Lake Blanche Trail

For the last four years on the last weekend of summer we have hiked to Lake Blanche.  It's not the hardest hike but not the easiest either.  It's 3 miles to the lake and 3 miles back give or take with an almost 3000 foot elevation gain from the trail head.  The trail is pretty easy to follow as there aren't many forks or turn offs until you get to the lake.  There are two other lakes, Lillian and Florance, that are just to the west of Blanche.  If you hiked all the way up to Blanche you might as well check out the other two as they are just behind the broken dam of Lake Blanche and down a small hill.

 

The trail starts at the S turn of Big Cottonwood Canyon in the Mill B South Parking Lot.  Then follow the paved Big Cottonwood Trail for a bit until you see the trail head marker for Lake Blanche.  Then you start your slow descent up to Lake Blanche.  Due to the elevation gain we normally take about an 1 1/2 to 2 hours to get up to the lake with frequent stops to enjoy the view, like the one above, and sometimes just to catch our breathe.  Once you make your way to where the trail meanders and switches back and forth through a think aspen grove you are half way there.  Keep going the hardest part is mostly behind you at this point. 

When the rocks start to take on a reddish hue you know you are close.  Before going to the lake take a few minutes to explore the glacial carvings on these red rocks. It is crazy to think that rocks and ice made all these score marks millions of years ago.  After exploring the glacial carvings just head towards Sundial Peak and Lake Blanche at its base. Here you can unpack your lunch and enjoy your wonderful surroundings.  A word of caution to you, at an elevation of just under 9000 feet it can get a bit chilly at the top and if there is wind you will want a jacket or just be prepared to keep moving to stay warm.  When you are ready to leave just take the same trail down that you took up.  It usually takes us about an hour to get down maybe less with  a little trail running.

Keep on hiking. -e

Willow Heights Trail

Well here it is, my first post for the rechristened blog. Today I will be telling you all about the Willow Heights Trail. This little know trail is located in Big Cottonwood Canyon on the north side of the canyon.  From the road the only thing tipping one off to the existence of the trail is this rock

Yeah, it is pretty easy to miss.  You will want to drive up the canyon about 11 1/2 miles.  If you reach the first entrance to Solitude Ski Resort you have gone to far, turn around and it is easier to find the trail head going down. There is some space for parking in front of the trail head on the north side so park and get ready for the trail.

A few feet from the road you will come across this sign which gives you a brief description of the trail. It is 0.75 miles to the lake with a 600 foot elevation gain.  The trail is somewhat steep in areas but nothing you can't handle, just keep a helping hand ready for kids or those of us that aren't trail runners.

The trail to the lake is mostly through an alpine forest of quaking aspen trees.  This is the perfect hike for fall colors that the whole family can enjoy up close.

Once you get closer to the lake the trail levels out and you come to a fork in the trail.  At this point you can choose what way to go as the trail just goes around the lake.  Don't worry that you can't see that lake just yet, it is there right behind the trees.

Take some time to explore around the lake before heading back on the same trail you took to get to the lake.  One of the nice things about this hike is that it isn't well know so that means you don't have to battle crowds as much as some other well know hikes.  

Well that about sums up the hike to Willow Heights.  Get out there and enjoy this hike that few people know about, just be selective about who you tell about it.  We don't want it getting too crowded.

Something New

As  you can see I haven't blogged in a while.  After some musing and mulling over I have decided to rechristen this blog as a hiking guide and travel-log more than anything else.  I will still kept the older posts so feel free to click through them if you ever get bored.  In the coming days I will start posting descriptions and pictures and recommendations of hikes I have done.  I hope that you will enjoy the new format and please feel free to comment on hikes you like or ones you have heard about and would like to see on the blog.  There are so many hikes out there, especially in the Intermountain Region, that I will need all the help I can get in finding them.  Enjoy!

Fa'11

Fall is rapidly becoming winter just as this year seems to be rapidly ending. It seems like just yesterday that we were celebrating New Year's and now it is almost Thanksgiving. I enjoy all four seasons because each one is so different from the last. Each has its own perks; Winter the cleanness of a white blanket of snow, Spring the green rebirth of plants and nature, Summer the heat and the lazy days, Fall the color of the leaves and the crispness in the night air. Happy Fall!

The Pacific Northwest

To finish off summer on the right note I took a trip up to the Pacific Northwest; specifically Portland, the Oregon Coast and then on to Seattle before a train ride back to Portland. It was a fun trip and the weather couldn't have been better. Here are a few snapshots of the trip.

Hiking Lost

No, this is not a post about getting lost while hiking. Although that has been know to happen from time to time. Instead this is about all the hikes I haven't gone on this year. It seems there was a perfect trifecta of excuses not to go at any given time and I often gave into any number of them. So I am asking you to help be re-find my lost hiking mojo, be it by suggesting a hike, nagging me to go on a hike or anything else you can think of. Thanks in advance.

Happy 4th!!

Nature's Fireworks