We've made a refreshing change in our mode of hiking and exploring.  After years of using established trails, we are doing more hikes "cross-country" over slickrock or remote desert, where markers are few or none.  We've been fortunate to hike with a fellow southern Utah explorer who has discovered the routes illustrated in the slickrock slideshows below.
​I still appreciate rock cairn markers over miles-long treks in slickrock seas, like Boulder Mail Trail to Death Hollow in Grand Staircase-Escalante.  And, as the southwestern deserts heat up, we will find ourselves in higher elevations on signed forest trails.

Navigation through slickrock country is a fun way to explore, but extra precautions are needed.  You can use dead-reckoning and a compass to travel, but using a topo map helps you discover the canyons and plateaus between you and your destination.  I've started using Topo Maps US, an iphone and ipad compatible navigation application (version 12.0 or later).  With this app, you can download maps for areas in which you will be hiking, record and save your tracks.  I also always use my Garmin GPS to record our tracks, and occasionally Avenza Maps.

​Don't Walk on the Crypto! (more info at end of this post).

For more on petroglyphs:  In Search of the Rattlesnake Petroglyph

References
Loope, D.  et al. 2016.  Sandstones and Utah’s canyon country: Deposition, diagenesis, exhumation, and landscape evolution​.  University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

I have often wondered why the term "slickrock" is used to describe smooth-surfaced sandstone.  My boots didn't slip on it; in fact I found it rather grippy while hiking across it, up it, or down it.  Unless it is covered by a thin coat of ice or damp moss, it wasn't slippery.  My mountain bike tires held firmly on Moab's Slickrock Trail.  "Slick" was the term that early pioneers of the southwest region gave this multi-colored, cross-bedded rock because metal horseshoes and wheel rims had poor traction on this terrain.

We have been fortunate to meet two friends who are showing us some routes in the magical and ever-changing southern Utah slickrock country.  These routes are not marked;  no cairns, no signs.  They are wild and untrammeled and untrampled, a welcome change from southern Utah's over-traveled national parks.  The landscape is remarkable because there are so many things to see - from small-scale ferns, moqui marbles, and mountain lion tracks, to large-scale towers, blazing orange temples, hoo-doos and spires.  Colors vary from black desert-varnished and stained sandstone to blue pool refections in white slickrock.  This land is unpredictable.  When you reach the top of a smooth sandstone bowl or cross-bedded steps, you may find a cliffed-out canyon, or more slickrock flats, or a rocky pass with gnarled ponderosa pines and junipers to negotiate to reach the sand washes below.

"Nirvana" is the final goal of enlightenment in Buddhism, a state of transcendence where there is no suffering, desire or sense of self.  It's also a term used to describe paradise, a place of perfect peace and happiness - an "idyllic" place.  After a few nights backpacking in the Sawtooth Mountains, I would call that range in central Idaho "paradise".  Low, green valleys and sawtooth peaks all formed by glaciers, and plentiful lakes, so many that you could walk to a few of them in a day or spend each night at a different one.  Southern Utah's Red Rock Country might be described as paradise, or nirvana, at least by me.  It's a place where you can immerse yourself in the extraordinary beauty that's the artwork of millions of years of shaping and carving an ancient sand sea.  I'm grateful to be able to experience these places - to have the companionship of my husband and friends, to have strong legs to get there and be able to share our adventures with others.  We have available limitless adventures, but limited time.

The slickrock slideshow and other images that follow highlight scenes from one day's journey into slickrock paradise.  

We have discovered, in exploring southern Utah, Nevada, and northern Arizona that our list of "to-do's" grows exponentially.  The Bowl of Fire is just one small place in the geologically complex Lake Mead National Recreation Area, where rock ages span 1.8 billion years.  Recognizable from trailheads on Northshore Road, the Bowl of Fire is a bright orange pocket of sandstone beneath the formidable-looking Muddy Mountains, made of 500-300 million year old gray limestone.  The summit of Muddy Peak, a ~ 3,000-foot gain is one of the "classic" desert peaks to hike.  It's on our list.  From its summit, we will be able to see our recent ascents up Virgin Peak and Signal Peak.

We stayed in Echo Bay campground in the northern portion of Lake Mead National Recreation Area.  We walked to the shores of Lake Mead and found the area pretty much abandoned.  Lake Mead is at its lowest level since 1937, filled only to 27% capacity.  An old boarded-up restaurant still stood.  I bet in its heyday it was a thriving place, but now signs say "Launch Ramp Closed."  It's eerie to see the "bathtub ring" of light-colored rock at the base of mountains, where there once was water.

​Besides the Bowl of Fire, we ventured up a high point in the rugged volcanic Jimbilnan Wilderness to get a view of Lake Mead.  Stark and dry, this is the Mojave Desert, dominated by creosote bush, mojave yucca and beavertail cactus.  "Jimbilnan" is a combination of names of three National Park Service employees who surveyed this area - Jim, Bill and Nancy.  This wilderness is made up largely of the rocks from the Cleopatra stratovolcano that erupted 13 million years ago.  This is an area of many small brown to grey "bumps", gnarly ridges and peaks, and we found ourselves climbing on unforgiving, crumbly, sharp rocks.
​
Two Parts to the Bowl of Fire
Upon entering "the bowl", you are free to create your own path and wander wherever your impulse takes you - maybe explore a rocky canyon, walk to a high point through sandstone blocks, climb into a "cave" of eroded sandstone, or pass by slickrock tinajas (pools).  We hiked just the southern part of Bowl of Fire (see Google Earth image below), our trailhead 2.4 miles west of Northshore Summit trailhead on Northshore Road.  We parked in a small pull-out and soon found a trail heading north, crossing Callville Wash.  Birdandhike.com describes an 8-mile hike that includes both north and south sections.  Just when I thought I had seen every kind of sandstone feature, we ran into some highly eroded blocks on the ridge of a high point that looked like Rice Krispies treats! (see below).  Here, the rocks have character and the land in this Lake Mead area just north of Las Vegas is sublime and transcendent.

Muddy Peak's summit is in the works - we will see some killer views of Nevada, Arizona and Utah.  Our to-do list grows....

References
Beard, L.S, et al. 2007  Preliminary Geologic Map of the Lake Mead 30' X 60' Quadrangle, Clark County, Nevada, and Mohave County, Arizona.  USGS website.
Hamblin-Cleopatra Volcano.  NPS - Lake Mead.
​​Lake Mead National Recreation Area - Geology,  USGS slideshow.
​Lake Mead Keeps Dropping.  NASA Earth Observatory
​Zuluaga, L.F., et al.  2017.  Structural and petrophysical effects of overthrusting on highly porous sandstones: the Aztec Sandstone in the Buffington window, SE Nevada, USA

Expansive views of southern Utah and northern Arizona, cool canyon narrows, Pueblo II petroglyphs, a deep sand slog and delicious quiche in Kanab, "Utah's Little Hollywood."

On the trail to Mansard Benchmark (mesa on the left).

Ancient Moqui steps carved into Red Canyon (AKA Peekaboo)
Also called "moki" steps, these were carved into sandstone to access alcove above.  The lowest step is about 5 feet from the canyon floor.  Handmade ropes and ladders were possibly used to access the steps, or sediment has washed away, making the access higher.  There may have been a granary in the alcove.
more Peekaboo photos below

Kanab, "The Greatest Earth on Show" is adventure-central for southern Utah and a nice little city with good restaurants, a museum, and a great bakery.  We stayed in an RV park with our small trailer for two nights, walked into town for dinner one night, and did two hikes.  Mansard Benchmark and East Mansard Peak were just out of city limits, and a great way to get the lay of the land for miles around.  The Peekaboo Canyon hike was a slog through deep sand to get to the slot canyon (we didn't have the right tires on our pick-up).  Kanab has adventure companies galore that will take you to Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Peakaboo Canyon and the Grand Canyon.  It's not far from the now world-famous "The Wave" in Vermillion Cliffs, as well as Buckskin Gulch and Wire Pass.  It used to be easier to get into "The Wave";  Fred and I have gone twice about 20 years ago, when all we had to do was to be the first in line at the Kanab Ranger Station by 8:00 a.m. to get two of the limited number of permits.  Now you have to go through a lottery system.

​There's a reason you may feel invigorated after visiting Kanab.  There's a lot of orange.  Orange is the color of warmth, vitality, and creativity.  According to Color Theory, orange increases our activity levels and gives us a sharper awareness of our surroundings.

Mansard Benchmark and East Mansard Peak
This short hike combines most of the great attributes of southern Utah:  slickrock scrambling, spectacular views, petroglyphs, striking landforms and geology, junipers and pinyon pines, and some route-finding.  A couple of weaknesses in the north cliffs proved a bit daunting for me to climb, but then we found a rope that assisted me up and down the cliff band.

Hike Summary

• One mile of switchbacks from trailhead to arrive at top of Vermilion Cliffs, to see both summits.   
• Mansard Trail takes a left at the saddle between these two high points to end at a junction with a sandy road.
• Hike left up this road to find the signs for the petroglyph site.  Most hikers/runners stop here and return.
• Hike to Mansard Benchmark summit:  access is on the north side of the mesa, reached by hiking on the sandy road in the opposite direction, leading northeast.
• Hike on this road ~ 0.4 miles, then leave road and head up the slope toward the north side of Mansard Benchmark's cliffs.
• Walk along base of cliff until you find a spot you can do a Class 3 move to get over the cliff.  I eventually found a rope tied to a sturdy tree and used it to ascend onto ground above cliff band.
• We found cairns to mark the way through the brush on top to a nice lookout over petroglyph site to the south, making sure to take a visual of the descent point.  In this case, there is a distinct-looking juniper that is right over our entry point.
• Climb East Mansard Peak: Descend back down to sandy road; we bush-whacked from road to Mansard Trail to find a 0.2-mile social trail that went toward the base of East Mansard.  Class 2-2+ scramble on white slickrock to summit.

Peekaboo Slot Canyon (Red Canyon) 
​We didn't trust our truck's tires on the jeep/ATV road's  deep sand (Road 102 from the highway trailhead), so we walked that 2.8-mile distance to the entrance of Peekaboo, which admittedly got a bit frustrating on the last mile back.  But it was worth it.  Within the confines of towering 80-foot high walls, you enter a silent, almost mysterious world.  It's mind-boggling to consider how many millions of years it took for water to carve this Navajo Sandstone.  We walked through at optimal light that shifted orange, red and purple hues during our time in the slot.  So many compositions of curves, textures, lines can be captured with a camera.  It becomes darker as you progress to the end, requiring a tripod if using a digital camera to capture sharp images.  The moqui steps carved into a vertical wall by Native Americans were the most amazing feature.  They clearly lead to a ledge, at this time illuminated with a fiery orange.  Stripped and bleached tree trunks wedged between narrow sandstone spaces above attest to past waters moving fast enough to deposit them there.

Oh, yes.  I mentioned we had the best quiche at Kanab Creek Bakery, which prepares food using "traditional European" methods.  Their croissants looked so good.  We got there when it opened at 8:00 a.m., and soon after there was already a line for breakfast.  

The best modes of transportation to explore the desert around Kanab and Grand Staircase are jeeps and UTV side-by-sides.  White Pocket in northern Arizona's Vermilion Cliffs is our next goal - just outside of Kanab near the famous "Wave" in Coyote Buttes.  We just need to talk our neighbor, who has a jeep, into going with us.

Keep On Exploring!!

"The Wave" in Coyote Buttes North - Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, Bureau of Land Management.

Mural in Kanab.
(more city of Kanab images at end of post)

Cairn a short distance from parking lot.  East Mansard Peak is center horizon.

Vermilion Cliffs:  first mile of trail switch-backs up to the top where it heads north toward saddle between Mansard Benchmark and East Mansard Peak.

Mansard Trail switchbacks.

Off the switchbacks, onto the plateau.   East Mansard Peak on the right.

 Mansard Benchmark seen once on top of the plateau.  The route to summit this is from the other (north) side of this mesa.

Pleasant stroll  - East Mansard Peak seen here.

On the way to petroglyph site on south side of Mansard Benchmark.

Mansard Trail petroglyphs are ~ 870 - 1,070 years old according to Bureau of Land Management Mansard Trail page.

Detail in sandstone wall near petroglyph site.

Some cool stuff on the trail.

Just had to photograph (in high dynamic range) this beautiful, huge juniper!

Point at which we left the sandy road and headed toward Mansard Benchmark's north cliffs.

Approaching north cliffs.

Looking for a route to the top.

Get to climb beautiful slick rock!

Walking along cliff base to find a Class 3 weakness.

Found this rope:  Fred used it only to climb down.  He climbed up a weakness in the cliff just before this.

At the top of Mansard Benchmark looking over Kanab and Kanab Plateau into northern Arizona.

Heading down:  large juniper marks where we ascended the cliff band.

Looking up at East Mansard Peak.

Social trail takes you from main Mansard Trail to base of East Mansard; begin climbing through sand/on sandstone to the left.

Maneuvering over sandstone to ridge and then following it to the right.

Summit at the right.

Cairn on summit.  View includes Mansard Benchmark (left).  Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument on right in photo.

Base of East Mansard Peak.

Our GPS tracks and elevation profile 
click on map for larger view

The road leading to Peekaboo from the trailhead off Highway 89.  Sand gets deeper than this in some parts of this road.

Some cool stuff in Kanab.

More than 100 movies and television shows, like Gunsmoke were filmed in Kanab and vicinity.  It was the setting for The Lone Ranger, Billy the Kid, The Outlaw Josey Wales and even Planet of the Apes.  A walking tour of "downtown" Kanab presents many nice-quality plaques that feature actors like John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Dale Evans, Jack Nicholson, Clint Eastwood, Ronald Reagan, and many other stars who came to Kanab to film movies.

"Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself"......Jacob Hamblin, Buckskin Apostle.

Our Hike
If you ever happen to be in southwestern Utah the first week of October, I highly recommend this hike.  The onset of autumn makes an enchanting forest in the Pine Valley Mountains; it reminds me of the spectacular autumn foliage we saw when we lived in New Hampshire.
​
​In my last post, I indicated that most people aren't aware of the hidden, magical world of southern Utah's Ashdown Gorge beneath the highway out of Cedar City.  It's the same with the steep and rugged Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness just north of St. George.  In this case, you can see this "sky island" rising like a hulk over red sandstone and black cinder cones, but it's not until you actually get into the heart of this wilderness that you realize its extraordinary beauty and find solitude.  
​
​We timed our hike to the highest point in the Pine Valley Mountains - Signal Peak - perfectly.  The autumn colors were at their optimum, adding variety and depth to this dense forest.  We had already summited Burger Peak, the second-highest in this beautiful, lightly-traveled mountain range, navigating deep snow banks in the spring.  Lucky for me, afternoon clouds provided the best light that made these colors glow, so I spent a lot of time yelling ahead to Fred that I had stopped to photograph.  We saw only three other hikers who were also enjoying the "zen" of this enchanting forest.

