I've finally got the Lone Peak climb on the calendar. Advice needed.

My son and I are planning on tackling Lone Peak on August 1st. I'm sure I'll have a bunch of questions, but the one that's concerning me the most right now is the class 3 scrambling. I'm not really sure what that means...I need a comparison. For example, Olympus, which I've climbed, has some scrambling near the top...is it comparable? The other thing is, just how hard is this hike compared to other steep hikes like Oly and Bells Canyon? If you don't think I can make it at 53 and being in really good shape for my age, I'd like to know now, before I get on the trail.

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For example, Olympus, which I've climbed, has some scrambling near the top...is it comparable?

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No, Lone Peak is much harder. It's still not bad, but it's certainly harder than Olympus.

PS, early August isn't the best time to climb Lone. No matter which route you choose, it's going to be hot down low. September is usually better.

Lone Peak is hairy enough I wont take my Scouts there. It spooked me, but I have an aversion to falling to my death.

I would not want to be there in a cloud or rain or snow, all of which I did in September a few years ago, but Jacobs ladder was pure HELL in the morning as it was 90 plus in the morning till a storm blew in.

PS, I think LP is some of the best scenery in Utah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A must do!

I did it in my late 30's in really bad shape, so 50 in good shape is a breeze, but I am pretty sure youll be feeling it for a few days!

Lone Peak is a big step up from Olympus. I'd wait until mid September to climb it. The scrambling is not difficult, but a fall would be fatal. Also, route finding is important, particularly on the way down. Lots of folks get lost when they miss locating the trail on the way down. As for age 53 should be no problem if you are in shape.

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Originally Posted by Iceaxe

Lone Peak is a big step up from Olympus. I'd wait until mid September to climb it. The scrambling is not difficult, but a fall would be fatal. Also, route finding is important, particularly on the way down. Lots of folks get lost when they miss locating the trail on the way down. As for age 53 should be no problem if you are in shape.

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Of course I realize overall Lone Peak is a big step up, but in particular, the scrambling part...Oly has some scrambling near the top that also would be quite dangerous if you slipped and fell on certain portions--maybe even fatal, though no sheer drop offs. I guess what I'm getting at is, ignoring the possibility of fatality, are the actual scrambles tougher on LP?

The scrambling on Olympus is nothing like the scrambling on Lone Peak. For the most part the scrambling on Oly consists of using your hands in a couple of places and a slip would most likely result in skinned knees and elbows. On Lone Peak you will be hanging your butt out into space with a 300' drop below you. If heights unnerve you Lone Peak will cause you problems.

If you want to work up to Lone Peak try the Pfeifferhorn. The time commitment to the Pfeifferhorn is equal to that of Olympus. The scrambling and exposure on the Pfeifferhorn is roughly half that of Lone Peak. The scrambling difficulty of the Pfeifferhorn is about equal to Lone Peak, but the amount of scrambling required on Lone Peak is about twice that of the Pfeifferhorn.

I really don't know what else to compare Lone Peak to.... The exposure and length is about equal to the Devil's Castle Traverse, but Devil's castle is more difficult technique wise. The Superior Ridge Scramble is about equal to what you will find on Lone Peak, but Superior ridge is much longer.

None of it is hard or death defying if you use commonsense and take your time on the exposed ridge.

Anyhoo.... that's my two cents worth.

FWIW: I live at the base of Lone Peak and climb it a couple times each year, and I'm 52 :stud:

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Originally Posted by Iceaxe

The scrambling on Olympus is nothing like the scrambling on Lone Peak. For the most part the scrambling on Oly consists of using your hands in a couple of places and a slip would most likely result in skinned knees and elbows. On Lone Peak you will be hanging your butt out into space with a 300' drop below you. If heights unnerve you Lone Peak will cause you problems.

If you want to work up to Lone Peak try the Pfeifferhorn. The time commitment to the Pfeifferhorn is equal to that of Olympus. The scrambling and exposure on the Pfeifferhorn is roughly half that of Lone Peak. The scrambling difficulty of the Pfeifferhorn is about equal to Lone Peak, but the amount of scrambling required on Lone Peak is about twice that of the Pfeifferhorn.

I really don't know what else to compare Lone Peak to.... The exposure and length is about equal to the Devil's Castle Traverse, but Devil's castle is more difficult technique wise. The Superior Ridge Scramble is about equal to what you will find on Lone Peak, but Superior ridge is much longer.

None of it is hard or death defying if you use commonsense and take your time on the exposed ridge.

Anyhoo.... that's my two cents worth.

