I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.
GPX track added to your cart.
Jul 20, 2020 — Matt, Josh, and I started out from the Henrys Fork Trailhead, accessible via a long and good dirt road, passable by any car. The hike to the base of Gilbert Peak and Gunsight Peak was uneventful and actually pretty boring. The first five or so miles were just within the forest, paralleling Henrys Fork (the creek). We could see Kings Peak shortly after leaving the forest, at the other end of the basin-like feature we would walk through. The wildflowers and vast openness made us a bit more happy. After some enjoyable meadow waking along the trail, the ridge leading up to Gilbert Peak came into view, a nice sloping grassy hill that seemed like it was close, but took forever to get to. Our route would require us to leave the Henrys Fork Trail and head toward Dollar Lake on the left. The lake is unsigned, so we kept checking our map to find a good spot to turn off to head to the lake. We spotted a moose at Dollar Lake and took in the serenity of the spot before continuing from Dollar Lake toward the ridgeline that would give us access to Gilbert Peak.
There was some minor bushwhacking as we tried to find a good spot to gain the ridgeline, a couple of steep sections through the forest and a short marshy walk required to get above treeline. Once we left the trees, the route was obvious. The grassy slope started quite steep, progressively becoming more mellow as we ascended. We had some awesome views down toward Dollar Lake and eventually across the sloping alpine meadow toward Kings Peak. Heading up to Gilbert Peak was a slog, but a pretty slog. We honestly couldn't believe how long it was taking us to ascend. The mountains in the Uintas are so big and the slopes quite expansive. The last half mile or so to the summit of Gilbert Mountain included a fair amount of Class 2, sometimes the rocky slope being steep enough to require a little bit more thought, but mostly just boulder-hopping.
Once at the summit of Gilbert Peak, we decided to head south along the ridge on another expansive slope toward Gunsight Peak. This peak required a similar amount of effort as Gilbert Peak, lots of boulder-hopping and a general feeling that everything is huge and slow. The views from Gunsight Peak were nice, an expansive look around at the lakes and meadows of the Uintas. Kings Peak, Utah's high point, was visible to the southwest. We could also see down toward Gunsight Pass, used as part of the standard route to Kings Peak.
We backtracked to the saddle between Gilbert Peak and Gunsight Peak, realizing it would be the most efficient way to return, since the slope down from Gunsight Peak was deceptively rocky and wouldn't lead directly to the ascent ridge we used earlier.
Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!
Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!
