Rate These Peaks In Difficulty.

[Glockguy]

So I want to do lots of hiking this year, and think it would be fun to hit up the major peaks along the Wasatch Front. I would like to go for 1 peak every 2 weeks, once the snow levels get down. Here is what I am thinking so far. Feel free to add in any other peaks you think should be in the list.

1.Grandeur Peak
2.Olympus
3.Deseret Peak
4.Box Elder
5.Pfeifferhorn
6.Timp
7.Broads Forks Twin Peaks
8.Lone Peak

Anyone ever attempted anything like this?

[mtthwlw]

Box Elder is a fun day hike from Rattlesnake Trail. http://www.summitpost.org/rattlesnake-trail/224607.

Sounds like a fun way to spend the spring and summer.

[DOSS]

So I want to do lots of hiking this year, and think it would be fun to hit up the major peaks along the Wasatch Front. I would like to go for 1 peak every 2 weeks, once the snow levels get down. Here is what I am thinking so far. Feel free to add in any other peaks you think should be in the list.

1.Grandeur Peak
2.Olympus
3.Deseret Peak
4.Box Elder
5.Pfeifferhorn
6.Timp
7.Broads Forks Twin Peaks
8.Lone Peak

Anyone ever attempted anything like this?

Haven't tired it but think that I should be invited to come with

[Brian in SLC]

I'll take a stab at an order, easiest to hardest:

1.Grandeur Peak - after workable. Couple hours round trip?
2.Olympus - ditto the above but longer.
7.Broads Forks Twin Peaks - half day?
5.Pfeifferhorn - half day?
4.Box Elder
8.Lone Peak
3.Deseret Peak - technically not in the Wasatch, but, a fine ski tour (and hike).
6.Timp

Anyone ever attempted anything like this?

In a day? A number of them are on the WURL traverse, which has been done a couple times in a day is all (Wasatch Ultimate Ridge Link-up or some such, basically, the ridgeline around Little Cottonwood Canyon).

A few more for the list:

Reynolds, Kessler, Gobblers Knob, Raymond, Superior, Wolverine, Flagstaff, Sunset, Dromedary, Sunrise, Circle-All, Devils Castle, Sugarloaf, Baldy, Red Baldy, White Baldy, the Obelisk, Sundial, Big Beacon, Blacks, Aire, Davenport, Honeycomb...

[DOSS]

I'll take a stab at an order, easiest to hardest:

8.Lone Peak
3.Deseret Peak - technically not in the Wasatch, but, a fine ski tour (and hike).
..

So you are saying that Lone peak is easier than Des peak? I haven't done Lone Peak yet (stupid to do list that doesn't ever get done) but I was under the impression that Lone was a bit harder than Des... Hmmmm

[stefan]

post deleted by author

[asdf]

I dont think timp is hard at all, just long.

I love camping near emerald lake just make sure you NEVER camp there on a Friday night. From my experience you will have 20-50 people on a Friday night and 0-5 on Saturday night... gotta love Utah County

[Iceaxe]

I'll take a stab at an order, easiest to hardest:

1.Grandeur Peak - after workable. Couple hours round trip?
2.Olympus - ditto the above but longer.
7.Broads Forks Twin Peaks - half day?
5.Pfeifferhorn - half day?
4.Box Elder
8.Lone Peak
3.Deseret Peak - technically not in the Wasatch, but, a fine ski tour (and hike).
6.Timp

I've done all these peaks and I'll second Brian's ratings....

A couple of other notes. Grandeur and Olympus are popular in the winter so you can get started on this project right away. A friend an I used to climb Grandeur every New Years Eve and watch the various firework shows and drink a bottle of wine on top at midnight. It was a fun tradition, wish we still did it (he can't because of medical issues).

Grandeur on New Years Eve





Mount Olympus in February



I like to climb Twin Peaks the last half of June. To do it then you need an ice axe and crampoons, but it makes the snow walk across the boulder fields much easier and a lot of fun.

Boards Fork - Twin Peaks



Timpanogos I like to climb about the first week of August, when the wild flowers are going full throttle.

Timp



Superior (South Ridge Scramble) and Devils Castle Traverse are two of my favorite Wasatch summits. I try to do them every year.

[DOSS]

by his scale 1= easiest and 8= hardest

wow that was a profound failure to read on my part..

[stefan]

wow that was a profound failure to read on my part..

hey sorry about that. i'm reading bogley on my phone and i believe i misinterpreted. the numbers (1-8) are the numbers listed in the first post rather than brian's. so rather than speaking for brian (my apologies) I'll let him answer the question.

