Delano Peak the long way (Tushar Mountains, UT)

fossana

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
853
80053
Intro
Another Thursday night and another topo map search for somewhere to escape the southern UT summer heat. Wanting to avoid a big drive, I came across the
Tushar Range, which tops out at 12K feet. I also noticed that there was a trail race on Saturday, so using inspiration from their marathon course I planned to hike on Sunday. Saturday evening I headed for the southern-most trailhead on the route (near Lake Peak). The single lane road was torn up with nowhere to camp. Instead I camped closer to Timid Springs trailhead, and in the morning drove to Big John Flat (where I should have gone in the first place).

Logistics
Jurisdiction: Fishlake National Forest
Permits: none required
Dogs friendly: yes
Water: many streams along the way, possible snow fields
Start/end: Recommend Skyline trail crossing at Big John Flat. Some of the other trailheads have less reliable road access.
Mileage: ~16
Elevation gain: ~5.5K ft
Navigation: For the most part the trail and most junctions were signed; however the trail was inapparent at times during the high meadow crossings.


References

Tushar Mt Runs marathon course
Driving directions to trailhead

Approximate Route
80052

Trip Report

The loop starts out in a forested section of Skyline National Recreation Trail (trail 225), then crosses meadows and drainages along the less craggy and less interesting (IMO) side of the Tushar Range. Fortunately the flowers and my Cormac McCarthy audio book helped pass the time.


DSC02230.jpg DSC02241.jpgDSC02250.jpg DSC02254.jpg

DSC02262.jpg

Next the route heads NW on trail 219 past the craggy backside of Mt Holly, unnamed peak 11815, and Delano Peak. At the Mt Holly saddle I contemplated traversing the ridge to Delano instead, but decided I could use the extra mileage and elevation gain. I had a snack at a campsite with cushy stone lounge chairs, complete with foot rests and log drink/snack holders.

There was a faint use trail up the Cottonwood Creek drainage to Delano, which again I skipped. The northeasterly section of 219 wasn't overly exciting as you head toward some old mining roads/mines. It was also somewhat punishing to lose and gain so much elevation from the ~11K Mt Holly saddle, a pattern to be repeated again.

DSC02273.jpg DSC02276.jpg DSC02282.jpg DSC02285.jpg

DSC02291.jpg DSC02294.jpg DSC02307.jpg DSC02324.jpg

DSC02327.jpg DSC02328.jpg

After a short section of 4WD roads I reached the Alunite Ridge trailhead (~11.2K ft). The trail drops ~1000' through the forest past old mining cabins, and bright orange fairy cup and jelly fungi, then heads SW along the S Fork of Pine Creek. The waterfalls along this section were spectacular. I reached the last major climb, 2000' to the summit of Delano peak. The trail climbed up a rocky old mining road into a meadow covered valley with another old cabin. Here the trail was faint in spots, but I could see a few tracks from the racers on the day prior.

DSC02332.jpg DSC02335.jpg DSC02343.jpg DSC02346.jpg

DSC02353.jpg DSC02356.jpg DSC02362.jpg DSC02373.jpg

I climbed to the false summit, a grassy plateau to the east with the largest herd of mountain goats I had ever seen. Unfortunately the sun was covered by clouds at this point so the lighting wasn't ideal for goat photos. Finally, I had only a few hundred feet to go. Delano Peak is an anticlimactic 12,169' dull grassy hill topped with some rocks (complete with a mailbox summit register box). But at least the climbing was over. The trail followed Sound of Musicesque rolling wildflower covered hills (minus the Alps backdrop) back down to Big John Flat.

DSC02374.jpg DSC02377.jpg DSC02380.jpg DSC02382.jpg

DSC02384.jpg DSC02390.jpg DSC02386.jpg DSC02390.jpg

DSC02397.jpg

note: I ended up removing a disappointing amount of trail markers from the race that were missed or dropped by the race crew.
 

Attachments

  • DSC02318.jpg
    DSC02318.jpg
    221.2 KB · Views: 21
Last edited:
Love the scenery! As always, you can handle impressive elevation gains. Does the high altitude have any impact on you at all?
Thanks for sharing, very interesting area.
 
Good to see Big John Flat is open now. I called last week and was told it would be closed until August,
 
Nice! You can also take the ridge from alumnite TH to Delano, avoid the drop and re-climb, and the the views are fantastic. Glad you had fun!
 
Good to see Big John Flat is open now. I called last week and was told it would be closed until August,
Big John Flat has been open for at least two weeks, but the gate at Poison Creek was still closed and locked on July 20. I think another week or so from now and the snow should melt enough to open it up.
 
Love the scenery! As always, you can handle impressive elevation gains. Does the high altitude have any impact on you at all?
Thanks for sharing, very interesting area.

It does when I'm not acclimated (as in now) :). The Sierra snow put a damper into my usual alpine plans, which normally start Memorial Day weekend.
 
Great TR of a great place F! Thanks.

BTW how did you build the TR with thumbnails in a row like that? I never thought of doing that and it looks great.
 
