Mount Superior & Monte Cristo

Shifting back to the Wasatch Mountains, Mount Superior and Monte Cristo are two high points along the Cottonwood Ridge between Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.  These two peaks provide a dramatic backdrop to the north and west of the Alta and Snowbird ski resorts.  During the winter months, this area is often the scene of controlled avalanches in an effort to make the canyon road and ski resorts safe to use.  Upon looking at the official USGS topographic map, what is listed as "Superior Peak" is actually known as "Monte Cristo" by the locals, and the point known as "Mount Superior" sits about one-quarter-mile eastward of "Monte Cristo" (see map).  Since I'm local to the Salt Lake area, I will refer to the area as the locals refer to it.  While these two peaks can be reached from the Big Cottonwood side via Lake Blanche, the easier approach is from the Little Cottonwood side starting in the town of Alta.  Some scrambling is required along the ridgeline with moderate exposure.

To reach Alta from the Salt Lake Valley, take the 6200 South exit (Exit 6) off of I-215 and turn right (at the light) onto Wasatch Boulevard (SR 190).  Continue south along Wasatch Boulevard past Fort Union Boulevard (7200 South), which turns into SR 210.  Follow SR 210 all the way to Alta (approximately 12.0 miles from Fort Union Boulevard).  From I-15, take the 9000 South exit (Exit 295) and turn eastward towards Sandy along 9000 South (SR 209), which eventually turns southward and then eastward again as 9400 South.  SR 209 weaves a little more before it terminates at approximately 7.3 miles from the I-15 exit. At the junction, turn right (eastward) and follow SR 210 the rest of the way to Alta (approximately 8.0 miles from the junction).  Near the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon lies a huge vault carved into the granite that stores extensive genealogical records.  Some of the granite in this area was quarried in earlier days for construction of the Salt Lake LDS Temple, and more recently the Conference Center.  While the grandeur of this canyon may be eye-catching, be sure to keep your eyes on the road while driving, and watch out for bicyclists.  Upon reaching Alta, look for the Shallow Shaft Restaurant along the left (north) side of the highway, where there should be parking space available.

View looking southeast towards Alta and
the Albion Basin from Cardiff Pass

View looking west to Mount Superior
from a knoll just west of Cardiff Pass

The route to Mount Superior begins at the road left (west) of the Shallow Shaft Restaurant.  Follow the road as it curves through the structures, keeping to the right for about 0.2 miles.  Veer to the left (northward) onto an unimproved road that climbs westward to a hill towards Cardiff Pass.  At approximately 0.8 miles from the starting point, take the trail extending left (west) of the road and follow it for about 0.6 miles to reach Cardiff Pass.  An effective guide to keep you on course is to generally follow the power lines that lead up to the pass.  Situated at just over 10,000 feet elevation, Cardiff Pass offers a great view of Alta and the Albion Basin below, and provides a great stopping point for those who don't want to hike the whole way.  Continuing on to Mount Superior, follow the apparent trail along the ridge to the left (west) of Cardiff Pass, which will skirt to the south of a point listed as "10277" on the map.  Upon rounding the ridge, Mount Superior comes into view straight ahead, which isn't as daunting as it appears.  Keep following the indistinct trail that traverses along the Little Cottonwood side of Cottonwood Ridge.  While exposure along this part of the route is not particularly high, care should be taken not to slip on loose rock and fall to the steeper slopes below.  The final half-mile of the hike involves scrambling up a rock slope with an elevation gain of about 1,000 feet.  A false summit is passed along the way before reaching the true summit of Mount Superior at approximately 11,050 feet elevation.  Distance from the starting point to the summit is approximately 2.5 miles one-way with an elevation gain of approximately 2,500 feet (taking into account a 1,000-foot gain after a 100-foot loss).  When I reached Mount Superior's summit I had planned to hike the short distance to reach Monte Cristo's summit, but billowing clouds looked threatening and I chose not to chance it.  Monte Cristo is situated another quarter-mile further west along Cottonwood Ridge.  Reaching its 11,132-foot summit involves a 160-foot elevation gain after an 80-foot loss from Mount Superior.