We are frequent visitors to this range that is remarkable for having the most botanical species than any other Utah mountain range - including three new species to Utah recently identified.  We hiked Gardner Peak, a summit not often traveled a few months ago with friends.  

​Striking rock formations growing gnarly old trees form steep cliffs with almost vertical valleys that drop toward the south when you finally emerge from the forest for a huge view of Southern Arizona and the red and yellow rocks near St. George at about 10,000 feet elevation.  It's a brief view near the base of Burger Peak, and then it's back into the forest for the one-mile walk to  Signal Peak summit.  The spur trail to Burger Peak, ~ one mile before Signal Peak, is marked by an easy-to-miss two-rocked duck.  

Overview
Most of those traveling Utah’s Highway 14 from Cedar City to the heights of the Markagunt plateau are unaware that a  spectacular hidden world is tucked away in a canyon beneath their feet.  Most pass by not realizing that life millions of years ago is recorded in the rocks that the canyon’s waters, over the millennia, have worn through the plateau, pushing sand grains, scouring strata and revealing infinite colors to create beautiful Ashdown Gorge.

​To venture through Ashdown Gorge is to experience so many exquisite elements that make up the quintessential Utah non-technical canyon hike.  Soaring, overhanging walls change shape, color and texture around every stream bend.  Walk by small car-sized boulders and stream-carved rocks of nearly all hues of the color spectrum.   As the canyon narrows, bright green ferns grow on moist walls; hidden grottos and alcoves are cool, dark places in which to retreat and watch the water flow melodically.  Conifers cling to near-vertical walls.  Walk by the occasional ancient panels of preserved ripples and oyster bed fossils.  Lots to take in - you could go on this hike many times and see something new.  

​The waters of Ashdown Gorge originate from an elevation of 10,000 feet in Cedar Breaks National Monument, coursing through the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness via  Ashdown, Rattlesnake, and Lake Creeks, creating beautiful waterfalls at the end of the hike, after a walk through short narrows.  Alternately, you can experience Ashdown after descending from Rattlesnake Trail, whose trailhead is just outside Cedar Breaks.

Our Hike
​Each time I've hiked this gorge, water conditions have varied.  This time, the stream was higher and clouded by salmon-colored silt;  there must have been a storm that carried sand from Cedar Breaks higher up creating increased run-off.  
​
A spectacular chunk of preserved ancient shoreline ripples, tilted almost vertically, has been plunked down on the right side of the creek as you ascend.  You weave in and out of the water, walking through gravel bars and around boulders, over fallen flood-deposited trees.  It is a unique experience to feel so tiny with tall overhanging walls close by on each side, blocking out most of the sky.

"Tom's Head", a noticeable 100-foot monolith greets you at the intersection between Ashdown Creek and Rattlesnake Creek.  To see Rattlesnake Creek Falls, turn left at this confluence to follow Rattlesnake Creek.  Shortly, another small confluence is seen; turn left and you hike a short distance to Lake Creek Falls.  Turn right, hike through an ever-narrowing canyon, you hear Rattlesnake Falls before you see it - a long sheet of white water spilling into a multi-colored gravel pool.  

Since moving to Utah, I have been amazed at how gorgeous and diverse the landscape is.  This hike is just one example of how nature's elements fit together in harmony and draw us into a beautiful world.  There's a lot to take in on this hike:  textures, waterfalls, colors, something new around every bend.  Interesting how a place can have so much to look at that it's almost overwhelming, but yet it is also so relaxing, and I can get to a state of "flow".  I'll spend more time photographing and checking out the fossils and geology next time.  For now, I will let the following images speak for themselves.

We summited two of the highest peaks in Utah's Tushar Mountains, sharing a raging wind storm with mountain goats.  

View north from Mount Holly to Delano Peak (left horizon) and the ridge to Delano Peak.  

Mountain goats on Mt. Holly getting their hair blown in the strong gusts.

This loop hike on the highest ridge in southwestern Utah's volcanic Tushar Mountains offers magnificent vistas and solitude.  Even though the Tushars are the third highest mountain range in Utah, they appear to be much less visited than Utah's higher ranges - the Uintas and La Sals.  We saw more mountain goats than people.  This was our second try; we previously turned back after summiting Delano Peak a few weeks ago with low visibility.  This time, constant wind gales and gusts added a challenge as we staggered up Delano's summit.  The trails that come from trailheads at 10,000 feet don't bother with switchbacks; they go straight to and from the summits.

"The area possesses a very high degree of naturalness, palpable solitude, and nearly unlimited opportunities for primitive and unconfined recreation," says Wikipedia.  A variety of great things are packed into this 7-mile hike:  forest, sustained spectacular ridge views, goats, aspens and meadows below, and a fun steep climb between peaks.

After a nice forest hike from the Skyline Trail trailhead off of graded gravel road and #123, we came to a saddle where we descended into a beautiful valley with Mt. Holly on the horizon.  Our route left the Skyline Trail at Merchant Creek, walking toward Holly on the left side of a prominence covered with pines to the right.  Shortly, a defined trail appears in the grasses.  It becomes less-defined as you arrive on wide expanse of the tundra, just below Mt. Holly and then becomes more defined as it traverses Mt. Holly's southwest flank.