I think it needs to be clarified whether the difficulty ratings for the peaks in question are for winter, spring, or summer/fall

[Brian in SLC]

I think it needs to be clarified whether the difficulty ratings for the peaks in question are for winter, spring, or summer/fall

Uhhh...difficulty ratings? Nah, I just cut and pasted with the original numbers from the original post. No intent to apply difficulty ratings.

After some summitpost info, though (and since I'm away from my "Hiking the Wasatch" bible...), I might re-order my version of the list. I've only done Deseret Peak in the winter on skis (several times, but, not for a few years) so my memory of the mileage is kinda skewed by having to ski in on the approach road a few more miles. Seems like, with only 3600 vertical, Deseret Peak would be easier than both Lone Peak (at what, 5500 vert?) and Broad Twins (5100 vert from Broads, but, I've done Tanners a number of times, ruthlessly efficient at 4200 vert?). I always think of Deseret being a longer day, though, due somewhat to the early start, the drive in, long day on skis, then, we usually hit some pub in Grantsville afterwards, and don't get home until the wee hours...ha ha.

I'd be inclined to rate the "difficulty" of each peak more based on the vertical relief than any other criteria, assuming folks aren't doing much more than hiking to get to the summit. If more than hiking, then, the hardest summit of the bunch for me is Lone Peak, via the "Undone Book" route...

Great list! I think all are reasonably done in the winter. I'd probably prefer most of them on skis.

Embarassed to say I've never done...Timp. On the list, and the years keep on rolling by... Nebo too, for that matter.

Fun to ponder what the fast kids do, though. A guy Nick has done the Pfeifferhorn, trailhead to summit, in 1 hour 10 minutes? Nutty.

Local endurance feller, and, all 'round nice guy, Jared, in his quest to hike 100k vert in 5 days, did the below in 3 days.

Cheers,

-Brian in SLC

from Jared's door5 website:

Day 1:
Grandeur Double (6,000 ft gain)
Thayne’s Canyon Loop (2,200 ft)
Grandeur Double (6,000 ft)
Wire Mountain (2,100 ft)
Lake Blanche (2,700 ft)
Circle-All-Peak (1,500 ft)
Total : 20,500 ft.
Day 2:
Grandeur Double (6,000 ft gain)
Thayne’s Canyon Loop (2,200 ft)
Grandeur Single (2,600 ft)
Butler Fork Saddle (1,700 ft)
Circle-All-Peak (1,150 ft)
Lake Blanche (2,700 ft)
Olympus West Slabs (3,000 ft)
Total : 19,350 ft.
Day 3:
Grandeur Double (6,000 ft)
Thaynes Canyon Loop (2,200 ft)
Mill B North to Saddle (3,400 ft)
Butler Fork (1,700 ft)
Fork for Butler up to Circle-All-Peak (1,150 ft)
Reynold’s Peak (2,100 ft)
Lake Blanche (2,700)
Total : 19,250 ft.

[Brian in SLC]

Another note, big huge congrats to Greg Hill, for skiing, under his own power, a phenominal 2 million vertical feet this year.

It does boggle the mind...

[Iceaxe]

I see what ya did there.... anyhoo... from easiest to most difficult IMHO....

Grandeur Peak
Olympus
Deseret Peak
Box Elder
Timp
Pfeifferhorn
Broads Forks Twin Peaks
Lone Peak

Lone Peak is without doubt the most difficult route on your list. It's a long day and requires some very exposed scrambling to reach the summit. I've also done the following in winter and they are rated easiest to most difficult in winter.

Grandeur Peak
Olympus
Pfeifferhorn
Timp
Lone Peak

Timp and Lone Peak took me two days in winter... the last 1/2 mile of Lone Peak is some serious mountaineering in winter.

Pfeifferhorn - Alpine Ridge in winter.

[stefan]

Uhhh...difficulty ratings? Nah, I just cut and pasted with the original numbers from the original post. No intent to apply difficulty ratings.

haha by 'rating' I meant 'ordering'.

[Glockguy]

Ha! Hadn't checked this thread in a while. Thanks for all the input! I have hit most of these peaks over the last 16 years, and have been wanting to knock them all out in one year's time.

Funny how much time looking at one peak from the freeway can take up time in your mind. I just want to make more memories and get some more pictures and videos for my collection. (While getting in better shape)

The snowshoeing has been great and I really dig the solitude and lack of bugs.