FWIW: I live at the base of Lone Peak and climb it a couple times each year, and I'm 52 :stud:

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Thanks, Ice. When I was much younger I used to do all the foolish "go anywhere" climbing stuff, but over the past thirty years or so have not really done much of it, and certainly nothing hanging out over open space like that, so that's why I'm trying to pin down exactly what it's like before I go. Yeah, it makes me nervous, but not just for me...my son will be going (he's 27 and in good shape, but with two youngsters at home) and if anything happened to him I'd feel responsible. And now I have to think about who's going to care for my disabled wife if something bad should happen to me. That makes me maybe overly cautious--especially since I climbed up Olympus between the peaks years ago, and I've climbed in dangerous stuff in the Storm Mountain area when I was younger too. So maybe I wasn't cautious enough then and I have more people to worry about now. I don't know what it is, but I think you're right and I'm going to try the Pfeifferhorn first. Anyhow, I hate sounding like a wimp, but I hope I've explained why I sound like a wimp from time to time..:lol8:

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Thanks, Ice. When I was much younger I used to do all the foolish "go anywhere" climbing stuff, but over the past thirty years or so have not really done much of it, and certainly nothing hanging out over open space like that, so that's why I'm trying to pin down exactly what it's like before I go. Yeah, it makes me nervous, but not just for me...my son will be going (he's 27 and in good shape, but with two youngsters at home) and if anything happened to him I'd feel responsible. And now I have to think about who's going to care for my disabled wife if something bad should happen to me.

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Although much harder than Olympus, Lone Peak really isn't that bad. I know people who climb it with their little kids:

http://kidsuperhiker.com/wp-content/...8/100_0219.JPG

I wouldn't hesitate taking my kids up there. Chances are climbing Lone Peak (as long as you don't do something dumb) will extend, not shorten your life. In a normal life at least, the absolutely most dangerous thing you can do is to sit at home on your duff. When the weather cools off, I'd recommend at least trying it.

Trying the Pfeifferhorn first would be an excellent choice. Storm Mountain from Ferguson as well, though it's also better to wait until it cools down.

FWIW here is the fire closure for the Quail fire. It looks like it might affect the Draper ridge route.
http://www.utahfireinfo.gov/fire_inf...osureOrder.pdf

Rebel,

I'm game for the Pfeifferhorn or lone peak if you don't mind me tagging along. In May I attempted White Baldy alone after work and was forced to do some pretty gnarly scrambling with a lot of snow. I'll be in the Uintas the first week of August, but I'll keep an eye on your posts and maybe we could meet up some time.

I don't mean to scare you away from Lone Peak, it's an awesome summit. I just wanted you to understand it was a step up from Olympus. Just use good old commonsense and you will be fine. A couple hundred people ranging from kids to grand parents climb it every year and 99% of the rescues are getting lost.

A good route description is here:
http://climb-utah.com/WM/lonepeak.htm

Enjoy.

I agree with everyone else about waiting until September. I have only attempted the hike once, and that was in August. I will never make that mistake again! I headed up Jacob's Ladder and was pretty beat by the heart by the time I hit the draper ridge. I made it to the cirque (which, by the way, it's a great consolation if not making the summit), where I apparently hung out and enjoyed the scenery too much, because on my way up the summit ridge, I saw a huge lightning and thunder storm coming across utah lake directly at the peak...needless to say I turned back and got below treeline quickly! Haven't been back yet, though it is still high on my list!

Another home you could do that I think may give some of the exposure is the beat out hike, although that is a very long day...worthwhile though. After summitingg the pfeif, you continue down the back side, across Chipman's, across the lightening ridge (which can be exposed with some good scrambling if you stay on the ridge proper), to the top of North Thunder Mountain, and down Bells.

Either way, Lone Peak is worth the attempt, because just making the cirque makes the hike worthwhile!

Enjoy and good luck!

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

I found this video of the summit ridge. Doesn't look too bad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdkg-2BgEoc

Hey, thanks all of you for the tips and encouragement. I think I'll try and talk my son into doing the Pfeifferhorn on August 1st, and if all goes well, do Lone Peak in September sometime. I've done harder stuff than what Riseform's picture depicts--and recently. I just hate getting all the way up near the top of something and having to turn back, like I had to with Raymond earlier this spring.

That's a good video of the summit ridge. As I said, it's not hard, but a fall would have major penalty points.

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Originally Posted by Iceaxe

That's a good video of the summit ridge. As I said, it's not hard, but a fall would have major penalty points.

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Thanks. Okay, I know I can do that now--especially since the guy there did it and carried his trekking poles in one hand nearly the entire time. I did notice that he didn't look down off the side of the mountain hardly at all during that climb, but the brief glimpse I got of it was like, "whoa!". It looks amazing and I hope to make it there in September.

So, what's the best Lone Peak route? Jacob's Ladder? I thought the Cherry Canyon/Bear Canyon route was a little longer but not as steep and had a spring that one could count on along the way for filling water reservoirs. I also heard that the cabin is easier to visit along that route.