View looking west to Monte Cristo
from the summit of Mount Superior

View looking towards Lake Blanche and Big
Cottonwood Canyon from Mount Superior

Lowe Peak

South of the Bingham Canyon Mine, the Oquirrh Mountains are much more spectacular and offer greater scenic beauty.  In the higher elevations, it is not uncommon to see herds of deer and elk, and watch hawks soar overhead.  Among the half-dozen or so peaks that rise above 10,000 feet elevation, Lowe Peak sits as the second highest point in the entire Oquirrh Range.  From the Salt Lake Valley, Lowe Peak is recognizable along the southwest horizon if you know where to look (see photo below).  As with the northern part of this mountain range, what public land that remains in the southern part is also administered by the BLM.  Ophir Canyon on the west side of the range provides the easiest access to the Lowe Peak area, which allows you to drive through the little town of Ophir.  If you happen to be into mining history and have a little extra time, take a good look around Ophir – it's quite a fascinating place.  There are also a few camping sites in Ophir Canyon located between the town and the trailhead should you choose to spend the night.  Check for camping availability and restrictions beforehand at the restored Ophir Town Hall and respect private property.

To reach the trailhead for Lowe Peak from the northern part of the Salt Lake Valley, take I-80 west to the Tooele City exit (Exit 99).  Take the exit onto SR 36 and drive southward approximately 24.1 miles through Tooele and Stockton.  Turn left (eastward) onto SR 73 and continue for approximately 4.6 miles to Ophir Canyon Road.  Make another left (east) turn onto Ophir Canyon Road and drive for about 3.5 miles through the town of Ophir to reach the trailhead.

From the southern part of the Salt Lake Valley, take Redwood Road (SR 68) southward through Bluffdale and Camp Williams and turn right (west) onto SR 73.  Continue on SR 73 for approximately 31.6 miles through Cedar Fort and Fairfield to reach Ophir Canyon Road.  Turn right (east) onto Ophir Canyon Road and drive for about 3.5 miles through the town of Ophir to reach the trailhead.  The road turns to dirt upon leaving Ophir up the canyon, but most vehicles can make it.

Lowe Peak as viewed from the South
Valley Regional Airport (Airport #2) in
the Salt Lake Valley

Hiking up a drainage on the
southwest face of Lowe Peak –
Photo credit: Aaron Oliver

The trail begins by crossing the stream on logs and rocks to the other side.  This is repeated a dozen times or so for the first mile-and-a-half of the trail in the lower part of the canyon.  During runoff conditions, be prepared to get your feet wet as the stream can be running quite high.  We also came across some grazing cattle and their evidence of "cow pies" along the trail.  At about 1.5 miles, a meadow comes into view towards Lowe Peak (eastward), where you will veer from the trail to begin the climb up the drainage.  This is the steepest part of the hike where over 2,000 feet of elevation is gained in a little more than a mile.  Don't be ashamed to take frequent rests along the way and take in the spectacular views unfolding before you.  Keep an eye out for deer and elk herds on the upper slopes.  After hiking up the drainage for awhile, eventually work your way to the ridge on your left (northward).  When the main ridgeline is finally reached and the Salt Lake Valley comes into view, hike up the remaining ridge to reach the summit.  Distance from the trailhead to the 10,589-foot summit of Lowe Peak is approximately 2.8 miles one-way with an elevation gain of approximately 3,500 feet.  When we descended Lowe Peak, we dropped about 800 feet to a saddle northwest of the peak and followed the upper drainage back into Ophir Canyon, which added another 0.7 miles to our route.  Another option can be to also ascend Rocky Peak (500 feet elevation gain from the saddle) and descend by way of a ridge slightly west and to the south of the Rocky Peak summit.  This adds an additional one mile to the original Lowe Peak route.

View looking south over Flat Top
Mountain (31 feet higher) from Lowe Peak

View looking northwest over Rocky Peak
to the Stansbury Range from Lowe Peak

Nelson Peak

Nelson Peak is the highest point in the northern Oquirrh (pronounced "o-ker") Mountains north of the Bingham Canyon Mine.  It is a prominent point when viewed from the Salt Lake Valley; being the least cluttered with communication towers of the high points along the northern Oquirrh Range.  Access to this peak from the east side is very limited due to private property – mainly from the mining industry that first developed in Utah during the 1860s.  By the time the U.S. Forest Service came into existence near the end of the nineteenth century, practically no public land remained along the eastern slopes of the Oquirrh Mountains.  While most people consider Nelson Peak to be prohibited from climbing, much of the western slopes of the range are public land administered by the BLM.  The Tooele side, therefore, is the best approach to reaching Nelson Peak.  When I hiked it, we basically followed the ridgeline between Bates and Pole Canyons.

To reach the starting point we took for Nelson Peak, take the Tooele City exit (Exit 99) off of I-80 onto SR 36.  Once off the freeway, continue southward on SR 36 for approximately 5.1 miles and then turn left (east) onto Bates Canyon Road (there's actually a traffic light now).  Follow Bates Canyon Road for about 1.3 miles until it crosses the railroad tracks, where it turns to dirt.  Straight ahead several hundred feet beyond the tracks is a turnaround loop off to the left (north) where vehicles can be parked well off the road.

