Skyline Drive Loop, FS Road 084, Francis Peak and Wastach Pond

[ttora4runner]

The original plan for today was to head out with a group from the FJ Cruiser Forum to run Wards Canyon and Skyline Drive but due to my work schedule it didn't happen. Well, come to find out about 1pm I get a text from dispatch that the project I was assigned to tonight had just canceled and I had the night off now.

So needing something to do this afternoon instead of getting some sleep for work tonight I decided to head back up Skyline drive and finish the loop. Truthfully, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy myself the views were awesome, seeing rain storms start and stop, finding some new places for future camping trips and just being out in the open was great. One disappointment I did have have the disrepair of Bountiful Peak Picnic area, most of the picnic tables had weeds coming up though them and the trails to some of the tables and restroom were becoming overgrown.

Ultimately, in the end I ended up running the loop from Bountiful to Farmington, hit up FS Road 084 and some how winding up at the Wasatch-Cache National Forest Pond (I think).

Heading up:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0157.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/Panoramic1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/Panoramic2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/Panoramic3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0180.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0183.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0192.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0196.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0198.jpg

[ttora4runner]

FS 084:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0218.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/Panoramic9.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0231.jpg
One of the many mud holes along the way
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0239.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0232.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0233.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0235.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/Panoramic7.jpg

[ttora4runner]

Heading up to Francis Peak and around:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/Panoramic11.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/Panoramic121.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0254.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0255.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0256.jpg
Right below the snow-line is next road back to the pond
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0275.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0278.jpg
Snow-melt still in July
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0281.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0282.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/Panoramic15.jpg

[paddlenbike]

Nice pics. We all like 4Runner pics and scenery pics, hard to go wrong there. We need more people posting pics like these.

[ttora4runner]

Wasatch-Cache Pond:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0284.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0285.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0287.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0288.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/Panoramic13.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0294.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/Panoramic14.jpg

Finally, decided to head back.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0304.jpg
Random show melt
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/100_0311.jpg

So that's all.

Rest of the photo's can be found here: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/

[Scuba]

Beautiful pics, im really jealous now..

[4x4mike]

Very nice. Looks like a perfect place to go relax. I bet I could camp out there for weeks.

[Bob98SR5]

what were those white globe things? great pics, looks like you had a good time

[RobG]

Nice pictures, looks like a good time. Thanks for sharing.

[04 Rocko Taco]

Great pics, looks like an enjoyable way to spend a few days, or WEEKS. :)

[Good Times]

great photos! thanks for sharing... envy ya man!

[carljwnc]

Beautiful Pics!!! Love the shots of the rain storms off in the distance. Certainly a place where I could spend some time. :thumbup:

[ttora4runner]

what were those white globe things? great pics, looks like you had a good time


Couldn't tell ya Bob. My only guess would be some sort of communication tower/array or something to that nature.

Can you all spot my 4runner in this picture?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v681/tbox/Skyline%20Drive%20%207-12-09/Panoramic13.jpg

[RunnerUp]

seeing pictures like this makes me hate florida even more... i call for a ban on posting pics of beautiful places like this on the public forums

[DHC6twinotter]

Wow...nice pics!

[ttora4runner]

seeing pictures like this makes me hate florida even more... i call for a ban on posting pics of beautiful places like this on the public forums


Okay here is some more then.

The photo's above where taken about mid July the following photo's were taken the week prior and is along route to the top.

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/wormholegamma/Skyline%20Drive%207-8-09/Panoramic1.jpg
I have another version of the this one but the photo's didn't stich together as well.
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/wormholegamma/Skyline%20Drive%207-8-09/Panoramic21.jpg
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/wormholegamma/Skyline%20Drive%207-8-09/Panoramic3.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/wormholegamma/Skyline%20Drive%207-8-09/Panoramic5.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/wormholegamma/Skyline%20Drive%207-8-09/101_0073.jpg

Next up I headed over to Session Mountain Road/FS Road 815 to explore that area some and to get some views of the adjacent valley.

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/wormholegamma/Skyline%20Drive%207-8-09/IMG_0202.jpg
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/wormholegamma/Skyline%20Drive%207-8-09/IMG_0201.jpg
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/wormholegamma/Skyline%20Drive%207-8-09/Panoramic6.jpg
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/wormholegamma/Skyline%20Drive%207-8-09/Panoramic7.jpg
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/wormholegamma/Skyline%20Drive%207-8-09/Panoramic8.jpg
FS 185 continues on past this point but this is where I decided to turn around. The road continues on up the hill in the foreground
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/wormholegamma/Skyline%20Drive%207-8-09/Panoramic11.jpg
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t257/wormholegamma/Skyline%20Drive%207-8-09/Panoramic10.jpg