- Joined
- Dec 23, 2013
- Messages
- 4,058
He's back! Newly retired @Artemus had an itch to go hiking, so yesterday, we decided to tackle Grandview Peak. Now, there is nothing hard about Grandview, but it requires a full day do to the length of the approach and get back to your vehicle.
We beagn at 6:40 am from the Big Mountain Pass Trailhead, and we made our way along the Great Western Trail to Big Mountain and beyond to Swallow Rocks. At this point we left the Great Western Trail and headed east to the headwaters of City Creek Canyon and on to Grandview Peak.
On our return, we took the trail past Lookout Peak and dropped down to the Affleck Park Campground in East Canyon.
Once again wildflowers dominated the route, both coming and going. The only wildlife on the hike though were some birds and a horned lizard towards the end.
Art's phone app had us at 18 miles for the day, and as the day bore on, it became quite hot, particularly on our return.
Here's some shots of our hike.
The trailhead at Big Mountain Pass
The one and only @Artemus. I think he's wondering why the hell am I so slow.
@Miya, I'll see your Yarrow and raise you three!
Some Fleabane perhaps?
A look across the draw at Lookout Peak
An angelic Tree Hugger? Solid!
Not much to the top of Big Mountain - a nice view of the Wasatch though.
Grandview Peak is off in the distance at the center of this image. Please ignore the shadow.
Looking down into Dell Canyon
Art, heading towards Swallow Rocks (high point in the image)
Lupine along the trail
Tall Ragwort
Aster
Scatman can't read this sign. Leaving the Great Western Trail at this point
Cougar Scat? What do you think?
Showy Goldeneye
Art, with our goal in the distance. It's only four miles as the crow flies from here I'm told.
Sego Lily
Getting closer! We still have to traverse the ridge around the upper City Creek Basin to reach the peak.
Paintbrush along the ridge
Dropping down to a saddle at upper City Creek before climbing back up to the top of the ridge.
Looking down into upper City Creek Canyon
@Artemus pulls a Scatman and begins bushwhacking through service berry shrubs trying to regain the trail. Ask him about this
sometime.
One for @Perry, a shot north into the Morgan Valley
Grandview Peak. The escarpment is a prominent feature that can be seen from the Salt Lake Valley, looking to the northeast.
Hookers Onion
Back up and onto the ridge
Deer leg
Not the best shot, but it's a Grouse. We saw the same bird on our way back down.
Burro Peak on the left. The northern ridge of City Creek Canyon
View to the east from the summit of Grandview Peak
Looking down Cottonwood Gulch and into City Creek Canyon
Surveying his kingdom
Summit shot - I have been assured that is Art standing next to me.
Coming off the summit to Fleabane along the trail
Sort of surprised to see Columbine up here
Tall Larkspur
A meadow full of Horsement and Larkspur. The smell was fantastic.
Entering Aspen on the north side of Lookout Peak
Looking east towards the Uintas.
Art, checking out the view.
A Horned Lizard.
This is where the trail pops out into Affleck Park Campground.
Once we arrived at the campground, we had to hike 0.7 miles down the road to a pullout where my Jeep was parked in order to shuttle back to Art's truck, parked at Big Mountain Pass.
The End
We beagn at 6:40 am from the Big Mountain Pass Trailhead, and we made our way along the Great Western Trail to Big Mountain and beyond to Swallow Rocks. At this point we left the Great Western Trail and headed east to the headwaters of City Creek Canyon and on to Grandview Peak.
On our return, we took the trail past Lookout Peak and dropped down to the Affleck Park Campground in East Canyon.
Once again wildflowers dominated the route, both coming and going. The only wildlife on the hike though were some birds and a horned lizard towards the end.
Art's phone app had us at 18 miles for the day, and as the day bore on, it became quite hot, particularly on our return.
Here's some shots of our hike.
The trailhead at Big Mountain Pass
The one and only @Artemus. I think he's wondering why the hell am I so slow.
@Miya, I'll see your Yarrow and raise you three!
Some Fleabane perhaps?
A look across the draw at Lookout Peak
An angelic Tree Hugger? Solid!
Not much to the top of Big Mountain - a nice view of the Wasatch though.
Grandview Peak is off in the distance at the center of this image. Please ignore the shadow.
Looking down into Dell Canyon
Art, heading towards Swallow Rocks (high point in the image)
Lupine along the trail
Tall Ragwort
Aster
Scatman can't read this sign.
Leaving the Great Western Trail at this pointCougar Scat? What do you think?
Showy Goldeneye
Art, with our goal in the distance. It's only four miles as the crow flies from here I'm told.
Sego Lily
Getting closer! We still have to traverse the ridge around the upper City Creek Basin to reach the peak.
Paintbrush along the ridge
Dropping down to a saddle at upper City Creek before climbing back up to the top of the ridge.
Looking down into upper City Creek Canyon
@Artemus pulls a Scatman and begins bushwhacking through service berry shrubs trying to regain the trail. Ask him about this
sometime.
One for @Perry, a shot north into the Morgan Valley
Grandview Peak. The escarpment is a prominent feature that can be seen from the Salt Lake Valley, looking to the northeast.
Hookers Onion
Back up and onto the ridge
Deer leg
Not the best shot, but it's a Grouse. We saw the same bird on our way back down.
Burro Peak on the left. The northern ridge of City Creek Canyon
View to the east from the summit of Grandview Peak
Looking down Cottonwood Gulch and into City Creek Canyon
Surveying his kingdom
Summit shot - I have been assured that is Art standing next to me.
Coming off the summit to Fleabane along the trail
Sort of surprised to see Columbine up here
Tall Larkspur
A meadow full of Horsement and Larkspur. The smell was fantastic.
Entering Aspen on the north side of Lookout Peak
Looking east towards the Uintas.
Art, checking out the view.
A Horned Lizard.
This is where the trail pops out into Affleck Park Campground.
Once we arrived at the campground, we had to hike 0.7 miles down the road to a pullout where my Jeep was parked in order to shuttle back to Art's truck, parked at Big Mountain Pass.
The End
