July 12, 2003
Saturday morning I did a solo 25-mile hike in the Uintas. I attacked them from the South, starting at the Grandview Trailhead at 5:30 a.m., hiking up to Hades Pass, and then down in the Grandaddy Basin, full of lakes and timber. I made my way up to the Four Lakes region, still felt great, so went all the way up to Rock Sea pass (11,300). Wonderful views up there. I didn’t see a single soul on the way up. I turned around and went back the same way. I didn’t push it too hard, went for the distance. Four hours out and four hours back, made it to the car at 2 p.m. Plenty of up and down, about 4,000 feet up overall. The mosquitoes were pretty blood-thirsty…forgot the spray, so had to keep on the move, most of the time. Great temperatures.
It was a great workout and I survived very well, not much soreness anywhere. The knee was complaining somewhat the last five miles. The feet came out great, thanks to a new pair of trail running shoes. When I reached the trailhead, a ranger was there. She could tell that I was beat and asked if I went to Grandaddy lake and turned back (about an eight mile hike). I informed her that I went all the way to Rock Sea pass. “As a day hike?!!” She was shocked and amazed. Pretty funny.