# Red Castle and North Slope of Unitas snow condition?



## bloodtrail (Sep 20, 2007)

*Snow conditions for Red Castle and North Slope Uintas?*

I am taking a small group of Scouts up to Red Castle the last weekend of July and I am concerned about the amount of snow up there. Has anyone been up the north slope of the Uintas or have any knowledge of what the snow status is at Red Castle? I could really use any help since we have to decide soon whether to cancel or re-schedule for somewhere else?

I would drive up and check it out, but I am stuck in Hawaii trying to catch a buddy pass flight. For some reason, I am not getting a lot of sympathy!


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Don't re-schedule, it will be fine.

Hey, it would be cool if you guys could go up to Upper Red Castle and check on the tiger trout. I'm curious if they made it thru this long long winter. They were probably under the ice for 8 months!


----------



## bloodtrail (Sep 20, 2007)

Upper is where I like to fish. I am a little concerned about winter kill as well.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

bloodtrail said:


> Upper is where I like to fish. I am a little concerned about winter kill as well.


I was up there 2 years ago and Upper had a jillion dink tigers in it. They are very durable. I'm curious to see how they are doing. The upper lake always had trouble wintering brookies or cutts.


----------



## dartangion (Jul 2, 2008)

There will still be some drifts but you'll be just fine, the fishing should be excellent. If you are looking for some fast action, check out the stream coming out of RC down low towards the meadow...I had a blast there last summer.


----------



## wbcougster (Mar 12, 2010)

I too am taking my older scouts to RC 8/2. I'm hoping the tigers made it through...three years ago a member of our group caught a 21" tiger, it was a nice fish. I'll bet the bugs are are thick as can be. I found some online photos of upper RC taken Jul 7th...at that time it was still frozen over, I'm pretty sure it will be clear now. Here is the link if your are interested. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgmanzione/


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

wbcougster said:


> I too am taking my older scouts to RC 8/2. I'm hoping the tigers made it through...three years ago a member of our group caught a 21" tiger, it was a nice fish. I'll bet the bugs are are thick as can be. I found some online photos of upper RC taken Jul 7th...at that time it was still frozen over, I'm pretty sure it will be clear now. Here is the link if your are interested. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgmanzione/


I hit the link. I only found one picture of Upper Red Castle and it was taken July 17, 2008. The rest of the pics are of Red Castle Lake.

Red Castle Lake is the second deepest lake in the Uintas and it does not winter-kill. Tigers have been in it for some time. Upper Red Castle Lake sits up in the top of the cirque and is subject to winterkill. It's not unusual for Upper Red Castle to have ice on July 4th. Upper Red Castle never got fished much.


----------



## wbcougster (Mar 12, 2010)

thanks for the clarification...


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

No offense to anyone, but many call Red Castle Lake the "upper" lake. I suppose it's because many camp at Lower Red Castle and use Lower as a base camp to get up in the higher reaches of the Smith's Fork. Also there's few places to camp on Red Castle and it is a tough place to be in a summer storm. Some make camp below the lake in the trees, say below the falls. 

Upper Red Castle, sits high above Red Castle and is smaller and much shallower than Red Castle. Normally by August there's not too much water coming out of it, doesn't appear to be worth walking up there I suppose. So, many people just don't go up to it. Also, the hiking trail ends at the northwest corner of Red Castle Lake and as good as the fishing is and considering how far a hike it is to Red Castle many don't go any further. I always go up and over Wilson Pass, walking along Upper Red Castle on the way, headed for greener pastures.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)




----------



## wbcougster (Mar 12, 2010)

very impressive. Nice pic! I'm one who typically calls the big lake good. By the time I'm there, I think I have arrived.  Glad there are some who take it to the next level.


----------



## Basher10 (Jul 29, 2011)

wyogoob said:


> No offense to anyone, but many call Red Castle Lake the "upper" lake. I suppose it's because many camp at Lower Red Castle and use Lower as a base camp to get up in the higher reaches of the Smith's Fork. Also there's few places to camp on Red Castle and it is a tough place to be in a summer storm. Some make camp below the lake in the trees, say below the falls.
> 
> Upper Red Castle, sits high above Red Castle and is smaller and much shallower than Red Castle. Normally by August there's not too much water coming out of it, doesn't appear to be worth walking up there I suppose. So, many people just don't go up to it. Also, the hiking trail ends at the northwest corner of Red Castle Lake and as good as the fishing is and considering how far a hike it is to Red Castle many don't go any further. I always go up and over Wilson Pass, walking along Upper Red Castle on the way, headed for greener pastures.


Awesome!I also like it,i,ll visit the "Upper".


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Government jobs in Pakistan??


----------

