Middle Fork Trip - Dave Bell Photos
by Dave Bell
August 17, 2009
We returned, on Friday, August 15, from our annual trip to the mountains. Bald Mountain Outfitters ‘spotted’ us into the Middle Fork Lake area where we explored, fished and enjoyed tremendous mountain scenery, weather extremes and great fishing. Here, sunlight tips the ridges above Middle Fork Lake after a vigorous thunderstorm. I have posted a new gallery, but have many, many more pictures to add, as I can get to them.
We visited the Middle Fork Lake area, which is just north of Mt. Bonneville, roughly speaking. This is an area of fairly light use, as we only saw two other groups, including a NOLS group passing through the area. We day hiked extensively to Halls Lake, Photo Pass, Kagevah Pass and Noel Lake (high on the shoulder of Nylon Peak).
I'd like to thank Bald Mountain Outfitters for wonderful and efficient outfitting services. Nicole Pollard and Aaron are two pro's--as they rolled into our camp on Saturday morning in a "heavy" snowstorm, right on schedule and packed our gear in the most orderly fashion possible, given the circumstances. It was very impressive, as is Nicole.
The mountains are very lush this year. There is considerable water, grass and vegetation. The snow is extensive on north facing slopes and very, very deep in places.
We experienced a wonderful variety of weather--from warm sunny days to a couple light thunderstorms, to 7 inches of snow. Included with the snow was the most incredible lightning show I have seen in many, many years. On Friday night/Saturday morning, it rained, pelted, groppeled, and snowed for over 8 hours. The rumbling of thunder was continuous for hours and hours as a major weather change occured. We rode out on Saturday morning and rode in continuous snow for three hours, with the snow line coming down to well below Lower Divide Lake above Scab Creek.
The fishing was terrific in most all lakes. The trout are fat this year. The mosquito's are also plentiful, however with the weather change, that may have changed by now.
Click on this link for photos from his Middle Fork trip, August 9-15, 2009.
Photos by Dave Bell
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