A Hike I did Today.

[Bo_Beck]

I have looked at Red Butte for many years as I was driving up the Kolob Road. I always felt it to be a magnificent landmark... so alone, and seemingly out of place? It is a "Thumb", whereas all other mountains show a tabletop in the vicinity. I wondered if I could get on top? Today after an invite from Courtney and DB I wonder no more! What a totally aesthetic hike/climb...and the views, WOW! Other than Courtney wishing he had worn long pants (3' of snow on the approach), and me wishing I had worn climbing gloves (lost a pint of blood)....the hike/climb was more than we had ever dreamt for!

[Felicia]

Very nice Bo! Looks like you had a great day! :nod:

[sparker1]

Thanks for the good TR and pix, Bo. I enjoy your adventures.

[Bo_Beck]

Very nice Bo! Looks like you had a great day! :nod:

It was a great day, good company and a wonderful adventure. I have looked at this "Pyramid" for a long time and to finally achieve it is like a breath of fresh air! The climb at the top was the icing on the cake! Thanks Felicia!

[Bo_Beck]

Thanks for the good TR and pix, Bo. I enjoy your adventures.

One of these days we may enjoy an adventure together! Thanx!

[Bo_Beck]

This was Courtneys 49th "Peak-Bag" in and just outside Zion. The man is obsessed! Good-on-Im! Hope I can share more.....We're talking East Temple soon...We'll see!

[Cirrus2000]

Excellent! Looks like a very cool spot. How was the technical difficulty?

[Bo_Beck]

Excellent! Looks like a very cool spot. How was the technical difficulty?

Mostly 3rd and a bit of 4th until 100' below the summit. 5th class at maybe 5.5/6? Pretty exposed and not much pro., but easy moves. Nice chimney low. :2thumbs:

[Win]

Thanks Bo, great TR and pics. I love that area, Yo and I were up there last week scouting for some Spring hikes. Seems like a lot of pullouts with possibilities for some off trail or drainage hiking.

Win

[Bo_Beck]

Thanks Bo, great TR and pics. I love that area, Yo and I were up there last week scouting for some Spring hikes. Seems like a lot of pullouts with possibilities for some off trail or drainage hiking.

Win

There is a lot of ground up there for sure! We were on almost primarily BLM Ground with a few smatherings of private land. Glad you liked the pics Win! I took about a 20 shot panorama from the very summit. Wish I knew how to mend them together and make a interactive panorama?

[Win]

Try this one, Bo, free and I've used it before. I thought Canon's Photostitch program was a free download but I didn't find it.

http://www.cs.ubc.ca/%7Embrown/autostitch/autostitch.html

Win

[Bo_Beck]

Try this one, Bo, free and I've used it before. I thought Canon's Photostitch program was a free download but I didn't find it.

http://www.cs.ubc.ca/%7Embrown/autostitch/autostitch.html

Win

Thanks Win! I'll give it a go!

[Randi]

I have looked at Red Butte for many years as I was driving up the Kolob Road. I always felt it to be a magnificent landmark... so alone, and seemingly out of place? It is a "Thumb", whereas all other mountains show a tabletop in the vicinity. I wondered if I could get on top? Today after an invite from Courtney and DB I wonder no more! What a totally aesthetic hike/climb...and the views, WOW! Other than Courtney wishing he had worn long pants (3' of snow on the approach), and me wishing I had worn climbing gloves (lost a pint of blood)....the hike/climb was more than we had ever dreamt for!

Looks great Bo! In the third pic you posted, it looks like there's an arch up there on the Butte. Did you get a close up view of that? How long did it take you to do the hike? And do you know approx. how many miles you put in?

DB looks COOOOLD in that pic of her cuddling up to Courtney! :cold:

~Randi

[tanya]

Looks Fun! -- and DB and Courtney are wonderful to hang out with and hike with! :2thumbs: :five:

[Bo_Beck]

Looks great Bo! In the third pic you posted, it looks like there's an arch up there on the Butte. Did you get a close up view of that? How long did it take you to do the hike? And do you know approx. how many miles you put in?

DB looks COOOOLD in that pic of her cuddling up to Courtney! :cold:

~Randi[/quote]

There is an arch on the eastern side of Red Butte. It reminds me a bit like Bridge Mountain Arch "Crawford Arch". We saw the arch for a while on the approach and for a while when we were on the slabs, but it soon dissapeared. I couldn't see it from on top.

I think we spent maybe a total of 6-6 1/2 hours on the hike/climb. I believe it was maybe 5 miles round trip?

