Days Fork to Eclipse Mine (Moderate 7 miles round-trip)

Description:   This is a scenic, not-crowded hike through beautiful alpine forests and meadows. I hiked it on Labor Day  weekend, and only saw 3 other people.

Trailhead:  From the bottom of Big Cottonwood Canyon (The 711 store) drive 9.7 miles up the Canyon and look for the Spruces Campground on your right. During camping season you have to pay to park there, so I just parked on the road and walked in.  I thought I knew where the trailhead was, but I didn't, and since I am one of those guys that doesn't like to ask for directions, I added an extra mile to the hike, walking around the campground!  From the toll booth, go to your right then enter the one way road, and go to your left past some restrooms. Look for Group Camp area 1 (not single campsite 1!)  Just past this you will see a baseball diamond. The trailhead is just past the baseball diamond, and is well-marked.  (GPS Coordinates N40* 38.456' W111* 38.307')  

The Hike:  The first 1/4 mile is fairly steep.  As it levels off, you will see a trail to your left which goes to Greens Basin. That is a nice hike,  (See post http://talesfrommytrekkingpoles.blogspot.com/2012/11/greens-basin.html) but not the way to the Eclipse Mine.  The trail is easy to follow, and goes straight for a while, then has some steep switchbacks to your right, where you pass an old mine that was not on my topo map, then levels out somewhat and eventually comes to the Eclipse Mine (GPS Coordinates N 40* 36.151' W111* 38.295')  This is a cool area with lots of old mining equipment. I then headed back the way I came.

I would love to get this old gear home, but I think it would take a helicopter!  It is about 5 feet in diameter.

More old mine equipment.

Why I love this hike!

Giant old trees

Trailhead sign near baseball diamond

Beginning of the trail.

Lake Solitude (again) (3.5 miles round trip, easy)

Description:
      I have blogged on this hike before.  This is one of my favorite hikes, especially when hiking with my sweet wife. It is scenic, lots of shade, good chance to see moose, especially at dawn and dusk. It is  fairly flat, with an elevation gain of only 320 feet. There used to be a steep climb to the lake, but a couple of years ago, the trail was rerouted to make it much easier.This is the hike that inspired me to start a hiking blog!

Directions to trailhead:
     From the bottom of Big Cottonwood Canyon,  (The 7-11 Store) drive almost to the top of the canyon, 14.5 miles.  Turn  right into the parking lot across from the little store (or park in the store lot if that lot is full). This is the Silver lake lot, and Visitors Center. There are restrooms there if needed (Outhouse-type outside, and nice ones in the Visitors Center if it is open).
The hike:
     Go to the right of the Visitors Center and go around the boardwalk. If you go to the right, it is a little shorter, maybe 1/3 mile to the trail to the lakes.  On the far side, you will see a large trail sign  in a wide opening in the trees (unless it has been removed for the season.) Turn right at the sign, follow the trail a short distance to a fork in the trail, and signs pointing to Lake Solitude to the right, and Twin Lakes to the left. (Unless the signs have been removed for winter).  The trail is fairly easy to follow, and there are signs to get you to the lake where there are options.  On the way back I like to continue the rest of the way around Silver Lake. This will make the hike just over 3 miles round trip.
     There is a geocache there that I hid about 10 years ago. It is called Rock Solitude.
http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GCQ6DG_rock-solidtude?guid=e40a7151-207c-4038-9949-191b2a35388a

The geocache container.

The underside of geocache container.

A little touch of Fall at Lake Solitude.

A squirrel kind enough to pose for me!

A fairly good shelter near Lake Solitude, to the left of the trail.

Silver Lake on the way back to the trailhead.

An interesting plaque near the parking lot.

