Red Castle - Day 1

 
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Red Castle - Day 1
Red Castle - Day 2
Red Castle - Day 3
Red Castle - Day 4

Look to the upper right for a Topo Map of the trip.

bulletBlack line was the actual path taken.
bulletBlack dotted line is the trail we shortcut
bulletBlue Circles are actual campsites
  

-----> Itinerary / Plan <-----

bulletClick here for an elevation graph and summary table for selected landmarks.
bulletTo the left is a map of the exact course we took.
bulletClick here for an aerial photo of the greater Red Castle area.

 
   

Day One

All Topographic maps on this page are:

 

 

 Up and Over Bald Mountain
bulletWe left at about 11:30am from the trailhead, walking past the main sign along the dirt road and down the steep decline to the river.  After crossing the bridge we headed left (north) and found our way about a half mile to the Bald Mountain Trail.  There is apparently a trail from the bridge but I think we turned left too soon.
bulletThe Bald Mountain Trail climbs about a 1,000 feet, switchbacking across western and northern exposures, providing some great views of Mt. Lovenia to the south.  We crested the forested top and arrived at a scree slope through which the trail is quite hard to find.  From here it is a looong way to the top of Bald Mountain as several false summits fake you out.  Coming from about a 600 foot elevation in Saint Paul, MN and Detroit, MI the day before, walking at these elevations is tough.  The trail actually misses the top by about 200 feet but still gives you incredible views of the surrounding wilderness.  Wyoming, Mt. Gilbert, Henry's Fork Peak, Red Castle, Mt Wilson, Squaw Peak, and a host of other peaks in the Little East Fork Blacks Fork Drainage are perfectly aligned directly in front of you.
bulletSeldomly visited Bald Lake, nestled about 400 feet lower than the trail, looks to be a beautiful camping spot for the tired or those who got a late start.  The water in this lake is fed by deep snow created by wind around the high slopes on its west side.
bulletThe trail drops about 200 feet to 11,300 feet as it levels out across the next mile or so.  After topping a small rise at the southern end of this high alpine tundra, Red Castle and Mt Wilson loom over the view in front.  The quality of my pics of this area was hampered by the time of day (2-3pm) and the direction of view (south).  At the time, I was beginning to get a little tired but we had only come about six miles of our intended 10-11 miles to Lower Red Castle Lake.  Tim, on the other hand, cruised across the tundra.  As we found out later on the trip, two can play at that game.
bulletAfter dropping about 500 feet through steep switchbacks, the trail continues east until it splits, one continuing east and the other turning right (south).  Follow the south trail.  I noticed that the path more heavily traveled is the one you want so this should be an easy decision.  The trail then winds through a forested section with several good campsites near the trail in partially open areas.
bulletThe trail joins the East Smiths Fork Trail about a half mile below Lower Red Castle Lake.  Continue on the mail trail heading south to reach Lower Red Castle Lake.  About five minutes after the Bald Mountain - East Fork Smiths Fork trail junction, the East Fork Smiths Fork Trail turns left (east), crosses a bridge, and continues south and up to East Red Castle Lake, Smiths Fork Lake, and ultimately, 11,900 foot Smiths Fork Pass.  This is the way we traveled the next morning after returning from camping at the lake.
 

Mt Lovenia, as seen from the Bald Mountain Trail, about 200 feet above the drainage.

 

Gilbert Peak as seen from near the top of Bald Mountain.

 

Bald Lake with Mt Powell above right.

 

Tim, at the crest of the Bald Mountain Trail.  Red Castle Peak is the dark mass directly in front of his face.

 

The majestic view of Red Castle Peak and Mt Wilson.  Lower Red Castle Lake is at the bottom of the leftmost coulier off the lower north peak of Red Castle.

 

Another view of Mt Wilson.

 
  Red Castle Peak and Lower Red Castle Lake
bulletThe sheer beauty of the Lower Red Castle Lake area was only matched by my frame of mind - jagged, cold, and far from any rational thinking.  I was freaking out inside from the tortuous hike we just completed.  This was all my idea though so I had no one to blame but myself.  This resulted in getting only two pics of one of the most gorgeous sunsets to which I have ever been witness.  At the time, nothing mattered except food and sleep and not necessarily in that order.
bulletAfter dinner, we saw two animals one rarely ever sees.  The first was a huge bull moose we watched amble from far away to within about 200 yards.  It watched us as intermittently after it caught our scent.  It may have been the scent of our food as it wafted in the southern breeze.  His waddle was huge, maybe 30 inches long.  The bushes and stumps in the swampy meadow below us was getting scraped by his antlers.  It was mid September so the rut must have been getting very close.
bulletIn the tent by 9pm, I tossed and turned most of the night, maybe getting 4-5 hours of sleep.  Our campsite, the first one as Lower Red Castle Lake is approached, was about 50 feet off the trail and had a very soft pine needle cushion for the tent.
 

 

Red Castle as seen from about 5 minutes before the junction with the East Fork Smiths Fork Trail.

 

Red Castle in laaaate afternoon, about 6:30pm.  While taking this one and the one below I was in a bad scene.  My body and mind seemed to have collectively shut down from the intense seven hour 3,000 foot climb.

 

The trail, as seen here, continues south, climbing about 700 feet to Red Castle Lake.  This lake is bigger than Lower Red Castle Lake but offer no decent campsites due to its location above treeline and rocky shores.

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