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Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Training 2025:  Utah Hikes and Hip Strengthening Exercises

4/13/2025

2 Comments

 
Recommendations to prepare for one of Earth's greatest hikes.
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On the West Rim Trail in Zion National Park.
Quotes: 
"Nowhere else is the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other so provocative, so destabilizing, so densely freighted with rich and interlocking layers of meaning.”
   -  Kevin Fedarko, from his book A Walk in the Park:  The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon.


"They (people) love to complain about how soft people are today. Then I look at their profile photo and realize the last time this person did a push-up was probably when Commando was in theaters. If you think people are soft, start by not being soft yourself. You have the power to do something hard and train every day."
    -  Arnold Schwarzenegger 
To hike the Grand Canyon rim to rim in one day requires mindful and effective training.  It can make the difference between a positive, enjoyable experience and one that is a once-only, miserable experience.

​This will be our fifth Grand Canyon rim to rim hike.  In 2024, we hiked north to south with our friend Jeff (Epic Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Hike In One Day).  This year we will hike south to north, with an increase of at least 1,000 feet elevation gain compared to last year, over a shorter distance.


These are our recommendations for an enjoyable and safe rim to rim hike in this incredible canyon, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, based on our experiences:
  • Be able to hike at least 15 miles continuously
  • Be able to hike 4,000 feet in elevation
  • Be able to tolerate hiking in heat, as Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon will be a lot warmer (one year it was 100 degrees for us but we had a lot of Palm Springs, California hiking experience).
  • We use just one - two bottles of electrolyte drinks mixed in with water (our friend thought that one had to drink electrolytes continuously on this hike, so he felt adverse effects of electrolyte overload).  I'm not an expert on this, please check with your physician.
Our training hikes in the St. George/Southern Utah area and Palm Springs, California:
  • Grand Canyon rim to rim in one day training near St. George, Utah.
  • Kolob Arch, Skyline Trail and Goblet Squats
  • Scrub Benchmark in the Beaver Dam Mountains.
  • Burger Peak in Pine Valley Mountains 
  • Skyline Trail in Palm Springs gains 8,000 feet on the longest portion of the Cactus to Clouds hike.

The hip strengthening exercises below create stability and endurance necessary for long distance hiking, scrambling, and climbing.

I also threw in some of this year's photos.  Fred and I, in our mid-60's are so grateful to be able to do these hikes, especially with our friends.  Many people are unable to experience the awesome grandeur of the changing colors and terrain descending and climbing back out of the canyon.  To be able to cross the green and blue Colorado River, see 1.7 billion-year old basement rocks and walk along Bright Angel Creek's rushing white water is something we'll never forget.
Hip Strengthening for Better Hiking and Injury Prevention - Sue Birnbaum, MPT
These are some of the exercises I do to create strength and endurance in my hip stabilizers:  the gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, piriformis, and deep core muscles.
Strengthening your gluteus medius is crucial for a stable pelvis during walking and hiking.  The integration of the gluteus medius (upper lateral buttock) with the TFL (tensor fascia lata) and the quadratus lumborum creates an important myofascial sling.  This sling helps to stabilize the pelvis, which is essential for efficient movement and preventing compensations in other areas, such as the lower back or knees.​   Its function is to prevent the pelvis from dropping on the unsupported side (the leg that is swinging through during gait), which is a key part of maintaining a balanced gait.

Strong gluteus medius muscles control hip movement which in turn controls knee movement.  They prevent knee injuries during activities because they keep knees in the optimal anatomic position during weight-bearing.
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Gluteus medius muscles in red:  it abducts your hips and stabilizes your pelvis. 
​By maya2008.
Your gluteus maximus (largest butt muscle) is described by a physical therapist as "a steering wheel and stabilizer for your legs." (from the book ROAR; see reference below).  Your glutes kick into action first to keep your pelvis stabilized and then direct your knee and quadricep movements.  Up the chain, your abdominal muscles, back muscles, and obliques help you keep moving in a solid, stabilized unit (optimally, if they're strong!).

** It's important to recruit your deep core muscles by getting into the habit of automatically contracting or "zipping up" your abdomen, pulling your navel toward your spine before you start moving with these exercises.**
Check with your physician before performing these exercises.


There's thousands of foot steps on the 22-mile GC rim to rim trail.  Strong hip stabilizers will help prevent hip pain!
Side Steps onto Box and Side Step-Overs
Keep your pelvis level throughout the step up, prevent your knee from bending (caving in) toward midline, keeping your knee tracking over your foot.  Box step-overs train your ankles, knees, hips, core and dynamic balance functionally for scrambling over rocks.
Reverse Lunges with Dumbbells
The further away from your spine you hold a given load, the more spinal loading (torque) occurs, the stronger your trunk muscles - including core muscles - have to be to keep your spine stable and strong.
I contract my scapular stabilizers to keep the shoulders down away from my ears, keeping my chest elevated.  Keeping an erect posture gets those spinal muscles to work!
​Knee should not go in front of your toes as you lower down.
Banded Squats with Dumbbells into Thrusters
I am trying to prevent my knees from moving toward each other - overcoming the force of the band squeezing inward by contracting my gluteus medius to abduct my hips, keeping knees tracking over ankles.
Keeping your arms extended forward creates a big challenge for your back and abs.
Thrusters are an explosive movement by the glutes to push dumbbells up, requiring scapular/shoulder control and core stability.
Bridging with band-resisted leg movements
If my hips start to get sore, I do this basic physical therapy exercise.
The key is to push outward against the band, keep your hips up and not to let your pelvis dip down to the side.
​Think of it as a reverse plank - I could do a little better keeping my hips up in line with shoulders and knees.
Zion National Park with Lindy and Jeff.  We hit slippery snow so we couldn't get as much elevation as we wanted!
Clockwise from top left:  Walking up West Rim Trail to Scouts Lookout, Lindy's "little men", Fred on plateau after Scouts Lookout, Sue  and Fred, heading back, Walter's Wiggles looking over Refrigerator Canyon on the way up to Scout Lookout.
Training in St. George area
Clockwise from top left:  Robin on ridge to Peak 4416 - Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, Sue and Robin on Padre Canyon Trail, Jeff near Three Ponds Trail in Snow Canyon SP, Robin looking at Peak 4416, celebrating Scrub Benchmark's summit, lost on the Whiptail Trail, Snow Canyon, Walter's Wiggles - Zion, Fred on the ridge to 4416, petroglyphs on Land Hill near Ivins, Fred coming up canyon in Snow Canyon, the "Vortex", cholla in Snow Canyon.
Related
Cactus to Clouds Challenge - 1993
Grand Canyon Rim to Rim 2024
Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Training I
Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Training II
References

Sims, S.T.  2016.  ROAR:  How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong, Lean Body For Life.  Rodale Books.  RodaleWellness.com
2 Comments

Hike Scrub Benchmark: 6,790' - Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area

4/3/2025

2 Comments

 
See spectacular views of three states:  extreme southwestern Utah, Arizona's Virgin River Gorge and Nevada's Virgin Peak from the summit of one of the highest points in the Beaver Dam Mountains.
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On Scrub Benchmark's summit:  the view to the north of West Mountain in the Beaver Dam Mountains (left), and the Pine Valley Mountains on the right horizon to the northeast.
Location:  Beaver Dam Mountains - Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area, managed by Bureau of Land Management, west of Ivins, Utah.
Distance/elevation gain:  7 miles out and back/2,550' gain.
Terrain:  steep gravel service road to summit with loose rocks.
Coordinates:  37.053315, -113.817280
​Prominence:  2,065'
Date Hiked:  March 28, 2025.
Trailhead:  Coordinates:  37.015882, -113.817280.  Accessed from Mojave Desert Joshua Tree Road Scenic Backway (Bulldog Pass/Apex Road).
Maps and Apps:  AllTrails, Stavislost,  Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area Map.
Vehicle:  4 WD best on gravel road to trailhead.  
Geology:  Callville Limestone of the Pennsylvanian Period (~300 Ma).  This sedimentary rock was laid down in a time of swampy forests and shallow seas that advanced and retreated over millions of years.  The Beaver Dam Mountains are a northwest-trending anticline (an arch-shaped fold in rocks) located in between two major provinces:  the Basin and Range  and the Colorado Plateau.
History:  the Mojave Desert Joshua Tree Road Scenic Backway follows the Old Spanish Trail - a trade route that extends from California, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona and Colorado.
​
Quote
"The finest quality of this stone, these plants and animals, this desert landscape is the indifference manifest to our presence, our absence, our coming, our staying, or our going."

         -  Edward Abbey, in Desert Solitaire, reflecting on his last day as an Arches National Monument park ranger in the 1960's.
Related
Jarvis Peak
Utah's Red Rock Country
Virgin Peak - Mojave Solitude
Davidson Peak
​
​Because this hike has one of the most elevation gains in the St. George, Utah area, Robin, Jeff, Lindy and I tackled it to train for our upcoming Grand Canyon south rim to north rim hike on May 21.  The magnificent views on the summit of this highest point in the Beaver Dam Mountains near the Arizona border more than made up for the straight-up steep gravel road with its annoying loose rocks and heart-pounding pitch.


There's an advantage to living in St. George if you love geology:  if you go west, you can explore Basin and Range territory.  If you go east, you get to explore the Colorado Plateau province.  Since I am inclined to want to hike in the Red Rock Country of the Colorado Plateau, I thought we would try something different and venture into the limestones of the Beaver Dam Mountains, which straddle these two provinces.

