Draper Ridge Trail

[Taylor]

In the last couple of years, SLCO SAR has responded to several calls from "lost" hikers on Lone Peak. Most of them were from hikers who took the Draper Ridge trail on the way down instead of Jacob's Ladder. Lone Peak "regulars" know that trail is hard to follow and hasn't been maintained for many years. It looks really inviting up top at the junction with JL but disappears or fades into thick brush as it descends off the open ridge heading west. In reality the trail still exists and is easy to follow for long stretches and eventually connects to Corner Canyon road about a mile below the JL trail head.

A couple of us have been hiking the DR trail from the bottom up and doing some pruning and marking in an attempt to "rehab" the trail. There is only a few hundred feet in a couple of critical sections left to work on and it should be easy to follow from top to bottom. What the trail needs now is boots on the ground, kicking or scuffing where the grass and weeds grow. If you've ever wanted to hike Draper Ridge, go do it. Take a map and gps (and the skill to use them) as a backup. Climb-Utah has a great map of the mountain with all the major trails labeled.

Cheers,

Taylor

[Iceaxe]

Nice job! Draper Ridge was always one of my favorite trails and was much better than Jacobs Ladder.

FYI- I was told the forest service stop maintaining Draper Ridge because it crossed a section of private property. and that is also the reason they installed Cherry Canyon Trail.

[Scott P]

According to the Wasatch Mountain Club and the new Hiking the Wasatch book, the Draper Ridge Trail has been closed for restoration. The Trail of the Eagle and Cherry Canyon Trails were supposed to take it's place. I assume that this only may mean that the trail was going to be abandoned as far as official maintenance goes and that it's still OK to take (?). There is also some private land to cross, one of the reasons behind the closure.

That said, the first route I ever took up Lone Peak was the Draper Ridge. It is also my least favorite (at least in the summer time).

[Taylor]

I don't know about "closed for restoration". Any private property issues are similar to how Cherry Canyon and Jacobs Ladder both cross Draper Corporate boundaries before entering forest service land. What I do know is that Draper Ridge trail has continued to be used by trail runners, hikers, hunters, etc. and the lower section just above CC road even by mountain bikers. I also know that neither end of the trail has ever been signed as closed. I also know that without signage at the junction with Jacobs Ladder, hikers will continue to head west there rather than heading back down the special hell that is Jacobs Ladder. And they will continue to get "lost" without a couple of cairns or log piles innocently placed at critical places, pointing the way.

"Official maintenance" is an interesting concept to me. It seems most Wasatch trails are "maintained" solely by the effect of thousands of boots on them every year. I feel safe continuing my unofficial maintenance, particularly with my Sheriff's/SAR radio and badge in my pack:haha:.

[Iceaxe]

Any private property issues are similar to how Cherry Canyon and Jacobs Ladder both cross Draper Corporate boundaries before entering forest service land.

On that you would be wrong as Draper City is public. The Draper Ridge Trail crosses a section of private property, which is why the road up the side of the mountain exists in the first place, as it was originally constructed and used by the land owner to access his property. I don't know all of the details of why the Forest Service abandoned the Draper Ridge Trail, but it's not illegal to cross the private property and use the trail as it's not posted. I don't believe the actual trail is on Private Property, it's the road you hike up for the first mile or so that is at issue.

I only know all of this because Draper City asked permission to use my maps so the city could map their trails. The trail maps Draper City uses were all originally based on maps and GPS tracks that I supplied. This is all 15 years ago and at the time I mentioned Draper Ridge was falling into disrepair and required maintenance. This is when I was told the Forest service planned to be abandoned the Draper Ridge trail and why.



"Official maintenance" is an interesting concept to me. It seems most Wasatch trails are "maintained" solely by the effect of thousands of boots on them every year. I feel safe continuing my unofficial maintenance, particularly with my Sheriff's/SAR radio and badge in my pack.

Actually most trails in the Wasatch are maintained as they become over grown and difficult to follow without maintenance. In the old days the Forest Service would come in and trim the brush back every few years, which is why the Draper Ridge Trail was easy to follow.

On a personal note I'm happy to see the trail getting some attention as I would hate to see it disappear. If you bring the trail back to life I'll be happy to start promoting it again.

:2thumbs:

[Scott P]

I also know that neither end of the trail has ever been signed as closed.

Although the book says it's closed, it may just mean that it is abandoned.


Any private property issues are similar to how Cherry Canyon and Jacobs Ladder both cross Draper Corporate boundaries before entering forest service land.

Actually, on the Draper Ridge, the private land in question is after entering the Forest Service Land and isn't owned by Draper Corporate. If Shane's map is accurate in the location of the trail though (and I'm sure his map is correct), according to land usage maps, it's only a very short section that actually crosses the private land).

[Iceaxe]

If Shane's map is accurate in the location of the trail though (and I'm sure his map is correct), according to land usage maps, it's only a very short section that actually crosses the private land).

FWIW- my maps are from actual GPS tracks after hiking the trails.

Where do I find the land use map as I'm curious about the private property?

[Scott P]

Where do I find the land use map as I'm curious about the private property?

The newest online USGS maps show private (and state) land within the Forest Boundary as a slightly different shade.

http://listsofjohn.com/mapf?lat=40.5268&lon=-111.7562&z=14&d=y&d=r

It only works for Forest Service Land though. You have to look at a separate BLM map to show the BLM.

I assume that it's the little square that was the problem since the larger square of private land is also crossed by the Jacobs Ladder Trail.

Also, check out all the private land in the Cottonwood Canyons (left over from the mining days):

http://listsofjohn.com/mapf?lat=40.6008&lon=-111.646&z=14&d=y

[Scott P]

Private Lands within National Forest boundary highlighted in red:

83841

Blanked out in purple:

83842