The mountain goats on Mt. Holly were hunkered down enduring the wind.  They reluctantly got up as I got closer to them, and when we were on the ridge hiking toward Delano Peak, we saw that some of them had sought safer places on Holly's northwestern cliffs.  We stayed on Mt. Holly long enough to sign the register, then descended back down out of the summit gusts to find a way to Delano Peak.  We didn't see an obvious trail linking Mount Holly to the northwest ridge leading to Delano Peak; we probably could have gotten to the top of the ridge sooner than we did (see our route).

We gained the ridge at a saddle between Delano and Holly where we found the ridge trail.  We took a windy break observing a spectacular view of steep Cottonwood Creek to the east.  We battled the winds up a short and somewhat loose ascent to a gentler tundra ridge walk.  The trail was easy to follow to Delano Peak.  We didn't want to stand too long on this highest point in the Tushars for fear of being blown over the edge.

The walk down Trail # 224 is a quad burner, losing 1,700' of elevation in 1.8 miles.  We then walked south on road #123, where the wind was less brisk, to our car at the trailhead, a short 0.6-mile distance.

The definition of "grit" is achieving goals through passion, perseverance and commitment.  An important attribute for many aspects of life.  An important trait to teach our kids. With some "grit" we reached the summits during the windstorm, although I have to admit, the thought of going back down after Mount Holly briefly crossed my mind.  I plan on getting back to this hike with some friends.  If I go in the next few weeks, the forest will be splashed with stands of yellow aspens in a sea of dark green.

Keep on Exploring!  

Walking southeast on Skyline National Recreation Trail whose Big John's Flat trailhead is just off of Forest Road #123.

Reach saddle on Skyline Trail to descend to valley; hike along Merchant Creek (along left side of trees) and then right to the ridge.  Mount Holly is on horizon behind tree.

Approaching Merchant Creek on the right;  Mt. Holly is high point on far right horizon.

Walking east along Merchant Creek.

Trail breaks away from the creek and heads SSE through open tundra.

Mt. Holly and first glimpse of mountain goats near top (small white specks).  The trail swings around its base to the right.

Heading southeast on Mt. Holly's southwest flank.  Traverse this and trail then turns left (northeast) to make the final summit climb.

Mountain goats are wary of us.  Delano Peak on upper left horizon.

From Mt. Holly summit, looking northwest to Delano Peak on left horizon.

Looking down on Cottonwood Canyon from the ridge.

Ridge trail between Delano Peak and Mount Holly.

On the ridge trail - looking back at Mount Holly.  We entered the trail from the animal trails on the right.

From saddle, trail climbs a rocky section to get to ridge just below Delano Peak.

Mostly tundra the rest of the way; first view of Delano Peak on the horizon.

Catching gusts just below Delano's summit; no time for a hat!

Stayed just long enough on summit to sign in to the register, a convenient mailbox.

On the way down from Delano Peak:  Shelly Baldy Peak, 11,321' (left) and Mt. Baldy, 12,122' (right).

Just off Delano Peak - "get me out of this wind!"

Walking back to trailhead along Forest Road #123.

Our GPS tracks for Delano/Holly loop beginning at Road #123 at trailhead parking for Skyline National Recreation Trail
click on map for larger image

References
Sontag Bradley, M.  A History of Beaver County.  1999.  Utah State Historical Society Beaver County Commission.

The steep, final ascent up Gardner's forested summit requires climbing over a lot of deadfall and rocks, but the approach treks through a variety of terrain including eroded rock formations on a lightly-used trail.  Hiking with two fellow yogis made it double the fun.

Overview 
This time, on our second Gardner Peak hike, Fred and I got to share the trail with Lydia and Robin.  Lydia, our lithe, exuberant and fit yoga teacher showed her love and refreshing awareness of nature and a beautiful tree pose atop a sculpted boulder.  Robin, our fit fellow yogi, with a huge supply of bright optimism, has been training for her upcoming Grand Canyon rim to rim hike.  Since we knew the way, Fred and I were able to get us up the steep and rocky deadfall-littered summit block.  After a cairned trail to Gardner's base, there's few signs of a trail, except for a few "ducks" here and there.  We followed my previous Gardner Peak GPS tracks, had a summit celebration, and found our entry from last year in the summit register.  We discovered another register a few steps down on a slightly lower summit.  Check out Lydia's excellent and fun adventure website - On the Loose Live for an account of this hike plus lots more interesting explorations and beautiful photography.

 Gardner Peak sits right on the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness boundary and although its trail may not be officially in the wilderness, it feels like it is because the trail is narrow and lightly used, less so than the higher and busier Burger Peak hike.   The trail treks through a small area burned from the 2020 Gardner fire.  You will reach two false peaks before you get to the summit - a narrow rock perch with a view only to the east.  

Gardner Peak overlooking Pine Valley, Utah

Sue at trailhead in new Kuhl hiking pants.

