Distance = 28 Miles; People Met = 2
This stretch took us through the Fishlake National Forest. We stopped at the Forest Service office in Beaver to get some information and a map before heading on. We learned two things that proved of great importance. We were told the trails going up the South Fork of South Creek had been recently cleared. Maintained trails, Yay! Then we eavesdropped on a phone conversation where the FS ranger told a recreationist that something was closed because of all the avalanches.
We had learned that the snowpack for most of Utah was 600% of normal, restoring depleted aquifers in one year. In California the elevated snowpack meant dangerous snow bridges we were wise to avoid. In Nevada the elevated snowpack and late rains meant constantly wet feet and setting up camp early. We were soon to discover what the elevated snowpack meant for us in Utah.
We only met two people during the two day stretch, a daughter taking her 98-year old Mom for a drive up the Forest Service road to South Creek. They stopped to ask us if we were in trouble or just nuts. That set the jovial tone of our conversation. They asked when we would finish our 5,000 mile journey and I replied: “I hope before your Mom reaches 100.”
98 Years Young
We camped that night where the hiking trail we would take first deviated from an ATV trail, with some apprehension from our experience with Nevada hiking trails. The next morning we were pleasantly surprised. The trail up the South Fork was indeed maintained as the FS ranger claimed. What a pleasant experience. It reminded me of why I loved hiking so much to begin with, the remoteness of a simple trail with the maintenance of an FS or ATV road. What a luxury to simply put one foot in front of another while the mind and senses are allowed to wander as they might.
Maintained Trails Allow the Freedom to Sense the Subtle
Of course, there was the downside of the rain for the two days through the National Forest. Then there was literally and figuratively the downside of going down the other side of the 9600′ pass on something called the Old Government Trail. No maintenance had been done on that trail. Rather, the combination of avalanches and rain led to four miles of constant blow downs, rock slides and slippery clay.
Blow Downs Ahead! (except for the creek crossing)
Before the hike started I was apprehensive about my knees. In a younger day I treated them with a complete lack of respect. The height of this abuse was when I ran down Mousilake, ran not walk, wearing a full pack. Why? Because of the thrill of avoiding certain injury if I stumbled. My knees would often ache at the end of long hikes, and this journey is almost twice as long as the previous longest.
I’m wiser now, believe it or not, and my knees have held up amazingly well, except for a few excruciatingly steep descents. However, that four mile stretch wore terribly on my knees. Having tasted the beauty of a hiking trail for a mere 2.5 miles I was brought back to the reality of hiking trails in this region of the country. In fairness, it might be just bad timing for Utah, unlike Nevada where hiking trails have been neglected for years. We will see.
