Bogley

hike2kolob · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 76 Location: Salt Lake

This last weekend (Fri-Sun) my buddy Andre and I backpacked into Jordan Lake to do some fishing. We were late getting started on Friday because we stopped at the REI sale. We each picked up the solo REI Roadster tent for $45 and were very pleased with our purchases. We also snagged some raingear at deep discount, which came in very handy.

As the Uintas are known for, the weather changed about every 20 minutes. We saw lightning, rain, hale, sleet, and snow... as well as beautiful warm sunshine for our last day.

I normally only pack dehydrated meals, but Andre convinced me we needed to haul in brats for dinner. Boy am I glad we did. Those giant brats with 147 fat grams sure tasted good in the cold damp night and kept on giving through the night. Unfortunately, I think they are harder to digest than beans, so we were engaged in a sort of "arms race." Thank you solo tent!

We caught at least 50 fish between us in Jordan Lake, but we were skunked after an hour or two of fishing in Shaler Lake nearly above the timberline. We didn't eat any of the fish because we had pounds of brats to finish. Andre kept asking me what kind of fish we were catching and I kept answering "Trout," regardless of colors or markings. Who do I look like... the fish and game? :haha:

Gratuitous pics below. Thanks to Andre for taking many of them.

accadacca · Joined: 02 Dec 2004 Posts: 7035 Location: The Interwebs

O man are those beautiful pictures... :cool2:

We Salute You!! :guitar:

jimflint1 · Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 510 Location: Kearns

Naturalist Basin is one of my favorite areas. I need to get back there! Nice pics!

marc olivares · Joined: 19 Jun 2005 Posts: 612 Location: sugarhouse

Jason, your holding out on us..... where are the shots of you guys actually kissing the fish...LOL

your changing weather shot is great! :2thumbs:

hike2kolob · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 76 Location: Salt Lake

marc olivares wrote: Jason, your holding out on us..... where are the shots of you guys actually kissing the fish...LOL

Damn! I knew we screwed those shots up. :lol8: Don't the fish bite you when you kiss them. :ne_nau:

Shan · Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 784 Location: Cache Valley

Nice photos! Too bad it rained, but looks like it was nice in the end. My H is heading up there this weekend for work. He is pretty excited to go back.

paraAdams · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 37 Location: Holladay

Dude, great pictures!

Most of those fish looked like Brook trout, but I would definitely take the brats over fish!!!

Those tents look like a great idea, any idea how much they weigh? Would you recommend them?

I was up at Mirror lake on Saturday, we got hailed on like crazy. The weather was very unsettled...I think it's crazy you got snowed on!

Wild One · Joined: 15 Aug 2006 Posts: 44 Location: Columbus, OH

i was up around Baldy and Mirror Lake on Sat. as well. Cool clouds and a lot colder than I was expecting. My bro. was up at Pittsburg Lake in AF Canyon on Sat. and they got pounded with snow for a while. Nothing stuck, but he said it was almost white out. :rockon: :rockon: Winter is on the way!

hike2kolob · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 76 Location: Salt Lake

paraAdams wrote: Dude, great pictures!

Most of those fish looked like Brook trout, but I would definitely take the brats over fish!!!

Those tents look like a great idea, any idea how much they weigh? Would you recommend them?

I was up at Mirror lake on Saturday, we got hailed on like crazy. The weather was very unsettled...I think it's crazy you got snowed on!

Thanks. I figured they might be Brook Trout, we were also catching some gray spotted trout.

As for the tents, they are great. My brother has two, one of which I had spent a night in, so I knew what I was getting. I was ready to buy it at $90 and when I checked out I found out it was half off. I was stoked and when I told my buddy they were only $45, he grabbed one. There are lighter tents out there (especially single wall tents), but I found the Roadster to be very functional.

Weight: 3lbs 1.75 ounces actual packed weight (with stuff sac, stakes, everything). I weighed it myself.

Pros: side entry (you don't have to climb in from one end); easy to get in and out of; double walled (comes with separate fly and I had no condensation issues); small vestibule to keep shoes and empty pack out of the rain; risers in each of the corners makes most of the tent floor useful; very easy to make taught with many adjustment straps; it held up great in the wind and the rain; and I can sit up in it to change.

Cons: May be a little small for tall guys; it is not a freestanding tent (must stake each corner and the fly); vestibule is on the small side; and the ceiling over your head is a little low.

Yes, I recommend.

chickenlicken · Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 303 Location: North Logan

In one of those photos, I thought it was Gilligan. Nice photos and nice fish.

Sombeech · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 11253 Location: The Rubbish Bin

gorgeous terrain! I want to hit this next year.

I love the terrain in these shots.

Sombeech · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 11253 Location: The Rubbish Bin

I'm looking at this for next summer. Fish count is a big factor, as well as crowds. I've been reading that this is a popular place for hikers, but few people go up to the 11,000 ft level.

What are your thoughts?

Scott P · Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 1536

Quote: I'm looking at this for next summer. Fish count is a big factor, as well as crowds. I've been reading that this is a popular place for hikers, but few people go up to the 11,000 ft level.

What are your thoughts?

Naturalist Basin is pretty crowded anywhere you go. There are less people at Shayler Lake, but still some. Faxon and Hyatt lake don't have many people, but unless things have changed, not many (if any) fish.

Naturalist Basin is indeed nice, but if solitude is what you seek, there are far better places to go in the Uintas that are just as easy to hike to.

Sombeech · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 11253 Location: The Rubbish Bin

Scott Patterson wrote: Naturalist Basin is indeed nice, but if solitude is what you seek, there are far better places to go in the Uintas that are just as easy to hike to.

I just love all of those waterfalls. I'm afraid I may sacrifice the scenery for better fishing though.

tanya · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 5480 Location: Utah

Sombeech wrote: Scott Patterson wrote: Naturalist Basin is indeed nice, but if solitude is what you seek, there are far better places to go in the Uintas that are just as easy to hike to.

I just love all of those waterfalls. I'm afraid I may sacrifice the scenery for better fishing though.

We would be going in opposite directions. :cool2: It's gorgous there. You could stick around and play with those little smelly things though while I go and play in the scenery. :popcorn: