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- Dec 23, 2013
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It's been six years since I was last on Perkin's Peak, so this past weekend it was time to step up a level beyond the foothills and try something a little more challenging to see how my surgically repaired knee would hold up.
I approached Perkin's from Jack's Mountain for the first time. Normally I take in the peak while doing a traverse of Parley's Ridge, or just hike up the west side of the ridge. Also, for the first time, I hiked up the Straight Jack's Mountain Trail instead of my usual route. This turned out to be a very steep option to gain Parley's Ridge.
While it is only 3.4 miles to the summit of Perkin's Peak, it took Katie, Sheila and I just about 9.5 miles to complete the hike, with four breaks along our way and an hour lunch on the summit.
Review Image:
Overview map
Getting ready at the trailhead
Steep right off the bat
Looking up at Jack's. We were in the shade most of the way to the top of Jack's
Leaving the valley behind
Various paintbrush
Phlox
Balsamroot
Working our way up the hillside. Pencil Point below, with the western ridge of Mount Olympus and Lone Peak in view.
Into the morning sunlight
Waiting on the slowpokes.
Group shot on Jack's
Heading off the east side of Jack's - my first time on this trail
A meadow full of mule's ears. I bet this will be gorgeous in another week or two. Pencil Point is way down the ridge.
Looking back on Jack's Mountain as we have started the climb up to the top of Parley's Ridge
Larkspur
Western wallflower
@regehr and @Ugly, I believe this might be the steepest trail that I've been on in the
Wasatch. It wore me out.
Another look back down to Jack's and the valley
Zoomed in on the summit of Mount Wire to the north and saw these paragliders, two in the air and one getting ready.
Zoomed in on the University of Utah, with the hospital and Research Park
For @Rockskipper . I made the ridge!
This one's for @TractorDoc , showing off the Krakatoas in a state of delirium.
The route ahead to Perkin's Peak, looking east along Parley's Ridge
Typical of the top of the ridge with lots of scrub oak and snowbrush to contend with
Coming off the first bump on the ridge
Linearleaf phacelia
Looking back west along the ridgeline
View down into Spring Canyon
Katie, making her way east along the ridge
Perkin's Peak is the last bump you see int he image
Legs and arms took a beating through this part
Katie, checking out a hawk that was soaring above
Perkin's dead ahead
Saw a lot of lizards on the ridge. I was surprised that we didn't see any rattlesnakes as the day warmed up.
The closer you get to the peak, the more rugged the route becomes
Sheila, scrambling up to the summit of Perkin's
Views form the top:
Dale Peak to the east with Little Dell Reservoir beyond.
Snow covered Grandview to the north
Lookout Peak to the north
Mount Aire to the southeast
Lunch time
Looking south towards the Millcreek Ridge and beyond
Curved view
A fisheye BCP greeting
And a normal one
I hauled up three cameras on this hike - the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, the trust Canon PowerShot SX530 HS, and an old Canon
PowerShot S20.
A hoverfly joined us at the top
Time to head back
Caterpillar nest
The way ahead
Working our way west along the ridgeline. You know that Katie means business when
she strips down to her Lewis & Clark tee shirt.
Parley's Ridge
Love this shot of Grandeur Peak across Parley's Canyon
The steep trail down off the ridge
Looking down on Jack's Mountain once again
More larkspur
Utah violet
Woodland star
A parasailer above us. I'm guessing since he came from the south that he launched off of Grandeur Peak.
Just have to climb back up Jack's one more time
A good look at what we climbed in the morning to gain Parley's Ridge. The sun angle was really bad in the morning, so I took this
afternoon shot to show where we went up.
Head of Spring Canyon
A good shot of the east ridge off of Jack's and up to the top of Parley's Ridge
Katie has found a little bit of shade back at the top of Jack's
Heading off Jack's Mountain
Arrowleaf balsamroot
Some vetch
View back up at Jack's with the afternoon sun on it this time
I think I see the Sube.
Katie has had enough.
Stopped by Papa Murphy's on our way home and got a well deserved Taco Grande Pizza with chicken. I of course had to add to
my half.