This hike is about as straightforward as a hike can be.  In our 4 WD, we turned onto Bulldog Pass/Apex Road (AKA Mojave Desert Joshua Tree Road Scenic Backway) from Old Highway 91 out of Ivins, Utah.  We parked at the unmarked road that goes to the peak (see coordinates above) in a wide flat area.  Driving back afterwards, we continued southwest on this road until we reached its southern entrance onto Highway 91, passing Tabeau Peak and driving through Bulldog Canyon, with the Bulldog Knolls rising overhead to the north.

​The hike passes by interesting limestone ledges and a few caves.  It starts out on a pleasant incline, but then becomes really steep as you enter an old burned area close to the communication-towered peak.  There's nothing to block the incredible 360-degree view of three states.  Seeing the Virgin River Gorge below, in northern Arizona from the top was spectacular, as I usually see it when I'm IN the gorge, driving on Interstate 15.  To the south rises snow-covered Virgin Peak above Mesquite, Nevada.
Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area
​
There's no developed recreation facilities or camping spots in the Beaver Dam Mountains.  It is a place of solitude, with not a lot of visitors.   Scrub Benchmark lies on the eastern border of Beaver Dam Wash NCA, the southwestern portion of the Beaver Dam Mountains in Utah (click link above for map).

Geologists have long debated Beaver Dam's  complicated structure.  Unusual folds, faults and shattered rocks, ancient landslides dominate this transition zone between the Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin.
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Beaver Dam Mountains rise at the transition between the Mojave Desert and Great Basin provinces.  The Joshua tree is an indicator species of the Mojave Desert.
Grateful for my Hiking Buddies
This was a pretty good training hike for the Grand Canyon rim to rim hike, since you can get a decent gain (>2,500') without snow in early spring.   I'm lucky to hike with Robin, Jeff and Lindy.  They're really fun and make hiking an even more positive experience!  

Next time I do this hike, I want to include Tahoari Peak.  From Scrub Benchmark, you would follow its west ridge and then drop down south to hike Tahoari's north ridge, like Stav Basis did (stavislost).

Keep On Exploring!!
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The diagonal gravel road going through Bulldog Pass is the Bulldog Pass/Apex Rd, AKA Mojave Desert Joshua Tree Road Scenic Backway.  We hiked to Scrub Benchmark on its southeast service road (in yellow).  Topo Maps US.
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Starting on road leading to Scrub Benchmark.
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Limestone ledges.
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Looking on the left side of the road while ascending.
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Road begins to narrow and steepen.
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Jeff on steep and loose section.
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Robin and Lindy.
Tahoari Peak is the third "bump" from the right on the ridge above.

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It's a steep one!
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Last steep section to the summit of Scrub Benchmark!
Cool Stuff on Scrub Benchmark's summit:  peak register, Jeff, Sue and Lindy, Lindy's "little men" posing next to the benchmark survey disc, communication towers.
Note:  this survey benchmark has an arrow on it.  Usually these arrows point to a disc with a triangle on it, called the "triangulation station", or the main survey point.  A triangulation station usually has 2 or 3 reference markers surrounding it.  This particular disc says "No. 2".  I measured the direction of the arrow pointing to 150 degrees.
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Lindy, Jeff and Robin - trois randonneurs exceptionnels!
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Looking south from near the summit into  Arizona and the Virgin River Gorge (left), and Mt. Bangs and Virgin Peak in Nevada (right horizon).
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Scrub Benchmark survey disc looks over the service road at the top.
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The rest of the crew descending the slippery road.   I am the slow one going down.  Another look at Tahoari Peak, highest on the ridge in this photo.
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Almost to the car - just around the corner!
References
​Biek, R.F.   2009.  Ancient Landslides of the Beaver Dam Mountains, Washington County, Utah.  Utah Geological Survey.
2 Comments

On a Mission with Mish:  Photography Adventures

3/4/2025

4 Comments

 
 Capturing beautiful images in southern Utah and Great Basin National Park with friend and photographer Mike Shedlock.
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Mike Shedlock (Mish) photographing in Pine Creek, Zion National Park.
Related
MishMoments - Joy of Photography

Angels Landing - Zion
Southern Utah Hikes
The Subway - Zion
Great Basin NP
Quote
"Ancora imparo."  (translates to "I'm still learning").
         - Michelangelo

One day a photographer who read my Golden Cathedral via Beeline Trail hike post contacted me through Explorumentary.  Mike Shedlock, AKA Mish, wanted to know if Fred and I would join him on another trip to this awesome sky-lit cathedral at the end of Neon Canyon in April, just in time for the spring leafing of the cottonwood trees.

Since then, we have gone on several photo adventures in southern Utah, including Water Canyon in Canaan Mountain Wilderness, Zion National Park, and a few petroglyph sites.  On our second trip to Stella Lake in Great Basin National Park, we caught the perfect dusk sky, arriving just in time after hurrying up the trail from the famous thousands-years-old bristlecone pines.
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​You've got to be on your toes when photographing with Mish.  He sets up fast, knows his camera really well, and has a schedule - especially if we are to get to a place in time for the perfect light.  He is a combined artist and superlative technician.

Getting out with Mish has been good for me and Fred, who patiently waits and takes in the beautiful scenery while Mish and I create.  It's motivated me to get out with my Sony DSLR camera more often and learn how to use it.  I was a Canon girl before.

We are talking about a trip to Cosmic Ashtray in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument this spring.

Check out MishMoments - Joy of Photography for some spectacular images of southern Utah, Iceland, night skies, "everything water" and more.  Here are a few images I have gotten so far, some with Mish's help.
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Fred squeezing through the "secret passage" to the waterfall and pool along Zion's Pine Creek (image below).
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Pine Creek in Zion National Park.
The walk into this steep-walled canyon is through white sands and huge boulders.
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A second trip to Pine Creek.
Temperatures in Zion NP dip into the 20's at night in December.

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Autumn in Zion National Park.
Mish knows the best places to photograph.

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We had to climb a short, slippery, ice-filled slope to get closer to these icicles in Pine Creek.
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Water Canyon in Canaan Mountain Wilderness, south of Zion National Park.
There's no trail markers in this gorgeous wilderness that is known well by "locals."

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This woman in the blue dress scrambled up these slippery falls like she's done it many times before.
Photographed at 0.5 seconds making woman out of focus, ISO = 250, f 16

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Golden Cathedral at the end of Neon Canyon.
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Reflections of Wheeler Peak (right) and Doso Doyabi (left) in Stella Lake - Great Basin National Park.
Wheeler Peak's summit is 13,065' - the second-tallest in Nevada.  There's a great trail to its summit.
Nevada's only glacier lies at the base of Wheeler Peak.

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We found big and beautiful Joshua trees in the Beaver Dam Mountains near Ivins, Utah.
Nevada's Mormon Mountain range is in the background.
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Mish and Sue at the Rattlesnake petroglyph.
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Metate Arch in Devils Garden - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - Utah.
Grand Staircase is my favorite place to explore because it has few paved roads.  Most adventures require a rugged vehicle, lots of patience and navigation ability, and a lot of wanderlust.
I added "sky replacement" in Photoshop.

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Ancient Bristlecone Pine grove in Great Basin National Park's quartzite.
These thousands-years old trees are fascinating and tough, withstanding freezing temperatures and ferocious winds that twist them into almost human gestures.
They are the largest non-clonal species on the planet, and extremely rare.
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Doso Doyabi (Shoshone language for "white peak") and its reflection in Stella Lake.
This peak was formerly named Jeff Davis Peak.  
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Someday (soon?)
Mojave Desert near Nipton, California in the Ivanpah Valley.
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Virgin River Gorge petroglyphs.
This huge boulder is near the da Vinci panel petroglyphs.
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Blooming yuccas on the Skyline Trail in the San Jacinto Mountains above Palm Springs, California.
I included this shot with my iPhone because it's one of my favorites.
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Hike White Rock Peak and Peak 5024 - Snow Canyon State Park

1/5/2025

4 Comments

 
Hike two of the highest summits on Snow Canyon's east rim for views seen by few.
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Lindy near White Rock Peak's summit with the east fork of Snow Canyon below.
Red Mountain Wilderness across, on the west rim with its highest point, Snow Benchmark, the brown dome mostly covered by the tree.
Trip Stats
Location: 
Red Cliffs National Conservation Area and Snow Canyon State Park near St. George, Utah.
Distance/Elevation gain:  4.2 miles out and back/1,150' cumulative gain.  White Rock Peak = 4,870',  Peak 5024'
Maps/Apps:  Topo Maps US, USGS Santa Clara Quad 7.5 min topo map
Date Hiked:  11/30/2024
Trailhead:  White Rocks Trail off of Hwy 18 north of St. George.
Considerations:  Experience in navigation using topo maps required as this route is not marked.
Coordinates:  White Rock Peak = 37.23908 , -113.64775.  Peak 5024 = 37.24431, -113.64886

Geology:  Navajo Sandstone, Lower Jurassic, ~180 million years ago.
Native peoples:  Virgin River Anasazi until ~ 1,200 AD, folowed by Shivwits Paiutes.  There is a petroglyph panel nearby.
Quote:   "There are some good things to be said about walking.  Not many, but some." 
                    -  Edward Abbey
Biological Soil Crusts Rule!
Related Posts
Snow Benchmark
Red Mountain Primitive Trail
Snow Canyon Overlook
A Cold Desert
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The view west from White Rock Peak
The West Canyon Road snakes through petrified sand dunes and cliffs of Snow Canyon State Park, below.

