# skyline dr, I'm lost, help please



## flintbuilder (Aug 11, 2011)

I have never hunted skyline drve, but am muzzleloaderdeer hunting there this year. the snow pack has kept alot of it closed and made for difficult access. Is anyone out there willing to help a new guy find a good access point and a good area to find alot of deer? Anything would be helpfull thanks.


----------



## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

Where exactly on skyline do you wanna go? I've been all over and there are deer everywhere. I usually go up Fairview canyon. Where you looking?


----------



## flintbuilder (Aug 11, 2011)

Hi, thanks for the quick responce. Honestly, I don't know where to go. I would be willing to start scouting anywhere there are alot of animals. Of course I would like to see big bucks but I really get the most fun from being in an area where there are alot of animals. Sounds like you might be pretty familiar with the area, how are conditions where you are going? Is access limited to 4 whellers? Please, any advice would make a world of difference to me.  Thank you for your input.


----------



## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

Where I go you generally have to walk to take horses to get where most of the animals are. You will see deer as well as elk (lots of sheep too) down pretty much any of the drainage off the sides of skyline. If you want to see big buck they hang out in the trees. I have seen a good amount of large bucks there but they are not super predictable. I hardly ever seen any big guys feeding in an open field or anything like that. Usually they will be moving through some aspens or pines feeding slowly. Last year on the bow hunt I saw to massive brutes, sadly never presented a deadly shot. I'm hoping that changes this year. But if I had any advice it would be find somewhere off the beaten path, get in the trees. Setup a trail cam or two if you can and see what is in the area. Try a couple spots till you find some big guys. Once again they really like the trees.


----------



## jahan (Sep 7, 2007)

I just wanted to point out also that Skyline Drive is blocked off by two landslides about 4 miles South of where you can access Skyline coming from Potter's Pond (we call in Bacon Rine). I doubt they will clear it this year. Also farther South on Skyline there is still a large snow drift (as of two weeks ago) almost 200 yards long and 10 feet deep blocking the road going from the top of Reeder Canyon heading South. It may be passable now, but it was quite large two weeks ago. Basically the only way to access Skyline between the drift and the landslide is to go up the bottom of Reeder Canyon which is a four wheeler only road. Sorry don't know if this is helpful at all, but just giving an update.

Now to answer your question, Skyline gets hit hard, but there are a lot of animals off both sides all along it. I saw some nice bucks while I was out two weeks ago on Skyline in the trees.


----------



## flintbuilder (Aug 11, 2011)

Thanks, I don't mind doing some hiking, are the road conditions ok to get up high enough? I hope you have a good hunt this year, find those big dudes again. I might just take your advice and get up fairview canyon and start glassing. The reason I ask about the raod conditions is because I had someone tell me the road from scofield to fairview was still closed, is tha true or a problem?


----------



## jahan (Sep 7, 2007)

I see you are talking much farther North than I am talking about. I haven't spent as much time up that way, but there are some great areas in there also.


----------



## flintbuilder (Aug 11, 2011)

I don't have any place set in stone, so any advice is helpfull. I am unfarmiliar with ridder and potters pond but I will look them up on the map. It would of course be nice to hunt an area of skyline that receives less pressure. whith the closed roads do you think it is possible to hike in past those closures and get out of the main group of hunters? oR DO YOU KNOW SOME LESS PRESSURED AREAS?


----------



## jahan (Sep 7, 2007)

You can hike past the landslide, but I don't know if it really would matter. Many people will just come up Reeder, but even then most just use it as a way to get to a spot to start hiking. Once you start hiking you will more than likely have it to yourself. Most people just stay on or very near to the main roads. 

Like bowhunter stated, find a good vantage point, which is most of Skyline Drive and scan some different areas, use google earth to check out where the canyons come out or find one of those pockets that people may not see from the road that you could hike into. Lastly Skyline gets very nasty when it rains, I like to just take my ATV because I am not too big of a fan of being up there on those roads in my truck when it rains, but people do it all the time. Good luck!


----------



## shaun larsen (Aug 5, 2011)

flintbuilder said:


> It would of course be nice to hunt an area of skyline that receives less pressure.


good luck with that....


