Seek recommendation Aug 2020 3 day/2 nt west w/3 teens: Winds? Uintas? Other?

[Keith Schoonmaker]

Hello.

 

My wife, three of our kids aged 16-22, and I plan to hike somewhere in the West mid-August. We will likely drive from Chicago but could also fly/rent. We have been on easy trips like two days/one night in the Badlands, Chicago Basin, and Beartooths, but I’m not sure we’re ready for much longer than three days and two nights. A 3 day/2 night with optionality to extend a night would be great, or a 3/2 followed by hotel and a 2/1: superb.

 

It may not be possible given our constraints, but like everyone, we prefer to avoid a superhighway of hikers. It’s probably apparent that we are not climbers. We have a relatively low bug tolerance, but we also have head nets. I’d love for my wife and kids to catch fish if legal and possible. Tenkara looks so elegant but we’d need a couple rigs.

 

I’ve read many trip plans and reviews on the BPL site but would appreciate timely recommendations if anyone would care to offer. Wind River looks appealing. Thank you for your expertise and time.

 

Best,

Keith

[Luke Schmidt]

First off you can overthink these things. If there are mountains and you get up high to see them it’s a win that said here are a few thoughts.
I only did one trip in the Winds. Nice area but if I recall approaches to the more scenic areas were a bit longer. It might not be the best area for a short trip. Look at a top map and see how many miles of your route will be down in the trees.
Its slightly farther but the Beartoothes are nice. Lots of trip reports and pictures to give you an idea where to go. I’d download a map app to your phone, bring a battery pack and go off trail. If you have the vacation time afterwards head down through Yellowstone and maybe day hike the Grand Tetons.

Another idea would be a Grand Teton hike from the Idaho side. I did overnights there when I worked in Idaho Falls. It didn’t seem that crowded to me.

I believe grizzlies will be headed up into the alpine in August. It wouldn’t stop me from going but I’d bring spray for sure. Also a camera with zoom and a Vortex 10×25 monocular. If you see a bear it’s nice to get pictures and watch it from a distance.

[Alex H]

Luke is correct about the Winds.  Unless you start at  Big Sandy you will spend a whole day getting across the plateau and the forest to the big views and then a day back.

[Keith Schoonmaker]

Thank you, Luke and Alex.

Great point about the long approach at the Winds. This is why I asked: To benefit from those who have gone before.

I appreciate your point about overthinking, Luke, but I need to do <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>some</span> thinking given we need to choose a destination and I’m not the only party. We have been in the Beartooths on several occasions so I agree is it beautiful. Hoped to perhaps go somewhere I had not taken everyone before, but Beartooths are a good default option. I’ll look at your Grand Teton suggestion.

I was originally thinking about Utah but then I checked expected temperatures.

Please let me know if anything else comes to mind.

Keith

[Arthur]

Keith, I would not write off the Winds. Yes, it takes a hard day or two to get to the high country above tree line, there are great places at lower altitudes for fishing with lakes and streams galore.  Most people leaving Elkhart trailhead go NE to Titcomb, Island Lake, and the classic routes. Avoid that and turn south.  Its about 7-10 miles to Pole Creek, Chain Lakes, Spruce Lake and you will avoid most of the cattle herd. Return the second night to the Sweeney lakes area with an easy 3rd day to the trailhead.  You will probably see local families in the area.   Pinedale is close, the Mountain Man Museum is worthwhile.  The non chain hotels are fun and the restaurants have local flavor. The Winds are notorious for bugs, but I have very seldom had an issue in August.  Earlier can be another story.  No, I am not on the Chamber of Commerce, do not live there, and am not getting paid!  I just love hiking the Winds.

[Keith Schoonmaker]

Thanks, Arthur. I’ll look into your route. Haha, yes, I thought you might be on the city council or at least selling tee shirts. You noted my interest in having my wife and kids fish–that would be nice if bugs permit.

Keith

 

[Bret G]

I am personally for the Uintas. There are many great routes and not too many people if you stay away from Henry forks trail head (the main way to king’s peak). Dead horse lake is beautiful and tons of fish. Naturalist basin is also a popular spot but not too bad depending on if you are there on a weekend or not. The bugs will have died down quite a bit by August.