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Our GPX tracks starting from White Rocks Trail following canyon to White Rock Peak (bottom spur) and north to Peak 5024.
These peaks rise above the east fork of Snow Canyon (left), with views of basalt flows and cinder cones to the east.
North points up.
One of the outstanding aspects of this hike is the magnificent views of the entire geography of Snow Canyon State Park that only a few get to see.  We stand on top of its rim, while the burgeoning  number of Snow Canyon visitors hike popular trails in the bottom such as Petrified Sand Dunes and Lava Flow.
​
​Now we've hiked the highest peaks on Snow Canyon's west and east rims.  On the west rim, our Snow Benchmark hike reached the highest point in the beautiful Red Mountain Wilderness.  On the east rim, we summited the highest peak in Snow Canyon Sate Park - Peak 5024 - along with White Rock Peak with an awesome view of the deep chasms and sheer cliffs of Snow Canyon to the west and the black cinder cones and basalt flows near the town of Veyo to the east.

The gorgeous north/south Red Mountain Primitive Trail is the only rim trail in Snow Canyon State Park noted on maps. 

We took our friends Lindy, Jeff and Robin to White Rock's summit and Peak 5024 after we had found our way to them previously.   We accessed the east rim via a pretty canyon via the sandy wash that borders Highway 18, at Winter Quarters, shown on a  topo map.   

We found an animal trail leading up from the mouth of this steep-sided canyon to the right (north).  At first, the head of this canyon looks to be blocked by a headwall, but we found a steep exit trail obviously made by hikers to avoid Class 3 or 4 obstacles.  It brought us to the base of White Rock Peak where we scrambled up its north side. 

Our ascent canyon is unnamed as far as I know.  It took a bit of navigating/maneuvering on rocky moderately steep slopes, avoiding the bouldery bed of the creek most of the way.  I left a "duck" (rock trail marker using small amount of rocks, usually 2 - 4) at our creek crossing marking our entry into the creek, so we could see our way out on the return hike.  However, even if we did miss this trail mark, I can still see our previous tracks on my GPS and phone on the Topo Maps US app.

There was no water running at this time - only pools reflecting the yellow rocks above and the blue sky, with a thin sheet of ice in the morning.  I bet the water flow after a rain in this canyon is beautiful.  I'll run up here with my camera during the next rain.

Pure delight awaits as you top out on the east rim.  At the base of White Rock, there's a gorgeous flat area with curving ramps and flat rock stacks, and perhaps petrified sand dunes - all sorts of sandstone forms, and some highly developed biological crusts (see below).
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At White Rock's summit, Snow Canyon's deep chasms, made of striped white and orange Navajo Sandstone drop down to meet up with West Canyon Trail on its floor.  So many Colorado Plateau elements to take in:  white sandstone, accentuated with pockets of junipers, pinyon pines and prickly pear cacti undulates in many fun-to-walk forms.  Orange rock-strewn peaks rise above, inviting a boulder-filled scramble to the top.   I couldn't find a peak register.
Snow Canyon's highest summit, Peak 5024, lies ~ 15 degrees to the north of White Rock Peak, where you can see its summit.  We did the fun scramble to it, finding our way up a passage between sandstone domes on a path with a few footprints on it (some refer to this trail as "Awesome Chasm Trail").  We found remnants of possibly an old wooden survey marker on top.

Since 5024 is further north, you get a great view of the cinder cones to the north and the youngest rocks in this landscape:  the basalt flows that originated from vents and cones to the north.  The age of these flows is < 0.5 - 1.0 million years old.

Basalt flows lie at the foot of the Pine Valley Mountains on the horizon in photo at right.
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Summit of Peak 5024, the highest in Snow Canyon State Park, with an old wire wrapped around rock at right and remnants of possible survey marker.  Rock cairn on top!
Biological Soil Crusts Rule!
Well-established biological crusts thrive in open spaces between plants - they're miniature "mountains" of stabilizing lichens, cyanobacteria, and fungi.  The significance of cryptobiotic soils are easy to overlook as you take in beautiful sights at eye level.  The crusts in the photo are near White Rock Peak.

It's really important to avoid stepping on these crusts, as it takes many years to start building ones that have been crushed.  The crust in the image on the right represents a "pinnacled" morphology that is typical of the Colorado Plateau cool deserts.  The pinnacles are caused by frost-heaving, and can be up to 15 cm high.  These crusts can have a lot of lichen-moss cover - up to 40%.
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Though it was almost December, the sun was warm and the day was perfect.  We love hiking with Robin, Lindy and Jeff and I'm always amazed at the great friends we have met here in St. George.  We did the epic Grand Canyon rim to rim hike in May with Jeff and plan on another one, this time south to north rim.  We're grateful our legs can take us to these remarkable places!
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Our first attempts at finding White Rock Peak - climbing fractured sandstone just off the White Rocks Trail.
The polygonal and checkerboard fractures in this Navajo Sandstone are caused by temperature differences:  the sandstone got hot on summer days, then the shallow surface of the rock cooled down at night.  However, the deeper rock remained heated, and that created enough of a temperature difference to make the sandstone fracture.
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Starting at bottom of canyon leading to White Rock Peak.
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Making our way up canyon - passing a pool with a skim of ice on the surface.  You can see the dark edges of it where there was recently water.  We need more rain!!
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The same pool as above, this time we were coming back from our first White Rock Peak hike.
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We eventually dropped into the canyon around the corner of this big outcrop to the right, where we found a trail on the hillside above right that took us to the base of White Rock Peak.
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Dropping into the bottom of the canyon to gorgeous lichen-covered sandstone, junipers and manzanitas.
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Getting onto what looks like a human-made trail that leads up steep, rocky terrain on left side of canyon.
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Fred (lower right) climbing trail leading out of canyon.  We passed the dome above left on our way to Peak 5024.
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Nearing the top of Snow Canyon's east rim and the base of White Rock Peak, looking at the canyon we just ascended.
Diamond Cinder Cone in distance on left.
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Another beautiful pool at the top of the canyon.
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Arriving at the base of White Rock Peak. 
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Trail to summit of White Rock Peak (lower left) that goes by the large pinyon pine with stacked rocks under it.
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A great-looking "chasm" on the way up.  Looking at Deidre Peak on the west rim across Snow Canyon's valley.
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Jeff and Fred near White Rock's summit.
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Both images above looking at Snow Canyon's west rim from White Rock's summit.
Images from White Rock Peak's summit (clockwise).  View to the north of Pine Valley Mountains, Sue in her element, polygonal "pillows" at the base, West Canyon Trail in Snow Canyon's East Fork.
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After White Rock, heading to Peak 5024 upper right.
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Finding a way up to the saddle below Peak 5024.
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Working our way to the saddle on Peak 5024's north ridge.
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Almost at Peak 5024's summit, the highest in Snow Canyon State Park!
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Peak 5024 summit:  looking south at White Rock Peak upper left.
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Jeff, Robin and Lindy heading down toward ascent canyon.  Excellent hike today!
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Fred heading down toward ascent canyon.
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Elevation profile for White Rock Peak and Peak 5024, with a cumulative gain of 1,150'.
References
Loope, D. B. 2019.  Hexagonal Fracture Patterns On Navajo Sandstone Crossbeds At Yellow Knolls, Washington County.  Utah  Geological Association Publication #48. 

A Field Guide to Biological Soil Crusts of Western U.S. Drylands.  Bureau of Land Management. Publication 4
4 Comments

Hike Snow Benchmark in Red Mountain Wilderness, Utah

12/19/2024

0 Comments

 
Stellar views of the sheer cliff walls and chasms of Snow Canyon State Park from the highest summit of Red Mountain Wilderness.
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From Red Mountain Trail looking down into one of Snow Canyon's "chasms."
This canyon traces a normal fault with the west side of it (right) dropped down from the east side.
Trip Stats
Location: 
The highest point in Red Mountain Wilderness, north of St. George, Utah
Distance/Elevation gain:  7.2 miles out and back/900'.   Trailhead = 4,688'.  Summit = 5568'.  
Coordinates:  ​Summit = 37.25134  -113.68304

Trailhead: Red Mountain Trail on Hwy 18 north of St. George.
Date hiked:  October 19, 2024
Maps/Apps:  Topo Maps US
Considerations:  Red Mountain Trail becomes more faint beyond the turn-off for the Snow Canyon Overlook view.  There are no trail signs.  Experience with navigation/a good map are necessary.  The summit of Snow Benchmark is a short scramble from the trail.  

Links:  Red Cliffs Desert Reserve
Geology:  Large block of Navajo Sandstone deposited by wind in Early Jurassic period (same rock unit as Zion National Park).  The "chasm" or canyon that drops into Snow Canyon traces a normal fault, caused by crustal spreading.
Quote: 
"Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me."

-  song written by Hoyt Wayne Axton, performed by Three Dog Night
Biological Soil Crusts Rule!
Related
Snow Canyon Overlook
Red Mountain Primitive Trail
Winter Images from Snow Canyon
Lady Liberty's Flight
Overview 
Snow Benchmark, a brown juniper and pine-covered dome rises in contrast above the orange and white sheer Navajo Sandstone cliffs of northern Snow Canyon State Park near St. George, Utah.  You can see it from town if you are near the opening of Snow Canyon to the south.  I've been looking at it for a few years, knowing it was the highest point in the Red Mountain Wilderness.  Finally, Fred and I took two friends to its summit via the northern end of the Red Mountain Trail just north of the Diamond Cinder Cone.

This hike travels the first few miles of the 9.5-mile Red Mountain Trail that treks almost due north and south on a gorgeous plateau with spectacular views of Snow Canyon State Park to its east.  Its northern trailhead is just north of Diamond Valley and its southern entrance can be accessed from 200 East Street in Ivins.  It's notorious for search and rescue calls due to hikers getting lost, because there are no trail signs and it's easy to lose the trail and get off into a canyon or wash.  It treks across areas of slickrock, through deep sand in parts.

