After years of staring up at the ridgeline extended south from the Mount Timpanogos summit and curving southeast up Provo Canyon, I finally traversed it. It was significantly rougher going than the ridgeline that extends north from the summit. The day was beautiful but I moved slow and the hours took their toll. In the end it was about 17 miles with over 6,000 ft. of climbing. Map and route details on Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/15642067179
Robert’s Horn looms over the Mt. Timpanogos Trail from Aspen Grove and I’ve passed by it many times on my way to the main summit. Today, I decided to forego the Timp summit and to do this subpeak. It was great to get away from the crowds. Once I broke off from the main trail just past Emerald Lake I had the mountain to myself and didn’t see another person until I got to the Primrose Overlook. How did I get there? After summiting Robert’s Horn I followed the ridgeline north for a little over a mile and then turn east to follow a diverging ridgeline down to the overlook. A bit schwhacky at places, but gorgeous. My plan had been to then take the Hartsky’s Cutoff back down to the Timpanogos Trail and then follow that back down to Aspen Grove. However, I was low on water, it was getting warm, and the cutoff “trail” looked very overgrown. I’ll get that another day, perhaps. I instead took the Horseflat and Lame Horse Trails back down to the Aspen Grove trailhead.
Another birthday outing present to myself. This time I eschewed the main Timpanogos Summit and shwhacked my way up to East Peak – a seldom-visited spot on the east flank of the Timpanogos massif. Accessing it from the Aspen Grove trail was easy. Instead of going back the way I came, I descended southeast off the saddle below East Peak into the Stewart Falls drainage below Big Provo Hole and Cascade Cirque. If the descent down from the saddle hadn’t taken so long I would have gone up into one of those two. The “trail” down from there connects with the Stewart Falls trail but it is really overgrown. Maybe that’s good though. It deters people from heading up that way and keeps it remote and quiet for the few adventurers that do. Gotta get back up there soon.
I did this loop a few years ago and was excited to try it again. I did it solo this time and chopped about an hour off my elapsed time.
I began at first light at the Aspen Grove trailhead and headed up. I didn’t see another person until just before Emerald Lake-about 90 minutes and 5 miles into the route. It was a beautiful morning. Perfect weather. Cool with a little breeze. There was still some snow on the traverse across the rockslide field between Emerald Lake and the saddle. To be honest, it is probably easier to cross on the snow than bare jumbled rocks.
A few sprinkles swirled around as I moved across the snow field, but nothing too bad. Winds picked up once I hit the saddle and I wrapped buffs around my hands as I worked my way to the summit. Brrr! I saw a handful of people on the way to the top, but there was only a father/son duo at the summit. I’ve been lucky to have the summit mostly to myself most trips. Only once have I experienced a crowded summit.
I didn’t stay long and bombed on down the Timpooneke trail. There were some more people on the trail for the remainder of the descent, but it still wasn’t too many. Temperatures rose and I descended, but I felt good and planned to refill my water at the Timpooneke trailhead. Unfortunately, when I arrived I found the water spigot capped (due to COVID-19, I presume). Uh oh. I still had some water, but not a ton.
As I started the 5 miles up and over some backside trails to complete the loop back to Aspen Grove, my feet started to hurt and throb. My shoes were too tight, but just wanting to finish I pressed on. I probably should have paused for a minute to loosen them a bit. I knew I had some sodas on ice in the car too, and with water running out I was anxious for a cold drink.
In all, it was an amazing day. Gorgeous. Not a bad way to celebrate my 40th.
An enormous set of avalanches built up quite the slide on the Aspen Grove trail. Speaking with some old-timers, they hadn’t seen anything like this in decades.
Back in town, but with my family still in California I tempted fate and ran 12 additional miles (on top of the 30 I had already done this week). That is pushing it for me, but I wanted to take the opportunity to hit the Wasatch Crest to see the autumn leaves while I could.
I started at the Big Water trailhead where the Mill Creek Canyon Rd. ends. I climbed up to Dog Lake, dropped down to Mill D North, climbed up to Desolation Lake and the Wasatch Crest Trail above, took the crest north to Mill Creek, dropped that down to the Little Water Trail, and took that back to my car. I could fill this with lots of blow-by-blow commentary, annoyance at dogs with muddy paws climbing all over me at Dog Lake while their owners say “Oh…uh…sorry,” NOT seeing any moose like last year on Mill D, the temperature dropping bizarrely cold (and damp) when the sun went down as I came off the Crest and into Mill Creek Canyon, and how I put music on loud on my iPhone while running through scary woods in the dark – hoping to scare off any potential startled wildlife encounters….but I won’t. 😉
Here are some pictures. One great thing about hitting the aspens in late evening light is how the sideways indirect light just sets everything on fire. Already bright colors just explode.
Also, I hit the Aspen Grove Trail for the first time with a friend who was visiting from Ottawa. The trail is rougher than Timpooneke. I think I like the other approach better.
