Trail #176

May 20. 2017

Although I am a ski-bum through and through,  I’ve recently pleaded with Ullr (Norse god of winter) to give us a break.  Especially with Memorial Day weekend upon us,  I have pure intentions to help you get out on some hiking trails.  So with the help of drier southern aspects and route knowledge,  lace up your gaiters and follow me up above the greening aspens to our first higher mountain trail for this summer.  Because you can park immediately off Beaver Canyon’s asphalt,  I think this trail could be one of the top five most easily accessed and user friendly hikes in the Tushar Range!  It is a great beginner hike and will help you acclimate to thinner air and has options to return on the same trail, jog two miles back on the Three Creeks road, or venture further into the woods by connecting to the Hy Hunt trail # 228.  Along with supportive waterproof boots, a pair of gaiters will serve you well if you want to hike earlier in the season and later into autumn, possibly hunting when there’s a chance of accumulating snow storms. Gaiters give you full protection from the knee down when hiking through snow.  They keep snow from getting down your boot cuff, drenching your socks, and offer warmth and abrasion protection if bushwackin.  A quality pair will be easy to put on and off while wearing gloves, stay securely fastened above your calf muscle,  have a durable kevlar strap underfoot, and will be adjustable to different volume boots\ski boots.  If you hike in sandy terrain a lot, they make gaiters for that too.  We’ve all had a rock get into your shoe that you must stop and deal with, and dumping out sand after going to the beach, and how the heck does sand wind up between all your sweaty toes even with socks on? Don’t know, but gaiters will alleviate all this.  You can find them  for as little as 20 bucks or spend nearly 100 dollars for professional grade.

By the time you read this, 95% of the snow I hiked through last Friday will have melted and you won’t see the deer, turkey, elk, and coyote tracks as easily as I did in the fresh snow.  You will see meadows greening up, wildflowers popping out, streams and rivers rushing, and the birth of new life for the summer.  This is a Forest Service trail (# 176) and begins near the stop sign at mm17 where you turn off highway 153 to Three Creeks and the high adventure scout camp.  You parallel the highway, heading east as you drop down to a footbridge across the North Fork of Three Creeks.  Then you climb up to a beautiful meadow at a low saddle on Tushar Ridge where a left turn would take you on 176 along the ridge, east, to the ski resort.  But for this hike, I want you to proceed straight ahead, south, (Trail becomes #176A), and follow the switchbacking trail down to Britt’s Meadow on Lake Stream( middle fork of Three Creeks).  I did the best I could with a handsaw here and you’ll see why we pack chainsaws on Trails Crew. (a.k.a. You’ll be clambering over some big spruce obstacles).  Three years since this trail had attention.   Here you will join the Old Highway 153 which goes all the way up to Puffer Lake, now known as PST 27 ,ATV’s only.  Take a right on this dirt road, heading west to Three Creeks Reservoir and walk along the shoulder, admiring the views of the lichen covered cliffs below you, where you will soon see how brimming-full the reservoir is!  Thanks Mother Nature for the bountiful snow year.  If you hike this full loop, it totals just over 3 miles, one on trail, two on dirt road and will take two to three hours.  If you like adventure and first tracks, armour your shins with some new shiney gaiters, and plow your way Into the Tushars!