Fall Snow, Skis, Saucers, and Snurffers High in the Uinta Wilderness.

It was still september when the snow blanketted the Wasatch and I can think of no better way to welcome october than by loading the truck with skis, saucers, and a snurffer. Oh… and of course Merl, the dog and heading up to the Uinta’s to see what we could find.

The snow totals ranged anywhere from 1″ to 8″ across Utah, and the Uinta’s were looking promising. So, I put on all my new Trew clothing (they have to get broken in some how) brought everything needed incase we found a filled in spot that was actually skiable and started up the road.

As we drove past the Jourdenelle reservoir the skies broke and we could see the fall colors on Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resort as well as the snowy alpine terrain of Mt. Timpinogos and the provo range.

After a quick stop to take it all in, we jumped back into the truck and continued on. As we headed up the Mirror Lake Hwy I couldn’t help but catch my self staring at the beautiful tapestry of fall colors, while driving through the lower elevations leading through the Uinta National Forest. As the road wound further up through the majestic range we suddenly were faced with a huge herd of cattle casually walking down the center of the scenic byway. I quickly slammed on the breaks, praying that I wouldn’t injure any of my bovine friends.

It was wild, as if we had just pulled up on a scene from an old western. There were cowboys driving the herd of at least two hundred down the paved path. As we weaved through the mooing cattle and yelled “Yah! Yah!” out of the truck window, I couldn’t help but get a sense of time a place, beyond heading up to go snurf, saucer, or ski, to being in a place that holds such a deep history and where so many worked, struggled, and died in an effort live and survive in this landscape. As we cleared the last of the cattle and hit the accelerator heading to our point of play, I felt so fortunate to be part of this environment, this mountain landscape, a place that to me represents play, peacefulness, challange and personal growth.

It was with these thoughts that I summited the pass and roled over to the east side. With vistas that open to Wyoming and the High Uinta Wilderness, the snow grew deeper and the excitement of getting out of the truck and romping around was too much to contain.

We jumped out at Fehr Lake trailhead. After assessing, that while the snow was deep, it just was not quite enough to ski, we brought the only tools that could possibly withstand the versatile conditions that lay before. A Snurfer and a saucer. And in the great spirit of the late and great Shane McConkey, we headed off for an incredible adventure with our $4.99 plastic companions.

The day was filled with side splitting laughter and an over all sense of freedom and excitement for the winter season to come. On our way home we stopped in to our favorite spot right at the gateway to the national forest, the Samak Smoke House. There Jen and Dave brewed up some hot coffee drinks and made some delicious sandwiches. A perfect way to end an incredible day up in the Uinta’s.

Tags: Backcountry, Early SNow, Fall, Shane McConkey, Uinta Wilderness