This is one of the most gorgeous areas of Utah and I would venture to say the country.  I can't believe I live so close to it.  A green blanket of pinyon pines and junipers, interspersed with austere patches of bare slickrock, rises and falls, covering eroded sandstone domes and ancient sand dunes, and then abruptly ends at sheer orange and white cliffs where waterfalls tumble after a drenching rain.  From this perch 1,300 feet above the canyon floor, minuscule walkers and bikers move up and down West Canyon Road in Snow Canyon State Park.
Our Hike
The first mile of the northern Red Mountain Trail begins at a large parking lot and treks over a lot of big rocks scattered on the wide trail.  At an elevation above 4,500 feet, you travel through pinyon pines and Utah junipers in an undisturbed forest.  Lots of prickly pear, manzanita , sagebrush and scrub oak grow in the sandy soil and in sandstone cracks.

I could just sit on a pink-orange sandstone slab for awhile and breathe in the juniper and pine of this lovely place.  Maybe I would get to hear the "kaw" call of a few pinyon jays.

​At 0.8 miles, reach the fence for the Red Mountain Wilderness boundary.  Another mile down the trail, at 1.8 miles from the trailhead, reach the intersection for the Snow Canyon Overlook, a spectacular view with a sudden drop-off with Snow Canyon 1,600 feet below.  The hike to the overlook is 0.5 miles - a left turn (south) at the intersection.

Instead of taking the left trail at the intersection, keep straight on the Red Mountain Trail heading west/southwest.  At 2.3 miles into the hike, the trail runs close to the rim of one of Snow Canyon State Park's deep chasms.

At 3.0 miles, we found a drainage to follow up toward the summit, arriving to it in another 0.5 mile.  As with a lot of other hikes in this southern Utah area, there was a lot of biological soil crusts, AKA cryptobiotic soil to avoid stepping on.  

Why "Benchmark"?
A bench mark is a fixed point of elevation used as a point of reference for other topographical elevations.  The metal survey disc that marks the Snow Benchmark has a triangle carved into it, indicating that it's a triangulation station, which means it's a position by which other secondary markers are related. Triangulation is a method used in mapping regions using angles and distances between various points.

​It's called "benchmark" because surveyors would put an angle iron into a chiseled horizontal line to form a bench on which a leveling rod was placed.  This ensured that the rod would be placed the same every time the bench mark was used for calculation.

Someone had scratched the elevation onto this marker, as there was no stamped number next to "feet."
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USGS Survey marker for Snow Benchmark
Afterward, we celebrated on a tailgate with tortilla chips and three different kinds of salsa from our local farmer's market, supplied by Robin.  She brought these because that was the tradition of my hiking buddies many years ago in the Coachella Valley.  After most hikes we would celebrate with chips and salsa and Corona beer with lime!  Great memories - relish the good times and good life!
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Hiking south on Red Mountain Trail with Snow Benchmark (rounded tree-covered dome on right) in sight.
Interesting tilted sandstone cross beds on the trail.
The first mile of Red Mountain Trail is super rocky!  Entering Red Mountain Wilderness at 0.8 miles from trailhead.
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Getting further into Red Mountain Wilderness with Snow Benchmark on the right horizon.
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Chasm into Snow Canyon:  this stream empties into the main canyon, where West Canyon Trail is.
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Leaving Red Mountain Trail heading south to take a right turn (west) to summit Snow Benchmark.
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We found a beautiful drainage to follow to the base of Snow Benchmark.  From here on, avoiding cryptobiotic soil that covered much of this terrain.
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Beauty in a tree trunk on the way up.
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After ascending the drainage, the topography flattens out before the final ascent.
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Picking our way through the brush and trees near the summit.
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Looking back at the east wall of the huge chasm during our ascent.
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Pretty easy summit to get to!
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From the summit looking south into Arizona (right) and Red Mountain plateau (left).
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Snow Benchmark summit - 5,568', looking southeast at Snow Canyon.  The Red Mountain Trail continues south through the light-colored slickrock upper right.
Some cool stuff on the trail:  Biological soil crusts, iron oxide coating(?), Sue and Fred,
apres' hike chips and salsa courtesy of Robin!!
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Robin on the way down from the summit.
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One last look down the chasm into Snow Canyon State Park on our way back.
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A last look at Snow Benchmark from a patch of white slick rock.
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Caltopo map of our tracks to Snow Benchmark from upper Red Mountain Trailhead off of Highway 18.
References
A Field Guide to Biological Soil Crusts of Western U.S. Drylands.  Bureau of Land Management.

​Warren, S.D.  2014.  Role of Biological Soil Crusts in Desert Hydrology and geomorphology:  Implications for Military Training Operations.

Biological Soil Crusts:  Ecology and Management.  2001.  U.S. Department of the Interior.
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Hike Copper Belt Peak, 11,383':  High Tushars Grandeur

11/25/2024

4 Comments

 
Walking through Tushars tundra and seeing mountain goats from afar on the highest mountain range in southern Utah.
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The volcanic high Tushars looking west.
From left to right:  Mount Baldy, Mount Belknap, Gold Mountain, Signal Peak.
Trip Stats
Location:  Fishlake National Forest - Tushar Mountains - east of Beaver, Utah.
Distance/Elevation gain:  7.0 miles out and back/1,150' on approach due to regaining lost elevation. 
​Trailhead = 10,900'  highest summit = 11,576'
Bullion Pasture Traihead:  Drive Hwy 153 just east of Beaver ~ 19 miles to turn-off to the left onto FR 123, then  ~ 10 miles on FR 123 to trailhead (approximate distances).
Maps/Apps:  Fishlake National Forest - Beaver and Fillmore Districts Travel Map.  
Date Hiked:  October 12, 2024
Factors that make this hike more difficult: high altitude, trail not marked.
Buillon Pasture trailhead:  37.04002  -112.39649
Geology:  Bullion Canyon Volcanics - Miocene (22-35 Ma)
Other Trip Reports:  Stavislost.com     Beyond My Couch
Copper Belt Peak Maps/tracks
Considerations:
Trail is unmarked and not apparent in a few places.  Experience with navigation using map is necessary.

Mountain Weather Forecast - Mount Delano
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Quote:  "Change happens through movement and movement heals." 
-  Joseph Pilates, inventor of the Pilates Method 
Related Posts
Humphreys Peak: On Top of Arizona
Mt. Holly/Delano Peak loop: Tushars
Shelly Baldy Peak, 11,321' - Tushars
Delano Peak - Tushar's Highest
Hike Summary
0 - 0.7 miles: 
Bullion Pasture Trailhead to first high point at 11,200'
0.7 - 2.0 miles:  to highest point on hike at 11,500' (this is just to saddle;  option is to summit 11,673' peak)
2.0 - 3.5 miles:  highest point to Copper Belt Peak summit at 11,383'
Overview
There's something about this little-known mountain range that keeps us going back.  Actually, lot of things. It's a striking high volcanic range where you walk on tundra above tree line to look over southern Utah and through aspens and meadows with wildflower-lined creeks in the summer.  It's only a couple of hours drive from St. George.  Often times we see more mountain goats than people on the trails.

So far we've hiked four of the Tushar summits, all of them over 11,000 feet.  The hike to Delano Peak, the highest peak in southern Utah, is a defined and short path if approaching from the west.  Hikes to Mount Holly and Shelly Baldy require a bit of cross-country navigation.  

​​This hike starts and stays high, with fantastic views as you cross grassy ridges and a talus-riddled saddle to drop onto an old mining road that leads to the easily-climbed ridge to Copper Belt Peak.  There's a good chance you will see mountain goats, and we did on this trip.  The trail is not marked and is faint in some places, so having GPS tracks and a map is helpful.

This peak gets its name from the significant copper ore deposits in this area, and in fact, Copper Belt Mine lies to its northeast.  Other mines in the area are Bully Boy, Cascade, and Shamrock.
Our Hike (topo map and our tracks at end of this post)
We stayed in our favorite campground, Mahogany Cove, on Hwy 153 about 13 miles east of downtown Beaver, Utah, sleeping in the bed of our truck.  It's ~ 6 miles from there to the turnoff for FR 123, a graded gravel road that goes past Big John's Flat and the trailhead to Delano Peak, and to Bullion Pasture trailhead in about 10 miles from turn-off.

At this elevation, aspens had already dropped their leaves and it was chilly, but beautifully sunny.  The trail begins east from the parking lot, where you see the mountain range you will be traversing through.  It goes to the right of the dark copper-colored peak furthest to the left.  To the right of that, a higher, broader light tan peak (Peak 11,673') is the highest on this trail.  Copper Belt Peak is behind this summit.

​The trail starts out very defined for the first 0.6 miles, where you encounter your first "bump" on the ridge after walking through a wide grassy saddle.  It traverses the right (south) side of this bump, where you see the next dark bump.   Unless you want to climb it, the trail goes around it to the left, 1.0 mile into the hike.  

For another 0.6 miles, hike along a relatively flat path through grass and volcanic rock to drop down onto another grassy saddle with a close-up view of the climb to come.  We met two hunters from St. George here, and we had a nice chat with them.  One is also a wildlife photographer:  mike_wildphoto64 on Instagram.

From this saddle, it's a 250' climb to the saddle between the round dark brown peak on the left and Peak 11,673' on the right. The climb to this peak is just 100 feet above the saddle.  The talus slope here is steep, so the trail climbs high towards Peak 11,673' summit to avoid too much traversing through the talus.

Once past Peak 11,673', the old road to the base of Copper Belt Peak comes into view;  follow it to the base of Copper Belt and then hike up its southern ridge to the summit at 11,383'!!
For the Geo-curious:  Walking through Volcanic Terrain
The map below shows our tracks (blue) through a geologic map of the Tushar Mountains on Google Earth.  Each of the different types of rock are recorded as map units, with their corresponding color and abbreviation.  On geologic maps, yellow always denotes the youngest map unit - the Quaternary Period which is 2.5 million years ago (Ma) to present time.