It was a bit windy and cloudy and had a certain chill in the air. I think DB was content to begin the descent and get out of the wind! :2thumbs:

[Bo_Beck]

Looks Fun! -- and DB and Courtney are wonderful to hang out with and hike with! :2thumbs: :five:

Ah yes, they certainly are! :2thumbs:

[canyonquest]

We were on almost primarily BLM Ground with a few smatherings of private land.
So it was cool because you were mostly not trespassing? I know Courtney likes to single out those forbidden peaks, but it's disturbing to see such a lax attitude from someone who in essence represents the Park Service.

[Bo_Beck]

We were on almost primarily BLM Ground with a few smatherings of private land.
So it was cool because you were mostly not trespassing? I know Courtney likes to single out those forbidden peaks, but it's disturbing to see such a lax attitude from someone who in essence represents the Park Service.

I asked the park about the private property issues. The land is used for grazing. There is a gate at the entrance of the dirt road. It has a BLM sign on it and there are not any private property signs at all. If the land owners were to have issues about people accessing the land, they would probably put up fences and signs? There are ATV tracks accessing many of the areas. The parcels of private land are patches apparently with no clear markings as to what is private or public. I just know that there is private land out there because I asked the park and they told me.

[Bo_Beck]

We were on almost primarily BLM Ground with a few smatherings of private land.
So it was cool because you were mostly not trespassing? I know Courtney likes to single out those forbidden peaks, but it's disturbing to see such a lax attitude from someone who in essence represents the Park Service.

FWIW...had there been any signs or fences to indicate that it was private land I would not have tresspassed. I didn't know that there was some private land in the area until I asked the park on the sunday following the hike. And for all I know I didn't even set foot on private land at all?

[Iceaxe]

Nice Bo, I have admired that peak often. :2thumbs:

FWIW: It's not trespassing unless it's properly signed or you are asked to leave. And seldom is private property posted correctly (a sign at the entrance is not enough).

Below is the info passed out by the state of Utah with regards to fishing and hunting. Same rules apply to hiking, climbing and canyoneering...

Trespass laws of specific interest to hunters and anglers

1. Written permission is required to enter or cross properly posted private property.

2. Written permission is also required to access unposted private property if:

- The soil has been loosened or broken up for the raising of crops
- There are crops on the land
- The land is a pasture irrigated by a sprinkling system or ditches

3. In addition, those taking wildlife while trespassing may be charged with an additional Class B Misdemeanor for illegally taking wildlife. The harvested wildlife is also subject to seizure.

Much more here for those interested.

Trespass Guide
http://www.cwmuutahwildlife.org/trespass.htm

:cool2:

[Bo_Beck]

Nice Bo, I have admired that peak often. :2thumbs:

FWIW: It's not trespassing unless it's properly signed or you are asked to leave. And seldom is private property posted correctly (a sign at the entrance is not enough).

Below is the info passed out by the state of Utah with regards to fishing and hunting. Same rules apply to hiking, climbing and canyoneering...

Trespass laws of specific interest to hunters and anglers

1. Written permission is required to enter or cross properly posted private property.

2. Written permission is also required to access unposted private property if:

- The soil has been loosened or broken up for the raising of crops
- There are crops on the land
- The land is a pasture irrigated by a sprinkling system or ditches

3. In addition, those taking wildlife while trespassing may be charged with an additional Class B Misdemeanor for illegally taking wildlife. The harvested wildlife is also subject to seizure.

Much more here for those interested.

Trespass Guide
http://www.cwmuutahwildlife.org/trespass.htm

:cool2:

Thanks Shane! It was a really fun route, and I actually would like to go back and do it again. I think Courtney echoes my sentiments which says something. He rarely repeats a route unless he feels it to be very special.

As for private property....no issues there. I don't believe the landowners even use their land any more and the BLM has the BLM gate wide open. I'm sure if the landowners that have a few patches of land somewhere out there in that wide open valley had issues, they would figure out a way of marking and posting their land? I believe that there are only a couple of small patches of private land anyway? I will have to run into the recorders office and see if I can locate the private parcels, if in fact they are still private? Could be they traded their lands to the BLM for other better land?

[Jaxx]

We were on almost primarily BLM Ground with a few smatherings of private land.
So it was cool because you were mostly not trespassing? I know Courtney likes to single out those forbidden peaks, but it's disturbing to see such a lax attitude from someone who in essence represents the Park Service.

way to jump to conclusions there Sherlock. Atleast you checked into things before throwing shit at someone.

