Salt Lake City Visit in Sept 2013

[gorillamel]

So, much to my chagrin, airline flights are substantially cheaper out of SLC to the east coast than from Boise (go figure). Therefore, I will be driving to SLC on Weds 18 Sept to catch a midnight flight and then flying back Mon 23 Sept. I figure since I really have never been to SLC, I'd like to check out the area and meet up and wheel with anyone after I get back from the east coast.

Any recommendations on places to visit/see/do? As well as campgrounds to stay since I am too cheap for a hotel?

I know this is a long shot, but would anyone be willing to let me park my X at their place while I am out of town? I loathe to park it with all its camping/overland goodies at the airport lot.

Thanks!

 

[Maxterra]

I live about 40 minutes south of SLC area and the airport.
I do however live about 1.5 miles from the ROY front runner train station that goes to SLC airport from here (via TRAX train).
See map attached.
http://www.rideuta.com/mc/?page=UTA-Home-FrontRunner
Schedules and operating times on same link.

Definitely could park your rig here in my back lot by my shop here at my house and I could run you up to the train stop.
What time you coming back?
Seems the trains don't run much past midnight.

Love to take you wheeling, but I'm at work mon/wed 12.5 hr days. Don't know if you'll be in the area that long or not, but if so, love to head out.

One place I'd recommend is taking the mirror lake hwy and get up where it cool and beautiful.. Lots of places to camp up there!
http://www.utah.com/byways/mirror_lake.htm
http://www.outdoorsinutah.com/mirrorlakehighway-camping.htm
http://photographyoutdoors.com/Uinta Drainages/south slope/campgrounds.html

Pretty damn hot in the west desert right now, so I'd recommend mountains east or north.

Let me know what your return plans are!

 

[gorillamel]

Ooooo public transit?! Count me in! I only wish Boise had trains and such. Mass public transit is one of the only things I miss from living in DC.

My plan after I get back (I land ~8pm on Monday) is to camp and explore. I will take the work week off. So I do not have to be back in Boise until Sunday or so. Depending on plans, I may go back earlier, too or do some exploring elsewhere.

If you do not mind me parking at your shop, I will definitely take you up on your offer. I'll even bring you back a souvenir from DC I'll send you a PM with my info and I can get yours to plan my train/driving route. You rock!

And I totally understand the long work hours schedule. I have the same. Your kindness is most appreciated!

 

[Maxterra]

Sounds good!
Told the wife I'm increasing my stable of nissans (for the week anyway).
If my son's pathy isn't sold by then, we'll have 3 here again (just traded the Altima for a new f 150).

Definitely have to hit a trail run or two between thu/sun. Couple close by that aren't rough, but cover a lot of ground and go thru some spectacular scenery.

If up for it, I'll put together a BBQ here with some of my local X buddies on say Friday .

 

[gorillamel]

Awww, you'll be a boarding house for Nissans. My X feels the love already.

A BBQ sounds great, as well as a scenic run. I'm not worried about something difficult. These days, I prefer great scenery over trail difficulty level anyway.

 

[Maxterra]

Just don't want any breakage or damage for ya so far from home.

I always like to make the long drive back home ;-)

 

[civicjoe]

Mel, Daves place will make you jealous and probably wont want to leave. LOL. Good on ya man!

 

[gorillamel]

Glad to hear it! I cannot wait, wooo! Watch out Utah, I'll be coming to town!

 

[gorillamel]

Question- Are there any roads (any condition) that connect Hwy 150 @Mirror Lake to Murdoch Basin Road? It looks like Murdoch Basin Rd ends at Hoover Lake on google maps. :-(

Also, any fun and/or scenic fire service roads or trails in the Wasatch National Forest area recommended? I'm looking to stick around the Hwy150 area-ish.

 

[Maxterra]

Both Murdoch and soapstone basin dead end.
I've only been up either just a little bit myself. Still need to explore them more in detail someday.

I'm more familiar with the north slope area. Mirror lake is pretty much the peak of the range (make sure to visit that and all the nearby lakes in that area).

Just glanced at Googerth cuz I couldn't remember soapstones name.
Don't be confused by the view it gives on those roads, but these are substantial mountainous glacier-carved areas near 10k ft.

Most all the campground with facilities are located nearer 150 and everything else primitive camping.

 

[Maxterra]

Oh, and you absolutely have to stop at Provo falls!!! Take lots of pics!

