Backcountry.com Ruth Lake Adopt-A-Crag Event

You had how many people show up?

As an event organizer you always wonder if people will show and like my previous post indicated, we had over 60 people show up from all parts of Utah to participate in the crag event.  The Forest Service was blown away and after the first hour of trail work realized that we hadn't planned out enough work.  The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance said they'd never seen such a large turnout for an Adopt-a-Crag event in all of Utah, even the ones held just 10 minutes from Salt Lake City. 

I was so stoked to see so many people show up and the variety of people was tremendous.  The willingness and eagerness of the volunteers was outstanding.  I suppose an 90 minute drive from Salt Lake City, Utah can be a filter of sorts. 

After working on the approach trail with carins, a crew of people spent a couple of hours on the talus next to the Good Medicine Wall, building terraces and belay stations.  They moved some very large boulders and made a bit of a trail leading through the maze of rocks and ledges. What a difference this will make from the safety of others to the comfort of belayers.  I'm already interested to see how they hold up through the rest of the climbing season and through the winter.

Another group of people helped to mitigate water drainage and erosion on two sections of the trail leading to the crag.  I spent the first hour of the event checking in some of the late arrivals and getting them Clif bars, Pro Bars, Nalgene Bottles and discount codes for Backcountry.com.  As I finally hiked up to the crag I couldn't believe all the work that had been completed. The Forest Service employees where directing some of the work while climbers were taking initiative and getting the job done.

There were some people roaming around, doing a bit of work here and a bit of work there.  The adjacent walls were treated to a bit of work with an access trail leading from the Good Medicine Wall.  This was something that we (the Forest Service and myself) talked about doing but figured it would be part of "next year's project". 

After the work was called off a huge gear raffle ensued and just about everyone went home with something.  A few people stuck around to climb, others headed down to the group site at Washington Lake in anticipation of the BBQ and camping.  It was quite a party and one I'm sure that many will look forward to next year. (yep, I said next year)

A huge thanks to all those that showed up, to the sponsors, the Forest Service (Kamas and Evanston districts) and particularly to Backcountry.com for supporting this event from the idea phase through the execution of the event.  We've committed to putting it on again next year.

Check out the photo album for images from the event.

Ruth Lake Crag Day a Success!

At 9:30 am I sat there at the Ruth Lake trailhead with a dozen people thinking to myself, "Could this be it? I thought that there would be more people."

Slowly over the next 45 minutes another 50 people would show up and make the Ruth Lake Crag Day the most well attended Access Fund Adopt-a-Crag event that locals have seen in Utah.  The diversity of the group was fantastic.  Backcountry.com had eight employees, the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance had three of its board members, there was a family of four, a father and his four year old son, two different school groups (one of which was passing by and switched from thier hike destination to a trail work day), a group of Astrology post grad students from the University of Utah and a good mix of your run of the mill dedicated climbers to round out the 68 who registered for the event.

After a brief introduction at the trailhead by myself and the Forest Service the group set off to build cairns on the section of trail that traverses the exposed bedrock.  One volunteer described this effort the following way;  "Ted from the Forest Service would say 'Build a cairn here' and vooomff, it was done.

Needless to say the event was a tremendous success. I'll post more details and photos later. Must sleep now....

Camping in the Uintas tonight - it's filling up fast

I was out in the Uintas earlier today and was able to reserve a couple of camp sites at the Butterfly Lake campground which is immediately following milepost 34 on the Mirror Lake Highway.  There were a lot of cars headed into the Uintas this morning so campsites may be slim to come by.

We have campsites 5, 6, and 7 reserved and paid for.  To find these sites turn into the campground from the highway, go up the small hill and stay left at the "T".  5 and 7 are the first two on the left and site 6 is the second one on the right.

Currently there are tents set up at each site.  The tents at site 5 and 6 have been spoken for but the tent at site 7 is available.  If there is a car parked in the site and people camping there no worries.  Introduce yourself to a fellow climber in one of the campsites, find a place for your tent and have a good time.

As an FYI - additional cars are $5 and there is an overflow parking spot across from site number 5. Each campsite is allowed one car.