Donut Falls Snowshoe update (3.6 miles easy)

I have done other posts on this hike, but this one gives some details to help you get to Donut Falls without following the wrong trail in the snow.  After driving 8.8 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon, you park in the parking area on the right (South) side of the road, go around the locked gate and head up the road.  At 1/2 mile, stay on Cardiff Fork Road continuing straight on the unplowed snow rather than going to the right.  At .82 miles you will arrive at the usual summer trailhead where you will see an outhouse. (It is locked, in case you are wondering! The one where you parked is open.)  At one mile you will see a wooden sign with orange spray paint  that says "trail" with an arrow pointing to the right.  Take this well-defined trail in front of the sign.  If you do not turn right, but go straight at this point, that will work, but is not as fun and scenic, although it is slightly shorter.  At mile 1.3 you will cross a small bridge, and a few hundred feet past the bridge you will turn left at a T with another wooden sign pointing to the left. (On your way back to your vehicle, if you miss the turnoff to the wooden bridge, you will be ok, but again, the trail over the bridge is more fun and scenic.)   At  mile 1.6 you will come to a drop off that can be quite difficult to get down safely in snowshoes. There is no need go down this way.  Instead, backtrack 50 feet or so, and you will see a much easier trail through the willows and can cross the stream easily on snowshoes.  At the Falls, you will see a danger sign. In years of lots of snow, it is easy to get up to and enter the cave on snowshoes.  If you want to enter the cave, an ice axe will be very useful.   When you get back to your vehicle, you will have hiked about 3.6 miles.   On this trip, I saw no wildlife, but I did see some fairly fresh moose tracks!

Near the Trailhead

Turn right AFTER this sign!

Stay straight on Cardiff Fork Road.

View on the way up to Donut Falls

View heading back to the trailhead.

This is why I love early morning hikes!

Turn left at this 'T.'

Bear Trap Fork to Desolation Lake and Return via Mill D North Trail.

This is an incredible hike this time of year.  I started at Bear Trap Fork, 10.5 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon. This is not a marked trailhead, but is one of the most scenic, non-crowded trails I have been on. ( See photo below of the gate you park by).  I had not intended this to be a loop hike,, but I was having too much fun and decided to extend it by returning via Mill D North trail. I then hiked 1.6 miles up the road from Mill D North back to my car.  If you are going to do this with only one vehicle, I would recommend parking at Mill D North trailhead, then hiking up the road at the beginning of your hike instead of at the end!   The trail goes behind the gate as a dirt road.  Very soon you will see a trail that branches off to the left of the road.  Take this trail.  (Right now there is a large fallen tree blocking the road at this point).   From this point, there are no other decisions to be made, just enjoy the varying terrain, starting with some switchbacks, then following  a small stream for quite some distance. I saw many moose tracks, but no moose today. Most of the trail is a gentle climb with intermittent level areas and some beautiful meadows.  The last 1/2 mile is a bit steeper, but never too strenuous.  At about 2 1/2 miles, you will have a fantastic view of Desolation lake down to your left.  Chances are, you will not see any other hikers until you reach the ridge where you may encounter mountain  bikers traversing park to the Great Western Trail, also known as the Wasatch Crest Trail.  Follow this trail to the other side of the lake, where you have a view of Park City on your right, and a view of the Salt Lake Valley and Kennecott Copper Mine on your left.  If you are a geocacher, you can find a nice cache  http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC7EE_memory-exchange-revised?guid=f30d20a5-4ba6-4f97-bc25-3f0681b54d03 on the ridge before making your way down some easy switchbacks to Desolation Lake.  From the lake, you will see the trail sign pointing you toward Dog Lake and the Mill D North trail.  This is a scenic downhill trail taking you to the junction and sign pointing you straight ahead to Dog Lake or Left to the Mill D North Trailhead. ( If you want to make this into a 10 mile hike, go uphill .5 miles to Dog Lake and back.)  From this junction the route is almost all downhill to the Mill D north trailhead.  My gps said 8.98 miles when  I got back to my car, so I just had to wander around a bit to make it an even 9 miles!

