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← Notch Peak for 3 Peaks in 3 Days
Rock Canyon Combo →

Grandeur Peak Yo-Yo

Posted on January 19, 2021August 20, 2024 by Backcountry Fever

I accepted the new Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge for Utah yesterday with a Grandeur Peak Double!  There are several routes up Grandeur that I would categorize as Standard, Strenuous and Adventurous.  The Standard route is up from the Church Fork trailhead out of Mill Creek Canyon.  This eastern approach climbs 2,500′ in about 3 miles.  The Strenuous route comes in from the other side, up West Ridge.  That approach climbs 3,200′ in about 2 miles.  The Adventurous route is a traverse along the next ridge south of West Ridge called the Dragon’s Tail.  I would imagine this elevation gain and distance is like West, but I bet the experience is a whole lot more intense.

Since I’ve already done the Standard route three times before and the strenuous West Ridge only once, I thought I’d up the ante for this challenge and combine the two for a Grandeur Peak Yo-Yo.  Dragon’s Tail is still on my ToDo list, but didn’t want to traverse that spine alone.

It was a beautiful day with nice views of downtown Salt Lake City.

I made good time up the east side for summit #1.

I then went down the West Ridge…

…and back up for summit #2.  My time climbing this west side wasn’t so great, but it was what I needed to push myself harder.

A late start put me into the evening hours but I didn’t mind.  Some like to start early to catch a sunrise. Others like to start late to see the sun set (or because of that thing called Work).

Turned out to be a 10.5 mile day with 5,700 feet of elevation to kick off this year’s training for bigger and better things later.

Speaking of bigger/better, I later found out another friend I know started earlier that day with a similar idea in mind.  Her and a few others tied all three routes together and called theirs a Grandeur Yo-yo-yo (up west, down east, up east, down dragon, up dragon, down west).  That’s nearly 10,000′ of elevation in 14ish miles… talk about intense!  I didn’t ask how long it took them, but I know they move fast.

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My 13th time on this summit, but 1st to enjoy some watermelon at the top 🍉 Thanks to Jocelyn, the "Watermelon Girl", who lugged that all the way up and was gracious enough to share it 😁

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #mounttimp #timpanogos #timp #11er #goatchallenge #hikethewasatch #summitshot #peakbagger #summervibes #watermelon #watermelongirl #goodvibrations

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Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18494366443068269
My 13th time on this summit, but 1st to enjoy some watermelon at the top 🍉 Thanks to Jocelyn, the "Watermelon Girl", who lugged that all the way up and was gracious enough to share it 😁

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #mounttimp #timpanogos #timp #11er #goatchallenge #hikethewasatch #summitshot #peakbagger #summervibes #watermelon #watermelongirl #goodvibrations

Summit Shack in Sight!

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #mttimp #timp #wasatchfront #wasatchmountains #11er #summitshack #mountainlife #hikemore #hikerlife

19 0
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18350512492156368
Summit Shack in Sight!

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #mttimp #timp #wasatchfront #wasatchmountains #11er #summitshack #mountainlife #hikemore #hikerlife

Veered right a bit of the South saddle (red line) for a more adventurous route up to Timp... but once we got up on the ridge, we saw we could have done an even more interesting way (yellow line) cutting into that cliff band and zigzagging along the shelves as seen in the 4th picture (taken from South Timp).

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #mttimp #timp #timpanogos #mountaineering

31 1
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18083925961775519
Veered right a bit of the South saddle (red line) for a more adventurous route up to Timp... but once we got up on the ridge, we saw we could have done an even more interesting way (yellow line) cutting into that cliff band and zigzagging along the shelves as seen in the 4th picture (taken from South Timp).

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #mttimp #timp #timpanogos #mountaineering

Only a few patches of snow remain between Aspen Grove and Emerald Lake.

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #timpanogos #timp #aspengrove #emeraldlake #snowfun #springhiking #wasatchmountains #goatworthy

37 1
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18330819139163410
Only a few patches of snow remain between Aspen Grove and Emerald Lake.

#mounttimpanogos #mttimpanogos #timpanogos #timp #aspengrove #emeraldlake #snowfun #springhiking #wasatchmountains #goatworthy

For those interested in doing Deseret Peak... the snow is still in the couloirs, but only for a little while longer!

#deseretpeak #twincouloirs #mountaineering

27 1
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18047137721625663
For those interested in doing Deseret Peak... the snow is still in the couloirs, but only for a little while longer!

#deseretpeak #twincouloirs #mountaineering

The best way to slide down a snowy slope in Spring conditions is like this...

#glissade #glissading #springtimefun #mountaineering #slipperywhenwet #letsgooo

17 1
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 17851034010437154
The best way to slide down a snowy slope in Spring conditions is like this...

#glissade #glissading #springtimefun #mountaineering #slipperywhenwet #letsgooo

Didn`t get much mountaineering in this Spring, so trying to catch the last bit of something before the snow`s all gone.

#mountaineering #snowhike #wolverinecirque #abovebrighton #brighton #springadventures #springhike #westillhavesnow #utahhiking #mtmillicent #mtwolverine #patsymarley #ridgehike

25 0
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18071868488494094
Didn't get much mountaineering in this Spring, so trying to catch the last bit of something before the snow's all gone.

#mountaineering #snowhike #wolverinecirque #abovebrighton #brighton #springadventures #springhike #westillhavesnow #utahhiking #mtmillicent #mtwolverine #patsymarley #ridgehike

Not too many cold weather weekends left to go winter camping!

#coldweathercamping #wintercamping #wintercamp #uintas #sledsintow #stillwinterhere #winterfun

16 0
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18363244447130614
Not too many cold weather weekends left to go winter camping!

#coldweathercamping #wintercamping #wintercamp #uintas #sledsintow #stillwinterhere #winterfun

Bagged Bierstadt today! Thought I could get Evans too, but took one look at The Sawtooth and went "nope"! I was also by myself... either way, that stretch looked intense even without the snow.

Get the full trip report at BackcountryFever.com/CO

#bierstadt #mountbierstadt #mtbierstadt #mtbierstadtsummit #winterroute #snowshoeing #snowshoeadventures #hikecolorado #hikeco #colorado14ers #colorado14er #14er #14ers #14ersummit #peakbagging #summitchaser

28 1
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 17901033000080878
Bagged Bierstadt today!  Thought I could get Evans too, but took one look at The Sawtooth and went "nope"! I was also by myself... either way, that stretch looked intense even without the snow.

Get the full trip report at BackcountryFever.com/CO

#bierstadt #mountbierstadt #mtbierstadt #mtbierstadtsummit #winterroute #snowshoeing #snowshoeadventures #hikecolorado #hikeco #colorado14ers #colorado14er #14er #14ers #14ersummit #peakbagging #summitchaser
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