Royal Treasure (Top of Utah)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Someone had to do it. This cache is located at the TOP of King's Peak, the highest point in Utah at 13,528'.
This is a very difficult hike, it usually requires two or more days to complete as well as backpacking equipment. It is about 30 miles round trip, with a starting elevation of 9,400 feet. Directions to trailhead (if you REALLY need them):
-excerpt from "High in Utah," by Michael R. Weibel and Dan Miller-
From Interstate 80 in Wyoming, 22 miles east of Evanston, turn south to Mountain View. In Mountain View turn right/west on Wyoming Highway 410, toward Robertson. This road soon bends left/south. After 7 miles, the paved road veers right/west toward Robertson. Continue straight/south onto a gravel road that leads to the Wasatch National Forest. Turn left after 12.3 miles, toward Henrys Fork. After 7 miles, turn right at the Henrys Fork sign. Continue another 3 miles to the campground. The trailhead is at the end of the farthest parking lot. Water and restroom facilities are available at Henrys Fork trailhead. There
are several campsites, but they are often full because this is one of the busiest trailheads in the Uintas.
Tips and Precautions
Kings Peak can be climbed from the Henrys Fork trailhead in one day, but that would be a very long, hard day. We recommend making the trek in a weekend. Camping
near Dollar Lake makes a good starting point.
The Hike
This well-established trail climbs gently, about 1,100 feet over 8 miles, along the Henrys Fork River to Dollar Lake. This is a good weekend backpacking trip for people who
aren't necessarily interested in bagging a peak[or the cache]. From the trailhead, the trail climbs along the edge of the river through the thick forest. Occasionally, the trail wanders through an alpine meadow, lush with wildflowers and wildlife. Moose are a common sight
along this drainage.
After about 5.5 miles, the trail reaches a junction at Elkhorn Crossing. You don't want to miss the junction. Cut back left down the stream bank and across a rickety log bridge that spans the creek. Once on the other side, continue hiking south along the creek. Eventually, the trail climbs out of the forest and into an open basin. A small stream from Dollar Lake usually trickles across the trail just before it reaches the trees that surround the lake. This is a well-used camping area for hikers aiming to stand atop Utah's highest peak. It is easy to miss the lake, so when you enter the trees it should be on youy left. From Dollar Lake, the trail continues southeast and gently climbs above timberline. It reaches into a small canyon at the base of Gunsight Pass, 11,888', before it starts switchbacking up the right side. After crossing the pass, the trail winds down into Painter Basin east of Kings Peak. [An alternate route begins right at Gunsight Pass. Go right at the pass and climb diagonally along the slope. Follow the cairns once you get to the top to the main trail at Anderson Pass. If you decide to take the main trail instead,] it stretches far out into a flat meadow before it reaches a junction and cuts back to the right toward Anderson Pass, where it again starts to climb, winding its way north along Kings' eastern flank. From Anderson Pass, 12,680 feet, the trail becomes faint as it climbs into the large boulders that comprise the summit. Scramble south up the ridge to the peak, which is marked by a plaque. [The cache is located about 100' south of the official peak.] A scree and talus chute near Anderson Pass offers a tempting, quick descent toward Dollar Lake after leaving the summit, but this chute has deteriorated over the years and has become quite dangerous. It should be used only if a hasty retreat is necessary to escape dangerous weather.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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