During a fly fishing trip to the Green River, my two friends and I found ourselves with two extra days to spend in Dutch John UT. As we searched for activities in the area, I stumbled upon King's Peak, the highest mountain in Utah, which was only a short 1.5-hour drive from our Vernal airport. We decided to embark on a 20-mile out-and-back 2-day backpacking trip to the peak.

Our adventure began in a hotel where we spent our first night in Utah. However, we woke up to a huge snowstorm that had swept through the Uinta Mountain range. We had come prepared for cool weather conditions, but we were ill-equipped to handle a snow-capped mountain. Despite this setback, we made our way to Henry's Fork Trailhead to begin our hike, hoping to make the final decision about whether to summit the following morning.

The hike proved to be a challenge, with our 50-pound packs and new hiking boots. Although my boots were worn-in, carrying such heavy loads was a struggle. Brian, who was the strongest of us, had the smallest backpack but made the mistake of breaking in new boots just a few days before. This resulted in painful blisters.

Fly fishing in one of the nation's top fisheries