Meadow Valley Mountains

westy

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2016
Messages
223
The past 2 years have been rough. Time, money and health all took a lurch and my usual lifestyle of playing outside with every free moment took a nose dive. Time to start making up for missing out on my preternatural obsession. So after more than 2 years of not having felt a pack on my back loaded for more than a day hike, I headed into the Meadow Valley Mountains for a night. Carrying all my water for 2 days kinda sucked, and plenty of "real" food, but pack was no more a burden than it is for up to 10 days in more alpine environs where water is abundant. So I headed for the gap at the north end of what I call The Wall

_MG_7365.jpg

A 5 mile long undulating craggy ridge, steep faced in one aspect, sloped and incised by many canyons on the other. I arrived at the gap mid day and wandered a little, enjoying a nice sunset, singing birds, and many hares hopping about.

_MG_7999.jpg

Next morning I strapped on and headed out. Through the gap and up to and along the crest for a bit. picking slowly through rocky slopes, I trekked the crest for a bit enjoying the big views.

_MG_8014.jpg

After having my fill of the slow but steady constant up and down I made some easier time through a lower valley for a bit

_MG_8020.jpg

before heading back up gentler slopes to roller coaster the crest, plus and minus, once more.

_MG_8023.jpg

_MG_8035.jpg

_MG_8036.jpg

_MG_8037.jpg

_MG_8041.jpg

I found a nice camp, well, a nice place to camp with a nice view. But the ground was not very cooperative with my staking attempts. Much cussing and yelling ensued. As if the earth would then capitulate and be like, "Oh. My bad. Here, let me move these rocks out of the way that are just under the surface so you can get your stakes in all the way." But still it somehow helps. Once I got staked out it was time to ooh and ahh

_MG_8082.jpg

until crawling in for the night, emerging occasionally to take in the starry night. Next morning

_MG_8091.jpg

_MG_8093.jpg

I strapped back on and headed towards Kane bm, Once again riding close to the crest, but cutting off the high points and instead traversing their lower slopes to stay as level as possible from gap to gap. The views from Kane were pretty nice.

_MG_8095.jpg

_MG_8096.jpg

_MG_8101.jpg

Now it was time to head down and out. Day 1 was starting to seem a good deal too casual, I had only covered about .25% of my total distance. But the going would be much easier so I figured I'd cut back on breaks, duration and frequency, and push the pace a little more. So I started down a ridge above Hackberry Canyon

_MG_8104.jpg

until dropping in and riding the much, much gentler slopes of a broad valley back towards the gap.

_MG_8108.jpg

_MG_8118.jpg

_MG_8119.jpg

_MG_8121.jpg

With dusk coming on

_MG_8123.jpg

I was still a couple miles from the truck so pushed the pace to finish the day just as the very last pink glow had faded from the sky. Then a shortish drive back to sinville and a hot soak followed by pad thai. I absolutely love this area, Meadow Valley, Delamar, Sheep and Mormon mountains clustered in. Been in all more than a few times each and will be in each again.
 
There is much underappreciated country out there in the vicinity of the Mormon Mountains. Hope things continue to improve on your end.
 
Very nice! Glad you were finally able to get back out. Was this a recent trip? Just wondering what the temps were you encountered, looks like it could have been cold, hard to tell though.
 
Does that pyramid shaped hill have a name? Looks like it is begging to be scrambled up.
 
Had no idea anything was going on for you health wise Westy. Really glad to hear you are on the mend. And finding sweet solitude in gorgeous places! I had schemed something like your very trip, hadn't followed through on it. Thanks for the beta and inspiration. I bet you were the only human in a calendar year that had been up on Kane BM's slopes or in the head of Hackberry Canyon. The pic of Sunflower with MVM HP is awesome. Keep getting out!
John
 
