# Trial Lake 10-22



## troutscout (Feb 12, 2009)

Well, considering the storm today, yesterday was probably the last of the season up at Trial. The lake was even lower then when I was up there a few weeks ago. Actually getting into the lake on our float tubes took forever and was nearly disastrous. The lake is surround by what I call sponge mud. Walking on it was like walking on a giant sponge trampoline. I would jump up and down on it and a 10' circle around me would move and dance like jello. This was my friends first time float tubing and I hope he'll want to go again. Our first attempt he ended up sinking above his knees in the mud. We moved to a "better looking" place where he sunk nearly to his waste and then fell forward into the water. After he got out safely I was then able to laugh. He was completely covered in mud from head to toe and looked like a mud monster. We finally managed to get into the lake between mud patches and snow flurries. The fishing was pretty good the short time we were there. 40' out then casting straight into shore caught many fish and even more strikes. I caught a few nice 14" tigers. Successfully getting out of the lake wasn't as difficult but I've never worked so hard for a few hours of toobing. It was super cold and quite the adventure but always worth it.

To the guy in the jeep that drove too close to the lake and lost the front half of his jeep to the mud:

I really, really hope you got your car out last night as you might not get it back until spring. Even then it might take an underwater salvage teem. We did our best to get you out but our small truck and that horrible mud were a loosing combo. 

^^ike


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Mud....we got into that stuff last time we were up in that area, glad I wasn't driving... 

It just might be the last week of the season up there, snow or not, I believe the gates will close on Nov. 1st.


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## stevo1 (Sep 13, 2007)

The Trial lake mud is something out of this world...area 51 stuff  thing I'll role a small piece of astro turf to take as a non skid device....my blue heeler just sat up in the dry dirt and just laughed at the slipin' and slidin'...see ya next year, hope that huge brookie makes it!


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## Kingfisher (Jul 25, 2008)

what you have experienced is called liquifaction - a state in which a medium like fine grained particles are saturated with water to the point where it appears as and is in a state of quasi solidification. a small disturbance such as setting foot on it, compresses the medium slightly, forces water out of the pore space and it then turns from a semi solid medium to quick sand kind of effect. it normally happens to the 'second' guy or the second step as the first sends the compression thru and then the second step is into the now more liquid part of the medium. one can replicate this in hand by taking baking soda in a cup, filling with water, taking the soda out and compressing in your hand, when released, it holds form but tickle it ones and it completely collapses and runs thru your fingers. there are several utube videos i have seen of military folks landing on a beach, taking a few steps on seemingly solid ground then foundering to their waist in mud... almost instantly. very dangerous. also in building, earthquakes can topple large buildings that are built on these kinds of sediments if they are near saturation below... japan had lots of problems with this in the 50's and 60's.

sorry, science nerd just pops out of me every now and then when stuff like this pops up and i have an uncontrollable urge to explain natural phenomena. it normally goes away quickly.


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## troutscout (Feb 12, 2009)

You might be better off with a huge piece of plywood. 

Anyone know why it's so low? I didn't have my anchor with me to gauge the depth but I wonder if it will winter kill now.

Cool info! When I was walking on it I was thinking of the corn starch and water trick. I showed it to my scouts once and they loved it. I told them what they could do if they had enough of it. So for an activity they showed up with a little kiddy wading pool and some corn starch. Unfortunately they quickly realized it would take way more corn starch then they brought. We'll do it again when I find store/bakery that will donate 50 ponds of corn starch.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

troutscout said:


> You might be better off with a huge piece of plywood.
> *Anyone know why it's so low? * I didn't have my anchor with me to gauge the depth but I wonder if it will winter kill now.


Water owners/users have some repairs scheduled through the winter season. It seems only the Uinta Lakes that have dams seem to be affected. Lost Lake, Trial, Whitney, Pass lake, Washington, etc. It appears that lakes like Mirror, Moosehorn, Teapot, etc. won't be included. 
I'm not sure if the repairs are for each individual dam or for rivers, streambeds or dams downstream.
Trial should still be holding 20 or 30 feet of water, isn't it?


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## Yonni (Sep 7, 2007)

IMHO bad timing when the Kamas hatchery will be closed the next 2 years


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Yonni said:


> IMHO bad timing when the Kamas hatchery will be closed the next 2 years


I was told that Kamas would be up and running in one year.
I sure hope so.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Most of the lakes that still hold water have been stocked heavily with the fish coming out of the Kamas Hatchery. The repairs that are scheduled are for dams on lakes such as Trial, Pass, Washington...etc. etc. 
The plan was to work on these before winter set in, but I haven't seen any work started so far. So, yeah....some waters may not have too many fish next year.

So I heard....


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