Chemists in the Mountains
In 1973, Professors David Grant and Ronald Ragsdale took then-Assistant Professor Jack Simons on his first backpacking trip to King’s Peak in Utah’s Uinta Mountain. After that, Jack began taking his group members, the Department’s visting summer students (i.e., then URPs, now REUs), and other Chemistry faculty members and their families on trips to the Uintas and to Wyoming’s Wind River Mountains. The first faculty trip for which we have photograpic evidence took place in 1997 and involved another trip to King’s Peak. Here is a photo of those who took part and here is a web link giving more photos and details https://chem.utah.edu/graduate/utah-living/hikes/kings-peak-1997.php
Chuck and Jennifer Wight, Greg Voth, Sheila David, Pete Beal, Cindy Squire, Jack Simons,
Tom Richmond, Chuck Grissom (Peg Simons took the photo).
Below, I will show you lots of photos from the 2003 and 2004 trips that we took after Jack passed the torch for leading these events to Peter Armentrout and his wife, Mary Ann White. But first, I want to give you a listing of all the trips (with links to their photos) for which I have photographs and text beginning in 1997 and extending through 2019. I hope that Peter can continue and update these as we move into and beyond the 2020s. By the way, some of these links have messed up pictures in them. I know but I no longer have access to be able to fix them, so please ignore and forgive me.
The people who constitute “the usual suspects” (i.e., those who go most of the time) include Jack and Peg, Peter Armentrout, Mary Ann White and their family (children and soon grandchildren), Lee Ann Wight and Chuck Wight and their family (children), Tom Richmond and Cindy Squire). So, here is a list of the trips; I hope they bring back good memories for those who went and offer inspiration to take part for those who have not yet.
https://chem.utah.edu/graduate/utah-living/hikes/kings-peak-1997.php
This 1997 King’ Peak outing is the first of many that I have extensive photo records
for and includes some of the usual suspects as well as Greg Voth, Chuck Grissom, Sheila
David, and Pete Beal.
https://chem.utah.edu/graduate/utah-living/hikes/wind-rivers-1998.php
This 1998 Island Lk. Wind Rivers outing includes regulars as well as Rick and Eve
Steiner, Tom Curtiss, Thanh Truong, and Rick Ernst.
https://chem.utah.edu/graduate/utah-living/hikes/wind-rivers-1999.php
The 1999 trip to Southfork Lk. in the Winds includes regulars plus Cindy Burrows and
Scott Anderson and their family, Charly Gericke and his wife, Sylvie.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/Winds2000/index.html
In 2000 we went to Clear Lk. in the Winds and Joel and Peter Harris joined the regulars.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/Winds2001/index.html
2001 again took us to the Winds and Cutthroat Lks. The usuals along with Dale and
Susan Poulter, Janis Louie, and Scott and Cindy’s friends Jean-Paul and Anne Lise
and their family.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/Winds2002/
In 2002 we went in via the Elkheart Park entrance to Pole Creek Lk. and only the regulars
came along.
https://hec.utah.edu/simons-group/winds03-04.php
In 2003 and 2004 the Winds called again. In 2003 to Stough Lks and the Deep Lks and
in 2004 to Clark Lk. These trips had the regulars along only.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/Winds2005/Winds2005_files/Winds2005.html
The 2005 trip took us to Skull Lk. in the Winds. Joel and Peter Harris and Greg Owens
joined this time.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/MoonLk/index.html
In 2006 we went to the Uintas where we camped at a different place every night. The
entry and exit were at Moon Lk. on the south slope. Only the regulars were along this
time.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/Winds2007/Index.html
In 2007 we had planned to go into the Winds by way of Dickenson Park but an issue
with the Native American Tribe that governs that entrance caused us to change and
go into Poison Lk. The ususals plus Vale Molinero and Diego Fernandez, Rick Sheila
and Eve Steiner and Charly Gericke were also along.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/uintas2008/
In 2008, we went to Dead Horse Lk. in the Uintas (it rained a lot). Along with the
regulars were Jon Rainier and his son, Grant.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/Winds2009/index.html
2009 took us again to Island Lk. in the Winds (it is so pretty we go there more often).
Along this time in addition to the regulars were Jon Rainier and his two sons and
daughter, our visitors Poul Jørgensen and is wife Lise, and Greg Owens.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/Winds2010/index.html
In 2010 we entered the Winds at the Big Sandy trailhead and hiked toward Skull Lk.
but we stopped at an unnamed Lk that we now call Chemists’ Lk.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/Uintas2011/index.html
In 2011 Peter Armentrout took over and organized a trip to Henry’s Fork Basin in the
Uinta Mts. with a goal of climbing King’s Pk. The weather blocked us but the trip
was great. The usual suspects and a few more family members came along.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/winds2012/index.html
2012 took us back to the Winds again under Peter’s leadership this time to Rapid Lk.
