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UINTAS -- The wet weather and snow in the higher elevations has put a damper on camping plans in Utah's mountains so far this year, and even though the temperatures are warming up, there are still many places not open.
People are getting anxious. The good news is lower elevation camp grounds are now opening, but higher up, not so much. For example, if you go to the U.S. Forest Service reservation website and try to book a spot at the Mirror Lake campground in the Uintas, the earliest you can get in is July 14th. The road to the campground still isn't open!
"Mirror Lake, sometimes it's open for Memorial Day, but normally it's the middle of June, Kathy Jo Pollock, PIO with Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, said. "They are going to try to have Mirror Lake open by next weekend."
UDOT has a full crew with giant snow blowers, graders and snowcats trying to get Highway 150 open. In some spots, the drifts are 20 feet deep.
Jason Davis, UDOT Region 2 director, said, "Sow when we started, we had about 16 miles of snow that we had to clear off the road, and we have about 6 miles of that clear. But we still have quite a bit of work, and as you go higher, the snow gets deeper."
Utah isn't the only state dealing with an unusually wet and cold spring. Brad and Amy Herzog from California, are on a two-month, 12-state RV journey with their two boys, Luke and Jesse. We chatted with them at the KOA on North Temple.
"We've encountered not-summerly weather so far for about three weeks, and a decent amount of rain," Brad said.
The Herzogs have been taking long RV trips for 12 straight years. Brad blogs about the journeys for GORVing.com. Chilly weather or not, they've always enjoyed what Utah has to offer.
Whether you're planning a trip in an RV, camper or a tent, you'd be wise to check on the conditions before you make the drive because that favorite camping spot may still be covered.
UDOT says the Alpine Loop in American Fork Canyon and State Road 39 leading to Monte Cristo will open on Friday.
E-mail: kmccord@ksl.com