The oldest is the prevolcanic sedimentary rocks - 170 million years old - from the Jurassic Period (Ja) unit in blue on the right side.  Even after the explosive volcanic eruptions that formed the Tushar Mountains 22 Ma, this old Jurassic unit is still revealed at the surface.

​Our tracks begin at the Bullion Pasture Trailhead (lower left) in rhyolite (Tmbl), an extrusive rock that's high in silica and the chemical equivalent of granite (an intrusive rock).  It originated from the inside of the Mount Belknap Caldera.   Quickly, the trail crosses over the wall of the Belknap Caldera (line formed by red "T's")

After briefly crossing a Quaternary landslide (Ql), we headed into the Bullion Canyon Volcanic rocks (Tbm and Tbd), where we would spend most of the time for the rest of the hike, higher on the ridge.  


This hike is significant for trekking through Mount Belknap caldera (collapsed volcano following magma chamber emptying) rocks as well as Bullion Canyon volcanic rocks to the southeast, two different volcanic terrains.

So much more to explore in the unique Tushars:  more peaks to climb and trails to hike.  We're grateful we are able to experience these beautiful places.
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Geologic map of the Tushars with our hike tracks on Google Earth.
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Truck shot:  on our way to Bullion Pasture Trailhead on FR 123, AKA Paiute ATV Trail #01.
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The trail begins at the left of this sign.  Trailhead reached via FR 123 coming from the south.
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Starting from the trailhead in the morning - heading to the peaks on the left with the dark "copper" colors.
​Copper Belt Peak is behind the pointy peak on the left.

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A good night's sleep in our truck bed last night and we are ready to go!
Just past the trailhead.
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Looking back at the trail we have just ascended (far right).  I'm on the first "bump" on the ridge.
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Trail goes across saddle to the left and around to the left of this next bump on the ridge (11,450').
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Not too many hikes do I have to wear my puff jacket:  pretty chilly this morning at 11,000 feet!
Heading to the saddle between the two peaks above my head to the right.

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Looking at Peak 11,673', the highest peak on the hike, to the right of the copper-colored peak.  Trail goes up through the pass between these two high points.
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Approaching the lighter-colored mini-ridge where the trail descends through its low point into a lower saddle where it then ascends the flank of Peak 11,673' to the right, then traverses through the saddle on the left of the darker peak.
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We ran into two fully-outfitted hunters.  The man on the left is a wildlife photographer.
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Trail goes up to the saddle separating the two high points above.  You have the option of summiting the point on the right, which is Peak 11, 673', the highest on this hike.  The trail is just to the left of this summit.
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Getting closer to Peak 11,673' on the right. You can see a faint trail on the left side of it.
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Looking back at hunters (left) and our trail.  Mount Baldy on the right.
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Ascending toward saddle with Peak 11,673', the highest point on this hike, on Fred's right.  We didn't ascend this peak, but instead walked around its left side.
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Mt. Belknap, the second-highest Tushar peak (left), and Gold Mountain in center.
Added to our peak-bagging list!
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Past the highest point on the hike, you walk toward the old (probably mining) road to the right of Fred. Copper Belt Peak is just on Fred's left with small dark dome on top.
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Seeing mountain goats lying down on rock outcrop in the distance (lower center).
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Looking back at old road along ridge, Mount Belknap on the right.
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Copper Belt Peak ahead.  Planning our ascent:  we left road near saddle of ridge to the peak' right.
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Heading toward saddle on ridge just under Copper Belt (left).
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It's an easy scramble to the top of Copper Belt Peak.
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Looking west at the volcanic Mount Baldy and Mount Belknap from near Copper Belt's summit.
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From Copper Peak's summit:  Looking east at Mt. Baldy (left) and Mt. Belknap (right). 
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Another Tushar peak conquered!
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Copper Belt Peak register.
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Post-hike celebration with fresh cantaloupe at the trailhead.  We use the foam pads in the truck cab to sleep on.  
 
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Caltopo map of our GPS tracks from Bullion Pasture trailhead (lower left) heading northeast to Copper Belt Peak.
Elevation profile shows the one-way approach to the peak.
​North points up.

4 Comments

Hike Mount Baldy, 8,890' for Solitude and Zion Scenes

9/13/2024

2 Comments

 
Walk on one of Earth's largest laccoliths in a quiet part of the Pine Valley Mountains near St. George, Utah.
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View of Zion National Park's Kolob Canyons from Mount Baldy's summit
Trip Stats
Overview:  ​Climb from desert scrub to a summit of aspens, pines and a great view of Zion National Park's Kolob Canyons and West Rim sections on this out and back hike in the northern Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness out of New Harmony, Utah. 
Trailhead:  New Harmony Trailhead.  trailhead directions    NF - Anderson Valley Trail #31022.   
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Distance/elevation gain:  11.5 miles out and back.  Trailhead = 5,324'.   Summit = 8,890'.  Cumulative gain = 3,700'.
Difficulty:  moderate - hard Class 1 effort up moderately steep switchbacks; steep bushwhacking/scrambling off-trail the last mile to the summit.
Considerations:  there is no trail, no cairns to mark the final ascent (~ 1 mile), once you get off Anderson Valley Trail:  navigation experience is necessary.  Summit not visible from approach trail.
Maps/Apps:  AllTrails (see notes below), Topo Maps US., St. George/Pine Valley Mountains (National Geographic #715).
Date hiked:  Sept. 2, 2024.
Geology:  Pine Valley Mountain Laccolith - perhaps the largest on Earth - granite monzonite porphyry intrusion 20.5 million years ago.
History:  "New Harmony" comes from Harmony, Pennsylvania, where Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon.  The local Mormon settlers thought the name represented the united action they had during periods of trial and hardship.

Quote:  "You talk the talk.  Do you walk the walk?"  -  Animal Mother in the film Full Metal Jacket.
for the geo-curious: geology OF the Pine Valley Laccolith
wildflowers
Related posts
Signal Peak, 10,369'
Burger Peak via Forsyth Canyon
Rim to Rim Training: Kolob Arch
Map of our tracks from New Harmony Trailhead (see link above).
More topo maps at end of this post.

Solitude, cool views of Zion National Park, nice pines and aspens, and unique geology are the rewards you get with this hike to Mount Baldy if you don't mind hiking through a large burn area and can handle some frustrating bushwhacking and deadfall maneuvering.

With this ascent, we conquered one of our "grudge peaks," as we gave this a try in April but faced a thick blanket of snow covering the steep mountainside that the trail traversed.  We should have known when we had to ford a cold, overflowing creek with waterfalls from snow melt at the beginning of the hike.

However, a few days ago, we added another peak - Mount Moriah - to our grudge peak list, so the net number remains the same!

The New Harmony trailhead for Anderson Valley Trail is at a large gravel parking lot with signboards and pit toilet.  
​
This is a less-traveled trail - maybe because most Pine Valley Mountain hikers are on trails leading to Burger and Signal Peaks, 10,000-footers to the southwest looking over Mount Baldy's summit.  The approach to the saddle/ridge is bare of trees and faces east, so there's minimal shade in the morning.

The human-caused 2018 West Valley fire left a lot of charred tree skeletons.  The last mile of bushwhacking/navigating is crawling over/hiking around lots of large pine deadfall.
Hike Summary
0 - 3.2  miles (5,324' - 7,000'):  Anderson Valley Trailhead to saddle on Baldy's north ridge.

3.2 - 4.7 miles (7,000' - 8,175'):  Saddle to turn-off from Anderson Valley Trail.
4.7 - 5.8 miles (8,175' - 8,890'):   Cross-country to summit.
The first mile is flat, crosses over a few streams via wooden bridges, goes through private land with two gates.  At the wilderness boundary, the trail begins to climb up shrubby switchbacks with loose rocks.

Reach the saddle on ridge heading due south to Mount Baldy.  The trail is overgrown in a lot of places, but still discernible.  Great views of Zion to the east.  Anderson Valley Trail then traverses the west side of this ridge with great views of Main Canyon draining from the heights of Pine Valley Mountains.  This creek was roaring with waterfalls in April.  Aspens appear at 7,500 feet as the trail climbs past two water troughs and then up to the turn-off of Anderson Valley Trail.

Next time we hike this we would turn left to leave the trail right after what I call "the obelisk," a solitary rock pinnacle (see photo below) next to the trail to begin the cross-country navigation southeast toward Mount Baldy.  The AllTrails track for this hike goes further on Anderson Valley Trail and ends up unnecessarily mounting a steep and rocky ridge which you have to climb down anyway, so it's wasted effort.  This turn-off is ~ 4.7 miles in from the trailhead.  As with many other times climbing an off-trail peak, you find a more efficient track to and from the summit on the descent.

Now it's a steep climb (700 feet in one mile) through brush and over deadfall to the summit.  We made our way over a ridge just to the north of Baldy, then back down and up again to a saddle just north of Baldy.  From there, climb south to Baldy's summit.

I couldn't find a register or survey marker on the summit, but the views of the sheer orange cliffs of Zion's Kolob Canyons to the east was a contrast to this green and gray mountain.  Signal Peak, the highest in the Pine Valley Mountains loomed over us to the southwest.  There's a lot of Mount Baldys in the U.S. and now we can say we've climbed our local one!