The hike begins by following the dirt road beyond the gate towards the northwest.  Since this area is private property, great care should be taken to respect it by staying on the dirt roads as much as possible.  Make your way towards the small ravine and then climb the left (north) side of it.  Continue following the road as it ascends the ridge between Bates and Pole Canyons.  When the road begins to veer into Pole Canyon, continue ascending the ridge past the points listed as "7736" and "9175" on the map.  Where there is no established trail to the summit of Nelson Peak, this will require some route-finding through the least timbered areas along the ridge.  During the summer months, early-morning hours are the best time to hike up the western slopes to avoid the heat of the day.  Watch out for possible rattlesnakes, use sunscreen, and bring plenty of water as there are no fresh water sources along the route.  Back when I hiked it during the autumn, we ran into fresh snow at about the 7,000-foot level.  Distance from the starting point to the 9,359-foot summit of Nelson Peak is approximately 5.3 miles one-way with an elevation gain of approximately 4,780 feet.

View of Nelson Peak taken
near the "9175" point

View of communication tower
from the summit of Nelson Peak

Stansbury Island

Stansbury Island is situated at the southern end of the Great Salt Lake approximately 28 miles west of Salt Lake City as the crow flies.  It was named for Howard Stansbury, who led a government expedition to survey the area during the mid-nineteenth century.  Depending on the level of the Great Salt Lake, it can be a true island connected by an earthen causeway, or merely a peninsula jutting up from the south shoreline.  Near the center of the island is its highest point, which is low by Wasatch Mountain standards, yet it rises over 2,400 feet above the present-day lake level.  Stansbury Island is not a popular place to visit – mainly due to accessibility, remoteness, and the fact that there are no real forested areas.  It does, however, provide a great place to hike and mountain bike during the early spring and late autumn months when the higher elevations of the Wasatch are covered in snow.  While most of the interior of the island is public land under BLM (Bureau of Land Management) jurisdiction, some of the perimeter is privately owned by mineral extracting companies and ranchers.  The trick, therefore, comes in hiking and biking in this area without infringing too much on private property.  Since there are no clean water sources on the island, it will be necessary to bring plenty of drinking water along with sunscreen and some insect repellent.

To reach Stansbury Island coming from the east, take the second Grantsville exit (Exit 84) along I-80 and continue straight onto the dirt road, or the first Grantsville exit if coming from the west – turning right (north) under the freeway overpasses to reach the dirt road.  Follow the good-conditioned dirt road approximately 3.9 miles over two railroad tracks (each with a stop sign) and along the causeway to reach a wooden BLM sign on the island.  Here the road forks with the left (west) fork being the main road.  If you continue along the main road for about 3.4 miles past the BLM sign, a fence line (with a cattle guard) is reached that marks private property.  While public access is allowed along the road beyond this point, you cannot (should not) leave the main road.  This fence line provides, perhaps, the best starting point for reaching the island's high point without any noticeable trespassing.  A good place to park can be found by turning right (east) onto an unimproved road just before the cattle guard and following the fence line to an area just north of a small butte.

The Stansbury Island high point (middle
hump) taken along the Provo Bench not
far from the starting point

The route begins by following the fence line on foot as far to the east as possible.  It may be necessary to cross the fence briefly in a flat terraced area to gain access to an upper terraced area at approximately 4,900 feet elevation.  This is one of the levels of the ancient Lake Bonneville (known as the Provo Level) that is quite evident along the west slope of the island.  In this post I will refer to it as the Provo Bench.  Other than occasional ravines cutting through, the Provo Bench provides a level, suitable route for most of the way to the Stansbury Island high point – skirting around the privately owned property.  Approximately 2.8 miles along the route after heading west-northwest, look for a low-lying point listed as "4756" on the map.  Follow with your eyes the ridgeline north of this point as it climbs the side of the island.  This is basically the ridge you need to climb to reach the summit.  As you draw closer to this ridge, it will be to the left (north) of the rocky slope while looking up the drainage.  On some maps the summit appears to be listed as "Castle Rock," but the rock formation known as Castle Rock lies just to the south-southeast of the true summit.  Distance from the starting point to the 6,649-foot summit is approximately 4.2 miles one-way with an elevation gain of 2,369 feet.  Stansbury Island is also a place where there are various forms of Native American rock art, some of which is on private property.  To appropriately gain access to the rock art in the Broad Canyon area, please contact the Six Mile Ranch Company in nearby Grantsville for permission.

