As we were in Park City for a wedding, a hike was in order. One family member had some sore chest muscles which is a symptom of altitude sickness (AMS) which suggested the Blood Lakes Trail at over 10,000 ft was unwise. The Solamere Trail, just north of the St Regis, seemed appropriate at 2.6 miles with 374 ft gain, and it proved so. With Park City at 7000ft, we were already pretty high. The bonus for this loop was that some of us were staying close to a side trail that accessed the loop from Queen Esther Drive so we had easy parking.
From the house where we parked, we walked about 10 yards on road before joining the connector which took us up steeply to the path. It certainly got the lungs and heart going. We started before 9am as we had learned it got hotter later, and it would have been nicer to have started earlier. Others had seen a moose with babies by a house on the road. We immediately spotted lots of wildflowers (photos later) and lots of birds (too fast for photos).
We hiked the loop clockwise, with the first stretch going north while looking across the valley toward Masonic Hill where we spotted another family hiking.
The trail surprisingly emerged onto a road at its northernmost point, but a quick look showed the next section of trail with its warning signs.
After turning the corner, we met some pleasant dog walkers (with pleasant dogs too!). There was more shade which we appreciated as it was getting hot.
This is where we went a bit off trail. I say “we” but must admit that everyone followed me. When on the main path below the summit, there was a fork. The AllTrails map suggested this was a left turn with an unmarked trail going right. The “unmarked” trail looked more like the hard packed dirt that we were used to, but I put that thought aside. So we turned left which took us to the summit. After spending some time on the summit, my iPhone GPS indicated that we were on the AllTrails track, even though AllTrails and CalTopo both show the trail not reaching the highest point. So, we left the peak going southwest and the “trail” rapidly deteriorated. Half way down a rock scramble, it was noted that there did not appear to be a trail at the bottom. So Samuel went ahead and bushwhacked until he found the trail, made easier by a group that was ascending. So we turned around and headed back to the above-mentioned “fork”.
We completed the loop in about 1.5 hours. My Garmin indicated 3.2 miles but it probably reads high. It was already getting uncomfortably hot at 10am so we were glad to get into the shade after a very enjoyable hike! Park City is not normally so hot, though I expect the trail is often as dusty as our shoes showed.
The Adventures of the Cajunlimeys 