Wonderful share!
Glad you were able to get back out there and enjoy some beautiful views!
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
westy Meadow Valley Mountains Hiking & Camping 2
O Eagle Cap from China Cap to Meadow Mountain Backpacking 3
TheMountainRabbit Red's Meadow to Tuolumne Meadows via the High Route (Ansel Adams/Yosemite Wilderness) - August 2022 Backpacking 5
John Goering Tobacco Root Mountains South Meadow Creek Off Road 1
P Teton Crest Trail via Coal Creek/Moose Meadow trails Trip Planning 2
Angeles Explorer Camping Trip to Frog Meadow in the Sequoia National Forest Hiking & Camping 4
WasatchWill Tabernacle Hill & Meadow Hot Springs Hiking & Camping 5
D John Muir Trail: Devil's Postpile to Horseshoe Meadow Backpacking 7
John Goering Tobacco Root Mountains, annual 4th trip to North Meadow Creek Hiking & Camping 4
D John Muir Trail: Yosemite to Red's Meadow Backpacking 8
John Goering Tobacco Root Mountains, Lady of the Lake/North Meadow Creek Backpacking 4
Jackson Crystal Lake TH to Meadow Lake Backpacking 11
Blake Merrell Meadow, Ibantik, and over the Notch! Backpacking 18
John Goering Tobacco Root Mountains North Meadow Creek 2015 Hiking & Camping 5
John Goering Tobacco Root Mountains, the other side of North Meadow Creek Hiking & Camping 6
John Goering Tobacco Root Mountains, South Meadow Creek Hiking & Camping 5
John Goering North Meadow Creek nostalgia Off Road 1
John Goering Tobacco Root (North Meadow Creek) trip Backpacking 8
Scott Chandler Summer in the CPW- Meadow Flowers and Hazelton Peak Hiking & Camping 7
regehr kayaking death valley On The Water 1
balzaccom Death Valley in January Hiking & Camping 3
B March at Valley of Fire other recommendations in the area Trip Planning 7
BobFink Mirror Plateau via Pelican Valley and Pelican Creek, July / August 2023 Backpacking 12
Ugly Headless Valley- Film about traveling the Nahanni River General Discussion 5
TractorDoc Cuyahoga Valley National Park (again!) 06/04/2023 Hiking & Camping 6
TractorDoc Cuyahoga Valley National Park 05/28/2023 Hiking & Camping 20
wsp_scott Yosemite Valley 2022 Backpacking 12
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Wrangler Lake, Bog Creek, Joseph's Coat Springs, Broad Creek, Wapiti Lake, Hot Springs Basin, and Pelican Valley. The Second Half. Backpacking 15
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Wrangler Lake, Bog Creek, Joseph's Coat Springs, Broad Creek, Wapiti Lake, Hot Springs Basin, and Pelican Valley. Part One of Two. Backpacking 61
D Onion Valley to Whitney Backpacking 7
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Hayden Valley, Trout Creek, Beach Lake, and Arnica Creek Meadows. September 11, 2022. Hiking & Camping 7
RyanP Goblin Valley SP Expansion General Discussion 3
K Hello from the Salt Lake Valley Noobs: Introduce yourself! 2
balzaccom Death Valley again Hiking & Camping 0
T Death valley Trip Planning 3
WasatchWill WRHR: Day 3 - 'Desolation Valley' to Halls Lake Backpacking 15
WasatchWill WRHR: Day 2 - Cirque of the Towers to 'Desolation Valley' Backpacking 28
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Hayden Valley in a Day -- September 17 2021 Hiking & Camping 27
J Death Valley Natl. Pk. Upper Monarch Canyon plus. Dec 1, 2021 Hiking & Camping 1
J Death Valley Natl. Pk. A Black Mtns and Canyons Traverse Nov 30, 2021 Hiking & Camping 2
J Death Valley Natl. Pk. 6 Days hiking. Nov 14-19, 2021 Hiking & Camping 1
scatman Hayden Valley Loop - Yellowstone National Park - September 17, 2021 Hiking & Camping 34
travel2walk Lamar River, Pelican Valley, & Speciman Ridge loop - Yellowstone, Jun 29 to Jul 3, 2021 Backpacking 15
J Death Valley National Park and Area Mountain Rambles Dec. 16-17, 2020 Hiking & Camping 0
J Death Valley Natl. Pk: Funeral Pk, Slit Canyon, and Big Dune. Dec 21-22, 2020 Hiking & Camping 1
J Death Valley NP Black Mountains and beyond Hiking Dec 19-20, 2020 Hiking & Camping 1
Burrito Death Valley van trip turns into something pretty special General Discussion 7
beaver-one Yellowstone advice: Lamar River - Pelican Valley - Mirror Plateau loop this summer Trip Planning 6
TheMountainRabbit Lamar River, Mirror Plateau, and Pelican Valley (Yellowstone NP) - mid-September 2020 Backpacking 28
balzaccom Death Valley again Hiking & Camping 4

Similar threads

Back
Top