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 Looking west toward Agassiz Peak from the hill northeast of Blue Lake, I just walked a long diagonal towards the base of the peak, and it was actually easy. I missed out on the ridge, but I didn't have the time and it was good to conserve energy.  When I first surfaced the ridge, it was a very spiritual feeling. Looking west down the ridge up to Agassiz Peak, Hayden Peak is visible on the right.  Once you get to this point, you'll look ahead and wonder where to go, just go around the left side, and just look for ways up. It's not easy from here on out, but nothing worth it ever is.  Looking east towards Agassiz' ancient neighbor, Spread Eagle Peak 12,540'  Looking northwest toward Agassiz' other ridge connected neighbor, Hayden Peak 12,479'.  Looking north toward Hayden Peak, Kletting Peak 12,055', A-1 Peak 12,377' Below are McPheters Lake and Ryder Lake  Inching my way up the teeder todder rocks toward the summit of Agassiz Peak.  Explorer Peak 12,708' (Dark peak on the left) with massive Mount Emmons 13,440', the fourth tallest peak in Utah, lit up in the distance.  Looking up the steep ridge up to Agassiz Peak, with Hayden Peak, Kletting Peak and A-1 Peak on the right. Below sit McPheters Lake and Ryder Lake  Looking north toward Hayden Peak, Kletting Peak, A-1 Peak Below are McPheters Lake and Ryder Lake  To enter heaven you must pass through these tower gates.  Looking down from through the pearly tower gates, along the route up to Agassiz Peak. This area and much of the route below required hands to climb.  Looking down toward Blue Lake in Naturalist Basin Blue Lake looks like a giant dinosaur footprint from above. The light is hitting around the Four Lakes Area.  From near the summit looking east over the body of the Uintas. Sub Peak 11,647' is lit up along the ridge to Spread Eagle Peak. Ostler Peak is clear on the left, and the pointy peak on the right is Explorer.  East Grandaddy Peak 11,659' Grandaddy Lake 10,300' (not visible) sits directly in front (north) of it.  The last light of the day, just clipping the highest points of the Uinta spine.  Lamotte Peak 12,720' and Ostler Peak 12,718'  Pointy Explorer Peak lit up dramatically in the center. Shaler Lake sits below in Naturalist Basin.  Explorer Peak with Mount Emmons in the background on the right.  Lamotte Peak and Ostler Peak between them is Amethyst Lake.  Ostler Peak 12,718'  Telephoto of Ostler Peak's shark-fin summit. These are the best type of peaks to take pictures from, as they offer the widest range of view.  Just in time for the sunset. You can barely make out Mount Timpanogos, lit up in yellow on the left in the far distance. From the summit looking west over the western Uintas and Wastach Mountains.  The last steps to the highest point on Agassiz Peak. There's a mailbox in that pile of rocks, containing the summit registry, I didn't sign it.  From Agassiz Peak looking east down the spine of the Uinta Mountains  Looking west toward the central Wasatch. You can see Lone Peak 11,253' on the far left, American Fork Twin Peaks as the tallsest point on the left side, all the way to Superior Peak, Dromedary and Broads Fork Twin Peaks.  Looking far west toward Mount Raymond and Gobblers Knob, which sit on the ridge between Big Cottonwood Canyon and Millcreek Canyon.  Looking south over the Grandaddy Mountains.  Looking southeast toward the Four Lakes Region.  From Agassiz Peak looking east, LeConte Lake is visible below.  Looking east toward Lamotte Peak 12,720'  Looking down Stillwater Fork. East Hayden Peak is on the left, and Lamotte and Ostler on the right.  Looking west toward Cascade Peak and Mount Timpanogos 11,750'.  Looking far southwest toward Mount Nebo, 11,928' the tallest peak at southern end of the Wasatch. There are no 12,000 foot peaks in the Wastach.  Looking west toward Mount Watson 11,521' with the pointy dragon spine of Kessler Peak (Big Cottonwood Canyon) in the far distance.  Orange hills rolling into the sunset.  Foreground: Bald Mountain, The dark pointy peak is Long Peak (West of Mount Watson in the Uintas) The entire Cottonwood Ridge sits far behind. You can see Mount Superior, Monte Cristo, Dromedary, Sunrise and the eastern Twin Peak 11,330'.  Looking northwest toward Hayden Peak, Kletting Peak, A-1 Peak McPheters Lake, Ryder Lake  Rainbows forming through the falling rain, as the sun slices through the thin gap between the peaks and the clouds.  Looking northwest toward Bountiful Peak 9,259' in the Wasatch.  For a minute, the mountain peak lit up like Vegas. A small rainbow formed in the distance. To the west the sun is almost set.  Kings Peak 13, 528' and South Kings Peak Unnamed peaks along a ridge south of Wilson Peak. Ridge knob along a southwest ridge from Wilson Peak. Ridge to Explorer Peak Rocky Sea Ridge (Ridge that comes off south of Spread Eagle) Agassiz Peak Summit, lit up in firey red.  From the summit of Agassiz Peak looking southeast toward the Grandaddy Mountains.  Looking east over the Uinta Mountain Range, below is LeConte Lake and Jordan Lake 10,630'.  Lamotte and Ostler Peak straining to feel the warmth of the sun for just one more minute. LeConte Lake and Jordan Lake in Naturalist Basin, are visible on the right.  Just another everyday sunset above 12,000 feet  Background: Red Knob 12,108 in the background Mid: Yard Peak 12,706' with neighbor Peak 3825m Foreground: Ridge south of Spread Eagle Peak.  Red Knob about an hour later.  Looking north over East Hayden Peak 12,284' Though, not very popular, this peak might give the best views in the area, being that it is pointy and that it sits right in the middle of Middle Basin.  The end of an awesome day.  It was an indescribable feeling with the thunder crashing in the background, and the blazing sun falling into the horizon, leaving me all alone.  Bald Mountain 11,943' and Reids Peak 11,708', Mount Watson between and behind them. The Central Wasatch sits in the distance. The 3 little peaks in the middle are actually the entire Cottonwood Ridge.  From the top of Agassiz Peak looking west over Bald Mountain, Reids Peak and the western end of the Uinta Mountains.  Listening to thunder crashing in the background, as the sky fades to black.  The eye of God closes shut as Horus loses his battle with Set.  Mount Timpanogos in the Wasatch  After thanking the Mountain Gods for their hospitality, I bid them farewell, and asked for their blessing for my safe return. For pictures of a hike to the base of Agassiz Peak and Naturalist Basin: Naturalist Basin Hike For a Map of Agassiz Peak: Agassiz Peak Map For pictures of a hike to nearby Amethyst Lake: Amethyst Lake Hike
For a computer rendered height map of this area. Duchesne County
Learn and Teach others about plants, flowers, bugs, techniques and gardening. Healthy Home Gardening
All pictures and content © Copyright 1999-2010 Dale Meier. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use is prohibited. |
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