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Originally Posted by Wasatch Rebel

So, what's the best Lone Peak route? Jacob's Ladder? I thought the Cherry Canyon/Bear Canyon route was a little longer but not as steep and had a spring that one could count on along the way for filling water reservoirs. I also heard that the cabin is easier to visit along that route.

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I vote Bear Canyon.. then again I always enjoyed staying the night near outlaw cabin (or in :) ), doing a early summit to see the sunrise from the top and then head out.

Given the super dry and hot conditions there currently isn't much water up any of the normal trails so be prepared. I was up at the cabin last week and normally there is still a stream that gives you nice cold water to refill, but not this year. Snakes are more abundantly found this year as well. I consider Jacob's Ladder the "easiest" route since it's not as steep initially and you cut down some of the vertical climbing because, well, you start higher. Big Willow is probably my favorite route, but climbing the north face rock slide is brutal and overall it's the steepest.

This is a shot from last week just above the cabin. (FYI...there is a great geocache near the cabin)

Attachment 56154

Trail of the Eagle is a nice route that takes you to the cabin. It also provides a bit of shade on the way up, but not much. I believe the cabin is at nearly 9000ft, so from the start of the trail head to that point you've done nearly 4500 vertical feet of climbing/hiking. Leaving you with another 2200+ ft. I've started at 6:00 a.m. via Big Willow and stood at the top at 10:30 a.m. Ate lunch, then came down and was at the truck at about 2:30. That's booking it!! No matter the trail this year, it's very dry. Lots and lots of loose rock right now making the hike down subject to lots of sliding.

For me, the difficulty of the scramble to the top is more of an intimidation factor than it is really all that hard. It causes you to focus on the task at hand.

Here is a picture from my most favorite trip up Lone Peak on Memorial Day 2010. I really want to do this again!

http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r.../Lonepeak1.jpg

Others may disagree, but I thought the Alpine/Hammongog route was the easiest, except for the very last traverse between the South and North Summits. The Wasatch Mountain Club and their guidebooks rate it as the easiest route as well.

I've climbed all the routes.... and if tagging the summit is your main objective than Jacobs ladder is the route you want. It is the shortest and most simplistic to the summit. The outlaw cabin adds time and distance to the summit so tag it on the way down or save it for anther day. The cabin from trail of th eagle or cherry canyon is a great hike by itself.

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Originally Posted by Scott P

Others may disagree, but I thought the Alpine/Hammongog route was the easiest, except for the very last traverse between the South and North Summits.

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I'll disagree. The lower portion of the route may be easier, but once you pass the second hamongog it's brutally steep! I'd much rather get the steep climb over with in the early morning on Jacob's Ladder when it's still cool and then have a flatter climb up into the cirque, enjoying the cool air above 9000'.

Easy climb, IMHO -- even once at the top, bush whacking across the creek to the summit (way off the beaten trail).

I'm curious to know what the fire damaged up there. Photos please.

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Originally Posted by Wasatch Rebel

So, what's the best Lone Peak route? Jacob's Ladder? I thought the Cherry Canyon/Bear Canyon route was a little longer but not as steep and had a spring that one could count on along the way for filling water reservoirs. I also heard that the cabin is easier to visit along that route.

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Start in the corner of Alpine via the Lone Peak Wilderness trail (aka Dry Creek), then once you run out of trail, start the bush-wacking (or is the term scrambling now)..

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Originally Posted by BruteForce

Start in the corner of Alpine via the Lone Peak Wilderness trail (aka Dry Creek), then once you run out of trail, start the bush-wacking (or is the term scrambling now)..

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Dry creek trailhead is almost a mile away from the Hamongog Route trailhead. If you follow Dry Creek you will end up over the hill at Granite Flat in AF Canyon. Both trails actually take you into Lone Peak Wilderness, so make sure you know the route if you're heading for the peak.

Lots of Geocaches that can be plotted that will lead you to the top!

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Originally Posted by BruteForce

Lots of Geocaches that can be plotted that will lead you to the top!

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That's a thought...but I might spend too much time looking for the geocaches and never make it to the top.:haha:

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Originally Posted by BruteForce

Start in the corner of Alpine via the Lone Peak Wilderness trail (aka Dry Creek), then once you run out of trail, start the bush-wacking (or is the term scrambling now)..

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I always thought of bushwhacking as cutting through thick brush, instead of being on the trail.

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Originally Posted by Wasatch Rebel

I always thought of bushwhacking as cutting through thick brush, instead of being on the trail.

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If approaching from the Alpine side (Dry Creek), the trail will end at a nice plateau, then its bush whacking and no trail the remainder of the way. Loads of rock scrambling, getting scraped up, etc.

