Uinta National Forest - Mt. Timpanogos Wilderness - August 28, 2010 - Member Trip Report
| Hike Name: | Uinta National Forest - Mt. Timpanogos Wilderness |
|---|---|
| Country: | United States |
| State: | Utah |
| Trip Rating: |  |
| Trip Date: | August 28, 2010 |
| Duration: | 8 hours |
| Trail Conditions: | Good |
| Trail Traffic: | Heavy |
| Trip Weather: | Cloudy |
| Trip Winds: | Heavy |
| Trip Precipitation: | Showers |
| Trip Temperature: | High: 61-70, Low: 31-40 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Trip Report: | I was on the trail this morning at 710AM and it was about 65 degrees F at that time. That was the warmest it got all day. I kept a steady pace of about 2 mph and stopped on the way up only for a moment periodically to take pictures. I was on top of the first step of the Giant Staircase within an hour of starting the trail. That's where the rain started. The trail from there to the top of the second step curves all the way across a talus slope before ascending the actual rock face of the step itself. About halfway up this stage, the rain stopped but it remained cool and blustery. In the meadow atop the second step, I stripped off my raincoat and replaced it with my fleece pullover. At the bottom of the switchbacks climbing up the ridge above the cirque, I took my only sit down break of ten minutes and ate a power bar and drank some sport water. I made good time going up the ridge to the Saddle, but once in the Saddle I was hit with the full force of the 60mph winds. I put my raincoat back on as a windbreaker, and also put on my gloves. With the wind chill factor, the temperature felt like 25 degrees. With that ferocious wind, the hike to the summit was much slower than the rest of the trail -- it took me 45 minutes to go the last 0.75 mile with its 700' climb. Total time to the top, 8.7 miles with a 4400' climb, was 4 hours and 25 minutes. After only 15 minutes at the summit, I turned around and headed down. An hour later, I was in the relative warmth of the meadow below the ridge. There I paused for 15 minutes to sit and eat my lunch. Then I hit the trail again, stopping only once more for another 15 minutes or so to take a "bathroom break." I made it back to the trail head in 4 hours including the 30 minutes of breaks. I really like this hike and just might make it an annual event. |
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