- Joined
- Dec 23, 2013
- Messages
- 3,761
Usually, my hiking season ends on Thanksgiving morning with a short jaunt up Ensign Peak. But since we haven't gotten any new snow, I thought I'd extend my season by a couple of days, and who knows, if it doesn't snow in the next couple of weeks maybe even longer. I'll then slide into hibernation for a couple months with two or three key lime pies to get me through the winter and keep me in my happy place. ![Scatman :scatman: :scatman:](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
A month ago, I hiked up Grandeur Peak, and while eating lunch, I noticed to the east what I thought was a yurt near the summit of Church Fork Peak. So I decided to head up to Church Fork to see what I could see.
We hiked up the Pipeline trail from the trailhead and then turned onto the Burch Hollow Trail and took it to the top of the ridge. Once on the ridge, we dropped over to the north side of the ridge and made our way along, heading west to Church Fork Peak
![01.jpg 01.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94213-a8db21f2e58186a70fe4e8864307db04.jpg)
A balmy 19 degrees at the trailhead
![02.jpg 02.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94214-8320544d1724326502cb3153570a0c7c.jpg)
A wee bit chilly along this stretch of the Pipeline Trail
![03.jpg 03.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94215-af669b429c0f3be4466e74c1f68c8154.jpg)
A look down Millcreek Canyon towards the Salt Lake Valley - notice the air quality for a later image
![04.jpg 04.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94216-cc600b415e4eb159eef8aa3fba80457a.jpg)
A look up Burch Hollow
![05.jpg 05.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94217-9de087a3ff4dcbeca2af390def340956.jpg)
The Burch Hollow Trail intersection with the Pipeline Trail
![06.jpg 06.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94218-f80e24933c1e5ab1454382a423f09c18.jpg)
First good look at the summit of Grandeur Peak to the west
![07.jpg 07.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94219-69d533f48b1da15cf10f53665c77003b.jpg)
A lone conifer along the trail in Burch Hollow
![08.jpg 08.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94220-fae4e758532c2cc6129d1f8f7fdb5af8.jpg)
Mount Olympus to the southwest
![09.jpg 09.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94221-eb52434b7990362f4e8f11264307feda.jpg)
On the ridge at the top of Burch Hollow, with Grandview Peak to the north
![10.jpg 10.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94222-979da2658d6fcc9c3f0c1d1936916abd.jpg)
Dipping down to the north side of the ridge where we encountered 6 - 10 inches of snow in the shady portions
![11.jpg 11.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94223-8acbf9dafd2d95c121b066cfb48230e4.jpg)
Mount Aire and the top of Burch Hollow to our east as we hiked west along the ridge
![12.jpg 12.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94224-123836f8225141b129294ce2f93229db.jpg)
And what do we have here? A yurt perhaps?
![13.jpg 13.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94225-ef27633dbb6e4cd3c9e3830198f2d01a.jpg)
Definitely a yurt.
![14.jpg 14.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94226-1f1f96753580daa81d42beaaeafe0339.jpg)
I'm not leaving until someone lets me in.![Stick Out Tongue :p :p](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
- Somebody's knockin'
Should I let them in?
Lord it's the Devil
Would you look at him?
I've heard about him
But I never dreamed
He'd have blue eyes and wear cycling tights!
![15.jpg 15.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94227-03861673e3df8014dd73b095b4dc52f9.jpg)
Small aspen grove between the yurt and the summit of Church Fork Peak
![16.jpg 16.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94228-5dc32746c923f98b27d3b52da47802f3.jpg)
The summit ahead
![17.jpg 17.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94229-c365139bbd938b51f2101bcf42729a44.jpg)
The summit cairn
![18.jpg 18.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94230-67e2c5192abf51002ec251be16039555.jpg)
Grandeur Peak to the west
![19.jpg 19.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94231-806a66399d05c73719899e8e83762a19.jpg)
The obligatory summit shot
![20.jpg 20.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94232-56d40e4cda6c1f4fa87a7c59635e5581.jpg)
Dale Peak along Parleys Ridge to the north - seen on our way back down
![21.jpg 21.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94233-38b74cdfdd185db17d5166c5285d0398.jpg)
Afternoon shot of upper Burch Hollow
![21b.jpg 21b.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94234-4102dfad04553db0a8032b4ea390b549.jpg)
The inversion is setting in thick in the valley now.