I was able to get my fifth summit over the weekend. I have been once up through Orson Smith, 3 times up Jacob's Ladder and once from Alpine. I enjoyed the hike the most from Alpine, although it is longer and I didn't care for the sketchy traverse over a snow bridge from the south peak to the main peak.

Attachment 57098

Not sure that is really applicable this time of year. However, my guess is that the traverse would be much worse on rock to get from the south to the main summit.

I will say, the key to this hike is starting early. From the Jacob's Ladder trail head, we started at 5am, summit by 9am, back to the car by 12:30. Our pace wasn't super fast and we took a few breaks and tanked up on water on the way down.

Kids??? It would make me nervous. Not so much due to the technical ridge line but the exposure if something were to happen. If you want to give your kids a good experience, there are many other climbs out there that would suffice. +1 for Pfeif.

If you have not been up there before you should find someone to guide you. I came across many groups Saturday morning that had no idea where they were. Two guys followed us out because they had gotten lost and approached from the south and never made it to the peak and then weren't sure how to get back. Route finding is tricky because there are no clear trails up above as it straddles a lot of granite.

With all that said. Lone Peak is an awesome area and a highly recomended hike. No matter how you do it, it's 6,000' + of climbing and is a grunt in both directions.

I still haven't managed to go up there, but I'm planning to this Friday. Aren't there any cairns up there to mark the trail? I've done both Kings and Nebo this year...any comparisons as to physical difficulty?

Cairns just mean the guy before you was lost. Route finding once you reach the cirque is the tricky part, most folks get lost on the way back down because they fail to realize you must climb back over a small ridge to exit the crique and regain the trail. The route is on my website complete with GPS waypoints, that should make navigation simple.


Tap'n on my smart phone.

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I've done both Kings and Nebo this year...any comparisons as to physical difficulty?

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Since you only did the northern route to the northern summit of Nebo, be aware that Lone Peak will be much more strenuous because of the elevation gain and scrambling. Kings Peak is easier, but longer than Lone Peak.

The peak isn't difficult or technical though. Lots of people do it every year. It certainly wouldn't hurt to try it.

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Originally Posted by Iceaxe

Cairns just mean the guy before you was lost. Route finding once you reach the cirque is the tricky part, most folks get lost on the way back down because they fail to realize you must climb back over a small ridge to exit the crique and regain the trail. The route is on my website complete with GPS waypoints, that should make navigation simple.


Tap'n on my smart phone.

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My favorite saying! Whenever I am on a route and someone in my group points out a cairn, I quickly respond "lost hikers build cairns too!"

Definitely go for it. I have been stormed off the mountain twice before finally summiting last year. It's steep, but a great hike. The scrambling to gain the summit is exposed, but easy.

I agree with ice. The trail over the ridge is easy to miss. When you enter the cirque, take a look back and landmark where the crossover is, so it is easy to spot on the way back down.

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Originally Posted by Iceaxe

Cairns just mean the guy before you was lost. Route finding once you reach the cirque is the tricky part, most folks get lost on the way back down because they fail to realize you must climb back over a small ridge to exit the crique and regain the trail. The route is on my website complete with GPS waypoints, that should make navigation simple.

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Thanks. I've visited your page and it has some great information. I'll enter those waypoints into my GPS.

Thanks, Skiclimb!

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Originally Posted by Scott P

Since you only did the northern route to the northern summit of Nebo, be aware that Lone Peak will be much more strenuous because of the elevation gain and scrambling. Kings Peak is easier, but longer than Lone Peak.

The peak isn't difficult or technical though. Lots of people do it every year. It certainly wouldn't hurt to try it.

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Thanks, Scott. That helps. I'll be heading up this morning.

So I did the hike yesterday, but the summit was not to be. About half way up that really steep section I got light-headed and never really shook it, and my legs just didn't have it. I've been having some medical issues lately and maybe that was part of it. Anyway, I kept going and made it up to the cirque, and then I was done. Beautiful up there though. I got lost a couple of times on the way down (ironically, one of them was NOT when I was coming out of the cirque, because I had set a waymark for that spot), but figured my way back to the path rather quickly. So the bottom line is, I need to address these health issues and do more squats...:lol8:

On my first try I also only made it to the cirque, mostly because I kept losing the route. The good news is the cirque to the summit is easier then it looks and is the fun part of the hike. Better luck next time.


Tap'n on my smart phone.

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Originally Posted by Iceaxe

On my first try I also only made it to the cirque, mostly because I kept losing the route. The good news is the cirque to the summit is easier then it looks and is the fun part of the hike. Better luck next time.

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Thanks, Ice. I also appreciated the route description on your web page.