Udink
07-21-2011, 01:40 PM
I hiked Mt. Ellen last weekend, camping at Wickiup Pass on Friday night and hitting the mountain the following morning. It was a leisurely hike, totaling seven miles in five hours. I was going to stay another night and hike Bull Mountain on Sunday, but a migraine on Saturday sent me home early. I still managed to take the long way home, a scenic drive through Capitol Reef National Park on UT-24, then north on UT-72 with nice views east into Cathedral Valley and the Last Chance Desert.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http:%2F%2Fudink.org%2Fgeo%2FMountEllen.kmz&hl=en&sll=38.209051,-110.915222&sspn=0.625863,1.352692&t=h&z=9
http://udink.org/geo/MountEllen.kmz
I took the Sawmill Basin Road into the Henrys from Hanksville, and overall that road was a bit rougher than the road coming up from Crescent Creek that I drove on last month. I reached Wickiup Pass fairly early in the evening, leaving plenty of time to set up camp and hike around the area. I killed time most of the evening reading a book, and I only saw a few vehicles pass by that evening. I slept poorly due to the wind, heat (it was still a bit warm at 9,240'), and cows walking through camp at night. I was up just after 7:00AM the next morning, and by 9:00 I'd driven up to Bull Creek Pass and started hiking.
Just after hitting the dirt road outside of Hanksville
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-96VIS6J9wvo/TiS-DBdvM7I/AAAAAAAATl4/JxVgzQS8yu8/s640/IMG_5059.JPG
Bull Mountain
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_CVl6bycPQM/TiS-GPuQ3jI/AAAAAAAATmE/l66dIeZ5wy0/s640/IMG_5067.JPG
Camp at Wickiup Pass
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-axWEuQSifmE/TiS-JYsWNII/AAAAAAAATmM/aBFBhHH9V3c/s640/IMG_5074.JPG
Wildflowers at camp
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-AfZsxsZX8Tg/TiS-OwoxuVI/AAAAAAAATmg/DOR5XHMJ-Yg/s640/IMG_5090.JPG
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I2sDLG4979g/TiS-P60TJDI/AAAAAAAATmk/IHL4nrpKHUo/s640/IMG_5096.JPG
1919 aspen carving
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-uyetPNtj7VY/TiS-TESPrFI/AAAAAAAATms/lOPB3uREhwk/s640/IMG_5104.JPG
Sunset through the trees
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_F8KJjxxtBU/TiS-erQ1nQI/AAAAAAAATnE/5BHWSNU8Z0E/s640/IMG_5125.JPG
Driving to Bull Creek Pass, Mt. Ellen in the background
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-doYlNz5vL3g/TiS-hOgHBII/AAAAAAAATnQ/hC80TFLTh8I/s640/IMG_5139.JPG
Trailhead at Bull Creek Pass
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qRuzUYLBp_s/TiS-josG1eI/AAAAAAAATnY/hZHWrQ2LN2o/s640/IMG_5146.JPG
The elevation gain on the hike is mild to moderate, with the only really steep section being the last push up to Mt. Ellen Peak. The trailhead is at 10,485', and the high point of both the Henry Mountains and Garfield County is at 11,522'. From the high point, continuing north, there is a saddle in which you lose over 400' of elevation, then gain it all back before hitting Mt. Ellen Peak at 11,506'. I saw some hunters early on the trail who were scouting for deer with spotting scopes. After hitting Mt. Ellen Peak and reversing course, I saw a couple in the saddle between peaks and chatted with them for a few minutes, then stopped at the high point to talk with a couple from Moab who had brought their < 2-year-old son with them. I talked with them for a while as I rested, then set off down the trail, with all of the major elevation gain behind me.