Gardner Peak Trail to base of Gardner Peak
Driving past the Pine Valley Recreation Area entrance station, Gardner Peak trailhead is a short distance on the left.  You may share the sagebrush-lined trail with cows for the first 1/2 mile.  The trail quickly ascends into the forest, then at 0.9 miles intersects with the Canal Trail which traverses the base of the mountain.  By walking a few yards to the left on the Canal Trail,  painted rocks and an old signless post propped by a cut tree trunk mark the Gardner Peak trailhead.  Continue north on a steep and rocky trail.  

The forest becomes thicker; the trail is faint in some areas.  It turns east and at two miles crosses over a saddle with a great view of Grass Valley below.  The forest shade becomes more abundant, with a beautiful combination of ponderosa pines and aspen.  The trail stays narrow, weaving around large boulders, and over bare rock with rain water pools etched into its surface.  An adequate amount of cairns marks the trail, except when it crosses the burned area from the 2020 Gardner fire, where we used the AllTrails app to find our course.  Go straight ahead when you reach this section; we went too high onto the bare rock to the right.  The trail then descends steeply to cross a dry run-off stream section and continues to Jodes Flat, the small meadow at the base of Gardner Peak.

Base of Gardner Peak to the summit
At 3.8 miles from the trailhead, after the short fire area, reach the small meadow, Jodes Flat, to see the thick forest on the west side of Gardner Peak.  This is where the trail ends.  We walked straight up this flank for a 900' gain, aiming toward the peak coordinates.  There is a lot of deadfall to crawl over and Class 3 climbing through huge rock outcrops toward the top, as well as 2 false summits.  The summit is small - basically a few huge boulders with a register with a few entries hidden under rocks.  

The summit is mostly forested, but a view to the east looks over a deep canyon.   A forested summit is not as spectacular as a bare, above-treeline perch overlooking huge expanses of terrain, like Leatherman Peak, which we summited last July.  But they are still great and each has its own characteristics that stand out in my memory of them.   The reward of finding an unseen summit as you keep on seeing more sky as you climb is extraordinary.

Keeping the bare rock outcrop we had passed on the way up in view, and using my GPS trackback, we found our way back to Jodes Flat.  It's easy to get disoriented; you basically want to head northwest.  

​Hiking with Robin and Lydia was a joyful excursion, reminding me that moving in nature is important for optimal health.  And if you can do yoga balance poses on a steep boulder, all the better!

"Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world."
        - John Muir
​Keep On Exploring!  Stay close to Nature!

Lydia and Fred on the way up.

Walking into forest after valley view to the north.

Ducks mark the trail.

View ahead of crags - we used these as a landmark to descend peak; rock cairns (right) mark the trail.

Lydia at sculpted rocks section of trail.

Short section burned from the 2020 Gardner fire.  

Some cool stuff on the trail.

Fred and Sue hiking through burned section - thanks for the photo, Lydia!

Fred winding through Ponderosa pines on section before you reach sculpted rocks.

One of the many meadows in Pine Valley Mountains

A look at the peak ahead.

Fred and Robin maneuvering through deadfall and boulders near the summit.

Yep, there's lots of rocks and trees to navigate when climbing the off-trail portion to the summit!
 (900' elevation gain).

Scenes from the top of Gardner Peak

View from Gardner Peak of Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness to the south

Pine Valley celebrating Labor Day

Interactive map of our GPS tracks to Gardner Peak

Our GPS track; note extent of 2020 Gardner fire on map.  Gardner Peak is on the boundary of Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness Area.

The last section of hike through rock outcrops to the summit.

References:
Miller, R.  Our Geological Wonderland:  The Pine Valley Mountain Laccolith.  The Independent - A Voice for Southern Utah. Feb. 2018.
Pine Valley Day:  The story of how 'the most beautiful sight' went from lumber supplier to summer retreat.  By Reuben Wadsworth reporting in the St, George News.
Pine Valley Chapel 1868.  Informational flyer about the history of Pine Valley and its chapel, available at the Pine Valley Chapel.

If you like short, Class 1 hikes to the highest summit of a spectacular mountain range, this hike in the unfrequented Tushar Mountains is for you.  While you're there, sample the meadows and forests of the Skyline National Recreation Trail for a good dose of solitude.

Looking like I'm going to fly away in Delano Peak's high winds.

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​​List with Links for Utah Hikes/Bikes
Hike Mount Nebo - On Top of the Wasatch

On the morning drive up FR 123 to the trailhead.

Delano Peak
We had planned to hike a loop on on the Tushar range's highest ridge to Delano Peak and Mount Holly further down the ridge, but when we got to Delano's summit, we could barely see each other, let alone the ridge.  A few times, Fred got ahead of me and vanished into the huge clouds that engulfed the summit.  The terrain below was occasionally revealed as sunny and bright green, but not for long.  Getting cold with the wind blowing us around, we descended the short trail to our truck and drove to the Skyline National Recreation Trail trailhead.  Mount Holly can be accessed from this trail.

