South Erickson - July, 2006


These photos are from a trip I took with my 6-year-old son two years ago. We went over night up to South Erickson in the Uintas. (It will be no secret that the Uintas is one of my favorite places to go.) I wasn't sure how my boy would handle backpacking at his age. I had him carry his sleeping bag, his sleeping mat, and a few small items, while I carried everything else he needed. He had a rough time when the trail got steep, but other than that, we had a great time. We stopped about half way up at East Shingle Creek Lake for lunch and caught a few fish. That gave him a chance to catch his breath before we went on to South Erickson.

The weather during our trip was exquisite. We caught some beautiful brook trout which we enjoyed for dinner along with some rice and other trimmings. The only other folks we ran into were camped on the other side of the lake; they arrived slightly after us on horseback.

The total distance of our trip was only about 3 and 1/2 miles each way. By the time we got to the car, my poor boy was wiped out. He got in, buckled up, and went right to sleep. He attempted to take a picture of me, but only got the lower half. We'll have to work on his photography skills.

I never cease to admire the grandeur and tranquility of the mountains. With a little bit of effort and know-how, you can find some real peace and quiet. This seems to be one of the last places on earth where you can get away from the crowds.