BTW how did you build the TR with thumbnails in a row like that? I never thought of doing that and it looks great.

thanks! I just used the Attach files button to upload all of my photos, then inserted them as thumbnails instead of the full sized pics. They won't run fiber the 2 miles up to my neighborhood, so I'm hyperaware of photo loading time. :)
 
Big John Flat has been open for at least two weeks, but the gate at Poison Creek was still closed and locked on July 20. I think another week or so from now and the snow should melt enough to open it up.
So they lied to me!
 
Great share!
The yellow growth on the log looks like candy to me! Haha
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
fossana Delano Peak the even longer way (Tushar Mountains, UT) Hiking & Camping 14
WasatchWill Delano Peak via Bullion Canyon Backpacking 6
LarryBoy Delano Peak Loop 2016 Backpacking 16
Howells Outdoors Delano Peak and Mt. Holly Hiking & Camping 6
Udink Delano and Mine Camp Peaks Hiking & Camping 4
BobFink Goschute Mountains, NV , Pisgah Peak, Hawk Watch Migration Site Everything Else 2
TheMountainRabbit Ortenburger Lake, Talus Lake, & Glacier Peak (Grand Teton NP) - October 2023 Backpacking 14
scatman Ensign Peak to Grandview Peak - October 9, 2023 Hiking & Camping 30
scatman Yellowstone's Thorofare, Headwaters of Thorofare Creek, Majo Pass, Younts Peak, Bob's Canyon, and Cub Creek - August 9, 2023 - Days 7 through 10 Backpacking 34
scatman Yellowstone's Thorofare, Headwaters of Thorofare Creek, Majo Pass, Younts Peak, Bob's Canyon, and Cub Creek - August 9, 2023 - Days 1 through 6 Backpacking 56
RockyMntCol Trip Planning Younts Peak / South Fork Yellowstone Trip Planning 12
T Cloud Peak backpack Trip Planning 0
RockyMntCol Cloud Peak Wilderness Loop Trip Planning 1
scatman Reid's Peak - Uintas - July 22, 2023 Hiking & Camping 6
W Paper map for Teton Wilderness (Younts Peak) Gear 4
scatman Grandeur Peak - Dragon Tail Route - June 10, 2023 Hiking & Camping 13
scatman Lookout Peak - May 27, 2023 Hiking & Camping 13
scatman Frary Peak - Antelope Island - February 20, 2023 Hiking & Camping 10
scatman Ensign Peak - November 24, 2022 Hiking & Camping 11
scatman Grandeur Peak - November 11, 2022 Hiking & Camping 15
Titans What’s your unfinished business? Hard canyon access, mtn peak, you name it! General Discussion 54
ram Eldorado Peak 2022 Backpacking 3
TheMountainRabbit Younts Peak (Teton/Washakie Wilderness) - July 2022 Backpacking 22
regehr Lookout Peak 6/25/22 Hiking & Camping 3
scatman Unnamed Peak 8194 - June 25, 2022 Hiking & Camping 17
scatman Mendon Peak - Wellsville Mountain Wilderness - June 4, 2022 Hiking & Camping 13
scatman Dale Peak - May 22, 2022 Hiking & Camping 21
westy Invite Glacier Peak, Washington Meet Up (Members Only) 2
TheMountainRabbit Invite Younts Peak, July 2022 Meet Up (Members Only) 11
LarryBoy SLC: Terrace Hills Drive to Big Mountain Peak Trip Planning 16
ram Glacier Peak July 2021 Backpacking 9
scatman Grandeur Peak - January 15, 2022 Hiking & Camping 6
scatman Frary Peak - Antelope Island - January 7, 2022 Hiking & Camping 21
Wanderlust073 Raleigh Peak Hiking & Camping 4
scatman Grandeur Peak Loop - December 4, 2021 Hiking & Camping 4
scatman Dale Peak - November 27, 2021 Hiking & Camping 3
scatman Grandeur Peak - Dagon's Tail Route - November 21, 2021 Hiking & Camping 9
K Kings Peak Trip Trip Planning 6
TrektheWorld Crater Lake and Lone Eagle Peak Backpacking 1
la_alpinista Thoughts on potential off trail routes in Cloud Peak Wilderness CPW Trip Planning 1
scatman Lone Peak - July 14, 2021 Hiking & Camping 28
Bob Yellowstone - Electric Peak visit Backpacking 2
scatman Lewiston Peak - May 15, 2021 Hiking & Camping 7
LarryBoy Looping the Highline: Gilbert Peak Edition Backpacking 13
scatman Peak 6551 - Lakeside Mountains - April 17, 2021 Hiking & Camping 7
napatony13 Trinity Alps-Grizzly Peak Trail Hiking & Camping 0
scatman Lookout Peak - January 16, 2021 Hiking & Camping 10
scatman Frary Peak - December 5, 2020 Hiking & Camping 10
scatman Church Fork Peak - November 28, 2020 Hiking & Camping 2
scatman Grandeur Peak, The West Slope Approach - October 31, 2020 Hiking & Camping 7

Similar threads

Back
Top