Peak-A-Boo: Lewis Traditional Cache
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Peak-A-Boo from the top of Lewis Peak! Who or what in the heck is a Lewis? WeatherGuy and Stockley_True have no idea, but they hiked one and placed a geocache on the summit. When logging this cache, please describe any person, place, or thing named Lewis that you are familiar with-- we’ve told you about our ‘Lewis’, now tell us about yours!
Where is Lewis Peak? Lewis Peak is in the Wasatch Mountain Range and is a prominent peak in Weber County, in Northern Utah. It is located northeast of Ogden, west of Pineview Reservoir, and between North Ogden Divide and Ogden Canyon. Lewis Peak, at 8,031 feet, is not the highest peak in the area-- it’s not even the highest point along the hike-- but its proximity to the west provides outstanding views of the area. Sandwiched between a rock (Mount Ben Lomond) and, well, a rock (Mount Ogden), this section of the Wasatch Range is 1,500 lower in elevation that the surrounding mountains.
According to a description by the National Forrest Serice of Lewis peak trail (visit link)
Lewis Peak was named in 1912, in honor of the youngest of three boys who were the first to make a recorded ascent to the peak sixty years earlier. I wonder what model of GPS they used?
There are three well defined/documented trails that can be used to hike (or bike) Lewis Peak, all three merge into Skyline Trail, which is part of the Great Western Trail. One trail begins in Ogden Canyon near Goodale Creek, and another begins near the northwest side of Pineview Reservoir. The trail being recommended for this cache begins in a parking lot at the top of North Ogden Divide. The trailhead coordinates are: N 41° 19.213 W 111° 53.954
From North Ogden Divide, the hike is approximately 5.1 miles (one-way) and has an elevation difference of approximately 1,800 feet from trailhead to summit. However, it is somewhat of a rollercoaster hike along the ridgeline to the peak, my GPS recorded over 3,000 feet of total ascent from start to finish. An intermediate hiker should be able to accomplish this hike (one-way) in approximately three hours.
The hike is moderately steep in the beginning as it switchbacks through the wooded hillside over 1,000 feet during the first mile of the trail. As you catch your breath, don’t forget to take in the beauty, to keep an eye out for wildlife, and to enjoy the cool, mostly shaded part of the trail. Near the end of this section of the trail you will come very close to the ‘Skyline Trail – Valley to Valley’ cache (GCA577) placed by Duker and is located at N 41° 18.585 W 111° 53.494.
The mid-section of the hike is over two miles and is a rollercoaster ride to the south. This section begins near a trail junction marked by a wooden sign pointing out the direction and mileage to Pineview or Lewis Peak. The trail runs up, down, and even around several rounded peaks along a ridgeline of sorts. The exposure is open at this point and remains that way so make sure you have enough sun/wind screen on and keep hydrated. Don’t miss out on the scenery! From here, there will be several areas with panoramic views of the area. There are some very impressive views of Mount Ben Lomond and Willard Peak from here. Is that Peak-A-Boo: Box Elder in the distance to the north?
The last section of the trail is a little over one mile, beginning near N 41° 17.101 W 111° 53.813. Don’t give up now; you’ve come too far! There is still some up and down along this final stretch, and the trail begins a noticeable turn towards the west. Don’t continue on too far west, though, at N 41° 16.891 W 111° 54.485 you have to veer south/left and drop into a wooded valley before the final ascent to the summit. Along this section make sure to check out the very impressive views of Allen and Mount Ogden Peaks to the southeast.
The summit is 8,031 feet in elevation and is marked with a rock pile anchoring a wooden sign that reads, ‘Lewis Peak.’ While we were there to place this cache the tattered remains of a medium-to-small-sized U.S. flag was attached to the sign, maybe someone going after this cache could take a replacement flag with them. The coordinates used for the summit are N 41° 16.760 W 111° 55.312. Lewis Peak-A-Boo cache has been placed within 100 feet of the summit marker and it is small ammo box. Quality items were placed in this cache. If you take something please replace it with something of similar value.
Obviously, the ‘prize’ in this geocache is being able to utter the phrase ‘I’ve bagged a Lewis’, and of coarse, the outstanding views from the summit-- the dessert is finding the cache. When you are finished and flush with success, head to town (Liberty/Eden) for a well-deserved treat at a convenience store. While there, you might ask one of the locals about their Lewis.
Original cache contents include:
·(Notebook, pen, pencil, and sharpener stay in cache)
·Purple Lighter
·Mini First Aid Kit
·Very Rare Red Mini Devil Duckie
·Limited Edition Chapstick Original
·Package of Equate Ibuprofen, (24)
·Eveready AA Alkaline Batteries (4)
·HotHands2 Hand Warmer Packets (2)
·‘Dat’l Do It’ Habanero Gold Hot Sauce (5 oz.)
·Package of Pocket-Sized Kleenex Tissues (15)
·Official Olympic 2002 Utah Highway Roadmap
·Booklet of Historical Postcards from Ogden, Utah
·Ben Lomond, 'er, Lewis Peak Presents "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" Soundtrack on enhanced CD
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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