Once you reach lake, and if you’re staying the night, break out the fishing pole as Amethyst Lake is well-populated and the cutthroat trout are hungry. Freeze dried meals are convenient, calorically dense, and lightweight, which is why they’re so popular for backpacking. Reach Amethyst Lake (10,740 feet). Uintas - Toomset/Ostler/Amethyst Lakes: Backpacking: 6: Aug 2, 2015: First Uintas Trip - Amethyst Basin: Backpacking: 5: Jul 27, 2015: Uintas: Amethyst to Middle Basin off-trail pass? BACKPACK: We used Hyperlite Mountain Gear's Southwest 2400 backpacks on this trek. We just use whatever vessel is laying around. On that trip we camped at Toomset Lake and day hiked up through Ostler Lake and BR-24. See our full review here: https://www.cleverhiker.com/blog/outdoor-research-helium-rain-jacket-amp-pants-review, Need a gift for the outdoorsy person in your life? We're Dave & Annie, the outdoor adventurers behind CleverHiker. There are lots of excellent stoves on the market to make your culinary adventures a success, but not all camp chefs have the same needs. And if you found this guide helpful, click the little like button below to give us a digital high five! We’ll give you the inside scoop in our Best Women’s Hiking Pants Guide. In this guide, we break down all of the best features from articulated knees to zip-off legs. Whatever your pleasure; walking, running, biking, or hiking - being equipped with the right mindset and a quality rain jacket will empower you to seize any opportunity to get outdoors, regardless of the forecast. Staying hydrated and avoiding parasites in the backcountry is critical. Extra days allow time for climbing Ostler Peak or walking the entire perimeter of the lake. Moderately challenging, this hike takes you up to a high alpine lake with gorgeous campsites options. A hike to the summit of Ostler Peak can be made either as a long day hike, or an enjoyable and scenic backpacking trip. So get in the mix! Trekking poles can add a lot of stability and comfort to your hike. Completing a thru-hike will be one of the most profoundly rewarding achievements of your life. Climb through the wildflower-peppered Alexander Basin en route to dazzling Salt Lake City panoramas from Gobblers Knob on this ferociously steep 5.5-miler. If you’re an ultralight backpacker or a long distance thru-hiker an ultralight tent can be a great choice. Getting There: Two hours from The University of Utah, the Amethyst Lake trail starts at the trailhead near Christmas Meadows campground. Doing so will make for a more safe and enjoyable adventure. But once you glimpse this lake’s seemingly depthless azure-green waters, you may decide solitude is overrated. Black Lives Matter We fished Amethyst lake where all the scouts caught small brookies, many of which was there first ever fish. July 15, 2017 Backpacking, Camping, Getting High, Hiking, Trip Reports, Uinta Mountains Dennis. As always, difficulty ratings depend on the route you choose, experience, physical fitness, pack weight, and weather conditions. A trusty pocket knife will come in handy for both the ordinary and the unexpected. The meadows below Amethyst Lake offer plenty of campsites. There’s a bunch of places to camp in the basin, including a giant meadow, an unnamed lake and then Amethyst Lake itself at the head of the basin. Lightweight backpacking video guides and reviews of the best ultralight tents, backpacks, sleeping bags, stoves, and more. We recommend packaging all your food and scented products in a food storage container such as an Ursack. It's lightweight, affordable, and makes our best water purifiers list. A lightweight down coat should be at the center of any good backpacking list. Explore Amethyst Basin in the High Uintas Wilderness Posted on August 7, 2018 by Ryan Malavolta High peaks, lush basins, oodles of wildlife and breathtaking views are just a few of the joys awaiting hikers in the High Uintas Wilderness of Utah. Amethyst Lake lies in the extreme southern corner of Amethyst Basin, at an elevation of 10,740 feet. So give a gift that gets someone outdoors this year. So, considering how essential your down coat is and how often you use it, let me ask you this; when was the last time you washed it? The Copper Spur is a top pick on our best lightweight backpacking tents list. We outline critical considerations and our favorite food choices in our Best Lightweight Backpacking Food Guide. Yes, even the airports and even packing. Amethyst Basin Backpacking Guide - High Uintas July 20, 2018 / Dave Collins. Bury human waste and fish entrails 6-8" deep and 200 feet away from water sources. Then snuggle up with one of the Best Sleeping Bags & Quilts of 2020. At the far end of Amethyst Lake below the peaks. You’ll spend months communing with nature, build jaw-dropping endurance, and develop lasting friendships along the way. The right camping mattress can be a real game changer. Amethyst Basin, Uinta Mountains, Utah. We prefer lightweight backpacking because it’s more comfortable and it allows us to cover more ground with less effort. New backpacking videos, trip reports, gear reviews, inspiring stories and more. The area around the lake for quite some distance is a wet meadow and not good for camping. Just past Kimball Junction, take exit 146 for HWY 40. Select a campsite 200 feet from trails or streams. The lake is quite large-850 feet across and a half mile long-and is enclosed on three sides by the rocky slopes of the 12,000-feet-high Ostler-LaMotte ridge. You’ll wear it just about every night on the trail. As you near the lake, Amethyst Meadows open up to huge panoramas of Lamotte Peak to the east and the alpine cirque forming bordering the lake to the south. From BR-24, it is a short 15 or 20 minute stroll up to the end of the basin and Amethyst Lake tucked close to the steep surrounding walls. At the Chevron Station, turn right on to the Mirror Lake Highway. Below treeline, summer temps range from mid-70s to the mid-90s during the day with nighttime temps rarely dipping below 40. "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Amethyst Basin in Utah’s High Uinta Wilderness is another popular destination for impressive mountain scenery. The lake is quite large-850 feet across and a half mile long-and is enclosed on three sides by the rocky slopes of the 12,000-feet-high Ostler-LaMotte ridge. This hike has it all. Check out our best water filters list for more excellent options. CleverHiker.