This northern end of the Pine Valley Mountains with its trails and peaks deserves more exploring.  
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Trailhead to saddle/ridge (0 - 3.2 miles)
Snow melt in the first mile when we attempted this hike in April
highly eroded rock on trail and snow in April
Some shade the first mile; Mount Baldy ahead.
Saddle on left; entering Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness
Switchbacks to ridge above
Last switchback to ridge; take a left at the saddle.
At saddle/ridge looking behind at New Harmony: gain of 1,700' so far.
Break at ridge: Cheryl's cookies!!
Saddle to turn-off of Anderson Valley Trail (3.2 - ~4.7 miles)
Heading south on Anderson Valley Trail.
Heading on ridge to the mountainside on the right.
Anderson Valley Trail leads to high meadows and intersects with Summit Trail leading to Signal and Burger Peaks.
We went too far on Anderson Valley Trail to unnecessarily climb this ridge.
Rock pinnacle or "obelisk" marking good place to depart Anderson Valley Trail
Cross-Country to Summit (~4.7 - 5.8 miles)
Looking back at valley and Anderson Valley Trail below burned trees.
Deadfall to hike over/around to ridge above.
heading south toward an open shrubby slope toward saddle just north of Mount Baldy.
From this saddle, head south (right) to the summit.
Looking back while making our way up to the saddle on Baldy's north ridge.
Mount Baldy's summit upper right.
Kolob Canyons section of Zion NP from the summit.
Looking southwest toward Pine Valley Mountain's highest peaks.
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Looking at the west rim of Zion National Park. The last peak on the right with the small "bump" is Mount Kinesava.
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Looking south toward Hurricane, Utah with the Pine Valley Mountains on right horizon.
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Hiking back: Kolob Canyon in Zion to the east.
 
Anderson's buttercup (April)
Mullein
Beavertail Pricklypear cactus (June).
Columbine
 
For the Geocurious:  Geology of the Pine Valley Laccolith
​Geology: 
  • Most of the hike is on eroded Pine Valley Laccolith, perhaps the world's largest, formed by intrusive igneous rocks emplaced into existing rock layers 20.5 million years ago, and has since been exposed.  The rock is a quartz monzonite porphyry, with phenocrysts (large, noticeable crystals) in a groundmass (fine-grained).  
  • Granite vs. quartz monzonite:  granite contains more silica, quartz, sodium and potassium than does quartz monzonite, which contains more hornblende and biotite, and calcium.
  • Quartz content:  Granite = > 20% quartz.  Quartz monzonite = 5-20% quartz.  Monzonite = > 5% quartz.
The Land of the Laccolith
The "unique geology" appears once you've completed the first set of switchbacks to arrive at a saddle on Mount Baldy's northern ridge.  The rest of the hike to the summit is on perhaps the largest laccolith in the world.   The rock is a common igneous intrusive; it's the geomorphology (geo = earth, morphology = form/structure) and the size of this laccolith that make it unique.  Twenty million years ago, magma from a heat source deep within Earth's crust rose up through cracks in the rock until it found a layer with less resistance, causing it to spread horizontally and create a "lake" of molten magma (lakkos = pond or lake, lith = stone).

The molten rock formed a dome underneath the more resistant rock layer above it which prevented the magma from escaping.  The magma cools and forms a laccolith.  Over the millions of years afterward, the overlying rock eroded, exposing the Pine Valley Laccolith.  The heat sources still underlie this area as evidenced by the basaltic lava flows and cones in the area that are less than two million years old.

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Cross-section of the rock units underlying the Pine Valley Mountain Laccolith.
Bottom orange unit = Cambrian (500 Ma).   Blue units = Permian (280 Ma).   Jn unit = Navajo Sandstone - famous cliffs found throughout southern Utah - the main rock of Zion NP (190 Ma.)

Geologic Map of the St. George area
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Our GPS tracks from New Harmony Trailhead (north and top of map) to Mount Baldy (south).
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Our GPS tracks from the saddle/ridge heading south toward Mount Baldy, and overall elevation profile (Caltopo maps). North at top of map.
References
Biek, R.F., et al.  2010.  Geologic Map of the St. George and East Part of the Clover Mountains 30' x 60' Quadrangles, Washington and Iron Counties, Utah.  Map 242DM, Utah Geological Survey.

Miller, R.  2/25/2018.  Our Geological Wonderland:  The Pine Valley Mountain Laccolith.  The Independent.

Utah State University Fire History Tracker.  ​https://fht.wildfirerisk.utah.gov/

Washington County Historical Society.  New Harmony, Utah.
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Hike Mount Timpanogos - 11,749':  Crown Jewel of Utah's Wasatch

8/13/2024

4 Comments

 
This breathtaking hike lived up to the fanfare and legend.  It's now one of our favorites.
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High over Utah:  Mount Timpanogos summit with trail below and Timpanogos Saddle entry onto the ridge, North Timpanogos at end of ridge to the left.
Trip Stats
Location: 
Central Utah - Uinta National Forest - Wasatch Range - Timpanogos Wilderness - Timpooneke Trail #053 
Distance:  14.3 miles roundtrip.
Elevation gain:  4,400'.  Trailhead = 7,360'.  Summit = 11,749'.
Prominence:  5,270 feet - 47th most prominent mountain in the contiguous U.S.
Date Hiked:  July 22, 2024.
Maps and Apps:  National Geographic Trails Illustrated Wasatch Front North #709,  AllTrails.  See our GPS tracks/topo map at end of post.
​Considerations:  The last 2 miles to the summit is exposed; check weather forecast and start early to get off of summit in case of thunderstorms.  Mountain Weather Forecast.     Forest Service Timpooneke Trail website.
​Parking permits are required on Fridays, Saturdays and Holidays between July 8 - October 15.  Reservations:  Recreation.gov.

Geology:  Mt. Timpanogos resides in Pennsylvanian (300 Ma) Oquirrh Formation - sandstone interbedded with cherty limestone.  Chert is a fine-grained silica made of very small mineral particles.  It forms as darker layers or nodules in usually lighter-colored limestone.  This rock originated in tropical swamp-forests.
Indigenous peoples:  named after the hunter-gatherer Timpanogos Utes.  tumpi = "rocks"  and panogos = "water mouth."
Quote:  "​The mountains are calling and I must go."  - John Muir
Ten Peak Challenge
More Peaks over 11,000 feet in Nevada and Utah
Mt. Nebo - Wasatch
North Schell Peak
Shelly Baldy Peak
Mt Holly/Delano loop
Wheeler Peak: 13,063'
Timpanogos Hike Summary - Timpooneke Trail
  • 0-3.6 miles:  forest, waterfalls, switchbacks to a small snowfield spanning a creek - 1,800' total gain.
  • 3.6 - 5.0 miles to 10,000 feet elevation:  hike steepens to climb ledges and enter Timpanogos Basin and first view of the summit - 2,700' total gain.  Intersection with trail that leads to Aspen Grove Trail which approaches from the east.
  • 5.0 - 6.55 miles:  through meadow to top of Timpanogos Saddle with spectacular views of Utah Lake - 3,700' total gain.
  • 6.55 - 7.35 miles:  saddle to summit - 4,400' total gain.​ ​
This awesome hike up the much-loved and revered rock tower known as Mount Timpanogos lived up to the lore and legend.  Its final summit approach perches on its steep, rocky sides where you can gaze upon the cities like Provo that sprawl along Utah Lake's eastern shore on one side, and Robert Redford's posh Sundance Resort on the other.  I love these small, ultra-high summits  where, when I look down thousands of feet below to glaciers and meadows, I get a funny feeling in my stomach.

Mountain goats are often seen:  a fellow hiker pointed one out on the west side of the mountain below Timpanogos Saddle.

​Even before we finished this hike, I wanted to go back again.  Lush blankets of wildflowers surrounded the trail, especially in Timpanogos Basin on the way up to the saddle between Mt. Timpanogos and Bomber Peak.  I was blown away by the sheer numbers of lupine, bistort, columbine and paintbrush.  So many bluebells!

​"Timp," as this mountain is affectionately called by Utahns, is the second-highest mountain in the Wasatch range.  Mt. Nebo, 11,933 feet elevation, which we hiked two years ago, is the highest.   Both peaks have a huge prominence, a measure of the vertical distance from summit to lowest contour line encircling that mountain with  Nebo at 5,489' and Timpanogos at 5,269'.
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Mount Timpanogos summit with Timpanogos Basin, Timpanogos glacier and Emerald Lake below.
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Our GPS tracks from Timpooneke Trailhead (lower right), ascending up valley under the Giant Staircase (long ridge to the trail's left), climbing ledges up to the first view of Timpanogos summit and Timpanogos Basin, then up to Timpanogos Saddle, then along ridge to summit.  Hike in a southward direction to the summit.  Utah Lake and Utah Valley at top of image.  Woolly Hole is the cirque directly below North Timpanogos and the upper, smaller cirque to the right of Forgotten Peak is Pika cirque.
(Caltopo map of our tracks and elevation profile below)
When we got to the trailhead parking lot in the dark, at 5 a.m., we saw a lot of vehicles parked and wondered if people were backpacking.  It turned out that many students started the hike at 1:00 a.m. to witness the sunrise from the summit.  We passed a lot of groups of them descending.  Since this was a Monday, we didn't need a parking pass (see link above for recreation.gov permitting).

Seems this is a perfect training mountain for the serious trail runner and cross-country athlete.  We met a family at the top who run and hike this mountain every year.  The fastest known time is 2 hours and 18 minutes round-trip for 14.3 miles and 5,000 cumulative feet of elevation gain!  We were passed by a few runners.

On the trail at 5 a.m. with headlamps, we hiked the 7 miles to the summit by 9:30, taking our time and having a "second" breakfast break.  It was refreshing to be on an actual and well-traveled trail for a change, since we have been doing more scrambling and navigating to peaks.

Aspen Grove Trail, another way up to the summit, intersects with Timpooneke Trail as you enter the basin.

