5am – July 4th 2013 – “What am I doing?” pops into my head before getting a few hours of sleep. The previous night entailed 8 hours of driving to shuttle my car to the end of Forest Road 43 in the middle of nowhere. After leaving it in darkness on the far eastern slope of the Uinta Mountain Range, we switched cars and drove another five hours to reach our destination. My GPS showed that I was over 55 miles away from where we had left the car, but I knew the trek to get there would be closer to 80. There was no alternate plan, just the car at the end and four days to make it there.

Ahead lay a route that had caught my imagination a few years back, and had been stuck in the back of my head ever since. I had decided during a New Year’s party that the Utah Highline Trail was on my bucket list for the year and the July fourth holiday weekend was just long enough to make the trek.

The Highline Trail

The Highline Trail is unique in many aspects. It traverses the entire Uinta Mountain Range running east to west, where most mountain ranges in the US run north to south. The trail maintains an elevation of 10,000 feet or more for the entire duration, with the highest point along the trail being Anderson pass at 12,700 feet. Consequently, Anderson Pass is at the foot of the highest point in Utah, Kings Peak, cresting at 13,528 feet, and many adventurers will opt to summit Kings while hiking the route. There are 9 major alpine passes along the trail and a thru hiker will gain approximately 17,000 feet of elevation by completing the journey. In addition, the isolation from major cities and roads gives the route solitude not often found these days. In terms of red-tape, no permits are required and there are just basic restrictions in place in regards to camping and food storage. We however still chose to use an Ursack food bag.

This trail is certainly a great adventure with some unique considerations. The trail is remote and stays at a high altitude for much of its distance. The only high use areas in the wilderness are the route between Henry’s Fork and Kings Peak and the area around Haden Pass. Mountain bikes and other off-road vehicles are not allowed along most of the trail and pack animals are scarce because of the difficult passes.

We did not encounter any cell phone coverage and I carried my ACR satellite beacon. A map, compass, and the usual navigation aids were utilized frequently on the Highline Trail. On the flip side the remoteness will offered a wilderness experience, with the trail disappearing for miles at a time, offering only the slightest traces to follow and read. While these may be the typical complexities for backcountry adventure, we found that weather was a consideration for us with the trail running at higher exposed altitudes for much of its length. Our intention would be to detour any snowfields as it had been a low snow year, and with it being summer in the mountains I took plenty of bug protection.

Preparing for the Highline Trail

This trip was fairly easy to design. The largest obstacle was getting shuttled from one end to the other. After substantial research I could not find any way to get a shuttle in the area. The northeast corner of Utah is not heavily populated and it seems that most people in the area complete the thru hike by relying on friends and/or using a two car shuttle. Originally my plan involved using my road bike to self-shuttle, however, as the trip approached it became obvious that I didn’t have the extra time to bike from one end to the other. I ended up asking a third friend drive out from Denver with us, which allowed for leaving my car at the eastern end near Vernal and being dropped off on the west side near Park City.

Several hikers on the trail had arranged similar plans which may be more suitable depending on your situation. A group of locals we ran into did a car swap, where two groups hiked in opposite directions and when they met in the middle they exchanged keys, allowing them to drive away in their friend’s car on opposite ends. Another pair of hikers we met had flown into Salt Lake City from Louisiana and ended up renting two cars, leaving one at Haden pass and then driving the other to the east side, hiking east to west from Leidy Peak. If you opt for driving, vehicle permits are only required for parking near Mirror Lake and Haden Pass on the west side. The Forest Service currently offers a seven-day, paid-pass permit ranging from $10-20 for up to 7 days at self-service areas along the highway, and interagency land passes are accepted to waive the fees. Since my plan didn’t include any parking along UT-150, this wasn’t an issue. After figuring out the shuttle and the route, all that was left to plan was our gear.

A Highline Trail Hike Begins

After finally getting a few hours of sleep we woke up around nine and got our packs ready. My friend Jason was my hiking buddy this time and it was his first multi-day backpacking trip, so we had worked up a pack list prior to heading out to Utah. This was to make sure we did not miss anything crucial while keeping our packs as light as possible. After emptying out both of our packs, making sure everything was accounted for, and then repacking to even out the food weight, we set off from Haden Pass.

The night before had given us quite the fireworks show as we watched the thunder and lightning erupt over the Uintas, finally clearing just before dawn. As morning progressed the sunshine slowly gave way to clouds and we made our way through the forest to our first pass, Rocky Sea Pass. Just before the pass the only signed spring along the route appeared on the right side of the trail near tree line, Pigeon Milk Spring. For what it is worth the water quality along the entire route is great and we didn’t have any issue finding water when we wanted it. July was still early enough in the summer that seasonal streams were flowing on our trip, whereas later in the season or in drier years you may find water a little scarcer.

