OCTOBER 2009
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| MT WATSON AND A TWIN LAKE FROM THE NOTCH |
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| WALL LAKE |
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| LOVENIA LAKE |
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| IBANTIK LAKE IN MID-OCTOBER |
Hiking in the High Uintas in October can be hit-or-miss. Two weeks previous to this hike I had gone up for a hike and was unable to make it because the Mirror Lake Highway was snowed over. However, two weeks later, and after some warm weather, I came back up and had no problem getting to the Crystal Lake Trail Head where I began my hike to Ibantik Lake.
From the Crystal Lake Trail Head it is about one mile to Wall Lake, another mile to the Notch of Notch Mountain and another mile to Ibantik. The trail was covered in ankle deep snow in several parts for the first two miles, but luckily someone had traveled this trail recently and there were footprints in the snow to follow. However, after reaching the Notch, which provides a beautiful view of the area, I began to encounter knee-deep snow. But after trudging through about a quarter-mile of it, the snow level decreased and I was able to make my way around from Lovenia to Ibantik fairly easily, though the trail was much harder to follow on this side of the Notch.
This was a very enjoyable six-mile round-trip hike. Ibantik and Lovenia are beautiful, as is Wall and the various ponds you will pass. I had planned to meander around the area and visit some of the other lakes in the area, such as Twin Lakes and John Lake, but ended up changing my mind due to the snow. Its not as fun going off-trail in the snow. But if you are here in the summer, consider doing a loop hike and returning via the Three Divide Lakes, Clyde Lake, Watson Lake and Cliff Lake. This would not add too much extra distance to your hike, and is a very beautiful area.