Link to some pics I have on PB
http://s619.photobucket.com/user/maxterra/slideshow/Uinta Mtns Aug 2010

 

[gorillamel]

I'll put it on my list! I've been considering bringing my kayak along for Mirror Lake area. May be a naughty person and order the Dephep and put it on my credit card. Kind of tired of cramming everything in the X when I go on exploratory trips, haha. Bad mel, bad.

I need to buy a Delorme map of Utah and try to get some detailed FS maps or something so I don't get hopelessly lost. I don't have gps or mapping programs other than my SPOT.

Thanks for all the info! Ill probably spend a night at a developed campground for a shower, then use primitive ones the rest of the time.

Sent from my PantechP8000 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Maxterra]

Mirror lake is probably the best campground of them,but not sure if they have showers.
Kayaking on the lake would be a blast though!
As you head up from kamas, keep an eye out for RV parks just I'm case no showers up there.

As for a map, as you go into the park and pay your $6 for the 3-day user fee, they'll give you a park map.
For a few bucks more, you can buy a really good map with tons of detail from them while there.
You could spend a month up there and not see it all.

 

[gorillamel]

^Good to know, thanks!
Your pics look awesome (good looking dog, too, haha).

Are Provo Falls the same as Bridal Veil Falls off of SR189?
Timpanagos Cave Monument looks interesting, too.

Now that I have all these places/ideas to visit, I just need to plan out my routes and places to sleep ahaha!

Do you know much about Skull Valley and Horseshoe Springs?
Bountiful Peak Rd from Farmington to Bountiful any good? I'm still trying to figure out where the road starts/ends, haha!

 

[Maxterra]

Provo falls about 2 miles down from mirror lake on 105 from kamas.
Be sure to hit all the scenic pullouts up the canyon. That gorge & river is pretty spectacular, though much more impressive in the spring with snow melt.

Farmington & bountiful peak is one of the runs I thought we'd hit while you were there. Pretty close to my house and can do it in just a few hours.

Pics from a couple of weeks ago.
http://www.xterranation.org/showthread.php?p=117805#post117805

Horseshoe springs, not a whole lot out there in the west desert unless you have an entire day or more to explore.
Right next to the huge scary Dugway military facility out there, kinda like our own Area 51. The aliens might abduct you...
On the good side, they just decommissioned the nerve gas incinerator facility out there so your odds of permanent physical damage has dropped substantially while visiting the area

You really need to come out next march and do the pony express run with us from Lehi to Nevada and back across the remote desert.

Here it is:
http://www.xterranation.org/showthread.php?p=19097#post19097

 

[gorillamel]

Oooo ok, I'll hold off on the Bountiful peak exploring on my own then.

Huh, so you're saying if I want to start to glow or grow an extra appendage, I should check out Skull Valley? But to otherwsie avoid it. Fair enough. Sounds like exploring around the edge of the Lake would take some time and make use of my gas cans, haha.

 

[gorillamel]

I've been putting some serious thought into this trip and even bought the DeLorme map to plan routes and such. Since money is always an issue with me and taking a vacation after spending time with family on the East Coast, money will be even tighter. Therefore, after much inner debate and cost analysis, I will most likely be taking my Fiat rather than the X due to the massive amount saved with gas.

If we do a trail run, would anyone mind me being a passenger vs. me taking the X? I can certainly take the Fiat to the trail start on a very easy dirt road (I've done it before), but anything harder than a graded road is out of the question (my rock rashed bumper tells me so). And feel free to poke as much fun as you want at the Fiat. Now I just need to figure out how to pack all my camping equipment in it. Should be interesting...I'll def take pics.

 

[gorillamel]

Alrighty, I think I have finally decided my visiting/exploring route...kind of, ha! The following post is more or less notes to myself so I can access them in case my phone's email quits haha.

Map of route plans: HERE

 

[Maxterra]

Working hard to get ahead a bit so we can do some traveling when you're out here.
Looks like you have some good points listed on your route.

Making plans for a Friday evening BBQ.

 

[gorillamel]

Wooo, glad to hear it! I'll be picking up your goodies on Weds morning. So hopefully it'll still be frothy and cold for you ahaha!

I did not include the places I will be walking to or commuting to in SLC with my friend. I'm hoping to bring my kayak and bumble around in the water for a bit. *fingers crossed*

Edit: breweries wont be open till late. So I apologise for you getting 24h old libations. (here)

 

[gorillamel]

Well, apparently all campgrounds along HWy/SR150 (Mirror Lake) close 09.01. Thats stupid. I wonder if I can still park and walk in....probably not. Now I'm annoyed.