----------



## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

shaun larsen said:


> flintbuilder said:
> 
> 
> > It would of course be nice to hunt an area of skyline that receives less pressure.
> ...


There is a lot of pressure no doubting that. But you can still get away from the crows. There are trails everywhere. Hike along the natural gas pipeline and find a trail that cuts off from that. The roads are fine up Fairview canyon where I have gone. I have taken my wife's Honda civic up there a couple times even. Just parked on the main road and started hiking around. Just be sure to check the weather if there is a chance of rain the place gets ridiculous. Something about the dirt in La Sal mountains that just turns to pure slippery mud! O|*


----------



## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

bowhunt3r4l1f3 said:


> shaun larsen said:
> 
> 
> > flintbuilder said:
> ...


Slippery CLAY!


----------



## shaun larsen (Aug 5, 2011)

JuddCT said:


> bowhunt3r4l1f3 said:
> 
> 
> > shaun larsen said:
> ...


whatever it is, that sh*t is NASTY STUFF!


----------



## quakeycrazy (Sep 18, 2007)

You have a lot on your plate if you go up there on the morning of the muzzleloader expecting to find deer right off the bat. My recommendation would be to go up any canyon between Fairview and Manti up to the skyline, spend at least a day or two scouting and walking some trails in areas that seem like they would hold deer. The skyline is too massive to not spend time before the hunt and expect to be successful. And many of the roads that lead to better areas off the top of skyline are hard to get into without an atv. Good luck.


----------



## Archie (Dec 18, 2010)

I am planning on hunting this area during the general hunt. I was planning on accessing skyline out of ephram. Is this going to be possible this year? This is my first year hunting and am hoping to start scouting soon. I have arranged to borrow some ATV's. Any caynons / trails you would suggest to start my scouting?


----------



## flintbuilder (Aug 11, 2011)

where is the natural gas pipieline?


----------



## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

flintbuilder said:


> where is the natural gas pipieline?


Everywhere! Pretty sure you can find it down in Springville even! -_O-


----------



## Petersen (Sep 7, 2007)

All the towns in the Sanpete Valley, from Fairview in the North, to Mayfield in the South are located at the mouths of canyons. Each one of these canyons has a road that leads up to the Skyline Drive. Fairview Canyon is the only paved canyon, but the rest are good gravel (for the most part). Ephraim Canyon is usually a good road, as is 12-Mile (Mayfield). Six-Mile (Sterling) is the only canyon I might avoid. My personal favorite is Manti Canyon, but hey, that's where I grew up, so I'm biased. Skyline Drive is also accessible from the Emery County side of the mountains from the various canyons. All this said, I'm uncertain of the local conditions this year, and they do change from year to year.


----------



## greatwhitehunter (Nov 16, 2007)

There is a post on Monster Muleys in the elk hunting forum entitled "ARMCHAIR HUNTING" you guys should take a look, it's a good read.


----------



## hossblur (Jun 15, 2011)

I am curious about the drift on Jets, is it passable? Last time I was down we didnt' make skyline because of snow.


----------



## Theekillerbee (Jan 8, 2009)

Just talked to a friend who lives down that way. The mudslide between spring city and fairview canyon has completely obliterated the road, and is not passable. The snow drift in "the cut" is still there, and he thinks is 2-3 weeks from opening up. Someone made a road around the top here, but he said the forest service has marked it closed, and is issuing tickets, so I wouldn't try that unless you want to donate more money to uncle sam. South towards Manti is open and passable.


----------



## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Updated Road and Campground Closures 
Date(s): Aug 3, 2011

Contact(s): Seth Wallace, Engineer, 435-636-3533 

The following roads are gated or impassable due to snow, mud or slides:

12-Mile Cut-off to Six Mile 
North Fork of Ephraim Canyon open to four-wheeler traffic only 
South Skyline Drive (snowbanks at the Towhead, 1 mile south of the Horse Shoe, above Loggers Fork, at Jet Fox and south of Emerald Lake) 
North Fork of Ephraim Canyon 
Ragman Canyon Road near Clear Creek 
Link Canyon Road 
Trails: 
Arapeen Trails #28, #2, #29, #95, (see map) 
Patton Trail


----------