View looking south-southeast over Castle
Rock from the Stansbury Island high point

View looking northeast to Antelope Island
from the Stansbury Island high point

A Mormon Cricket, which is very
plentiful on Stansbury Island at times

Native American rock art in the Broad
Canyon area of Stansbury Island

Sheep Dip Mountain

Sheep Dip Mountain is a rather strange name to give a mountain, but the term actually refers to a dipping trough that farmers and shepherds use to protect their sheep from external parasite infestations.  This unusually-named mountain is located in a southern extension of the Caribou National Forest – in a "boundary hiccup" area along the Utah-Idaho border.  Based on the official description, the border between Idaho and Utah was set at the 42nd parallel of latitude.  When surveyed back in the late 1800s, however, two surveys (probably coming from opposite directions) didn't match up in the middle.  Rather than change what had already been done, it appears as though they tied into the other one's survey, creating a diamond-shaped area roughly 176 acres in size shared by both Idaho and Utah (see blue area on map).  Having trekked to all six corners of Utah, I became intrigued with this area and I wanted to see if I could locate any survey monuments.  In researching possible routes to access Sheep Dip Mountain, the Idaho side offered the easiest approach.

To reach the starting point for this hike from Salt Lake City, take I-15 north for about 95 miles to the Idaho border.  Continue into Idaho, taking off on the Woodruff-Samaria exit (Exit 3) and turn right towards the east frontage road.  Follow the frontage road back towards the south for about 1.1 miles to the streambed coming out of Burnett Canyon.  Parking is allowed near the streambed as long as vehicles are well off the road to allow farm equipment to pass by.  When I came here I had my hiking partner, Joe, and his wife come along with me.

Sheep Dip Mountain viewed from a
point to the west-northwest

View looking west over I-15 along the
Utah-Idaho border from the "6677" point

We followed a well-established trail for at least one mile up Burnett Canyon before veering to the right (south) towards Sheep Dip Mountain.  At this point we left the trail and made our way over the south ridge of Burnett Canyon into the Trail Creek drainage – staying in the sparsely vegetated areas as much as possible.  A point listed as "6677" on the USGS topographic map provides the first real vantage point, and aligns perfectly with the state boundary line to the west.  Here I spent perhaps 30 minutes looking for any evidence that might indicate a boundary since this point sits at the edge of the shared area, but I found nothing.  From this point our route continued southeastward along a more forested ridge to another point wholly within Utah listed as "6941" on the map.  While we never did come across any survey monuments and/or markings to indicate a boundary, there is most likely evidence in places we did not look.  We ended up going a different route down the mountain than we did coming up – one which I don't recommend since we had to scale several barbed wire fences and cross private property.  Based on the route we took up, distance from the starting point to the 7,057-foot summit of Sheep Dip Mountain is approximately 4.0 miles one-way with an elevation gain of approximately 2,490 feet.

A Sego Lily (Utah State flower) blooms
along the route to Sheep Dip Mountain

Nevado de Toluca (Dream Hike List)

I thought I would jump off the beaten path for a post and describe a hike that I haven't been on yet, but wouldn't mind attempting if I were ever in the area again.  The place I'm referring to is the Nevado de Toluca area of south-central Mexico, which is located about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west-southwest of Mexico City.  While I have been to Mexico City before, I was with a package tour then, and I didn't have the time or means to take leave for very long.  Besides, I knew practically nothing about this mountain at the time and I understand very little Spanish to this day.  So what aroused my interest in this volcanic mountain?  I became fascinated with the two lakes in its caldera, which sit at an approximate elevation of 4,200 meters (13,780 feet), and the fact that they were known ceremonial and sacrificial sites during pre-Hispanic times.  Much of the west rim of the crater also rises above 4,500 meters (14,764 feet) elevation.  This is higher than any point in the Lower 48 United States, yet low enough for not having to contend with much perpetual snow.  However considered, it would be a place where acclimatizing to the altitude is necessary for "lowlanders" to do any serious hiking.  The nearby city of Toluca (officially named Toluca de Lerdo) sits at 2,667 meters (8,750 feet) above sea level – so spending a few days there should help acclimatize to the higher altitude.  In my case, I would also take a partner with me that understands Spanish much better than I do.

