Utah Mountaineering, Climbing, Hiking, Gear, Route Descriptions, Clothing, GPS: Lone Peak Winter Climb, Utah 11/01/2009 Big Willow, Little Willow

Summit Picture

http://picasaweb.google.com/davidmpeter/LonePeakSummitClimb?feat=email#

Lone Peak Winter Climb Pics.

Total miles, 11.6 miles. Total climbing time, 11.5 hours. Car to car.
I park at Hidden Valley Park, south of the LDS Church. Roughly 2800 Wasatch Boulevard. Take that trail up Southeast on the tar path then to the left towards Big Willow. You will see a great well traveled trail up towards the river bottom north east. Pass the gate and keep going for a few hundred feet. There is a sign at about 5400 feet, take that trail to the right. (there is a new sign there the only sign for a trail to your climbers right) Head up this trail to the right. Take this up the steep mountain face which zig zags, all on the steep West Face. You will be climbing the ridge between Big Willow Canyon (north) and Little Willow Canyon (South). You will eventually head east, and get to a sign about Avalanche Danger. This usually takes me an hour hiking fast. Sorry no pictures, too early on the way up, and too tired on the way down.

The trail then heads north across the ridge between these two canyons. Stay on that trail. Then you have to make your decision once on the ridge that splits these two canyons. Its obvious. There is a trail to your left, northeast, or a trail up the ridge. Depending on your route, conditions, you have to decide. To the left (northeast down the most traveled path) is the way I usually go up. This trail up Big Willow is often marked by a red marker someone hammered into the trees. It takes you to the field and eventually a boulder field at 9800 feet.

I climb to the right/left of the rock outcrop depending on conditions. It has taken me 2 hours plus to move up this 800 foot climb....

I will say this. And it only applies to winter. The going up to Lone Peak this way in summer/winter makes sense. But there is a North Facing snow field at 9800 feet you must climb. (It starts at 9843 feet ends at 10,663 feet) It is roughly about an 800 vertical foot climb, facing North. I have climbed this many times in the winter. (Never done this in the summer but I imagine it is fine) Every time other than once, the snow and conditions have been horrible. Prepare for snow up to your waist every time. It never freezes. It starts at 0 degrees, then goes to sometimes 70 degrees. So at that angle it is prone to avalanche. I have seen many down below, and missed a few here. I have climbed this towards a rock out cropping, left or right, and for the most part its been safe.

When you get to the top, it gains the ridge before heading southeast towards the summit climb to Lone Peak. This hill is a little steep. Stay with the ridge. That leads you to the summit. There is about 200 feet of south climbing to get to the true summit. In the summer its tough and dangerous. In the winter its worse. Make sure you have a belaying partner, or don't do it, its not worth it. I have done it alone and wont again.

Summit Ridge.

I have been going down Little Willow. Hard to explain, and can be easy or dangerous. I need to speak to you to explain. I have all the GPS coordinates to show my trail and would gladly send them to you.....

Boulder fields without enough snow, but just enough are dangerous.