Wasatch Mountains - Millcreek Canyon Salt Lake City, Utah
Grandeur Peak Summit: 8,300'
Elevation change: Church Fork 2619',
West Route 3100' Distance one way: Church Fork 2.75 miles, West Route 1.75
miles
We started up Church Fork in Millcreek Canyon at 2:15. We arrived
at the summit at 4:20. We started down the west route around 5:00, and reached
the west parking lot at around 6:30. The book said it would take longer.
The
trail up the Church Fork side was covered with slushy snow, as a matter of fact
it was the only thing that was covered with snow. Everything else was pretty much
melted. The snow stays on the trail because it is compacted by hikers and is much
harder to melt.
From the top, the cold dry air made it possible to see
for many miles further than in the summer.
We went down the West Route
which is one of the steepest trails in the Wasatch. Take it easy going down, don't
blow your knees out running down the snow like I did.
Looking north over the patterned hills of the northern Wasatch.
Grandview Peak is visible on the left, Lookout
Peak is in the middle.
Dale Peak (Part of Emigration Ridge)
is visible in the foreground left.
Looking northwest over Perkins Peak on Emigration Ridge
toward the Salt Lake Valley and the Great
Salt Lake. Ensign Peak is visible on the far left
end of the mountains.
Dude Peak is visible on the far right.
Downtown Salt Lake City. Antelope Island in the Great Salt
Lake sits in the background.
Ensign Peak is on the right.
Ensign Peak (left)
Mormon Pioneers hiked up to this peak and errected a flag.
I think this is Heber Mountain 10,207' and Bald Knoll 10,091' about
40 miles east.
You could never get this picture in the summer, it's too hazey.
I didn't use a tripod (I actually never do).
Coming down the West Route, you can see the mine near the mouth of
Parleys Canyon.
Lewiston Peak 10,422' and Flat Top Mountain 10,620' at the south end
of the Oquirrh Mountains.
Looking west over the Oquirrh Mountains to Deseret
Peak 11,031' in the Stansbury Mountains.
Lowe Peak 10,589' in the Oquirrh mountains.
Clipper Peak 9,207' above the Kennecott
Copper Mine, the world's largest open pit mine.
The Salt Lake Valley
Can you believe I took this with a digital camera without a tripod?
Thanks to Gloria and Junior
Special Thanks to Micah for the ride.
Message Board
Page Posts: 1
NAME
CITY
DATE
Phil
SLC, UT
2008-02-05
Very cool pics. For myself, I want to do some of the peaks off the Salt Lake city streets. Where to park, and aprox time up and down for some of the easier ones, and building up to cool ones. I only know Ensign Peak.