![22.jpg 22.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94235-e45e658e6b276e9bd2293b3f8423e6a7.jpg)
Gobblers Knob to the south.
It had warmed up to 28 degrees in the bottom of the canyon when we returned to our car. It was perfect though when we were able to hike in the sunshine.
A month ago, I hiked up Grandeur Peak, and while eating lunch, I noticed to the east what I thought was a yurt near the summit of Church Fork Peak. So I decided to head up to Church Fork to see what I could see.
We hiked up the Pipeline trail from the trailhead and then turned onto the Burch Hollow Trail and took it to the top of the ridge. Once on the ridge, we dropped over to the north side of the ridge and made our way along, heading west to Church Fork Peak
![01.jpg 01.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94213-a8db21f2e58186a70fe4e8864307db04.jpg)
A balmy 19 degrees at the trailhead
![02.jpg 02.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94214-8320544d1724326502cb3153570a0c7c.jpg)
A wee bit chilly along this stretch of the Pipeline Trail
![03.jpg 03.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94215-af669b429c0f3be4466e74c1f68c8154.jpg)
A look down Millcreek Canyon towards the Salt Lake Valley - notice the air quality for a later image
![04.jpg 04.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94216-cc600b415e4eb159eef8aa3fba80457a.jpg)
A look up Burch Hollow
![05.jpg 05.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94217-9de087a3ff4dcbeca2af390def340956.jpg)
The Burch Hollow Trail intersection with the Pipeline Trail
![06.jpg 06.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94218-f80e24933c1e5ab1454382a423f09c18.jpg)
First good look at the summit of Grandeur Peak to the west
![07.jpg 07.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94219-69d533f48b1da15cf10f53665c77003b.jpg)
A lone conifer along the trail in Burch Hollow
![08.jpg 08.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94220-fae4e758532c2cc6129d1f8f7fdb5af8.jpg)
Mount Olympus to the southwest
![09.jpg 09.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94221-eb52434b7990362f4e8f11264307feda.jpg)
On the ridge at the top of Burch Hollow, with Grandview Peak to the north
![10.jpg 10.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94222-979da2658d6fcc9c3f0c1d1936916abd.jpg)
Dipping down to the north side of the ridge where we encountered 6 - 10 inches of snow in the shady portions
![11.jpg 11.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94223-8acbf9dafd2d95c121b066cfb48230e4.jpg)
Mount Aire and the top of Burch Hollow to our east as we hiked west along the ridge
![12.jpg 12.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94224-123836f8225141b129294ce2f93229db.jpg)
And what do we have here? A yurt perhaps?
![13.jpg 13.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94225-ef27633dbb6e4cd3c9e3830198f2d01a.jpg)
Definitely a yurt.
![14.jpg 14.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94226-1f1f96753580daa81d42beaaeafe0339.jpg)
I'm not leaving until someone lets me in.
- Somebody's knockin'
Should I let them in?
Lord it's the Devil
Would you look at him?
I've heard about him
But I never dreamed
He'd have blue eyes and wear cycling tights!
![15.jpg 15.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94227-03861673e3df8014dd73b095b4dc52f9.jpg)
Small aspen grove between the yurt and the summit of Church Fork Peak
![16.jpg 16.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94228-5dc32746c923f98b27d3b52da47802f3.jpg)
The summit ahead
![17.jpg 17.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94229-c365139bbd938b51f2101bcf42729a44.jpg)
The summit cairn
![18.jpg 18.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94230-67e2c5192abf51002ec251be16039555.jpg)
Grandeur Peak to the west
![19.jpg 19.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94231-806a66399d05c73719899e8e83762a19.jpg)
The obligatory summit shot
![20.jpg 20.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94232-56d40e4cda6c1f4fa87a7c59635e5581.jpg)
Dale Peak along Parleys Ridge to the north - seen on our way back down
![21.jpg 21.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94233-38b74cdfdd185db17d5166c5285d0398.jpg)
Afternoon shot of upper Burch Hollow
![21b.jpg 21b.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94234-4102dfad04553db0a8032b4ea390b549.jpg)
The inversion is setting in thick in the valley now.
![22.jpg 22.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/94/94235-e45e658e6b276e9bd2293b3f8423e6a7.jpg)
Gobblers Knob to the south.
It had warmed up to 28 degrees in the bottom of the canyon when we returned to our car. It was perfect though when we were able to hike in the sunshine.