Sunday Morning Hiking Series #64-Wasatch Crest Tr Event Cache

Series Description

For those new to this hiking series, these are social hikes around the Salt Lake area for the purpose of caching, enjoying the outdoors, and getting to know fellow cachers. There tends to be a range of fitness levels that show up for the hikes. As the emphasis is on being social, don't worry if a steep leaves you puffing. I'll be right there clinging to a tree and puffing with you. Our usual meeting time is 8am, and we leave the parking area by 8:05am. The other primary feature of these hikes is that they are short and can be accomplished by noon. Trails tend to be a little emptier on Sunday mornings and we'll be done in time for anyone who has Sunday obligations to attend an afternoon service. If you don't have to be anywhere in the afternoon, there's frequently a longer trail to take. If you would like more information about the whole series of hikes, check out the others in the series in the bookmark list at the right.

NOTE FOR NON-CACHERS: Since there has been a trend toward non-cachers joining us due to cross posting of hikes on hiking groups, just a heads-up. Yes, it's a hike and you are certainly welcome to join us. However, it is a caching hike which means if there are caches along the trail we are going to go search for them. That may mean stepping off the trail briefly or an involved search and/or bushwhack off trail. We are happy to teach you about geocaching. We like to spread our obsession. Just come with the expectation that there will be detours from the trail and it will likely take longer to do the hike with this group than most other groups you've gone with. Searching the woods for a piece of paper in tupperware using billion dollar satellites is fun. Try it, you might like it.

Description for this Hike

We'll start from a trail access/dirt road off of Guardsman Pass Road. The first 3/4 of a mile are climbing to the ridge line. This climb is not that bad as it also serves as an access road to some cell towers. Once past the towers we are on a trail. It is also a popular mountain bike trail so please bring eyes in the back of your head for this hike.

It is a ridgeline so the hike is mostly level. There are a few slight elevation changes as bowls are circumnavigated. The event coordinates are at 9100'; the highest point of the hike will be 10,000'. Most of that elevation is gained in the first climb. The main route of the hike will be there and back. How far we go is up to the group but I suspect most of the group will want to go about 4.5 miles. To give you an idea of how level this trail is I accomplished that distance in two hours. For those who have the time and would like more adventure (in other words the long hike option), I will have a shuttle set up that will allow us to descend from that high point and end up at the Willow Heights trailhead.

Once on the ridge line the views are just incredible in all directions. Looking southwest Big and some of Little Cottonwood can be seen. To the northeast are the hills and trails of the Park City Resorts. I always try to make the October hike the fall colors hike. I'm hoping this ridge will give us a beautiful view of the leaves in all directions.

It's October and we'll be above 9000'. Be prepared for cold weather. Last October when we did Clayton Peak near this location we froze in the parking lot, baked on the way up, enjoyed a blinding snow squall on the peak, then worked on our tans on the way back down. Just saying, you may want to leave the shorts at home and have a jacket available. Bring the usual sunscreen, water, and snacks.

I have to send a shout out to bottlecap for this hike idea. He didn't tell me about the trail but he did place a cache that reminded me of past skiing and hiking adventures in the area which lead me to find the trail. Sorry I didn't hike this one sooner. It's beautiful! Thanks bottlecap!