The beginning of the Mt. Ellen hike
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LYmONgP-sq4/TiS-msZ-smI/AAAAAAAATnk/PmvxirnEL7g/s640/IMG_5154.JPG
View into Capitol Reef from near the trailhead
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KwOGqfdVmw0/TiS-kUVJi0I/AAAAAAAATnc/kaRHP_42OFM/s640/IMG_5151.JPG
Plateaus between the Henry Mountains and Capitol Reef
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-No9qLs8VJ9w/TiS-nmh2LOI/AAAAAAAATno/HHJq8yXiesU/s640/IMG_5155.JPG
On the trail
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-QZKTGbfze9Q/TiS-qsU5keI/AAAAAAAATnw/dlE7etGIllw/s640/IMG_5165.JPG
Columbine
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lqTIygWpFQY/TiS-szfUYrI/AAAAAAAATn4/brby-_9PSYI/s640/IMG_5172.JPG
A snow drift on North Summit Ridge, with the high point and Mount Ellen Peak to the north
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D5BKVsxCZoU/TiS-vXm1pQI/AAAAAAAAToE/Q1YIwPy39xo/s640/IMG_5188.JPG
North Summit Ridge (foreground), South Summit Ridge (dark mountain, center), Navajo Mountain (faintly visible on horizon), and Capitol Reef (right)
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xkOSndpljrU/TiS-1x511GI/AAAAAAAAToc/iUOogCxMExg/s640/IMG_5205.JPG
View west from the high point
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NKTaz39xV2Q/TiS-4kaybMI/AAAAAAAATok/DBtaCjzSlak/s640/IMG_5210.JPG
View north from the high point, with summit register
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Mcap8A0wjow/TiS-6MsVNxI/AAAAAAAAToo/e767wjW858g/s640/IMG_5211.JPG
View north across the saddle to Mount Ellen Peak
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-CorYAIkGuME/TiS-70YajPI/AAAAAAAATo0/4M3Jw6_A-gI/s640/IMG_5222.JPG
The trail up Mt. Ellen Peak
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-DVVvN_3YjIY/TiS_Bl8Hy2I/AAAAAAAATpI/heqVjIJFzbs/s640/IMG_5238.JPG
Nearing the summit of Mt. Ellen Peak
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0sJrLlK_HWQ/TiS_DSFPWqI/AAAAAAAATpM/1z9uEr9_i50/s640/IMG_5243.JPG
View north from Mount Ellen Peak
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NCRPDc_6_y0/TiS_Htn_stI/AAAAAAAATpU/BKP243bgQug/s640/IMG_5253.JPG
After finishing the hike my headache worsened, so I returned to camp and had a quick lunch, took down the tent, and headed home. I stopped in Torrey to chat with @killer (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=9255) and for a photo op with my dog, Torrey. :) I enjoyed the scenery on the drive home, but I didn't make many stops. The view east from the summit along UT-72 was amazing, and sunset was definitely the right time to be there.
Morrsion Formation hill west of Hanksville, north of UT-24
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9YfZrzSupHk/TiS_NbfvPxI/AAAAAAAATpk/WJxh3Ed1I-g/s640/IMG_5268.JPG
Factory Butte
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-S9EkxLxc604/TiS_OzIUiPI/AAAAAAAATpo/XDPzTCWlgqc/s640/IMG_5270.JPG
I wanted to cross the Fremont here, but it was running a little too swiftly
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yirkv6obImk/TiS_RhaLfFI/AAAAAAAATpw/ZFTl6R-z4c8/s640/IMG_5274.JPG
Leaving Capitol Reef National Park, with Mt. Ellen in the background
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Up4tNqrWEDY/TiS_V8vZ4kI/AAAAAAAATp4/887R2z0n5bk/s640/IMG_5279.JPG
Torrey in Torrey
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-eFtSu9CWS0s/TiS_WudtwTI/AAAAAAAATp8/MOtQ299Ypd8/s640/IMG_5281.JPG
Views from the summit on UT-72
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Uz-z2wKx04Q/TiS_XS_YMKI/AAAAAAAATqA/mirr_pDJ98c/s640/IMG_5283.JPG
Solomon's Temple
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-I0hTd11qBUs/TiS_YUusAjI/AAAAAAAATqE/iAl4nrIioRM/s640/IMG_5284.JPG
Mt. Ellen
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d4YdhKa0C3k/TiS_ZOtKu3I/AAAAAAAATqI/zFM0PZS1RJo/s640/IMG_5285.JPG
Little Black Mountains
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3p8BCfMA_4k/TiS_aQ39bhI/AAAAAAAATqM/YBT7kPJDipw/s640/IMG_5288.JPG
Capitol Reef National Park
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yhGYGkLKqs8/TiS_bHqeqYI/AAAAAAAATqQ/VR9yFOyCFFs/s640/IMG_5289.JPG
Here's the entire photo gallery:
MountEllen
https://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/MountEllen#
And my blog entry:
http://udink.org/2011/07/20/mount-ellen/
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http:%2F%2Fudink.org%2Fgeo%2FMountEllen.kmz&hl=en&sll=38.209051,-110.915222&sspn=0.625863,1.352692&t=h&z=9
http://udink.org/geo/MountEllen.kmz
I took the Sawmill Basin Road into the Henrys from Hanksville, and overall that road was a bit rougher than the road coming up from Crescent Creek that I drove on last month. I reached Wickiup Pass fairly early in the evening, leaving plenty of time to set up camp and hike around the area. I killed time most of the evening reading a book, and I only saw a few vehicles pass by that evening. I slept poorly due to the wind, heat (it was still a bit warm at 9,240'), and cows walking through camp at night. I was up just after 7:00AM the next morning, and by 9:00 I'd driven up to Bull Creek Pass and started hiking.
