HomerJ
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- Joined
- Jan 19, 2012
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Inspired by Smokey 's post of Beirdneau Peak in the Bear River Range, I thought I'd post the hike I did on Memorial Day.
Saddleback Mountain is between Logan Canyon and Green Canyon and can be seen from almost anywhere in Logan. It's most recognized by the two reflectors on top. Those reflectors had long been a goal of mine to hike to. Although I've been up and down parts of the trail a few times, I had only really tried to make it to the top once before. I had to turn back due the sun setting and not having a headlamp. The trail goes straight up the ridge to top with no switchbacks. It's steep and rocky! Not something I wanted to go down with limited light.
I parked at the mouth of Green Canyon where the Bonneville Shoreline Trail begins. When I fired up my GPS I got the warning that my batteries were dead, DOH!
How could I not check that! So I tossed it back in the car. When I got home I mapped the mileage/elevation gain out on Google Earth and got that it was just under 1.5 miles, but gains 2400' in elevation!
The Saddleback Mountain trail quickly veers off of the Bonneville trail and begins to rapidly climb. The trail can be broken in to 3 sections, steep, steeper, and steepest with short benches in between each steep section. Luckily for me there were flowers in bloom all over the first two sections which gave me plenty of reasons to take a breather!
Wellsvilles Mountains in the distance
There's a lot of rocks in upper 3rd section of the trail that you have to scramble up over. I found my trekking poles a nuisances at these areas and a couple of times tossed them up ahead so I could use both hands to scramble up the rocks.
Rock scramble near the top of the photo
Mount Jardine in the distance covered in snow
The reflectors finally come into view! It was easy hiking from here on up!
I hadn't seen another person on the trail until just after the above photo was taken. He made it to the top just before I did. Soon after his 3 kids came walking over a ridge on top, they had left dad behind and went on ahead. LOL!
Another view of Mt. Jardine
Reflectors
The wind was blowing and there wasn't a good spot to sit and have my lunch so I snapped a few photos and then headed back down to find a nice spot to eat. I ended up climbing down the rocky section of the trail to the beginning of the middle section before stopping to eat. I didn't realize how steep the trail was until I was going back down it! It was much worse going down. After finding a placing in the shade I quickly ate my lunch and was soon heading down again. I had to stop often to rest for a minute or two as it was so steep it was killing my legs. It was definitely much easier to go up than down.
View to the NW of the valley on the hike down.
It was good to get that goal done, but I don't think I'll hike that mountain again. I say that know, but in a year I will have forgotten how steep it was and might be enticed to give it another go....
Featured image for home page:
Saddleback Mountain is between Logan Canyon and Green Canyon and can be seen from almost anywhere in Logan. It's most recognized by the two reflectors on top. Those reflectors had long been a goal of mine to hike to. Although I've been up and down parts of the trail a few times, I had only really tried to make it to the top once before. I had to turn back due the sun setting and not having a headlamp. The trail goes straight up the ridge to top with no switchbacks. It's steep and rocky! Not something I wanted to go down with limited light.
I parked at the mouth of Green Canyon where the Bonneville Shoreline Trail begins. When I fired up my GPS I got the warning that my batteries were dead, DOH!
How could I not check that! So I tossed it back in the car. When I got home I mapped the mileage/elevation gain out on Google Earth and got that it was just under 1.5 miles, but gains 2400' in elevation!The Saddleback Mountain trail quickly veers off of the Bonneville trail and begins to rapidly climb. The trail can be broken in to 3 sections, steep, steeper, and steepest with short benches in between each steep section. Luckily for me there were flowers in bloom all over the first two sections which gave me plenty of reasons to take a breather!
Wellsvilles Mountains in the distance
There's a lot of rocks in upper 3rd section of the trail that you have to scramble up over. I found my trekking poles a nuisances at these areas and a couple of times tossed them up ahead so I could use both hands to scramble up the rocks.
Rock scramble near the top of the photo
Mount Jardine in the distance covered in snow
The reflectors finally come into view! It was easy hiking from here on up!
I hadn't seen another person on the trail until just after the above photo was taken. He made it to the top just before I did. Soon after his 3 kids came walking over a ridge on top, they had left dad behind and went on ahead. LOL!
Another view of Mt. Jardine
Reflectors
The wind was blowing and there wasn't a good spot to sit and have my lunch so I snapped a few photos and then headed back down to find a nice spot to eat. I ended up climbing down the rocky section of the trail to the beginning of the middle section before stopping to eat. I didn't realize how steep the trail was until I was going back down it! It was much worse going down. After finding a placing in the shade I quickly ate my lunch and was soon heading down again. I had to stop often to rest for a minute or two as it was so steep it was killing my legs. It was definitely much easier to go up than down.
View to the NW of the valley on the hike down.
It was good to get that goal done, but I don't think I'll hike that mountain again. I say that know, but in a year I will have forgotten how steep it was and might be enticed to give it another go....
Featured image for home page:
