Because I have done a fair amount of peaks prior to creating this blog, I am going to be backtracking a bit to play catch up on some of them. About 2 weeks ago I did my first solo summit. It was also my first time summiting lone peak. I felt that the name of the peak was suiting for my first summit by myself.
This hike was a long one, and the day was super hot which made it feel more strenuous than it actually was. As I was returning to my car on the way back from the peak, I decided that this hike could be separated into 6 different sections. Each section isn’t exactly the same length, but I felt like it was fitting since the hike was about 6 miles to the top.
The first section of the hike was filled with mountain bikers and was dry and desert-like. I was very surprised that I didn’t see a rattlesnake. Starting from the Corner Canyon parking lot, I went up the road and turned up the Jacobs Latter trail. From here I followed a narrow bike trail that gained elevation and began widening until it came to a cliff like ledge.
From this ledge, the trail turns left (North) and begins going upward rapidly through some trees and grass. It begins to come up over a ridge and I could start to see the valley from the North. Just then it turns right and heads East towards the Peak.
I came over a hill and entered into the third section of the hike. A meadow opened up and the trail led through some trees. There were some decent camping spots and a stream. This part of the hike was very beautiful.
After following a creek (it was dried up by this point) the dirt began to disperse and the trail required me to walk across granite, do some scrambling, and follow cairns up towards the cirque basin. The hike began to level out into the basin and cliffs rose up above me. The summit is in clear view at this point. I followed the trail and cairns up to the North side of the basin.
Here the scrambling towards the ridge line began. It wasn’t anything too intense, but was a lot of fun. The scrambling takes you to the North side of the ridge and a fairly steep climb to reach the ridge. This provides a great view of twin peak, the Salt Lake Valley, and the Provo/Orem Valley.
The last part of the climb brings you over the ridge back to the mountain’s South side. A trail is easy to follow and I could see the route to the top. After I continued upward toward the peak, I come back onto the ridge for the last little bit of scrambling to the summit.
The top is very exposed and a great view of Box Elder Peak and Mount Timpanogos to the South, Salt Lake and Orem/Provo Valley to the West, and Twin Peaks to the North/East.
The hike back down was kind of intense for me. I didn’t bring enough water because of the heat and had to sit in the shade for a few hours in order to avoid heat stroke.
The total hike took me about 9 hours, but would have taken me less if it wasn’t so hot. It’s was a beautiful hike with amazing rock formations, great views, and diverse landscape.
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