[Keith Schoonmaker]

Thank you, Bret. Dead Horse Lake looks like it meets our wishes for some isolation and fishing, as well as beauty. Looks like it would be one day in to the lake/one night at the lake/one day out from the lake to the trailhead. I’m still looking at maps, but do you have a  route you like to add another night and day from the Lake, or is an out and back the best at this site? It looks splendid.

Or maybe we should try a short trip in the Unitas playing at the lake, then add the Winds trip a couple days later? Or maybe we should move from Chicago to the west?

Keith

 

[Bret G]

You can go over dead horse pass to a myriad of lakes to choose from. You really can’t go wrong. And yes you should just move out west. I used to live in Iowa and very glad I live out here now.

[Keith Schoonmaker]

Arthur,

Next week we are going to try the route you recommended. Mind if I ask a couple more questions?

I’ve been looking at topos but would appreciate any other trips from Spruce you might suggest if we want to extend our trip beyond 3 days/2 nights. I’m a little gun shy after an injury last year, but would love to add a day/night even if we are living on coffee alone.

If you have fishing recommendations, I’d sure love for my wife and daughters to catch and release a couple beautiful trout. We have spinning rigs and could bring a tenkara rod but that might not give us enough options.

I may add Bret’s recommendation too, depending on how my family does regarding consecutive nights.

Really appreciate the suggestions.

Best,
Keith

[Arthur]

Just got back from 8 days in the Winds.  Tons of water, snow, and mosquitoes up high, but a great trip. No fishing on this trip.  My experience is that the bugs are less in August. If you are headed to the Chain lakes and Spruce lake, you could head up to Baldy creek and Lake for another day. Going farther to Timico Lake is a bit far and higher, but impressive scenery.  if you want to stay close and lower, I would spend another night in the Lower Sweeney lakes.  Easier hiking if you are concerned about the hike difficulty.  But, you have a 800 ft climb coming back up out of Pole Creek coming home.

I am not much of a fisherman, so take my advice lightly.  I have never used a spinning rig in the lakes, only Tenkara and light fly in the streams.  The outlet streams have treated me better. Again, I am no pro.   As you go higher, the fish get smaller.  The first time I fished the Winds up high, I threw back the first 8-10 I caught thinking they had to be under the limit, only to be informed that I had just released lunch.   Have fun, I’d like to hear how it works out.

[Keith Schoonmaker]

Thank you, Arthur.

I’ll take maps for those suggestions with me. Thinking I’ll just print from Gaia in addition to using the app on a phone dedicated to that sole purpose. May pick up USGS if I see some in town, because I can’t help myself.

[Ryan Jordan]

Keith: Happy to give you a recommendation for the Winds that’s a bit off the beaten path, and gets you to alpine lakes above the treeline with excellent fishing for big golden and cutthroat trout with only 4-5 miles of hiking in. But not publicly on the internet, sorry fellas. The Winds is woefully overused these days. Even the “wind river high routes” have trails on them now. Contact me at [email protected] and we can chat.

[Arthur]

I agree with Ryan. Take his advise over mine.  After a decade of hiking the Winds, I finally went to Titcomb for a few hours recently.  thought I should do that before i died.  Never wanted to go there.  It turned out to be just what I expected.  Tons of people with no shirts getting burnt, noise, spider web of trails going everywhere around Island Lake,  and even an outfitter had set up a series of buffet tables cooking ribs for about 20 people.  It looked like a wedding.  Coney Island.  I was expecting a T shirt stand.  We just kept walking.  Saw more people in a few hours than the last 50 or 60 days there.  Good thing there are still places of solitude there.

[Keith Schoonmaker]

I appreciate that insight, Arthur. I may have time to take the counsel you both have offered me. That scene you described is uninteresting to us, no matter the backdrop.

[Ryan Jordan]

Tons of people with no shirts getting burnt, noise, spider web of trails going everywhere around Island Lake,  and even an outfitter had set up a series of buffet tables cooking ribs for about 20 people.  It looked like a wedding.  Coney Island.  I was expecting a T shirt stand.

How disenchanting to experience that in designated Wilderness.

[Author]

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