again with the usual suspects.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/winds2013/
In 2013 Peter organized a Winds trip to Neil Lk. by way of the seldom used Spring
Ck. trailhead again with the usuals.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/winds2014/
In 2014, we went to the Winds entering at the Meadow Lk. trailhead and hiking in to
a private Lk. that we stopped at on our way to Barnes Lk. This time is was the usual
group along.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/lateryears/winds2015.html
2015 again took us to the Winds, this time again to Chemists’ Lk. This time, the usuals
had visitor Mary Rodgers and her husband and son along for the fun.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/Winds2016/
In 2016 we entered at Elkheart Park and hiked in to the junction taking us toward
the Pole Creek area that we had seen before but this time we stopped at Mosquito Lk
J . Ryan Steele came along with the regulars this time.
https://simons.hec.utah.edu/lateryears/Uintas2019.html
In 2019 we went to Bald Lk. in the Uinta Mts. Along for the fun were the usuals plus
Ming Hammond, Andrew Roberts, and Aaron Puri.
2003
We hiked into the Stough Lakes basin and the Ice and Deep Lakes basin.
The 2003 trip gave Peter and his son, Matt, a chance to work on their tans.
Tom on the way in to base camp with his massive pack (containing the first night's dinner).
Tom, Chuck Mary Ann, Matt, and Peter (top) and Erin and Heather (bottom) on the hike in to the Stough Lakes area. Wind River Peak is in the background.
Peter resting in camp near one of the Stough Lakes (note the yellow hat he wears- we think he needs a fashion change)
Tom cooking up some of Mrs. Squires' famous spaghetti for the first night's dinner.
The second day, several of us went for a nice day hike on Roaring Fork Mountain and, of course, had some "discussions" about where we are on the map.
Looking down from Roaring Fork Mountain toward a beautiful set of lakes on our day hike with our Stough Lake base camp far in the distance.
Even (especially) when you are a little lost, you see wonderful scenery.
Tom, Jack, Peter, Chuck, and Matt "discussing" our location again as we attempt to find the best way to our camp.
Indeed we made it back to camp where we also experienced a little hail (actually, it was pretty intense for several minutes).
After the hail, we got to hang out and chat about what we did that day while we get our dinner ready.
The third day, we moved our camp from the Stough Lakes area up over a pass into the Ice Lakes and Deep Lakes area. This is Erin and Mary Ann huffing up the pass and a snowfield on the right.
This is a pretty cirque with a small glacier and one of the Ice Lakes that we saw on the way to our second camp at one of the Deep Lakes.
We camp near nice lakes like the Stough and Deep Lakes so we can wash up and soak our sore feet. These lake rocks give us a chance to sit and discuss important things.
The whole group: Peter, Mary Ann, Erin, Matt, Chuck, Peg, Heather, Lee Ann and Jack.
On our way out to the trailhead on the fourth day.
Peg leading the way (as usual- she is a speed freak).
Where Chuck was waiting for us ("where have you guys been"?).
2004
We went into Clark Lake starting at the Green River Lakes entrance and came out by way of the New Fork Lake Trail. The night before we begin to hike in, we usually spend the evening in Pinedale, Wyoming at the Sun Dance Motel.
Cindy lounging at the motel.
Cindy, Lee Ann, and Chuck at the Sun Dance Motel
Peter, Mary Ann, Erin, Heather, Cindy, and Peg at the Green River Lakes trailhead ready to attack the trail.
This is the Green River (with Squaretop Mountain in the distance) along which we hiked for 10 miles.
Another view of Squaretop.
Erin as we get closer to Squaretop.
A moose that we saw along the Green River.
And yet another moose.
Lee Ann doing a good job crossing a stream.
Lunch break after crossing the Green River.
After crossing the Green, we began out big hike uphill (about 2000 ft in 5 miles).
Jack waiting for Peg on the trail.
We finally arrived at out camp at Clark Lake.
Chuck and Tom enjoying camp.
A view from our Clark Lake camp.
Erin and Heather with Kobe (or is it Cobalt?) in camp.
Peg, Jack, Lee Ann, Chuck, Tom, Heather, Cobalt, Erin Peter and Cindy (taken by Mary Ann).
Erin looking happy in camp.
The second day, we took a day hike from Clark Lake to Peak Lake and Shannon Pass. This is a view early on this hike.
Lots of pretty flowers along the way.
Lots of boulders to hike in and around.
We even got lost once among the boulders.
We made it to Peak Lake, which is surrounded by many large peaks.
This is Stroud Peak. Tom and Chuck went up it as Jack, Mary Ann, and Peter went to Shannon Pass.
At Shannon Pass, Jack and Peter rested and repaired their feet.
More nice views on the day hike.
The next day, we moved from Clark Lake to a new camp along the New Fork River.
Looking back toward where we had been at Clark Lake.
Preparing camp the third night on our way out the New Fork River.
Peter and Lee Ann at our last camp discussing how many miles remain.
Jack showing off his fine camping outfit.
We saw more moose on the hike out to our cars at New Fork Lakes.
Approaching the New Fork Lakes Campground.
We made it!!