Ferguson Canyon provides an enjoyable place to hike that's not as crowded as some of the trails up Big Cottonwood Canyon. It is a popular destination for rock climbers to come and scale the cliffs near the mouth of the canyon. Since dogs are allowed here, they often join their masters on the outdoor activities. Further up the canyon, the trail switchbacks up the north ridge to an overlook of the Salt Lake Valley. An eye-catching feature along the south rim of Ferguson Canyon is a rock formation known as the Hounds Tooth. At the end of the canyon on the north ridge is Storm Mountain, which is actually a terminus point of the ridge extending northwest of Twin Peaks. Northeast of Storm Mountain is Stairs Gulch where avalanches notoriously occur during the winter and early spring seasons.
To reach the Ferguson Canyon trailhead from Wasatch Boulevard, turn east (towards the mountains) onto Prospector Drive (7535 South). Take an immediate right turn and continue south for approximately one-third of a mile to Timberline Drive (7780 South). Turn left (east) on Timberline Drive and park along the right-side of the road near the beginning of the dirt service road. Hike the service road northeastward past the water tank to reach the trailhead. The trail makes a brief descent before ascending up Ferguson Canyon. Upon reaching the rock climbing area just beyond the mouth of the canyon, the trail becomes a maze of other trails leading to various climbing sites. Stay generally close to the streambed for the main trail through this area. At approximately 1.2 miles from the starting point, the trail switchbacks several times for about 0.3 miles to an overlook of the Salt Lake Valley. This is where I began my arduous climb up the south rim of the canyon to reach the Hounds Tooth. While I'm not recommending this route as the best route to climb the Hounds Tooth, it was the most feasible for me at the time. The slope is quite steep, and there were times when I had to cling to the shrubbery I was bushwhacking through to keep from sliding down the mountainside. At the point when I was ready to abandon my wild attempt, I reached the top of the rim northwest of the Hounds Tooth. On more level ground now with the goal in sight, I more or less made a direct course to the base of the formation. The final obstacle came in climbing to the top of the rock without putting myself in too much danger. After careful study, I followed a sloping ledge that seemed to be heavily vegetated near the south end of the formation. Through careful maneuvering with some exposure, I was able to reach the 8,136-foot summit of Hounds Tooth. Distance from the Ferguson Canyon starting point to the Hounds Tooth summit is approximately 1.9 miles one-way (based on the route I took) with an elevation gain of 2,886 feet.
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Rock towers along the trail near
the Salt Lake Valley overlook |
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West face of the Hounds Tooth with
yellow line showing my general route |
To continue on to Storm Mountain, follow the trail up the switchbacks past the Salt Lake Valley overlook. At around 2.4 miles, the trail steepens for about 0.4 miles to reach a meadow area at approximately 8,300 feet elevation. Beyond the meadow the trail becomes indistinguishable, and you make your way towards the pyramid-shaped peak on the left (north), which is Storm Mountain. Near the base of the peak the route becomes steeper for a final scramble to the 9,524-foot summit of Storm Mountain. During the time I did it, I looked across the Salt Lake Valley to see a thunderstorm looming on the west side. Fearful of lightning, I finished a quick lunch and made my way off the Storm Mountain ridge. While I got wet from rain a few times on the way down Ferguson Canyon, I never encountered any close lightning strikes. What a coincidence to get caught in a storm on Storm Mountain! Distance from the Ferguson Canyon starting point to the summit of Storm Mountain is approximately 3.5 miles one-way with an elevation gain of 4,274 feet.
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The pyramidal shape of Storm Mountain
as viewed from the meadow area |
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View of an approaching thunderstorm
near the summit of Storm Mountain |
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