THE "1,000 MILE ..." and "THE CHALLENGE..." SLIDE SHOWS ARE TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE--IN THE MEANTIME CHECK OUT THE "ARTICLES" OR PHOTO ESSAYS THAT HAVE A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ON LIGHTWEIGHT BACKPACKING and GEAR.
These slide shows, with narration and background music, tell the story of my effort since 2003 to explore and photograph all of the High Uintas Wilderness--until the end of 2008 having backpacked 1,200 miles. I still have a list of 15 special places I have to get to, some being extremely remote, others being exotic places I have to get back to on the quest for that "perfect photograph." In the summer of 2009, in my 74th year, only 3 trips were made, shown in the GALLERIES section. In 2010 I will be ready for a big summer working on my list, and continue for as many summers as it will take, and/or until I can't strap on a backpack and move up the trail anymore. So expect additions to the website soon.
The slide shows are in reverse chronological order--the most recent and last one first. For 2008 there is an individual show for each trip, from 8 to 20 minutes long each.
The 2007 trips are in one 50 minute show under the title: 2007 Backpacking--THE CHALLENGE: NEVER GIVE IN!
All the trips from 2003 to 2006 are in the one 50 minute show entitled: 1,000 MILE WHIRLWIND BACKPACK IN THE HIGH UINTAS WILDERNESS
As you will see the size of the screen is small, except for the last two with which you can choose full screen, but the quality of the images is lacking. "THE 1,000 MILE..." and "THE CHALLENGE..." slide shows are available on DVD's for a small charge. The images of the DVD'S will fill your computer, or TV screen and be better quality. Contact me if your are interested.
This was the much anticipated trip with my two original backpack buddies, Ted Packard & Charlie Petersen, who introduced me to the Uintas in 1952. As you have noticed from some of the other slides shows, Ted and I have had a number of adventures together in recent years, but I hadn't seen Charlie in more than 50 years. However, we had kept in touch and finally this year put together this monumental trip together to the Red Castle area. As usual it became another "challenge" for me as a week before I had been hit and run over while jogging, but come "hell or highwater" I wasn't going to miss this trip. I mention a few details in the 20 minute program. It was a bit tough for me, but thanks to the Lord, and my two wonderful friends, it was pretty successful. I hope you enjoy the experience, and look forward to being in touch again soon with more on the majestic High Uintas alpine wonderland.
For better viewing of the images from the 2008 slide shows I will add them to the GALLERIES section. Of course there will be no sound, just larger, better quality photographs.
On this trip I began learning about an entire tough culture that existed on the North Slope of the High Uintas, but also learned, the hard way, that one might be in for a very tough experience if you ignore the weather report. Once again this backpack was to a little visited area that will give you a real "wilderness experience," in just 3 days.
The distance from Kamas to the West Fork of Smith's Fork Trailhead is 78 miles--from Springville it is 122 miles.
NEW NOTE: In this show I mention learning about the "tiehacker culture" on the North Slope and since have learned many more details. It was the Union Pacific Railroad with its Commissaries and tiehacker camps and communities beginning in about 1867 and continuing until approximately 1930, the Uintas contributing millions of railroad ties to the opening and development of the West.
This slide show will be Part I. I will not do as outlined at the end of this show, rather Part II will be an actual visit to Bald Lake, camping in the area, and testing the fishing. Reportedly the little visited lake has Eastern Brook Trout that are maintained by natural reproduction. I look forward to reporting what I find.
NEW NOTE: At the end of this show I take you to the log ruins of the Old Black's Fork Commissary. I mistakenly said that it was "Army." As mentioned in the NEW NOTE of Show #3, I had learned in my Trip #5 that the log ruins all over the North Slope all had to do with the Union Pacific Railroad and their tiehackers that worked in the area from around 1867 until 1930. The Commissary was a quite complete community with a General Store, Livery Stable and sale of horses, a School, a Church, and even a Brothel. All of this "tiehacker culture" initially contributed to the creation of the Transcontinental Railway, and then its maintenance over many years with many millions of railroad ties.
A TRUE WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE! Incredibly this trip shows that in just 3 days you can have a real "Wilderness Experience!" There were only signs of one person having been in the area this season. Eventually the trail disappears and you're on your own, so have a good map & compass, and enjoy! If you are a fisherman, you will catch tough, hard fighting Tiger Trout in Bob's Lake.
NEW NOTE: In this show I mention and have photographs of many ruins of log cabins on the Middle Fork, but wasn't able to explain what had gone on in the area. In my Slide Show #5 I mention briefly learning about the history. From around 1867 until aproximately 1930 the Union Pacific Railroad maintained camps of tiehackers on the Uinta's North Slope. Millions of railroad ties were hewn with broad axes on the North Slope, and the Middle Fork of Black's Fork was one of the more active areas, the tiehackers and their families forming a scattered community that even had a school.
This backpack trip was from July 3-6, 2008, first to test my new titanium knee, mentioned in the Challenge--2007 Slide Show, but also to acquire photos of Packard Lake for my good friends, the Ted Packard Family, then to visit the Naturalist Basin (all new areas for me and important in my quest of exploring all the High Uintas). I will try and produce a short slide show for each trip taken during the summer so that there will be some immediate benefit for all interested in our wonderful Uintas.
