The Lonely Green Gate Hike

 Rating: 🌄🌄🌄🌄🌄

Through the trees is Desolation Lake. 4.3 miles. 2,188 ft. elevation gain. Not a great pic. Dates hiked: Sept. 26, 2020 and Sept. 26, 2015.

Many, many years ago, Letizia, Rich Ramage, and I were searching for a hike to go on. The Alltrails App didn't exist. But, the internet did. So, we searched, and happened upon a website that talked about this hike starting at a "lonely, green gate". Ha! So, today I know this hike as the Lonely Green Gate hike, but truthfully it is the Beartrap Fork Trail. I gave it five stars or mountains with a sunset because I made it to the top again. This hike is short, but it is very steep. 

We didn't plan to do this hike, but our original planned hike was blocked off. The fire in Neff's Canyon means that some hikes in Big Cottonwood Canyon are closed. The Green Gate was open, so we went for it. As we started up this hike, I tried to keep a level head. I didn't want to think I was doing so great on the hike and then die at the top. The top of this hike will knock your socks off, if you are an average hiker, like I am. On the Alltrails map, there is a feature that shows the steepness or the grade of the trail. There is one spot that has a 76% grade. So, there's that. 

The Beartrap trail hooks into a very popular biker trail. This time as I hiked, I could hear the bikers above us. They were laughing and having a great time.  When I saw these three girls, and how they moved reminded me of the Reeves sisters. Many years ago, when I first moved to Orem, I was in the same FHE group as the Reeves family. And they were and still are rockstars. As we neared the top, I told Letizia that I thought this was the Reeves Family on their bikes. As my good fortune would have it, it was the Reeves family! I recognized Christy and she recognized me at about the same time! It was great to catch up for a minute and chat with Christy, Angela, and Lisa! I think Matt was on the bike, as well as two nephews I had never met. They started biking on Puke Hill (great name!) on Guardsman Pass and were headed to Park City. Adventures! Adventures! Letizia and I watched as they rode along, navigating The Spine, which is a tricky thing to do on a bike, and head up the hill over into Park City. I am bummed that I didn't get a picture with them, but I didn't think of it at the time. 

We hiked along the ridge and the bike trail, because you can do that at the same time, and saw some large downed trees. A few weeks ago, SLC experienced a generational storm with 100 mph winds. We were warned about the storm before it hit, so we could be prepared. There were many trees that just didn't make it.

Here is Leti by a downed tree. This is on the ridge. Kind of sad to see all of the trees that had fallen over. I feel a sacrament meeting talk coming on - something about firm foundations. I digress. 
Leti with more mangled trees. 😓

We hiked toward Guardsman Pass and didn't get run over by any bikers! Miracle! Here is a beautiful view from that area. 

The mountain bowls here are just amazing. This picture doesn't quite capture it, but it is amazing. 

In September 2015, Letizia and I did this hike. The pictures of then and this year are a bit depressing. The dryness this year is just a little sad. 

Here is Leti in 2015. 

Same spot on the mountain. Here is Leti is 2020. We might be having a drought.
Here I am in 2015. Things look much different in 2020. Heck, I even look different! 

Well, we headed back down the mountain. I wanted to include this picture. I think in a normal snow year, this mountain gets a lot of snow! Those poor aspens are so bent at their trunks. But, they just keep growing! 
Grateful to not be a bent aspen on this part of the mountain! 

On our way down, we saw so many deer. I wondered if they are in search of food. Not all of the deer looked super healthy. Yikes! I did also wonder about the deer a little. When a deer would spot us it would either bounce off (literally), or just stand there and stare at us until we left. How is that useful during hunting season??? I think I know why a lot of people have successful deer hunts... 

We made it down before the sun went down. It was another successful hike in the books! 

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