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The High Uinta WIlderness is home to a plethora of great backpacking options and a hike to Amethyst Basin is among the very best. the trail passes BR-24, an unnamed lake at the base of Ostler Peak. You need the toughness and the ankle support and the water protection, right? Follow CleverHiker on Facebook to catch our latest updates & shares. Image by: @jitterbug_art, The OR Helium Rain Jacket and Pants (updated for 2020) are among the most affordable options in the ultralight rain gear market. At the sign pointing toward Amethyst Lake and Uinta High Wilderness, turn left to begin the climb toward Amethyst Meadows. Ranging from minimalist to fully featured, we bring you our trail-tested Best Daypacks of 2020. Amethyst Basin, Uinta Mountains, Utah. It was over 100 degrees in Salt Lake City when I picked Chris up, but at the Christmas Meadows trailhead in the Uinta Mountains it was only 80 degrees. I wanted to get to Amethyst and so pushed on to the top, and i’m so glad I did. If you prefer boots, make sure they’re lightweight and break them in really well before your trip. Camping is available along the lake’s spectacular western shore and in the meadows further north. FIRST AID KIT: Always bring a small personalized first aid kit. STARTING TRAILHEAD: Christmas MeadowsENDING TRAILHEAD: Christmas Meadows, Day 1 - Hike from Christmas Meadows to campsites on the far end of Amethyst Lake below the peaksDay 2 - Return to Christmas Meadows, TOTAL MILEAGE - 12-13 miles (depending on where you camp), Day 1 - Hike from Christmas Meadows to campsites on the far end of Amethyst Lake below the peaksDay 2 - Hike around Amethyst Lake or climb as far up Ostler Peak as you feel comfortable.Day 3 -Return to Christmas Meadows, TOTAL MILEAGE - 14-16 miles, depending on itinerary add ons, Day 1 - Hike from Christmas Meadows to campsites on the far end of the lake below the peaksDay 2 - Hike 11 miles to Ryder Lake, campDay 3 - Hike 11 miles back to Amethyst Lake, campDay 4 - Return to Christmas Meadows. Amethyst Basin Locality, 7 miles southeast; Middle Basin Locality, 7 miles south; Landmarks. Check out our Best Lightweight Backpacking Food Guide and our Best Freeze Dried Backpacking Meals for some of our go-to grub recommendations. Here’s our list of the 10 Best Camping Tents of 2020. At about mile 4, the trail took a course almost straight up the steep mountain, across very rocky terrain, with loose and embedded rocks in the trail and rock-face. Pairing down the essentials into one single bag can be fun and freeing as long as you have the right gear and the right travel backpack to pack it in. From the overflow parking lot at the end of Christmas Meadows Road, head south through a pine-dotted valley on the Stillwater Fork Trail. Our goal is to help make your adventures as rewarding and enjoyable as possible, and to inspire you to plan your next excursion. We hiked into Amethyst basin in the uintas and I think the kids had a good time. If you hike during summer months above 10,000 feet, daytime highs rarely reach above 80 degrees, while night temperatures during summer range between 30-40 degrees. Because getting good trail sleep is crucial, we’ve researched, field tested, and narrowed this list down to the 10 Best Backpacking & Camping Pillows of 2020. Early on in the hike we enjoyed some views of the Amethyst Lakes. © 2020 Pocket Outdoor Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. We rounded up a bunch of the best coolers and put them to the test. Wind river part three. By 9:30 the next morning, we’d made the twenty-minute hike up to the top of the basin where Amethyst Lake sits under the imposing, 12,718-feet-high Ostler Peak. Nobody likes waking up with numb hips. A solid daypack should be a staple of every outdoor enthusiast's gear collection. Although most routes in the Uintas are not technically demanding, you should always plan thoroughly, train properly, know your limitations, brush up on your skills, and dial in your gear. Use these exceptional tools to increase camp comfort and decrease trail weight. Moderately challenging, this hike takes you up to a high alpine lake with gorgeous campsites options. We use the Ultralight .7 Kit and add extras, like painkillers and personal medications. 1 Pair long john bottoms and a long john top for nighttime use (optional). Outdoor adventure gifts are the best kind around. That’s just what you do. If you’re on a tight budget or new to backpacking, check out our Best Budget Tents of the year. The Amethyst Campground is perhaps the most central to use as a base for day hikes, and ten d s to be the most fully booked. We're big fans of ours. Camping is plentiful along the lake's western shore. We had success using caddis behind a bubble and several different spinners. 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