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Trip Report: Slick Rock and Deer Valley
Sept 14-17, 2017
Trip report by Mike Mount
Thursday morning Brandi, Sami and I left the house in the RV towing the
jeep and traveled to Alpine Lake. We stopped in Arnold and had lunch at
Snowshoe Brewery around 2 PM. We pulled into Alpine Lake campground around
4 PM. After setting up the RV, disconnecting the jeep, and reserving two
more camp spots we started a fire and popped open some cold ones.
Tori, Jon, Stan III, and Jarrett arrived around 11 PM. We were in bed and
since we were over 8000 feet above sea level it was about 45 degrees out.
We woke up on Friday and we had 3 jeeps that headed out to slick rock. The
beginning of slick rock starts out at Alpine Lake Campground entrance and
ends at Uttica Lake, Approximately 8 miles long. I would rate the Slick
Rock trail at a 6 out of 10. The trail follows the run off from Alpine
Lake, boulder fields and slabs. After crossing the river (about 50' wide
only 2'-3' deep) you come to the base of the stair steps. Sami took my
jeep up the stair steps with ease, Jon and Stan III took the hard way up.
Sami ended up driving 90% of the trail. After exploring several pools we
traveled back to Alpine Lake. We stopped at Bear Valley ski resort for
supplies and ice cream.
Stan II arrived Friday afternoon. Friday night was dinner, drinking and
story telling. We left Saturday around 10 am. and headed to Deer Valley
after meeting up with one of Jon's friends (Chevy 1500 without a bed).
Deer Valley begins with a gate keeper boulder bed then quickly shifts to a
boulder climb for approximately 3 miles. I broke a valve stem on a rock
and after a quick tire change we were back on the trail. After reaching
the top of Deer Valley, you are greeted with several more Rubicon-ish
boulder/rock sections. We reached Deer Creek, and found approximately 30
people repairing the water crossings with granite rock along with the
forestry people cutting dead trees. We had lunch here then made our way
back to Alpine Lake the same way we came in. Stan III got high centered
several times on the boulders and the Chevy 1500 somehow ended up running
into a tree. The passenger front quarter panel was hitting the tire and
the radiator was leaking. The repairs were completed and we returned to
the camp ground around 4 pm.
On Sunday morning 1/2 of the group headed home while the other half went
to the restaurant for bloody mary's and breakfast. We all had uneventfully
drives home.
Mike
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