And had my last Moose Drool from last September's trip to Yellowstone with the pizza.
The End.
I approached Perkin's from Jack's Mountain for the first time. Normally I take in the peak while doing a traverse of Parley's Ridge, or just hike up the west side of the ridge. Also, for the first time, I hiked up the Straight Jack's Mountain Trail instead of my usual route. This turned out to be a very steep option to gain Parley's Ridge.
While it is only 3.4 miles to the summit of Perkin's Peak, it took Katie, Sheila and I just about 9.5 miles to complete the hike, with four breaks along our way and an hour lunch on the summit.
Review Image:
Overview map
Getting ready at the trailhead
Steep right off the bat
Looking up at Jack's. We were in the shade most of the way to the top of Jack's
Leaving the valley behind
Various paintbrush
Phlox
Balsamroot
Working our way up the hillside. Pencil Point below, with the western ridge of Mount Olympus and Lone Peak in view.
Into the morning sunlight
Waiting on the slowpokes.
Group shot on Jack's
Heading off the east side of Jack's - my first time on this trail
A meadow full of mule's ears. I bet this will be gorgeous in another week or two. Pencil Point is way down the ridge.
Looking back on Jack's Mountain as we have started the climb up to the top of Parley's Ridge
Larkspur
Western wallflower
@regehr and @Ugly, I believe this might be the steepest trail that I've been on in the
Wasatch. It wore me out.
Another look back down to Jack's and the valley
Zoomed in on the summit of Mount Wire to the north and saw these paragliders, two in the air and one getting ready.
Zoomed in on the University of Utah, with the hospital and Research Park
For @Rockskipper . I made the ridge!
This one's for @TractorDoc , showing off the Krakatoas in a state of delirium.
The route ahead to Perkin's Peak, looking east along Parley's Ridge
Typical of the top of the ridge with lots of scrub oak and snowbrush to contend with
Coming off the first bump on the ridge
Linearleaf phacelia
Looking back west along the ridgeline
View down into Spring Canyon
Katie, making her way east along the ridge
Perkin's Peak is the last bump you see int he image
Legs and arms took a beating through this part
Katie, checking out a hawk that was soaring above
Perkin's dead ahead
Saw a lot of lizards on the ridge. I was surprised that we didn't see any rattlesnakes as the day warmed up.
The closer you get to the peak, the more rugged the route becomes
Sheila, scrambling up to the summit of Perkin's
Views form the top:
Dale Peak to the east with Little Dell Reservoir beyond.
Snow covered Grandview to the north
Lookout Peak to the north
Mount Aire to the southeast
Lunch time
Looking south towards the Millcreek Ridge and beyond
Curved view
A fisheye BCP greeting
And a normal one
I hauled up three cameras on this hike - the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, the trust Canon PowerShot SX530 HS, and an old Canon
PowerShot S20.
A hoverfly joined us at the top
Time to head back
Caterpillar nest
The way ahead
Working our way west along the ridgeline. You know that Katie means business when
she strips down to her Lewis & Clark tee shirt.
Parley's Ridge
Love this shot of Grandeur Peak across Parley's Canyon
The steep trail down off the ridge
Looking down on Jack's Mountain once again
More larkspur
Utah violet
Woodland star
A parasailer above us. I'm guessing since he came from the south that he launched off of Grandeur Peak.
Just have to climb back up Jack's one more time
A good look at what we climbed in the morning to gain Parley's Ridge. The sun angle was really bad in the morning, so I took this
afternoon shot to show where we went up.
Head of Spring Canyon
A good shot of the east ridge off of Jack's and up to the top of Parley's Ridge
Katie has found a little bit of shade back at the top of Jack's
Heading off Jack's Mountain
Arrowleaf balsamroot
Some vetch
View back up at Jack's with the afternoon sun on it this time
I think I see the Sube.
Katie has had enough.
Stopped by Papa Murphy's on our way home and got a well deserved Taco Grande Pizza with chicken. I of course had to add to
my half.
And had my last Moose Drool from last September's trip to Yellowstone with the pizza.
The End.