A metal building topped with a pyramid-shaped roof with hundreds of signatures scrawled on its walls crowns the summit.  This summit hut has overlooked the spectacular scenery of snow, glaciers and lakes and mountain goats for almost 100 years.  The Timpooneke Trail was completed in 1921.  The pointed roof acts as a survey marker that can be seen with a telescope from the valley below.

Next time I would drive a little further on Utah State Hwy. 92 to the Aspen Grove Trailhead and hike Timp from the east.  There's a snowfield to hike through in Timpanogos Basin that looks really fun.  There's more elevation gain with this approach.
​
I have passed by and eyed this imposing peak many times on Interstate 15.  Finally I can say we were on the top!  I think we'll join the many hikers and runners to make this an annual pilgrimage.
Staying Motivated:  Ten Peak Challenge and Summit Badges!
Timpanogos Hiking Company in Provo, Utah has a "Ten Peak Challenge" for 2024 where you are rewarded a badge after you reach each summit on the list of 10.  To get a badge:  Take a picture at the summit, then tag Timpanogos Hiking Company on social media, and pick up the badge at the Provo store.  King's Peak, Utah's highest, is on the list.

"Timp" badges were first rewarded in 1930, continued for four decades, stopped, then resumed by THC, whose motto is "Escape the noise - re-connect with nature."
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Click for more info
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Waterfall at first light, around 6:00 a.m.
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On the west side of Timp's ridge.
Waterfall video!
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Three miles into the hike up the Giant Staircase:  the trail continues over these ledges toward left and into above valley.
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View of Timpanogos after climbing the Giant Staircase and entering Timpanogos Basin.  Rock "hills" in foreground possibly glacial moraines.
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Looking across Timpanogos Basin to the Aspen Grove Trail which treks through the snowfield at the base of Timpanogos.
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So many wildflowers!  The trail from Aspen Grove trailhead approaches through the snow at the base of Timpanogos, left.  Timpanogos Saddle is up ahead - the trail climbing it is visible from here.
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Nearing the saddle where hikers are standing:  trail runner descending.  You can see the summit hut, a small point, on Timp's summit.
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Once at the saddle, see a breathtaking view of Utah Valley and Utah Lake, continue on the west side of Mount Timpanogos.
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The top of Timp, up ahead, left.   Summit hut (point on right side) visible.
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A little bit of fun scrambling....
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Last set of switchbacks with the summit hut visible on the right.
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Looking to the north at Timpanogos Basin and Saddle.
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From the summit - we were just way down there!  Good view of Emerald Lake.
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Sue and Fred on Timp!
Metal Summit Hut looking at Utah Lake
Triangulation Station Survey Marker on summit
Summit Hut
YYYESSS! Climb On!
1921 - the year this trail was built
At the summit!
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Almost there!
Indian Paintbrush
Lupine
Columbine
Bistort
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American Bistort
A little fun with Oil Paint Filter in Photoshop!
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Caltopo Map of our tracks and Elevation Profile.
Sources
Baker, A.A.  and Crittendon, M.D.  GEOLOGY
 OF THE TIMPANOGOS CAVE QUADRANGLE, Utah.
Wright, R.   'Glass House' on Timpanogos.
  The Daily Herald, July 20, 2003.
4 Comments

Hike Sandy Peak, 9,537' in Dixie National Forest, Utah

6/27/2024

2 Comments

 
Remote route-finding on Earth's largest landslide to a huge panorama of southern Utah.
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Fred on top of Sandy Peak's volcanic rock - 9,537'
Trip Stats
Location/Overview: 
So. Utah - Markagunt Plateau - Dixie National Forest - Cedar City Ranger District.   Starting at the historic Old Spanish National Historic Trail which connects Santa Fe to Los Angeles, hike into forested Ashton Creek to climb Sandy Peak's western ridges to an expansive southern Utah view on an enormous landslide of volcanic rock.
Distance/Elevation gain:  7.5 miles/2,300'.  Trailhead = 7,460'.  Summit = 9,537'.
Type:  Class 2 scrambling and bushwhacking.  Need experience with route-finding.
Coordinates:  Trailhead:  37.95164  -112.57965.
Prominence:  1,257'.
​Maps and Apps:  Cedar City Markagunt Plateau-Trails Illustrated #702.
​Other trip reports:  Stavislost Hike Sandy Peak,     Beyond My Couch
Date Hiked: 
June 15, 2024
​Geology:  The entire hike is in the Markagunt Megabreccia (a rock type that contains large angular rocks bound together by a mineral cement), age 20 million years ago.  It's the largest subaerial (formed in air) gravity slide on Earth.
Sandy Peak summit is reddish-brown volcanic mudflow breccia, volcaniclastic pebble to boulder conglomerate, and minor tuffaceous sandstone.
Hike crosses over the Upper Bear Valley Fault.
History:  The Old Spanish trail was made by Spanish explorers as early as the late 16th century.  One of the most arduous and rugged trails in the U.S., it's an old pack-train trade route linking northern New Mexico to Los Angeles.   It goes through everything from high mountains to deep canyons to arid deserts.  An interpretive sign is posted along the route to the trailhead via Bear Valley Road.
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Old Spanish Trail info
Related
Ashdown Gorge near Cedar City
Holly-Delano Loop - Tushar Mountains
Shelly Baldy Peak - Tushars
Imagining a Natural Catastrophe
Still feeling energized after our Grand Canyon rim to rim hike, we decided to maintain our hiking fitness and get out of St. George's heat to hike a remote peak.  I often go to Stavislost website to get ideas.  Sandy Peak looked like a great opportunity for us to explore more of the forested Markagunt plateau near Cedar City, Utah.

The rocks on Sandy's summit are just a microcosm of Earth's largest landslide - covering at least 1,600 square miles of southwestern Utah's high plateaus.  It's called the Markagunt gravity slide, a catastrophic event that happened 20 million years ago when the surface of a huge volcanic field collapsed and slid southward for many miles, placing older rock on top of younger rock.

"Markagunt Megabreccia" is the name of this rock unit.  Breccia refers to jumbled angular rock fragments cemented together by a fine-grained matrix, with "mega' referring to fragments that are larger than one meter length.  Catastrophic events like volcanic explosions create breccias.

"Markagunt" is the Paiute word for "Highland of Trees".  It resides in the Colorado plateau province.  Cedar Breaks National Park rises from one of its highest points.

Our Route:  Avoiding the Steep Climb until it got Really Steep
We parked just off the Old Spanish National Historic Trail in Upper Bear Valley.  Locally, it is a nice graded road out of Paragonah that is also named Forest Road #077, Markagunt Plateau Trail and Bear Valley Road.  

0 - 1.3 miles - walk southeast over Bear Creek right after parking, then walk up road (not numbered) that leads around the knoll to the east and drop into Ashton Creek at when it turns to the right (south).
1.3 miles - 2.9 miles - walk up Ashton Creek.  
2.9 miles to summit - steep walk up Sandy's west slope, avoiding the top of the long ridge just to the north of the summit.
​
We couldn't see Sandy Peak from the road approach.  If I were to do this hike again, I would get out of Ashton Creek sooner and climb the first ridge on the left (east) I could see, which leads easterly to intersect with Sandy's north ridge.  In the creek, we saw what looked to be a hunter's path (found a camera on a tree and a salt lick nearby) that led through a nice forest of pines, aspen and meadows, although we had a bit too many mosquitos.  Getting on the ridge sooner out of Ashton Creek would have probably meant less bushwhacking.  

The steep walk to the top on Sandy's western flank was riddled with deadfall, rocks, and vegetation, adding to precarious footing at times.  Maneuvering around rough volcanic blocks at the summit was fun.  The view was huge.  To the north, we saw smoke from a fire just south of the incredible Tushar Mountain range, and to the southeast the orange rocks near Bryce Canyon.

This area of the Markagunt Plateau, squeezed up between Parowan Valley to the west, and the Panguitch Valley to the east has lots of trails, mountains, and mountain-bike friendly roads to explore.  Gotta get back there!

Visions of a Centro Woodfired Pizza got me through the last bit of route finding out of the creek.  Per tradition, after hikes in this area, we went to this restaurant in Cedar City.  Route-finding, wilderness, amazing view, pretty tough hike (at least for us), great pizza and great beer makes for the perfect day.  Life is good!
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Caltopo Map and profile of our GPX tracks.  North at top of map.
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Google Earth image of our tracks.
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Figuring out our route from Ashton Draw southeastward to Sandy Peak.
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Road leading southeastward from Old Spanish Trail (FR 077) toward Ashton Creek.  This could be driven by a 4 x 4.
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Point where road turns right and we dropped down into Ashton Creek, 1.3 miles from where we parked.  Sandy Peak not visible, but the long, lighter-colored rise just north of Sandy is poking out between two cone-shaped rises to the right of Fred.
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White columbine in Ashton Creek.
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Following cow paths in Ashton Creek until we found a wider trail (hunters' ?) that began on the right side of the creek to cross over to the left.
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Really nice hike up Ashton Creek, as long as you stay on the trail!
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Sandy Peak finally comes into view, but we were on the wrong side of the creek, so we went down and crossed, then went up the steep slope to the saddle just to the left of the peak.
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Looked like buck rub on these new aspens to us.
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Monument plant growing on slope with Sandy Peak at the top.  The last time I saw Monument plant was on Mackay Peak in Idaho.
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Yep, it's a steep and rock-filled slope!
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Looks like layers of this volcanic mudflow breccia have separated or spalled from larger rock.
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Sandy Peak summit looking northward toward the Tushar Mountain range and a fire south of it.
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Descending into Ashton Creek, with lots of aspens.  We are parked in Upper Bear Valley, at top of photo.   Above this valley is Cottonwood Mountain to the west, where there are more trails.  The East Bear Valley Fault runs the length of Upper Bear Valley.
References
Biek, R.F., et al.  Geologic Map of the Panguitch 30' x 60' Quadrangle, Garfield, Iron and Kane Counties, Utah.  2015.  Map 270DM - The Utah Geological Society.