Just after hitting the dirt road outside of Hanksville
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-96VIS6J9wvo/TiS-DBdvM7I/AAAAAAAATl4/JxVgzQS8yu8/s640/IMG_5059.JPG
Bull Mountain
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_CVl6bycPQM/TiS-GPuQ3jI/AAAAAAAATmE/l66dIeZ5wy0/s640/IMG_5067.JPG
Camp at Wickiup Pass
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-axWEuQSifmE/TiS-JYsWNII/AAAAAAAATmM/aBFBhHH9V3c/s640/IMG_5074.JPG
Wildflowers at camp
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-AfZsxsZX8Tg/TiS-OwoxuVI/AAAAAAAATmg/DOR5XHMJ-Yg/s640/IMG_5090.JPG
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I2sDLG4979g/TiS-P60TJDI/AAAAAAAATmk/IHL4nrpKHUo/s640/IMG_5096.JPG
1919 aspen carving
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-uyetPNtj7VY/TiS-TESPrFI/AAAAAAAATms/lOPB3uREhwk/s640/IMG_5104.JPG
Sunset through the trees
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_F8KJjxxtBU/TiS-erQ1nQI/AAAAAAAATnE/5BHWSNU8Z0E/s640/IMG_5125.JPG
Driving to Bull Creek Pass, Mt. Ellen in the background
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-doYlNz5vL3g/TiS-hOgHBII/AAAAAAAATnQ/hC80TFLTh8I/s640/IMG_5139.JPG
Trailhead at Bull Creek Pass
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qRuzUYLBp_s/TiS-josG1eI/AAAAAAAATnY/hZHWrQ2LN2o/s640/IMG_5146.JPG
The elevation gain on the hike is mild to moderate, with the only really steep section being the last push up to Mt. Ellen Peak. The trailhead is at 10,485', and the high point of both the Henry Mountains and Garfield County is at 11,522'. From the high point, continuing north, there is a saddle in which you lose over 400' of elevation, then gain it all back before hitting Mt. Ellen Peak at 11,506'. I saw some hunters early on the trail who were scouting for deer with spotting scopes. After hitting Mt. Ellen Peak and reversing course, I saw a couple in the saddle between peaks and chatted with them for a few minutes, then stopped at the high point to talk with a couple from Moab who had brought their < 2-year-old son with them. I talked with them for a while as I rested, then set off down the trail, with all of the major elevation gain behind me.