Approaching Nevado de Toluca from the
northwest – Photo credit: Rob Woodall

According to Google, the directions for reaching Nevado de Toluca are as follows: From Paseo Tollocan (Highway 15) in Toluca, take Paseo Cristobal Colon southward for approximately 1.9 kilometers (1.2 miles) and then turn right (west) onto Calzada del Pacifico.  Calzada del Pacifico eventually turns into Carretera Ciudad Altamirano-Toluca (Highway 134).  Continue westward along Highway 134 for about 13.4 kilometers (8.3 miles) and then turn left (southward) onto Highway 10 to Raices at the sign indicating the park and Volcan de Nevado de Toluca.  Follow this highway approximately 7.6 kilometers (4.7 miles) through Raices and veer to the left (east) on the gravel road leading up to the volcano.  Drive along the gravel road for another 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) to a fork where you will again veer to the left around a hairpin turn.  This road continues to climb the mountainside above the timberline to the trailhead, which is approximately another 10.5 kilometers (6.5 miles) beyond the hairpin turn.  It used to go all the way into the crater, but it has now been closed to motor vehicles to preserve the environment.  At the trailhead are several dwellings with sleeping space that can be rented for further acclimatizing to the altitude.

From the trailhead, the pathway climbs approximately 130 meters (427 feet) in the first kilometer (0.6 mile) to reach a saddle along the crater rim, which offers a spectacular view of the surrounding rim and lakes below.  The larger lake off to the right (west) is called Lago de El Sol (Lake of the Sun) while the smaller lake slightly to the left (south) is Lago de La Luna (Lake of the Moon).  A large lava dome separates the two lakes, and rises about 130 meters above Lake of the Sun.  Past the saddle, the trail descends approximately 90 meters (295 feet) to a point near the Lake of the Moon shoreline and then continues around the lava dome to a hut-like structure near the Lake of the Sun shoreline.  Along the southwest rim is the highest point of Nevado de Toluca, which is Pico del Fraile (Friar's Peak) at approximately 4,660 meters (15,288 feet) elevation.  Reaching the summit is most commonly achieved by ascending up the east ridge from the main trail – where some scrambling over rock is involved under dry conditions.  November through March provides the best time to hike Nevado de Toluca as this is the dry season in the area.  Keep in mind that temperatures in the crater are cold year-round, and that frost and snow can occur during any month.  Along with warm clothing, hikers to this area will often bring crampons and an ice axe as a precaution.

The trailhead area of Nevado de Toluca –
Photo credit: Stefan Kontradowitz

View of structure and Lake of the Sun
from the southeast side – Photo credit:
Jomillsjo via Wikipedia

South Willow Lake

One of the prettiest gems in the Stansbury Mountains is South Willow Lake.  Tucked away in an unnamed glacial cirque, this alpine lake is flanked by the rock faces of North and South Willow Peaks (not official names).  From a hiking perspective, South Willow Lake can only be seen from its shoreline, or from the surrounding viewpoints.  It provides a great retreat to a secluded spot for a picnic lunch, camping, fishing, or to simply get away from it all.

There are two main routes to access South Willow Lake.  A more direct, yet steeper route begins at the Medina Flat Trailhead of South Willow Canyon, which is just above the Boy Scout Campground to the north of the main road.  This route crosses a ridge into the Mining Fork of South Willow Canyon – where the drainage is basically followed up to the lake.  The route that I took however begins at the Loop Campground in South Willow Canyon along with other hikes in this mountain range.  To reach the trailhead where I started, follow the same directions listed in the previous post on North and South Willow Peaks.

View of the approach to South Willow
Lake below the unnamed cirque

The trail begins near the restrooms at the top of the Loop Campground and enters the Deseret Peak Wilderness Area several hundred feet beyond the information sign.  Once the trail crosses the streambed and splits at approximately 0.7 miles, take the right fork towards the Pockets Fork of South Willow Canyon.  Deseret Peak comes into view when the Dry Lake Fork streambed is crossed after another 0.6 miles, and the view basically remains unobstructed until the crest of the ridge is reached before Pockets Fork.  At approximately 1.4 miles beyond the first trail split, the trail splits again in the Pockets Fork drainage – where you will continue straight (northward) towards South Willow Lake.  From this point the trail terraces the mountainside around a second ridge and then drops into the Mining Fork drainage.  After crossing the Mining Fork streambed, the trail splits a third time where the left fork is taken (westward) for the final half-mile climb to the lake.  This stretch is the steepest part of the hike, which ascends about 460 feet to reach the 9,140-foot elevation of South Willow Lake.  Distance from the trailhead to South Willow Lake is approximately 3.6 miles one-way with an elevation gain of about 2,000 feet (taking into account a 460-foot gain after a 260-foot loss).

South Willow Lake as viewed
near the north shoreline

South Willow Lake as viewed
near the southeast extension