Desolation Lake from Great Western Trail

Along Bear Trap Fork

Mill D North Trail

I almost expected to hear angels singing as the sun
 broke from the clouds and hit this triangle of fall leaves!

Toward Mill D North Trailhead

Bear Trap Fork Trailhead

Lake Solitude

I have included Lake solitude in older posts, but have not done a post on this lake alone.  I have a geocache by this lake that I hid 9 years ago, and it was finally time to place a new paper log in it, as the old one was full and a bit damp after all those seasons covered by several feet of snow!
This is the hike that inspired me to do a hiking blog, as my wife and I hiked up to this lake and she asked if I would like to get some new trekking poles, and I responded that theses poles had a lot of stories to tell!
     To get to this scenic, easy hike, drive 9.6 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon, park in the parking lot for Silver Lake, which is on your right near the beginning of the loop.  Take the boardwalk that goes around Silver Lake.  I went to the right, which is slightly shorter than the other direction.  At the far side of the lake, about 1/3 mile, you will see a trail and sign on the right. Take this trail a short distance to another sign that shows Twin Lakes to the left, and Lake Solitude to the right.  Go to the right, enjoying a beautiful, mostly shady trail. After maybe 3/4 mile of fairly level trail, the trail turns left and becomes steeper for about 200 feet.  Then you are treated to a beautiful lake, with majestic peaks in the background, plenty of rocks to rest on under the shade of huge pines.  You can walk completely around the lake and poke your head in an open mine shaft on the other side, and get a face full of cool, musty air.   If you have a gps you can search for my geocache, called Rock Solidtude,

http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GCQ6DG_rock-solidtude?guid=e40a7151-207c-4038-9949-191b2a35388a

The underside of my geocache

Trekking poles enjoying the view of Lake solitude

The inviting trail to the lake

Some nice wildflowers

Couldn't resist stopping for breakfast on the deck of
Silver Fork Lodge

Perfectly cooked bacon. (The sourdough toast arrived
after I took this picture)

Mule Hollow

     I had an unexpected couple of hours available today, so of course my trekking poles and I took off for  a quick hike up Big Cottonwood Canyon.  This is a 1.2 mile hike (2.4 miles round trip) up to what used to be a miner's cabin.  There is still plenty of mine stuff around, like rails from the ore cars, etc. The hike is pretty scenic, but the real scenery is behind you as you are  ascending the gulch;  across Big Cottonwood Canyon is an incredible view of  Stairs Gulch, the steepest longest avalanche pass in the Wasatch Range!  It has a 5000 feet vertical drop, which you  can't see well from the road, but have to hike up this trail for a good view. At the top is a virtual geocache, that gives some good info: http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GCJJJW_deadly-monster-view?Submit6=Go
     To get to the trailhead, drive 3 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon.  If you have teenagers along, they may tell you that you have just passed through "Silent Rock," and it is bad luck if you are not silent when passing through here. It is an area where the road goes through a spot where there is rock on each side right next to the road. I am sure that ski bus drivers made that up to get a few precious moments of peace!  At the end of a new large concrete bridge, you  immediately turn left into a small parking lot. There is no sign, but this is the trailhead.  Head north up the trail, ignoring the many steep side trails you see, as these are accesses to the cliffs for rock climbers. The trail you want stays near the creek bed, and often is the creek bed. Today the bed was completely dry most of the way.  At about 1/2 mile, you will see a rock cairn with the best-looking trail going sharply up to the left. Do not take this sharp left, as it is another rock climber trail.  The trail is overgrown at times, but don't worry, you can't get lost, and when you get to the mine area it is extremely obvious; you can't miss it!  On the way down, if the going gets difficult, you may be in the stream bed, when the actual trail is to your right about 20 feet. (You can figure out how I know this!)

Looks like some old bunk bed frames

Looking south toward twin peaks
and Stairs Gulch

Tiny old rails

Willow Lake

This is a short, easy hike that I previously overlooked in the book, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Salt Lake City.  It is beautiful, and you have an excellent chance of seeing moose, especially at dawn and dusk. There are some nice areas to backpack into for a short getaway, or maybe to test out some new backpacking gear, etc. Drive 11.2 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon. You can park just past Silver Fork Lodge where the road curves. There is a large rock that marks the Trailhead, but no actual parking area. A short distance past the large rock, you see a large trail sign. maybe 5 minutes from this sign you will come to a wooden bridge. At this point you have the option of two trails to Willow lake. One way is to not cross the bridge and take the trail to the right. A second option is to cross the bridge and take that trail. They are about the same distance and level of difficulty. the trail across the bridge gets you away from road noise more quickly. I like to take this way up, and take the other trail back, as that way you hit a beautiful aspen grove on the way back down. The hike through aspens and pines is beautiful. In summer, wild flowers are abundant, and I am looking forward to going there in the fall for the yellow aspens, and in winter for snowshoeing!   At .8 miles, you step across the small Willow Creek, and soon come to a large meadow.  I expected to see the lake here, but it is a little farther ahead. As you approach the willows, take the trail fork to the left for the quickest view of the lake. This lake is unusual for this area, because the willows hide the lake until you are right at the lake, or looking down upon it.  The topo map on my gps just calls it, "small lake." The book, The Lady in the Ore Bucket,  calls it Willow Lake, and says the area was originally known as Willow Patch Fork, around 1888, and later as Willow Heights.  I did two of 3 geocaches in the area: You light up my life http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=b52cab02-1a97-4d6a-aca9-6d8909f0452a and Sugar and Spice; http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=1faa0b8f-331a-4731-bd9f-1f58763d5f8a.

Some of the brightest colors I have seen

Willow Lake

Pretty fancy carvings, some from the 1940's

An enticing trail.

The trailhead

Brighton to Lakes Mary, Martha, and Catherine

July 13, 2013
     The wildflowers were amazing on this hike! We started at the Brighton Parking lot, at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon. The trailhead is just to the right of the ticket office, by the large map sign.  This is an easy hike, with continually-changing views, and you eagerly anticipate the view around the next bend or over the next rise.  You reach Lake Mary in the first mile, and Lake Martha shows up quickly. Before you know it, you arrive at Lake Catherine. As you approach like Catherine, the trail splits; the right goes to Catherine Pass, sort of bypassing the Lake. We took the left path directly to the lake, and were rewarded by an amazing display of wildflowers in granite boulders on the lakeshore, where we ate our lunch of Harmon's bakery's multi-grain rolls, provolone cheese, grapes, cherries, and a delicious sweet, crisp apple called "Jazzy."
     If you have time, you can continue up to Catherine pass and to the summit of Sunset Peak where 3 county boundaries meet.  We headed back the way we came, with a total  of 4.4 scenic miles.  On our way down the canyon, we had to stop for a large bull moose that was crossing the road.

Almost to Lake Mary

My old trekking poles mingling with my wife's sexy new
model at Lake Mary

I know exactly how old this hiker is, but I wonder about
the age of this fallen tree. Next time I'll have to stop
and count the rings.

A little bit of Lake Martha with
Mount Tuscarora in the background.

Lake Catherine with Catherine Pass
in the background on the right.

Lake Mary in the distance with Lake Martha
in the foreground, viewed from a point
nearLake Catherine.

Thunderclouds building near Lake Mary.

A great treat to end the trip!

Watch Out For Moose!

This blog is not so much about a hike, (We only made it 1 1/2 times around Silver Lake), but about the moose. There were two bull moose, and one cow.  The smaller bull moose kept challenging the large one, and it was amazing to watch them.  A wildlife photographer, who lives up there year-round, (who left his cameras at home, and had to use his iPhone) said this was a very rare thing to witness.  If only we had had a good camera instead of my tiny hiking camera!

The sign says it all

The two bull moose

The large bull

Bulls face off

Bulls fighting while female watches at a safe distance