The beginning of the Mt. Ellen hike
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LYmONgP-sq4/TiS-msZ-smI/AAAAAAAATnk/PmvxirnEL7g/s640/IMG_5154.JPG
View into Capitol Reef from near the trailhead
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KwOGqfdVmw0/TiS-kUVJi0I/AAAAAAAATnc/kaRHP_42OFM/s640/IMG_5151.JPG
Plateaus between the Henry Mountains and Capitol Reef
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-No9qLs8VJ9w/TiS-nmh2LOI/AAAAAAAATno/HHJq8yXiesU/s640/IMG_5155.JPG
On the trail
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-QZKTGbfze9Q/TiS-qsU5keI/AAAAAAAATnw/dlE7etGIllw/s640/IMG_5165.JPG
Columbine
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lqTIygWpFQY/TiS-szfUYrI/AAAAAAAATn4/brby-_9PSYI/s640/IMG_5172.JPG
A snow drift on North Summit Ridge, with the high point and Mount Ellen Peak to the north
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D5BKVsxCZoU/TiS-vXm1pQI/AAAAAAAAToE/Q1YIwPy39xo/s640/IMG_5188.JPG
North Summit Ridge (foreground), South Summit Ridge (dark mountain, center), Navajo Mountain (faintly visible on horizon), and Capitol Reef (right)
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xkOSndpljrU/TiS-1x511GI/AAAAAAAAToc/iUOogCxMExg/s640/IMG_5205.JPG
View west from the high point
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-NKTaz39xV2Q/TiS-4kaybMI/AAAAAAAATok/DBtaCjzSlak/s640/IMG_5210.JPG
View north from the high point, with summit register
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Mcap8A0wjow/TiS-6MsVNxI/AAAAAAAAToo/e767wjW858g/s640/IMG_5211.JPG
View north across the saddle to Mount Ellen Peak
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-CorYAIkGuME/TiS-70YajPI/AAAAAAAATo0/4M3Jw6_A-gI/s640/IMG_5222.JPG
The trail up Mt. Ellen Peak
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-DVVvN_3YjIY/TiS_Bl8Hy2I/AAAAAAAATpI/heqVjIJFzbs/s640/IMG_5238.JPG
Nearing the summit of Mt. Ellen Peak
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0sJrLlK_HWQ/TiS_DSFPWqI/AAAAAAAATpM/1z9uEr9_i50/s640/IMG_5243.JPG
View north from Mount Ellen Peak
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NCRPDc_6_y0/TiS_Htn_stI/AAAAAAAATpU/BKP243bgQug/s640/IMG_5253.JPG
After finishing the hike my headache worsened, so I returned to camp and had a quick lunch, took down the tent, and headed home. I stopped in Torrey to chat with @killer (http://www.bogley.com/forum/member.php?u=9255) and for a photo op with my dog, Torrey. :) I enjoyed the scenery on the drive home, but I didn't make many stops. The view east from the summit along UT-72 was amazing, and sunset was definitely the right time to be there.
Morrsion Formation hill west of Hanksville, north of UT-24
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9YfZrzSupHk/TiS_NbfvPxI/AAAAAAAATpk/WJxh3Ed1I-g/s640/IMG_5268.JPG
Factory Butte
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-S9EkxLxc604/TiS_OzIUiPI/AAAAAAAATpo/XDPzTCWlgqc/s640/IMG_5270.JPG
I wanted to cross the Fremont here, but it was running a little too swiftly
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yirkv6obImk/TiS_RhaLfFI/AAAAAAAATpw/ZFTl6R-z4c8/s640/IMG_5274.JPG
Leaving Capitol Reef National Park, with Mt. Ellen in the background
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Up4tNqrWEDY/TiS_V8vZ4kI/AAAAAAAATp4/887R2z0n5bk/s640/IMG_5279.JPG
Torrey in Torrey
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-eFtSu9CWS0s/TiS_WudtwTI/AAAAAAAATp8/MOtQ299Ypd8/s640/IMG_5281.JPG
Views from the summit on UT-72
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Uz-z2wKx04Q/TiS_XS_YMKI/AAAAAAAATqA/mirr_pDJ98c/s640/IMG_5283.JPG
Solomon's Temple
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-I0hTd11qBUs/TiS_YUusAjI/AAAAAAAATqE/iAl4nrIioRM/s640/IMG_5284.JPG
Mt. Ellen
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d4YdhKa0C3k/TiS_ZOtKu3I/AAAAAAAATqI/zFM0PZS1RJo/s640/IMG_5285.JPG
Little Black Mountains
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3p8BCfMA_4k/TiS_aQ39bhI/AAAAAAAATqM/YBT7kPJDipw/s640/IMG_5288.JPG
Capitol Reef National Park
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yhGYGkLKqs8/TiS_bHqeqYI/AAAAAAAATqQ/VR9yFOyCFFs/s640/IMG_5289.JPG
Here's the entire photo gallery:
MountEllen
https://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/MountEllen#
And my blog entry:
http://udink.org/2011/07/20/mount-ellen/