Delano Peak is the highest summit in the Tushar Mountains - the third-highest range in Utah, after the Uinta and the La Sal Mountain ranges.  The Geologic Map of the Tushar Mountains looks like a chaotic Jackson Pollock painting and one that would bring a sparkle to any geologist's eyes.   It's a symphony of color blotches and random hatched lines that represent almost all major forms of volcanic rocks and structural features.  Red Hills Tuff, Grey Hills Rhyolite and Blue Lake Rhyolite are just a few of the members of volcanic assemblages.  Thrust faults, caldera walls and breakaway scarps scatter about this complicated terrain.  Delano Peak's summit sits at the top of Big John Caldera.  Four more calderas exist, as well as eight major mining centers.

We were surprised that such a large, gorgeous wilderness area with more than a few peaks over 11,000 feet had so few visitors.   While hikers flock to the Wasatch and Uinta ranges, the Tushars are not as well-known.  There are ATV trails that course through parts of this range, but there are plenty of hiking trails where they are not allowed.  

This is a quick hike on a trail through grass and small rocks - only 1.5 miles to the summit.  It is a bit challenging because you start at 10,000 feet.  Delano Peak can also be summited from the northeast; in fact, this trail continues from the summit down to the base of Mt. Brigham.  We plan on giving our loop another try.

Skyline National Recreation Trail
The SNRT is an 8.3-mile trail that is part of the panoramic Tushar Skyline Trail stretching 23 miles and passes under Delano Peak, the highest mountain in southwestern Utah.  It takes you through streams, meadows, and forests.  In 1986 and 1988, 25 mountain goats were introduced into the Tushars from the Wasatch range in northern Utah and Olympic National Park.  They have prospered to number 120 goats, and some have been transplanted to other areas.   They can be seen on the Delano-Holly ridge line.  

We entered the SNRT where it intersects with FR 123, ~ 1 mile south of Delano Peak trailhead and hiked toward Mt. Holly's base.  The high Tushar's grassy slopes don't appear intimidating; no major cliffs or talus slopes.  By this time, the clouds had retreated from the high ridge, but we decided to enjoy a rambling hike rather than a climb up Mount Holly.  Ah, maybe we are getting soft in our "old age"!!  Any time out in the wilderness, whether we get to our planned destination or not, is cherished.

Keep On Exploring!  Keep Moving!  Your Body and Mind will Love you for it!

A small part of the geologic map of the Tushar Mountains that shows rock units and structural features of the highest part of the range.
click on photo for complete geologic map of the Tushar Mountains

Fleabane

Liking the cool moist air!

Are you sure this isn't Scotland?

Nearing Delano Peak's summit.

Looking down from near the summit.

Clouds beginning to clear on the lower hike down.

Some cool stuff on the trail.

Columbian monkshood found near small streams.
These wildflowers like to grow in rich, moist soils - water use is high.  They are poisonous to humans if ingested.

Skyline National Recreation Trail heading southeast toward Mt. Holly on right horizon.

Google Earth image of our GPS tracks to Delano Peak.  North points to the top left of the photo.

Caltopo image of our GPS tracks:  North points to top of photo.  Mount Holly located on ridge lower right.

AllTrails map with GPS tracks on the Skyline National Recreation Trail:  Big Flat Trailhead (south) to Mud Lake (north).
click on map for link to AllTrails website.

References:
Cunningham, C.G., Rasmussen, J. D.,  Steven, T.A., Rye, R.O.,  Rowley. P.D.,   Romberger , S.B., Selverstone. J.  1998.   Mineralium Deposita, 33:477.
Delano Peak - Wikipedia
Geologic map of the Tushar Mountains and adjoining areas, Marysvale volcanic field, Utah.  USGS National Geologic Map Database.
Mindat.org.  Marysvale Mining District.
​Plant Database:  Aconitum columbianum.  The University of Texas at Austin website.
​Ringholz, R. C.  Uranium Mining in Utah.  Utah History Encyclopedia.
​Steven, T.  2013.  Igneous Activity and Related Ore Deposits in the Western and Southern Tushar Mountains, Marysvale Volcanic Field, West-Central Utah: USGS Professional Paperback.

One of the "ultra-prominent peaks" in the lower 48 states, this excellent hike treks through blankets of wildflowers, up a steep slope and across a long, thin ridge to the summit of the Wasatch Range's highest peak.

Fred walking over Wolf Pass Peak, with Mount Nebo behind him.  Actual summit is just behind the high point in the photo.

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Overview
​Mount Nebo, a towering bare hunk of tilted limestone, is aptly named to mean "Sentinel of God" by early Mormon pioneers.  You can't miss this impressive-looking mountain that dominates the Nephi (pronounced NEE-fy) skyline, close to Utah's I-15.  Some people think Mt. Timpanogos, another impressive peak near Provo, is the highest in the Wasatch range; however it is 179 feet lower than Mount Nebo.  I was advised by a sales associate at The Desert Rat, St. George's outdoor specialty store to NOT summit Nebo via the southern route, Nebo Peak Trail.  After telling me to hike the North Peak Trail, its trailhead north of Mount Nebo, he said, "You should probably see some great wildflowers."  He was right on both accounts:  the trail was great and profuse wildflowers of every color covered the forest understory.  