Hacker, D.B., et.al.  Catastrophic emplacement of the gigantic Markagunt gravity slide, southwest Utah (USA):  Implications for hazards associated with sector collapse of volcanic fields.  2014.  Geology vol. 42 #11.


2 Comments

Training for Grand Canyon Rim to Rim:  Kolob Arch, Skyline Trail and Goblet Squats!

5/14/2024

5 Comments

 
Standard route for Grand Canyon North Rim to South Rim in one day (North Kaibab Trail and Bright Angel Trail)
Distances/Elevation gain/loss:
North Kaibab Trail = 14 miles/5,700 feet loss.    Bright Angel Trail = 9.4 miles/4,350 feet gain.  Note: I've seen various estimates of "net elevation gain" that are higher.  Since there is not any major regaining of lost elevation, I am estimating gain by difference between Colorado River and south rim.  

Elevations:  north rim = 8,200 feet, south rim = 6,850', Colorado river = 2,500'.
Related Posts
Rim to Rim training Part 1
Cactus to Clouds Challenge
Rim to Rim Training Part 1
All Fired up!
As Pat Benatar's song goes, we're "All Fired Up" for next week's Grand Canyon rim to rim hike!  Her song is a fitting accompaniment to the goblet squat video below.  Fred and I needed elevation training, so we went to Palm Springs, my old stomping grounds, and hiked the Skyline Trail for a gain of 4,700 feet, the same Bright Angel Trail gain on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. 

​We encountered too much snow at 8,000 feet in the Pine Valley Mountains just to the north of St. George, preventing a good elevation gain.  My last post, Grand Canyon Rim to Rim In One Day:  Training in St. George, Utah, explains how we got creative with emulating distance and elevation.  We did great on the Skyline; we're now ready for the big hike!
Skyline Trail to 5,300 feet - Palm Springs, California
​Walking on the infamous Skyline Trail always brings back great memories of conquering the epic Cactus to Clouds hike with my old friends when we were hike leaders for the Coachella Valley Hiking Club.  It's the quintessential desert hike; a tough, nearly 8,000-foot climb that begins in Palm Springs at 500 feet elevation and ends at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Mountain Station at 8,400 feet.  It's a perfect training hike for GC rim to rim and the longest trail of three that make up the Cactus to Clouds Hike (C2C), a grueling 10,300' gain up to Mt. San Jacinto summit, a hike Ray Wilson and I created in 1993.  It is now considered one of the toughest in the U.S., and on many challenge-seekers' bucket lists.  We accessed Skyline via North Lykken trail.

We climbed on the Skyline to 5,300 feet, stopping when we hiked 7 miles in and saw an elevation loss ahead of us, just short of Rescue Box 2.  The yuccas at mid-mountain were gorgeous, promising abundant flowers, evidence of a more-than-usual rainfall the previous winter.  The ribbonwood tree forest is beautiful as ever, with its grey and red bark peeling into long ribbons that give them a shaggy appearance.
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Chaparral yucca with San Jacinto Mountains in the background.  Skyline Trail ends at top of far ridge.
New goal:  hike to the tram this October with some of our hiking buddies.  Oh, the nostalgia and the beauty of this mountain!
I'm grateful that I can still be hiking it 31 years later - let's say that the Advil this time was very helpful!
La Verkin Creek Trail to Kolob Arch - Zion NP
This long hike features attributes found in Zion National Park's main canyon, including an arch, sandstone cliffs and a river but without the throngs of people.  It's in the northern Kolob Canyons section, has a spur trail to impressive Kolob Arch, and also meets up with the Hop Valley Trail, a route to the main Zion Canyon.  We hiked 7 miles in to Kolob Arch and back for a total of 14 miles, the same distance as Grand Canyon's North Kaibab Trail.  It drops down from the parking lot at Lee Pass Trailhead into the La Verkin Creek drainage.  The same mileage as our Skyline Trail hike, but not nearly the same elevation gain.  

We've got one more training hike on Zion's West Rim Trail this week with Lindy and Jeff, and then we should be good to go for the Grand Canyon.  We are lucky to have such inspirational places, some of the most beautiful on Earth, in which to train!
 
Strengthening exercise for powerful hill climbing:  Goblet Squats 
I have found that since I started doing CrossFit and working on strengthening my legs, I have more stability and power for steeper hiking.  Goblet squats can be done with a kettlebell as well as two dumbbells, each resting on your shoulders.
Strengthens your core (trunk) muscles, glutes and hips.  Points to remember:
  • Feet hip-to shoulder-width apart with toes pointed slightly outwards.
  • Hold dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest with your elbows pointing down.
  • Pull in and "zip" up your abdominals, raise  your sternum up, squeeze shoulder blades together.
  • Look forward:  inhale as you squat, holding weight against chest - don't lean forward - keep trunk upright.
  • Lower hips to below knee level, then squeeze your glutes as you push to stand through your mid-feet and heels.
  • Keep your knees tracking over your toes.
  • Exhale, repeat and know you are that much stronger to climb hills!
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Forsyth Creek - Pine Valley Mountains in mid-May.
It's a late spring here; ran into packed snow on the trail at 8,000 feet.  Trees are just starting to bud.
photos captured with my new Sony mirrorless camera.
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La Verkin Creek in Kolob Canyons section of Zion National Park.
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At the beginning of La Verkin Creek Trail - Kolob Canyons of Zion National Park.
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Jeff and Fred on La Verkin Creek Trail - Zion National Park.  This morning was cold starting out - 31 degrees!
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Kolob Arch, 7 miles from Lee Pass on the La Verkin Creek Trail.
La Verkin is the name of a nearby city between both entrances to Zion National Park.  Origins for its name may have come from an alteration of the Spanish word for the nearby Virgin River -- la virgen.

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Mile #14 - on the way back to the Lee Pass trailhead!  Beautiful Zion hike.
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Scott and Fred on the Skyline Trail overlooking Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, California.
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Near the beginning of the Skyline Trail.  Prepare before you go far on the Skyline!  The steepest part is the "traverse" at the end of the hike.  I have seen a person in serious trouble on one of our Cactus to Clouds hikes.
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Getting higher - overlooking Palm Springs.
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Oh beautiful yucca!
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At ~ 4,000-foot elevation on the Skyline looking at the final climb to the Palm Springs Aerial Tram on far ridge.
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One of the first views of the San Jacinto Wilderness, where the Skyline Trail that leads to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Mountain Station terminates on the ridge way up there!  We are heading to the ridge on the right.
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Chaparral Yucca on the Skyline Trail with the Little San Bernardino Mountain Range across the Coachella Valley in the background. 
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A good look at what is to come on the Skyline Trail.  The tram station is just to the right of the arrow.  Coffmans Crag, the white granite just below and to the right of the arrow, is a good landmark to see the final "traverse", a green and steep spot of trees to the left of it in this photo.
The Skyline Trail is not one to be taken lightly.  People have died on this trail.  On one of our Cactus to Clouds hikes, a man caught up to us who had lost his hiking party.  He was severely dehydrated - required a helicopter rescue.
Left, right from top to bottom:  Ribbon Wood tree (
Adenostoma sparsifolium), Chaparral yucca, North Lykken trailhead sign, metal sign commemorating Jane Lykken Hoff, "trail boss" of the Desert Riders, contents of Rescue Box 1, Skyline warning sign, Rescue box 1, and boulder sign at the intersection of North Lykken Trail and Skyline Trail.
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Bill Baker entertaining at the Sandbar Restaurant in La Quinta, California.  This is a popular place to sing along to some old classics, sip a dirty martini and have fun!  
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Sue at the turn-around point on Skyline at 5,300 feet.
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Yucca and Ribbonwood trees.
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Celebrating long friendships with our hiking buddies in Palm Springs.  I have known these friends for over 30 years!  We have shared many miles on desert trails and many memories.  Love you guys!
from left to right:  Scott, Vickie, Maria, Sue and Fred.
Vickie, Maria and I are in the photo below - 31 years ago!

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​​The First Cactus to Clouds Challenge - October 1993
Summit of Mt. San Jacinto, 10,804'.
From left to right:  Sue Birnbaum, (don't remember his name), Roger Keezer, Maria Keezer, Ray Wilson, and Vickie Kearney seated in the middle.
5 Comments
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    About this blog

    Exploration documentaries          –  "explorumentaries"  list trip stats and highlights of each hike or bike ride, often with some interesting history or geology.  Years ago, I wrote these for friends and family to let them know what my husband, Fred and I were up to on weekends, and also to showcase the incredible land of the west.  
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    About the Author
    Sue Birnbaum

    A  trip to Jumbo Rocks Campground in Joshua Tree National Monument 40 years ago sparked my passion for hiking, exploring, and learning about desert ecosystems.  I met my husband Fred on Mt. San Jacinto.  We've explored the American West together; we love this land and I hope to inspire you to get out and explore through my photographs and trip descriptions.
    In 1992, Ray Wilson and I conceived the first Cactus to Clouds hike which climbs over 10,000 feet in one day to the summit of Mt. San Jacinto near Palm Springs, California.
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I try my best to be accurate with my hike descriptions; please research your adventures, always bring a map and compass and know how to read them, be prepared!  All of these hikes can be dangerous; hike at your own risk.  ALWAYS carry the Ten Essentials with you on hikes. 
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