Distance from Nearest Road: 9.5 miles
Distance from Nearest Trail: 0.1 mile
Cell Phone Coverage: No
Public Land: Yes, High Uintas Wilderness
Travel Method: Hiking
Travel Time One-Way: 2 days
Something We Learned: The Uinta Mountain Range in northern Utah is the highest, major mountain range within the Rocky Mountain chain to trend east-west, instead of north-south. Also
Project Remote is working to precisely calculate and travel to the remotest locations in each of the 50 United States. Below is a written account of our 4-day, 3-night, 32-mile hiking expedition in the High Uintas Wilderness to document the Utah Remote Spot. This is our 38th state Remote Spot documented as part of Project Remote.
In Ryan’s Words:
October 3, 2019. The Remote Spotters arrive at Moon Lake within the Ashley National Forest on the south side of the central Uinta Mountain Range. The lake is human-created by the impoundment of a mountain creek, which, as wilderness purists, we generally frown upon. But it is what it is now, and it’s gorgeous. And we’ll take this opportunity to camp, just the three of us, in a campground deserted by the onset of Fall. In the morning, as soon as we can strike camp and pack for our documentary expedition to the Utah Remote Spot, we will embark northward from Moon Lake up the narrow valley in the photo below. We will follow Lake Fork trail approximately 16 miles up that valley….almost directly to the Utah Remote Spot. Judging from the maps, we think the UT Remote Spot is situated about 0.1 miles off the trail, up at around 10,100 ft elevation. Beginning elevation for our hike is around 8100 ft. A 2000 ft climb over 16 miles seems relatively gentle. I’m sure there will be plenty of ups and downs along the way. It’s the Rocky Mountains. Snow should fall any day now. But maybe we’ll get in and out of the remotest location in all of Utah before it does.
Of particular note for this expedition is that Skyla, our daughter and youngest team member (10 yrs old), will need to hike the entire way carrying almost all her personal belongings–everything besides tent, sleeping bag, and air mattress. This also should become the longest personal multi-day trek for Skyla on her own feet. She starts out with a 7 pound pack. Rebecca starts with 38 lbs, and I start with 60 lbs. As good luck would have it, there will be water all along the trail. The trail follows closely within the steep-walled Lake Fork River Valley all the way up into the highest country above the remote spot and beyond.
