White Pine Lake | A Windy Overnight in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains

Sometimes a quick overnight backpacking trip is exactly what you need. A handful of miles up, set up camp by an alpine lake, watch the sunset, get some sleep and hike back out the next morning.

At least that was my plan.

White Pine Lake had been on my list for awhile, and with a free night and decent weather, I decided to finally give it a go. It’s not a particularly long hike but don’t let that fool you. The climb is steady, that last mile definitely makes you work for it and finding a place to camp ended up being a little more complicated than I had hoped.

And then there was the wind.

Quick Tips

Location: Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah

Destination: White Pine Lake

Trip: Overnight backpacking trip

Distance: ~10 miles round trip

Elevation Gain: ~2,700 feet

Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous - the final mile to the lake is steep and rocky

Camping: Limited established looking areas around the lake; arrive early if you can

Water: Plenty at the lake and along parts of the trail side stream, but always filter or treat it

Best Advice: Don’t underestimate the climb, or the wind at the high alpine lake

Parking: Parking can be a bit of a mess, especially on weekends. The White Pine Trailhead is popular and the lot can fill quickly, so getting there early is your best bet. Also, this is part of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest recreation fee area, so a fee is required or the America the Beautiful pass. Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Recreation Pass

The Climb to White Pine Lake

The trail starts out fairly mellow, sharing the beginning of the route toward Red Pine Lake before eventually splitting off toward White Pine. Make sure to check out Gloria Falls before splitting off to the White Pine trail.

From there, the climbing becomes more noticeable.

It’s one of those hikes where the mileage on paper doesn’t sound too intimidating, but a full backpack changes things. The last mile or so especially felt steep and by the time I started getting close to the lake, my legs were definitely ready to be done.

Then White Pine Lake finally came into view. And just like that, the climb felt worth it.

Surrounded by the Wasatch Mountains, the lake sits in this beautiful alpine basin that immediately makes you want to drop your pack, find a spot and stay awhile.

Finding that spot turned out to be the problem.

Finding a Place to Camp

The best campsites seemed to be in the forested areas near where the trail first reaches the lake. They offered some protection from the weather and looked like exactly where I wanted to spend the night.

Unfortunately, they were already taken.

So I kept exploring and eventually made my way toward the opposite side of the lake, where I spotted another small forested area tucked into the hillside. Getting there meant scrambling across a stretch of rocks with a full pack, not exactly what my legs were asking for at that point, but I made it.

And, of course, that spot was taken too.

By now the sun had disappeared behind the mountains, daylight was fading and I was pretty much committed to this side of the lake. My legs definitely weren’t interested in scrambling back across those rocks, so I started looking for the next best option.

I found a reasonably flat spot just off the side of the dam, tucked behind a big boulder that I hoped would offer at least a little protection from the wind coming off the lake.

It wasn’t nearly as sheltered as those sites in the trees, but the views across White Pine Lake were hard to complain about.

I figured it would do for the night. Then the wind showed up in full force.

A Long, Windy Night

Once the sun went down, the wind just kept getting stronger. Being out in the open suddenly didn’t seem like such a great idea.

I started piling rocks around my tent stakes and anywhere else I thought could use a little extra reinforcement. At one point I was less concerned about getting a good night’s sleep and more concerned about making sure my tent was still there in the morning.

It was loud. It was relentless. And sleep wasn’t happening.

There’s something about lying inside a tent while it gets hammered by the wind that makes the hours move incredibly slow. Every big gust had me listening to the tent, wondering if it was going to survive the night.

Thankfully, it did.

But this definitely wasn’t one of those peaceful nights where you fall asleep to a gentle breeze and wake up refreshed.

Since sleep clearly wasn’t happening, I eventually peeked outside the tent and found a perfectly clear sky overhead. So I grabbed my camera, figured I might as well make the most of being awake. The night sky didn’t disappoint.

By morning, I was ready to pack up and head out.

Morning at White Pine

There was still something pretty great about waking up next to White Pine Lake.

After spending most of the night wishing the wind would calm down, stepping outside and seeing the lake surrounded by the mountains reminded me why I’d hauled my pack up there in the first place.

I had some coffee, packed everything up and started back toward the trail.

The hike down is always easier and more enjoyable than the hike up.

Sometimes That’s Backpacking

Not every backpacking trip gives you the perfect campsite and a peaceful night under the stars.

Sometimes the good spots are already taken. Sometimes you end up scrambling around a lake with tired legs looking for somewhere flat enough to pitch a tent. And sometimes the wind decides you’re not going to sleep much that night.

That was White Pine Lake for me.

Was it my most comfortable night in the backcountry. Definitely not.

But looking back, that’s also what makes these little trips memorable. You figure things out, make the best of what you’ve got and wake up the next morning with another story to tell.

Sometimes backpacking is incredible.

Sometimes you’re just ready for it to be over.

Usually, it’s a little bit of both.

Keep trekkin’

Ty