[Iceaxe]

Bo, How hard did you look for other routes to the summit? I asked about the peak once and was told it's a scramble.....

Which I guess can mean anything from we used our hands to we didn't fall and die.

:cool2:

[Bo_Beck]

Bo, How hard did you look for other routes to the summit? I asked about the peak once and was told it's a scramble.....

Which I guess can mean anything from we used our hands to we didn't fall and die.

:cool2:

We approached from the south. Once at the slickrock we picked what we thought to be the easiest. A lot of zigzagging to bypass cliff bands. Mostly easy 3rd and 4th class with an occasional 5th class move or two. Once we arrived at the south east corner and 100' below the summit, it became somewhat vertical. I led up and around a corner to get into a chimney and went up maybe 50'. I belayed Courtney and DB up to my stance on a pedestal. Courtney then went up a 10' face to a 25' scramble to the summit. Maybe 5.5 or 5.6 climbing? Not very good rock protection placements. I used 1 piece of gear in the 60' or so and courtney used 2 pieces. Not that the pro would have done any good on that soft sandstone :haha:

In answer to your question...mostly scrambling until the last 100'. I am sure there could be other routes on the south side, but I would think they would be Climbing routes. The east side is definately climbing route material. I didn't see the north or west sides but I'm told the north side is pretty steep? Don't know what the west side might offer?

Fun route we did and if you ever might be interested in going up let me know...I'd love to go up again and I think you'd enjoy it as well! :2thumbs:

[cp0915]

We were on almost primarily BLM Ground with a few smatherings of private land.
...I know Courtney likes to single out those forbidden peaks...

Careful, brother, making assumptions. Curiosity does not necessarily equate to action.

[canyonquest]

way to jump to conclusions there Sherlock. Atleast you checked into things before throwing shit at someone.
So I checked my maps last night. All that private property I had assumed was surrounding this peak was actually one township section further to the west. Indeed I am an ass. I humbly beg forgiveness from Bo and company for my wild accusations.

[Jaxx]

way to jump to conclusions there Sherlock. Atleast you checked into things before throwing shit at someone.
So I checked my maps last night. All that private property I had assumed was surrounding this peak was actually one township section further to the west. Indeed I am an ass. I humbly beg forgiveness from Bo and company for my wild accusations.

Wow! I did not expect that. Am I on the wrong forum :haha: . I will also apologize for my tone. I didn't need to be so dramatic. Thanks for taking the high road, you are top notch in my book!

[Bo_Beck]

way to jump to conclusions there Sherlock. Atleast you checked into things before throwing shit at someone.
So I checked my maps last night. All that private property I had assumed was surrounding this peak was actually one township section further to the west. Indeed I am an ass. I humbly beg forgiveness from Bo and company for my wild accusations.

No forgiveness needed here! I'm prone to make mistakes occasionally, but I try awfully hard not to make them on purpose. You ought to check out the route. It is really fun and I bet you'd enjoy it! :five:

[tanya]

I have Bo's Red Butte Trail Description online now.
http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-red-butte.htm

[tanya]

I just finished the photo album from Bo's, Courtney's and DB's Hike.

Bo -- those photos from the top of the mountain are outstanding!!!!

Good Stuff Guys!


http://www.zionnational-park.com/images/album2/index65.htm

[cp0915]

Yeah, I think we were all pleased with the Red Butte climb overall, as well as the stunning views from the top. A nice, small summit too...though Moqui Peak's summit is much smaller!

[Bo_Beck]

I just finished the photo album from Bo's, Courtney's and DB's Hike.

Bo -- those photos from the top of the mountain are outstanding!!!!

Good Stuff Guys!


http://www.zionnational-park.com/images/album2/index65.htm

Thanks Tanya! The top of Red Butte certainly does sport some great views! Woody took some photos from on top at sunset that were absolutely amazing of the West Temple. One of these days we'll have to go back up top and let you work some magic with that "photographers eye" of yours! :nod:

[tanya]

I just finished the photo album from Bo's, Courtney's and DB's Hike.

Bo -- those photos from the top of the mountain are outstanding!!!!

Good Stuff Guys!


http://www.zionnational-park.com/images/album2/index65.htm

Thanks Tanya! The top of Red Butte certainly does sport some great views! Woody took some photos from on top at sunset that were absolutely amazing of the West Temple. One of these days we'll have to go back up top and let you work some magic with that "photographers eye" of yours! :nod:

Since I have not be up to West Temple I would love to do that one. :2thumbs: