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It was another hot day in the valley, so we decided to start high again. While several possibilities were discussed (including a trip to the Prince of Wales Mine at the top of Silver Fork - reached via Little Cottonwood) we decided to try for Sugarloaf Peak above Cecret Lake.
Having decided, we piled into Gordon's car and drove up Little Cottonwood canyon - and then stopped. About 1/3 mile below Tanner's Flat, the uphill traffic had ceased moving and there didn't seem to be traffic coming back the other way, down the canyon. We smelled something in the air, but we'd assumed that it was likely from one or more of the cars around us that was also stopped. Eventually, we made very slow progress up the canyon, but it was only because people ahead of us had given up in despair, turned around, and headed back down the canyon.
Chris decided to investigate, so he got out, armed with his radio, and hoofed it up the road, following the lead of a few others who seemed to have the same idea. After a while, he reported that the rumor was that there was a car fire ahead, but he didn't know exactly how far or how long the road would be blocked. This rumor was reinforced when a woman in a teal jogger bounced by and declared that the canyon had been closed: Apparently, she'd been saying this same thing to others as she'd gone by as some of those cars also did a U-turn just after she'd passed them.
After a few minutes, another update arrived from Chris: He'd gotten up the road far enough that he could see that whatever the sheriff and fire trucks had been doing, they were now done doing it and had opened the downhill lane for traffic and sure enough, we were soon passed by a fleet of UTA buses and other (apparently anxious) motorists. After a few more minutes had passed, Chris reported that they were starting to let traffic through on the uphill lane and, eventually, the movement rippled through the line of cars. Chris stayed where he was and as we approached his location, we flung open the door of the car and he piled in: We were (once again) on our way. Soon after this, we passed the burned-out hulk of what had been a large passenger van - probably a former member of the fleet that was used to ferry guests to and from Snowbird.
Fortunately, the rest of the drive up was uneventful and we arrived at the Cecret Lake trailhead just below the Albion Basin camping area. Piling out of the car, Chris and I started off first with Bruce and Gordon being a minute or two behind. Moving at a fairly good speed, we made it to Cecret Lake in about 20 minutes, where I noticed that the water level was quite a bit higher this year than last year and was at a level that was more or less "normal." Further scrutiny revealed a Salamander, seemingly enjoying doing whatever it is that they do. (No, it wasn't a white Salamander...)
As we'd neared the lake, Chris and I had noticed people descending the zig-zag trail that went from the shore of the lake and up to the pass between Devil's Castle and Sugarloaf peak: Even from this angle, it appeared to be very steep, but well-defined. Never having been on that trail before, I thought it would be interesting to attempt it: How hard could it be? The elevation gain would be the same whether we went that way, or via Germania Pass, so, Chris and I set off, with him in the growing lead. As it turns out, the lower portion of the trail that we'd followed just above the lake is rather indistinct and we wandered amongst the rocks and trees and flowers and things (but there wasn't an unnamed horse...) and eventually, we intercepted a well-defined trail that headed steeply upwards, frequently switching back and forth.
At about the same time that we encountered the good trail, Bruce and Gordon arrived at Cecret Lake. Bruce decided that he wanted to try this route as well - but Gordon, still congested from the same cold that kept him from coming along on last week's hike, decided to stay with the more traditional route via Germania Pass, so the two parted company. Of course, on the occasion that the group split apart, there weren't enough radios to go around, so Gordon set off, incommunicado: The last time that I'd spotted Gordon visually (during my ascent) after this was at about the time that I was 1/2-3/4 of the way up to the pass and he had stopped just short of halfway up the traverse ascent above Cecret Lake (below the bowl below Germania Pass) to drink some water.
The remainder of the ascent was steep, but it was long: A bit more than halfway up, I spotted what was clearly one of the water sources of Cecret Lake - a small glacier in a hidden bowl on the north-facing slope. About 3/4 of the way up - at about the same time Chris had attained the top of the ridge and could look over the other side - I encountered a number of trees amongst a fairly significant field of wildflowers. Much above the trees, however, the trail became even steeper, but it became slipperier due to loose gravel to make up for it: It occurred to me that this was not something that I would want to descend if I was either tired, or if it was dark - and by the time I was ready to head down, both would have been true. Also, by this time, I had apparently wiped out my supply of glycogen and was happy that I was near the top - And yes, the irony of this happening - in light of the name of our destination - did occur to me... (Note: Because of this, some of the pictures taken during the ascent are slightly blurry from my not being able to hold the camera very still.)
Not surprisingly, Chris made it to the peak first. At the top of the trail, there's a surprisingly large grassy area - perfectly large enough to camp in if one doesn't mind a constant wind and a lack of water - and toward the east was the increasingly-rugged trail toward Devil's Castle with a fairly rocky traverse to the west toward Sugarloaf. Following Chris's lead, I followed rounded the first minor peak above the pass around the north side and then found fairly easy (but "bouldery") going along the very top of the ridge. A scant 10 minutes or so after reaching the pass, I had gone the 3/8 of a mile and climbed the remaining 150 or so vertical feet and rejoined Chris, about 20 minutes before sunset. At this point, there had been no further Gordon sightings.
At about this time, Bruce had finally made it to the pass and, after a brief conversation on the radio, he set across the ridge following the same route that Chris and I had followed. About 10 minutes later, just as Bruce hove into view just below the peak, Gordon also appeared from the opposite side with about 5 minutes to spare before the sun set behind the ridge. Enjoying the deepening shadows, the warming light, and the cool air, we watched as the surrounding landscape darkened while the sun's disk dipped from sight.
Now, it was time to go down.
We all concurred that the "safe" route would be via Germania pass, as there was nothing other than distinct, non-technical trails all of the way back down. Upon reaching the pass, we chose to follow the service road rather than the trail that cut across the bowl, and as we looped around - nearly at the point where the bottom of the trail split from the road - I spotted a large bull moose grazing off to our left: I'd heard distant bugling echoing off the cliffs on my way up, and he was a likely source. Not too long after this - at about the point where we departed the road to rejoin the ski run that intercepted the trail back to Cecret Lake - we spotted more wildlife: A porcupine waddling away from us along the stream - and I'm sure that there was mutual agreement to maintain a safe distance.
Chris and I got to Cecret Lake first where, after mentioning it to him, he demonstrated to his own satisfaction the "Sparking Rocks of Cecret Lake." A few more minutes found us back at the car - after a very brief detour, having taken one left turn too many. A short time later, Bruce and Gordon appeared and we folded ourselves into the car.
The drive down was uneventful and unimpeded by flaming vehicles, with the burnt-out hulk of the van having already been hauled off. Upon reaching the parking lot at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, we hobbled off to our respective vehicles and parted company.
According to Keller, Cecret Lake gets its peculiar spelling from mining claims made in the area in 1905. At that time, this body of water was known as "Flora Lake" - a name used on county maps at least until 1937 and even some local maps as late as 1980. The "Flora" name (precise origin unknown) was one of several names for this lake: In the 1860's, it was also known as "Mountain Lake" as well as "Little Cottonwood Lake" - not to mention "Lake Minnie" named by Lambourne and Culmer who had been wandering around the Wasatch naming things. After about 1885, it was also known as "Cases Lake" after George Case, a long-time miner in the area.
The "Cecret" name comes from a number of claims filed in the area by the "Secret Mining and Milling Company." Since many of those making the claims weren't particularly literate, it wasn't all that unusual that some of the names were "creatively spelled" - and since it was recorded in that way in the mining recorder's books, it was etched in stone, surviving much longer than the company that (almost) bore its name.
About Albion Basin:
The basin is named after the Albion Mining Company, incorporated in 1898 from other mining properties in the area left abandoned or little-used after being repeatedly wiped out by snowslides in the 1870's. This company was extant until 1921 when its name disappeared, having been absorbed by the newly-formed Hecla Mines Company.
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We went to Sugarloaf Peak in 2005 - click here to
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