High In Utah or High County Peaks

[James_B_Wads2000]

Has any one here done any of the highest peaks in the 29 counties?(26 actual peaks) I started in 2001 and did over half that first year. I have done a couple more the folloing years but I have yet to finish them. I am hoping to do more this year, maybe even finishing them. Problem is that I only take one out of town trip a month between March and October and my dance card tends to fill up fast. Making the problem worse is the fact that of the eight I have left to climb are all far enough away from Salt Lake City and can't be done in a day (except Mount Nebo).

Anyhoo if any of you need some tips/advise on the ones I have done so far I would be happy to help. I would say that about half of the routes in the book "High In Utah" suck. There are better faster or eaiser ways to most of the summits.

JBW

[rockgremlin]

Wow! That's an awesome idea! Last summer I climbed East Mountain, the highest point in Emery County. Got some GORGEOUS views overlooking Joe's Valley. Really pretty.

Which out of all of the high points you've hiked was the most memorable/scenic?

[accadacca]

Cool!!! Good conversation

[James_B_Wads2000]

Wow! That's an awesome idea! Last summer I climbed East Mountain, the highest point in Emery County. Got some GORGEOUS views overlooking Joe's Valley. Really pretty.

Which out of all of the high points you've hiked was the most memorable/scenic?

I started this project initially as a chance to see parts of Utah that I had never seen before. And I must say I've found a lot of cool stuff I never known of. The most memorable can be summed up in one word, Ibapah. Nintey miles from the nearest paved road way almost in Nevada crowns the top of one of the four mountain ranges in Utah that is over 12,000 ft. Higher than anything in the Wasatch, the Deep Creek Mountains rise from the nearby Great Salt Lake Desert with a greater vertical rise than Jackson Hole to the top of Grand Teton. A beautiful Little Cottonwood like canyon is hiked up to the top. Fairly long but otherwise not too hard.

Though Kings Peak, Delano in the Tushar Mountains, Waas in the La Sals and even the Pavant Range were also a very nice suprise to me. A couple of duds too like Mt. Cardwell off the Mirror Lake Highway and Eccentric Peak also in the Unitas. The Unitas are very beautiful in the Wilderness areas but the range is very similar and hiking some of the outer edges is kind of boring.

JBW

[accadacca]

Huh.... sounds interesting. I would be interested in checking out some of those places. It would definitely be less crowded than the normal cattle runs. One reason that I like the Uintas is for the fishing. You really can

[rockgremlin]

Ya, the Deep Creeks are really neat. Almost nobody out there about 110% of the time. I hear there's a few really cool hot springs at their base somewhere near Callao or thereabouts too.

[Sombeech]

The most memorable can be summed up in one word, Ibapah. Nintey miles from the nearest paved road way almost in Nevada crowns the top of one of the four mountain ranges in Utah that is over 12,000 ft.

JBW

Isn't that the HUGE vertical cliff, that almost nobody knows about? I've heard something like it's the tallest vertical drop on this half of the United states?

That would be a cool trip.

[rock_ski_cowboy]

Interesting thread! I have the "High in Utah" book. Personally, I think I've only done Mt. Nebo in it. I do that about twice a year from the north side (not described in the book), short and sweet. Last year we did it in about 2 hours to the top, but that was really pushing it--it usually takes more like 4. The peak you're thinking of Sombeech is called Notch Peak in the House Range near Delta. It has vertical that rivals Half Dome... something like 4000 feet. Anyone been to the top? Its high on my list.

My personal favorite wasatch Peak is Lone Peak. Views of Salt Lake Valley, Utah valley, and the wasatch peaks that can't be beaten. Now that is a great workout hike... even has some class 4 and exposure, and the pool-table sized rock that is the summit just drops off for hundreds of feet on three sides.

[accadacca]

Isn't that the HUGE vertical cliff, that almost nobody knows about? I've heard something like it's the tallest vertical drop on this half of the United states?

The peak you're thinking of Sombeech is called Notch Peak in the House Range near Delta. It has vertical that rivals Half Dome... something like 4000 feet. Anyone been to the top? Its high on my list.

Wow!!! I had no idea? That sounds like something worth checking out. Let us know when you are going to hit that one or any of them for that matter.

[James_B_Wads2000]

[quote=accadacca] One reason that I like the Uintas is for the fishing. You really can

[James_B_Wads2000]

Interesting thread! I have the "High in Utah" book. Personally, I think I've only done Mt. Nebo in it. I do that about twice a year from the north side (not described in the book), short and sweet. Last year we did it in about 2 hours to the top, but that was really pushing it--it usually takes more like 4.

See that's what I'm talking about. The route up the to the south summit is VERY hard and that is the route described it the book. I tried it in 2001 and was turned back by lighting just below the south summit. It wouldn't have mattered anyways since I had neither the time or the energy left to complete the hike to the true summit (north summit). I got a great picture of me flipping off the mountain.

The peak you're thinking of Sombeech is called Notch Peak in the House Range near Delta. It has vertical that rivals Half Dome... something like 4000 feet. Anyone been to the top? Its high on my list.

Notch Peak and the House range are awesome. This range and the Deep Creeks are the best the West Desert has to offer IMO. Though not the highest peak in Millard County a much cooler mountain. I've done it many times now after first doing it in 2000 ( the mountain that is). That route is described very well in the High in Utah "classic climbs" section. Very easy walk up route on the east side. I would rank it among the top ten hikes I have done in Utah. I am planning on going again in May, any takers...? Here are some photos:
http://desertislands.org/notch.htm

JBW

[accadacca]

I am planning on going again in May, any takers...? Here are some photos:
http://desertislands.org/notch.htm

JBW

Hell yeah that looks awesome!! Thanks for the links, that's a cool website. Be sure to post the dates that you are going. I would be interesting in going and probably a few others on here. You da man!!!

Who else would go?

[Wasatch]

Let me know when as well.

[rockgremlin]

Holy Shee-yat!! I had no idea how gorgamous Notch Peak is! I always associate western desert to just basin and low ranges. I do know that many of the ranges out there are extremely rich in precious metals - the Drums, San Francisco, Deep Creeks and Tintic ranges in particular. Some great stuff can found in some of the old abandoned mines out there. I found some old newspaper clippings from 1911 in one old mine in the Tintics.

Hey, you've inspired me. I would also like to do the highest peaks in all of Utah's counties. Could you do me a favor and post a listing of all of the highest peaks in all of Utah's counties?

Many thanks in advance!

[James_B_Wads2000]

I refer you to these sites:

http://www.utahwild.com/mountains/co...ks/index.shtml
http://www.cohp.org/ut/utah.html

JBW

[rockgremlin]

So I'm kinda antsy to get started on this little project. Which peaks would have the snow come off first?

[accadacca]

So I'm kinda antsy to get started on this little project. Which peaks would have the snow come off first?

Me too! Sounds like fun! I would really like to hit Notch Peak first. It looks wicked!

I would think you could get to it fairly early. Or perhaps Ibapah?

Notch Peak: http://desertislands.org/notch.htm



Ibapah: http://desertislands.org/deep.htm

[James_B_Wads2000]

A friend of mine did Notch last Saturday. She said there wasn't much snow, took her five hours round trip hikning and two and a half hours drive from Lehi.

James

[James_B_Wads2000]

This Sunday would be a good day to go for me, but it sounds like eveybodys dance card is pretty full.

James

[accadacca]

eveybodys dance card is pretty full.

That's a funny line James.