The trailhead is at 9,254 feet and the summit is 11,928 feet.  However, you lose elevation on the way to the summit and gain elevation on the way back, making the cumulative gain 3,700 feet.  The trail passes over Wolf Pass Peak (Point 11,440') first before it tackles the great pyramid-shaped Mount Nebo.  There's a really steep pitch on Wolf Pass Peak's northeast slope.  It's short switchbacks make for a heart-pounding climb of over 800 feet in just 0.4 miles.  Glad I had my hiking pole for the way down! We hiked Nebo on a weekday and ran into four other parties. I imagine this is a busy trail on weekends.  But that would not deter me - this hike is fantastic!

Mount Nebo is #39 out of 57 ultra-prominence peaks in the lower 48 states.  To qualify as"ultra-prominence", the summit of a peak has to rise at least 1,500 meters (4,921 feet) above its key saddle, which is the lowest contour that encircles it, and no other peak.

Our Hike
North Peak Trailhead to Wolf Pass:  Miles 0 - 3.5 with a 1,350' gain
We began our hike at 7:20 a.m. to ensure we would be off the most exposed part of the peak around noon.   The North Peak Trail ascends through a lush forest with lots of wildflowers and vegetation spilling over to arrive at a bare avalanche area where we crossed a small snow field and continued steeply up to a saddle on North Peak's north ridge for the first incredible view of Mount Nebo.  You also get a great view of Juab Valley and Mona Reservoir to the west.  From here, the trail splits in 0.2 miles to the left to summit North Mountain.  Keep right on the main trail to traverse North Mountain's shady west flank to arrive at Wolf Pass, just south of North Mountain.  Here's a place with great views to both the west and the east, and an opportunity to rest a bit before tackling Wolf Pass Peak.

Wolf Pass to Mount Nebo summit:  Miles 3.5 - 4.5 with a 1,300' gain
I felt quite small standing on Wolf Pass, an immediate 800 feet of climbing staring me in the face.  We put our heads down and used a modified rest-step to get up this steep and rocky pitch efficiently.  We use this technique for long, steep pitches, especially at elevation to save energy:  use momentum to kick your foot forward while keeping back knee straight - rest a second and repeat with other leg, going in a measured, rhythmical gait, not over-using your quads or glutes.

Before topping off on Wolf Pass Peak, we followed a trail going left, traversing just under the summit for a short distance.  We had to scramble back up to the ridge just after the summit.  We avoided that on the way back and just stayed on the ridge over Wolf Pass Peak.  The walk on the ridge to Mount Nebo's summit was divine.  A feeling of being on the top of everything else in the region with steep basins and canyons with names like Hell Hole, Middle, North and South Basin dropping for a long way on both sides.  Occasional scant stands of scraggly trees line a few steep couloirs.  The ridge trail is wide and stable enough so it doesn't feel precarious or scary. 

​As soon as we reached what we thought was the summit, suddenly there was the "true" summit just behind it, only about 40 feet higher.  The summit is narrow and long, a trail leads to the next high point to the south, Nebo Middle and then after that, Mount Nebo South Peak.  The summit register consisted of a glass mason jar stuffed with sticky notes with lots of names, dates, and comments. 

 A couple of things were remarkable about the descent.  The first was Wolf Pass Peak's steep, rocky pitch  - it reminded me of a short version of Mt. Borah's (the highest peak in Idaho) descent - steep and slippery.  The second was the abundant wildflowers, reminding me of Colorado hikes.  We didn't know that Utah's high country could be so beautiful.  Our adventure possibilities have just expanded - again.   Wouldn't it be great if the years of our lives expanded accordingly?  I guess the key is in living in the moment and fully appreciating that we have the ability to get to the "top of the world" and see Indian paintbrush splash the forest with magenta.

"So, if you cannot understand that there is something in man which responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is the struggle of life itself upward and forever upward, then you won’t see why we go. What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy.  And joy is, after all, the end of life.   To struggle and to understand.  Never the last without the first.  That is the law."
         -  George Mallory,  mountaineer who climbed with the first three British expeditions to Mt. Everest in the 1920's.

Keep on Moving!  Keep on Exploring!

Google Earth image of our tracks heading from North Peak Trailhead west to ridge, then south to Mount Nebo summit on the right.  Mount Nebo Scenic Loop road (015) approaches trailhead upper left.  South points to the upper right.

View of Mount Nebo from Mount Nebo Scenic Loop Road.

Indian paintbrush

Gorgeous summit!

On Mount Nebo's summit looking east.

Heading back - trail goes over the top of Wolf Pass Peak (Point 11,440').

Some cool stuff on the trail.

On the way down

North Mountain from near the trailhead.

Our GPS tracks and elevation profile for Mount Nebo.

References
Felger, T. J., Machette, M. N., Sorensen, M.L.  2004.  Provisional Geologic Map of the Mona Quadrangle, Juab and Utah Counties, Utah.
Utlra-Prominence Peaks of the Lower 48 States.   summitpost.org.