Puffer to Skyline

August 15, 2017

Let’s start with the good news.  Most of the hiking trails in the Tushar mountains only require a passenger car to access.  I could only identify a dozen trails where high clearance or a.t.v.s are a must.  The bad news, I haven’t seen your beautiful faces out on the trails!  Well, except for Tim J. and his boys who literally followed us up Shingle creek to Pine creek pass and were our first customers for the Grand Re-opening of the 054 trail; Manderfield to Cove Creek!  We are really excited to say for the first time in 6 years that this 15+ mile section of trail is usable, findable and open for travel.  Other spur routes to penetrate into the 054 were also cleared this year including Little N. Creek(055), Wildcat(047), Shingle Ck. to Pine Creek Pass(203), and trail 201 up Shingle Creek drainage is 90% completed.  So get out there and use ‘em!  

This week’s hike should appeal to all because it is an easy, stunning, alpine hike with little elevation gain and the drive to get there is 100% paved.  This family friendly walk in the woods takes you from the highway summit west of Puffer Lake north to the the foot of Mount Holly to intersect with the Skyline National Recreation Trail.  Tushar Ridge in the heart of the Tushars is the one with all the black diamond ski runs down it, clearly visible from the state highway up Beaver Canyon near mm 18.  Where the highway crosses Tushar Ridge and heads down to Puffer Lake, park here at the “10,000” foot elevation sign near the battery powered weather data collection tower.    Straight across the highway from the “10,000” foot sign you’ll see a dirt road and a trail sign.  The first 500 feet of this trail are that dirt road, but you’ll spot the U.S. Forest Service trail-blazes and markings, and cut logs 24” wide and trail 175 heads northeast.  Soon you will encounter a trail that forks off downhill to the south and will take you to the North Cove of Puffer Lake.  Staying on trail 175 you will come to a clear cut ridge and a green electrical transformer box where the views really open up.  Keep in mind you are surrounded by private land, so be respectful and stay on the trail.  About 1000 feet north of that electrical box, trail 175 enters Forest Service domain and is the best part of this hike.  You’ll be cruising through mature Engelmann spruce trees on wide, level tread on the west slope of Lake Peak.  Many backcountry skiers glide down this slope on Utah’s lightest and fluffiest white gold, bobbing and weaving between tree trunks.  They ski perpendicular to this trail on their way down towards the Telluride cabin which sits alongside North Fk. of Three Creeks stream.  I’m sure many thermos’s of hot chocolate and nips of whiskey have been drank around the little green table that furnishes the place.  Leaving the shade of the spruce forest behind, trail 175 crosses a wet area with flowing spring water, enters wide open meadows, and veers west to a couple switchbacks and then, voila, you are at the Skyline Trail(225).  From this intersection you can go northwest to Big John’s Flat, East to Lake Stream T.H. and Big Flat, or return the way you came.  Again, this is an easy beginner hike right off the highway!  So having too fancy of a car is no excuse to not go hiking!  Get in your Porsche, drive 20 miles of beautiful sinuous asphalt, and get out hiking Into the Tushars!