04 miles
Cumulative Distance: 111 miles
It was a peaceful final morning on the trail. Andrew was packed up in record speed.
Much of the trail was forested, but there were still a few views.
We came to the High Uintas Wilderness boundary. We had been in officially designated wilderness since North Pole Pass.
We came to a final rocky overlook and I stopped to take a picture.
Soon we reached the parking lot and our hike on the Uinta Highline Trail was complete.
Overall, the Uinta Highline Trail is a wonderful trail. We didn't see another hiker for the first 40 miles of trail. The scenery was spectacular. In half the distance, it includes nearly as many passes as the John Muir Trail. Summiting Kings Peak isn't as high, but is more challenging than Mt. Whitney as a little scrambling is necessary. I did anticipate seeing a little more wildlife but we were excited to see elk and deer.
It was great to share the experience with my brother. This was the first time he hiked greater than 100 miles in a continuous hike. We were able to do more miles than our previous adventures as this time we had a trail to follow. We didn't have much difficulty with navigation on the Highline Trail. Occasionally we would have to check the GPS track on my phone while on the eastern section of the trail, but usually it was easy to relocate.
There is so much to be thankful for! I'm very thankful for the opportunity to complete this wild and scenic hike. Thankful for the preservation of wilderness. Thankful for those like the Backcountry Horseman of America who dedicate their time maintaining the trail. Thankful for being able to spend time with my brother. I am thankful for safety. Thankful for health. Thankful for the hospitality of friends. Thankful for the challenge. The challenge of this hike is a personal decision, but it makes me think of the many people around the world who face much greater challenges and don't have a choice.
Walking through the many beautiful basins on the Uinta Highline Trail and looking up to the mountains high above, helped me appreciate just how small I am. It makes me think about Psalm 8 that says, "What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?" after describing how excellent God is because of His creation. I was reminded of how God cares for His creation including humanity. Each of us has a purpose, however great or small. Let us strive to show our love for each other, for the wonders nature, and if you have faith or are searching, to the One who loves and provides for us all!
Awesome trip report, Eric! Thank you for the excellent photo/video documentation and the excellent write up. I live in Utah and have hiked in the Uintas many times but have been unable to make the whole Highline trip happen so far. You have inspired me to do it!
ReplyDeleteMy friend and I have been doing high routes for the past several years--most at least 65% off trail. As a result, we've seen only two to four other hikers during a 90 - 120 mile hike. We are considering the Uinta trail, but are wondering how crowded it is. It's close to Salt Lake City, so seems as if it might be more heavily used. You mentioned you didn't see any other hikers in the first 40 miles of the east end. How many contacts did you have in the latter 60+ miles? Thanks
ReplyDeleteThere were quite a few people in the King's Peak area, but that was expected. After that, it wasn't crowded, maybe 2-3 couples and a 2-3 solo hikers until heading out to the trailhead. The final 4-5 mile stretch to the trailhead had many people hiking in for the weekend, but most of them were going to places not on the Highline. You could also research into some off-trail routes with your experience. We did a couple alternates that were very scenic.
DeleteThanks Eric. I like the looks of the Head of Rock Creek alternative. We have plenty of trees to hike in out here in Oregon. Sounds like our concerns of the trail being crowded might be unfounded. Another question, if you don't mind. Is the hike mostly on trail? Your pictures make it look like it mostly is, though the trail gets pretty faint at times. What's next?
DeleteYou might have already seen this link but it has some other options and alternates: http://lonestarhiker.blogspot.com/2016/01/ultimate-uintas-traverse.html?m=1. It was good trail pretty much the whole way, sometimes a little faint but generally easy to know where to go . It was a little harder to follow on the lesser traveled eastern portion but they have increased trail work in the last few years. We had to check gps a few times to see where the trail went.That section is nearly all forested except for some nice open "parks". We're thinking of the Laugavegur Trail in Iceland next.
DeleteSuper. Thanks a bunch, Eric. Might talk to my friend to see if I can talk him into this hike. We are considering a new Skurka route in Colorado, a section of the Hayduke, or the Boundary Trail in northern Washington. I had suggested this one. It looks like there are some places we could cut off trail and make our own high route. Laugavegur looks amazing and you'll make lots of friends! Appreciate the info. Happy trails. Bill
Deletegreat trip report, thank you. Do you happen to have a gpx file you can share with the location for water on the first 3 days?
ReplyDeleteSorry, I don’t have a file for water availability and it might be different since I was there. That first section was definitely drier so carry extra if you can’t find any recent info, but hopefully you will be able to find something more recent!
Deleteexcellent trip report, thank you for the inspiration. I hiked the full 104 miles 9/6/2022 - 9/12/2022 and it was an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. Thanks for the inspiration to try it!
ReplyDeleteI am drooling, thank you for putting in the time to share your photos and notes. Climbs increase demand for energy. About how many calories did you plan for each day? What are YOUR go-tos for lightweight food?
ReplyDelete