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

[Wasatch Rebel]

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.

[Scott P]

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

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.

[JONBOYLEMON]

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!

[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.

[Wasatch Rebel]

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.

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?

[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

[Wasatch Rebel]

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

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..

[Scott P]

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.

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



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.

[middlefork]

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

[kballing]

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.

[Iceaxe]

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.

[skiclimb3287]

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

[Riseforms]

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

[Wasatch Rebel]

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.

[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.

[Wasatch Rebel]

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

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.

[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.

[DOSS]

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.

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.

[Audilard]

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)



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!

[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. The Wasatch Mountain Club and their guidebooks rate it as the easiest route as well.