E-mail me or call me if you have any other questions about camping.  To e-mail me click the "Email Me" button to the left.  To call - 435-602-2729 is my cell. Thanks, Kendall

BBQ Beverages

As you know Backcountry.com will be providing the BBQ after the event and like a good host we'll have some back up beverages on hand.  Word is we'll have some PBR from the great state of Wyoming.  You should plan on bringing something to drink as well, particularly if there is a brand you prefer. 

We will have coolers with ice for your beverages to swim in.  Man laws apply.

Mosquitos - They Are Waiting

Jim, who works here at Backcountry.com, was out in the Uintas Monday night for a little fresh air and solace.  He got the fresh air but as for the solace - it was he, his brother Joe and 10,000 of their tiny little mosquito friends.  Jim managed to take this photo of a few of his tiny friends on Joe's tent.

I went out Tuesday evening on a quick hike to confirm - the mosquitoes are aggressive. By the time I had gotten out of my car and slipped my hiking shoes on I had half a dozen confirmed kills with too many kamikaze mosquitoes that I frantically pulled out the bug spray and proceeded to douse myself with chemicals.  It worked well (I had the pump version of Deep Woods Off).

If you forget to bring along some tactical weaponry to fight the mosquitos we'll have some  Ben's Deet from Adventure Medical and some Natrapel Plus also from Adventure Medical for those of you that want a chemical free bug repellent. 

Statik Mountain Throws Down

After a vigorous round of phone tag and a few e-mail swaps Statik Mountain is confirmed as a sponsor for the Ruth Lake Adopt-a-Crag event. 

Makers of chalk bags, chalk buckets, boulder pads, climbing clothing and lifestyle apparel, Statik Mountain is a young company based out of Logan, Utah.  One thing is for sure - these guys are die hard climbers through and through.  Word is that some of their sponsored athletes will be on board to pick up a shovel and put in a good days work. 

Get yourself up to Ruth Lake this Saturday, get yourself some karma points and you might walk home with some Statik Mountain threads.

Ruth Lake and Climber Registration

Have you ever wondered what happens to your $3 access fee every time you head into the Uintas to climb?  I've thought this a number of times.  Many of you may have noticed as you start out on the trail to the Ruth Lake climbing walls that there is a trail registration folder where you are asked to register your group.  If you're like me and the majority of other climbers you pass by either without noticing the registration or you think, "That's for overnight campers, not for me".  We are wrong, it is for us.

The reality is that climbers are not registering at trail heads and therefore are not even showing up on the radar screen as a user group in the Uintas.  The Forest Service uses the access fees to address different needs including but not limited to the various user groups.  Since climbers haven't been registering, little to none of your access fees have been going to projects surrounding climber needs.

Please let your fellow climbers know that taking a couple of moments to register at the Ruth Lake trail head will bring more attention to climber's needs and keep the money you pay coming right back to you in the form of trail work and other projects that support climber areas. 

No washing your cars this week

It seems that whenever I wash my car it rains or snows.  Long a tactic employed by many skiers and snowboarders this harmless expression of vanity is often a tipping point for the weather gods. 

Right now the 10-day forecast for the Uintas is looking pretty good with 84 and sunny on Saturday.  So please, don't wash your car this week.  Let them get dirty and grimy but whatever you do, don't succumb until after Saturdays event.

Ruth Lake Climbing Crag and Trail Work Day

Join Backcountry.com, the US Forest Service, Salt Lake Climbers Alliance and the Access Fund for a day of trail building and crag terracing at Ruth Lake in the Uintas.  The event is on July 22, 2006 at 9:30am and will run to 3:30. If you cannot make it for all of the day, any time you can donate is fantastic.

If there is a solid turn out of volunteers and we are able to get the work done before 3:30 you're welcome to climb after the gear raffle. (yes, you can bring your gear)  The volunteer gear raffle will take place after the work is done which is anticipated to be 3:30pm at the latest.

Click here for an overview of the event. 

Below are updates and futher information about the event.

BBQ and Camping - Free for Volunteers

After the event Backcountry.com will be hosting a BBQ and camping at a group site - all free for those that volunteer for the crag/trail work day.  The BBQ will get under way at 5pm.

Location?

We've reserved and paid for the camping at Washington Lake - which is near the Trial Lake turn off on the Mirror Lake Highway. We've got the LINC group campsight near the lake. I'm going to head up there tomorrow and will post some pictures and then you can determine if you'll spend the night. With room for 50 it should be a good time.

Washington Lake campground in the Uintas