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Every year while backpacking Timp April and I always talk about doing the summit as a long day hike rather than lugging our gear up the long steep trail and camping overnight. Our friend Emerson told us he was hiking the trail early Wednesday morning so we took the day off work with plans to day hike to the summit. We met up with Kelsey, Brandon, and Jake at the Aspen Grove trail head and started hiking up at 7:30am.

Countless switchbacks and one angry lady later we made it up to the hidden lakes area.

Emerald Lake

After a nice long stop with food and photos at Emerald lake we headed up towards the saddle. The mountain goats were pretty far off the trail and I was feeling too lazy to chase them around so I just took a handful of shots with my 200mm as we hiked by.

Jake was able to carry an empty can of peaches from the lake to the summit and back to the trail head, 8 miles give or take.

On the saddle @ 12:25

We made it up to the summit @ 1:00pm, 5.5 hours from the Aspen Grove TH. We hung out with Kris and Emer (who had started the hike 1 hour earlier) and enjoyed the views.

HDR summit shot

At 1:30 April and I headed back down from the summit while Emerson and Kris slid down the glacier. Just over an hour later we were sitting on the edge of Emerald lake taking a much needed break. I took more photos before we started the long slog back down to Aspen Grove.

Last photo of the day.

We made it back to the Aspen Grove trailhead at 6:00pm, 10.5 hours round trip. Such a great hike but a bit long for my knees. I think I prefer backpacking and stretching it out over a day and a half.

We made a quick trip up to the high Uintas this weekend with Alene and 11 month old Bailey.  We set up our camp near Lake Washington then spent the rest of Friday afternoon driving around the various lakes in the area….. the mosquitoes were out in full force.  We prepared and ate our dinner at the bald mountain pass picnic area because the mosquitoes seemed less fierce at the higher elevation.

The little ones in Lost lake.

Testing out the new flash at camp

As everyone else got settled in at camp Bowen (2yo) and I got in the car and drove to Lost lake, Lily lake, and The Bald Mtn pass to shoot photos of the sunset.

Getting ready for sunset – Lost Lake

Sunset from the pass

Lily Lake

Lost Lake

After sunset and the kids were in the tent (not sleeping of course) I got out the camera to take some long exposures. I set up my intervalometer to make some star trails and a time lapse video but the clouds rolled in 40min after I started shooting.

In the morning there was a slight amount of rain and plenty of mosquitoes sp we had a quick breakfast and headed over the Crystal Lake trail head. We were lucky to find a parking spot, we got the kids in the packs then started hiking up towards Cliff Lake.  I spent most of my time on this hike getting eaten alive by the mosquitoes.

Lanik (5) was a great hiker

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Cliff Lake

We hiked up just beyond Cliff Lake to a small pond (or petit lake?) and took a snack break for the kids and photo break for me.  At my request (skeeters were driving me NUTS!) we turned around and headed back to the car.

Next stop.. home.