After making it over our first pass we descended to the lowest point of the entire trip and the only difficult stream crossing at Rock Creek. We made it past the stream and I checked the map only to notice there was a higher route around the basin to Lightning Lake. Being the Highline Trail I wondered why the higher route wasn’t the normal route, but we didn’t worry about it as we still had plenty of ground to cover. In retrospect I think the Lightning Lake route may have been a bit more scenic than the dense forest around Rock Creek, adding some distance but eliminating some elevation loss and the difficult crossing. As we climbed out of the Rock Creek basin we crossed tree line again and saw our second pass of the day.

We had been warned by a couple of hikers earlier that Deadhorse Pass was impassable on the north side due to snow. The north side was steep, loose, muddy, and still had some snow, but we found it passable. As we made our way down the north side, we were treated to a beautiful view of Deadhorse Lake and our next highpoint, Red Knob Pass. After 17 miles evening was creeping up on us, and we decided to call it a day near Deadhorse Lake before the sun went down. We setup camp at nearly 11,000 feet and I went for a quick dip in the cold alpine lake to clean up.

Around 3am the next morning, I suddenly awoke. I didn’t know why at first, but a few moments later a blinding flash ripped through the darkness of the tent, instantaneously followed by a ground shaking boom of thunder. A large thunderstorm had rolled into the area. Eventually the storm passed, leaving us to sleep through the rest of the night.

A Second Day

The next morning we woke up, still a little shaken from the overnight storm, but ready to take on the next passes of the day. We had three major passes, Red Knob, Porcupine, and Tungsten, with lots of alpine tundra in between. Red Knob was up first, less than three miles from our camp. Loose, but not as steep as Dead Horse, we worked our way up towards a slight band of snow until we crested at 12,000 feet, the highest point of our trip so far. At the top, Mount Lovenia came into view, one of the seventeen 13ers of the High Uintas. Utah is one of nine states to contain peaks above 13,000 feet, all of which are located within the central section of the High Uintas that we were crossing.

The hike down the eastern slopes of Red Knob was beautiful, and as we passed below tree line the trail slowly faded away and cairns disappeared. We turned to the map and our altimeters, determining that we still had 500 more feet to descend, and as long as we kept close to the Lake Fork River we would find the next intersection. Sure enough the trail appeared after a short walk, and we found the signed intersection pointing us in the direction of Porcupine Pass nine miles ahead. As we gained back some of our elevation, we lost the trail for a second time just before finding the remnants of a small cabin that had collapsed from years of weathering.

Passing the cabin, the trail faded in and out and we relied more on sighting cairns and the surrounding landmarks. Shortly after this section the trees disappeared as we found ourselves in an enormous alpine valley. In the distance, we could see Wilson Peak, another 13er, and Porcupine Pass just to the right. As we trekked through the meadow, rock fall could be heard from the valley walls to our east. The mountains of the Uintas are mainly composed of red shale, a relatively fragile metamorphic rock.

Due to water erosion the rock fractures and falls away, leaving large piles of rubble at the base of the cliff and creating the steep dramatic cliffs of the landscape surrounding us. Porcupine Pass began to loom over us as we steadily approached. As we started to work our way up we found it a bit steep and loose with some exposure. When we crested the pass at 12,250’ the tips of Kings Peak and South Kings peak came into view along with Tungsten Pass, our third pass of the day, which was easily visible a few miles below and to the east. Tungsten is unique for this trip in that it is the only pass on route with almost no elevation gain. Compared to the ridge-tops and steep grades, Tungsten is just an opening at the far end of the valley that sprawled out to the east.

As we approached our last pass, we decided to stop at Tungsten Lake to take a quick swim and rinse off since it was the last lake we would see that day. After cleaning up we headed into the valley on the east side of the pass and immediately South Kings Peak loomed over us. By now there were dark clouds brewing to the south and we pressed on to the far side of the valley, stopping just below tree line where we found an obvious campsite that had been used before. Gentle rain began to fall just as we finished setting up the tent. It was the start of another thunderstorm, but this time we were less exposed and the storm was much less fearsome. After making some dinner we passed out, exhausted from the 20+ mile day.

Day 3 on the Highline Trail Begins

Sunshine lit up our tent on the third day as we awoke to clear skies once again. We were halfway done with the trip and the highest point lay only a few miles ahead. One pass was on the list for day three, Anderson Pass, the highest point along the trail at 12,700 feet. By this time we were very acclimatized, so the altitude didn’t slow us down much. As we hiked up towards the saddle the dramatic west face of Kings Peak loomed over us. Kings is the highest peak in the Uintas and the highest peak in Utah at 13,627 feet. Most climbers start at the Henry’s Fork Trailhead and end up only seeing the north and east side of the peak, which is somewhat mild looking with a gradually ascending alpine valley that smoothly blends into a band of jutting rocky summit, whereas the west slope features near vertical walls and a spectacularly jagged ridgeline. Next to Kings Peak its sister, South Kings Peak, rises just a few feet shorter. From Tungsten Pass South Kings looks much taller, but as you approach Anderson Pass the true highpoint reveals itself.

