Name: Micah Orvis

Position: E-commerce Manager    

Where:Paul Lake, Uinta Mountains, UT  

Length + Difficulty: 3.5 Miles with about a 600 foot elevation gain.

Best time: Late Summer

Brief Summary: This is one tough trail to find but one easy trail to hike. I first learned of this lake in an old hiking book that totally put me on the wrong path and I was left going cross country nearly the whole way. But on the way back I found the real trail which was much easier. So BRING A GPS! To get there you start by heading to Paradise Park Reservoir on the south slope of the Uinta Mountains (Google it). Just before you get to the reservoir hang a left on Forest Road 104. In about 2.5 miles there will be a small old logging road on the right. You can park there and start your hike or if you have a 4WD truck with good ground clearance follow the logging road north until you hit a small green meadow. Look for a triple stack of rocks marking the trail entrance from the road. The trail is easy to wander off of but someone has marked it by cutting into the trees so you’ll see a line of injured trees marking your path. In about a mile you’ll pass Little Elk Lake (no fish). It’s pretty, but keep going. About ¾ of a mile deeper you’ll find Paul Lake. Someone has set up a pretty sweet campground on the north west side. What is special about this lake, the brook trout hear feast on tiny freshwater shrimp making their flesh pink and they seriously taste amazing. They are super easy to catch in the morning or around dusk with fishing going quite in the middle of the day. The other great thing about this place (besides the fish and its remoteness) is the low number of mosquitos. The Uinta’s can be plagued by mosquitos given the wrong time of year or location. Paul lake has no such issues that I have experienced. It’s also very beautiful and quiet.

What to bring: 
• A real GPS (your phone won’t work up there)
• Fishing rod with Jake’s spinners (I found gold with red dots work the best) or a fly rod using mosquito or cadis pattern (the fish are not that picky).
• Water purifier
• And all the other standard gear for backpacking

Klymit Gear Recommendations:
• Maxfield Tent
• Insulated Static V Luxe
• Pillow X Large
• KSB 20 XL

Gear: Insulated Static V Luxe

Top three features: 
1. It’s massive
2. It keeps me warm
3. It’s comfortable

Best for: Camping for big guys like me.

Favorite Camp Recipe: Steamed Trout 

Recipe:
• Catch a trout.
• Clean the trout and cut its head off. 
• Take a piece of tinfoil sized to wrap around the headless trout.
• Take your onion, slice it, and place a few union rings on the tin foil then place the trout on top. This will keep the trout from contacting directly against the tin foil so the skin won't burn to it.
• In the trout body put in a few onion pieces, a slab or two of the butter, a squeeze of lemon, and the pepper (I know what you’re thinking “I’ll just use lemon pepper” well that junk is for noobs- DON’T)
• Then put a few onions on top of the trout and roll the tin foil up then double wrap it in another sheet of foil.
• Put it on some coals in your campfire, give it about 10 minutes or so and flip it, then another 10 minutes. You should hear it really sizzling.
• When you think it’s done take it out and enjoy.

Ingredients:  
• Trout
• Butter
• Lemon (fresh)
• Onions
• Pepper