HIKING TO LAKE CATHERINE
June 2006- 36 photos



On June 23rd of 2006, Dale Wing, Don Gneiding, Larry Johnson and I hiked up to Lakes Mary, Martha, and Catherine. This hike starts at Brighton Ski Resort located at the end of the road in Big Cottonwood Canyon. It is a fairly short hike, only 1.4 miles to Lake Mary and less than a quarter mile on to Lake Martha, with about 2.55 miles total up to Lake Catherine by way of Lake Mary. If using the trail we came back on, that joins Dog Lake trail, the distance is closer to 2 miles one way. We measured the distances using two GPS mappers and found the signs at the trail head to be inaccurate. Probably because the distance was measured on the old trail that started at the west end of the parking lot. The new trail runs up the ski slope before entering the canyon. The first part of the hike up the ski slope is fairly steep but easier after moving into the canyon below the lakes. There is a short trail over to Dog Lake, less than a tenth of a mile, which we did. Not much of a lake. Lake Catherine is located over a ridge above Lake Martha in a small bowl shaped valley.

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Lake Mary early summer

In 2004 we made the hike to Lake Mary and Martha, but didn't get the chance to go on up and see Lake Catherine or over to Dog Lake. This time I was determined to do it, even though we found some snow still on the slopes. The snow was deep in places, but solid enough to walk on top of. One surprise, Lake Catherine was pretty much still frozen in. I say surprise because it was only 400 feet higher than Lake Mary. We walked a total of 5.283 miles and climbed 1,263 feet up. Lake Catherine is about 9,900 feet high and the ridge at the west end where I took the bottom photo is over 10,000 feet.

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 Map;
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Partially frozen Lake Catherine

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Lake Catherine from higher up at west end

   - 36 photos -
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Related Photos

We also hiked to Lake Mary and Lake Martha in 2004
Lake Mary & Martha
 Lake Mary & Martha, 2004




My photos were taken with a Canon EOS 20D, 8.2 Megapixel SLR Camera using a 17-85mm IS wide angle to 5x zoom. Many of these photos were taken by Dale Wing with his Canon EOS 350D, (Digital Rebel XT), 8.0 Megapixel SLR Camera also using the 17-85mm IS wide angle to 5x zoom. The original photos have been reduced in size and resolution and compressed to make them load faster. You are welcome to look at or download any of the photos. If you use them on any other webpage, please give credit and refer back to me.



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