Once we crested the pass Jason decided to take a break while I ran up the extra 1000 feet to the summit of Kings, so I dropped my pack and scrambled up solo. Without the pack I felt light and fleet footed, summiting just 30 minutes later. I enjoyed the view at the top of Utah for a few minutes and then hiked down, making it back to Jason an hour after I left. He had taken the time to rehydrate and eat and was feeling better by the time I made it back. I decided this would be a good time for a little foot repair since looking east from the pass was a clear view of the route ahead of us. Painters Basin opened up and seemed endless as the green tundra unfolded towards the horizon, finally meeting mountains and blue sky. In the distance we could see several mountain humps, one of which was North Pole Pass, our last major pass before Chepeta Lake. With our feet repaired and our bodies re-energized we set off into the vast green basin.

As we hiked, the line of peaks behind us with Kings in the middle provided a spectacular view. For several hours we trekked through the basin, crossed below tree line, and spent the next few hours hiking through the forest towards Fox Lake. I didn’t realize it before the trip, but the third day would keep us below tree line the longest. That was a lucky bit of timing as it began to rain, then sleet, and back to light rain again. The trees kept us mostly protected and eventually we climbed our way to Kidney lakes and Fox Lake, with the trail fading out in a few spots, but lots of fresh animal tracks in the mud. Just before Fox Lake, we happened upon a lone moose grazing in the willows. It was a gratifying sight since our trip had been lacking in wildlife sightings.

After reaching Fox Lake we started up towards North Pole Pass. We were trying to get a few extra miles in to make the last day a little easier. The plan was to complete North Pole Pass and camp on the east side. We crossed tree line and were part-way up the 12,000+ft slope when we could see another storm fast approaching from the northwest. We couldn’t catch a break from the evening storms, which like clockwork, had appeared near sunset the previous two evenings. The decision was made that it would be better to stop for the night and wake up earlier the next morning. Another 20 miles was behind us, and again we set up camp, the rain came, and we passed out after eating some dinner.

A Highline Trail Hike Out

The next morning came early, waking up before sunrise. We had three passes for our last day, so it was going to be a push to the end. We kept a steady pace all the way to Chepeta Lake Reservoir. I had wrongly assumed that on a Sunday morning during a holiday weekend, Chepeta Lake would be a popular hiking area. It was almost completely deserted with a single empty truck sitting at the trailhead. We still had 13 miles between the car and us.

At first the trail goes through some relatively flat wooded areas leading up to another reservoir at White Rocks Lake. However, after White Rocks Lake the terrain changed dramatically, becoming much steeper and turning once again from forest to alpine slopes. In the distance we noticed a large storm beginning to brew in the northwest, but it appeared it to moving east. We headed up and over the pass between White Rocks Lake and Deadman’s Lake.

Immediately to the east of Deadman’s Lake was Gabbro Pass and the only permanent snowfield that presented us a challenge. As we began climbing the steady and dry western slope it became obvious the storm had started to shift south towards us. We picked up the pace and reached the summit, where the hump of Leidy Peak finally became visible. Stopping for a moment to assess the snowfield, we decided it was too steep to hike down where the trail was covered, so we traversed to a shallower section and side hilled back to the main path.

As we traversed around the snow and hiked towards Leidy peak, the Green River Valley and Flaming Gorge appeared to the east. By now the storm was closing in on us and the clouds grew more and more menacing. We were near 11,000 feet and without any real cover when thunder began to echo from the sky. We started rushing towards the car, ducking into the trees just before the skies opened up.

Hail, thunder, and rain poured down as we reached the car. We treated ourselves to a well-deserved cold soda from the cooler I had stashed in the trunk. I checked my GPS on the drive to see what kind of stats it had recorded. Including the climb up Kings Peak, we had covered 17,000 feet of gain, just over 78 miles, and had stayed above 10,000 feet for almost 4 days since we departed from Haden Pass. Once we made it to the highway we had pizza in Vernal, then headed east towards home.

This route met all of my expectations, and it definitely left me wanting more. Every pass revealed a stunning view and in a world as busy as ours, the remoteness experienced in the Uintas is a precious commodity. The route tested us physically and mentally, and would have been difficult to accomplish without prior experience with off trail wilderness travel and navigation. There are few trails that will rival the experience that the Highline can deliver in North America, and it is a trip I will look forward to backpacking again in the future.

Maps and Books

For a map of the area see the National Geographic Trails Illustrated 711 Map as well as Trails Illustrated 704. For getting to and from the trailhead, an overview type view, and for exploring other destinations in the state the Utah Delorme Atlas & Gazetteer can be useful. A guidebook can be found in Hiking Utah's High Uintas, a Falcon Guide.

Editor's Note: This article by Ted "tmountainnut" Ehrlich originally appeared in Issue 11 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.