If you choose to park very shortly after crossing the creek the elevation is about 6,200' and hiking from here adds approximately 2.5 miles r/t. The sharp angular rocks which make this little stretch of road dangerous to tires doesn't last long, but it requires a closer look before you tackle it. Once up the road 500' things get better and the major obstacle to smooth sailing is another creek crossing.
1) Mileage: The mileage to various turns in the directions above were all higher than my odometer but the directions as is got me there. It's possible my odometer is the problem, but wanted others to be aware in case it isn't so you don't overshoot the turns; especially the last one into granite creek canyon.
2a) 4x4: You can get to the canyon over the dirt roads in Juab county just fine with any old car on a dry day but will quickly wish you had a high clearance 4wd vehicle in heading up the canyon. Taking anything but a high clearance 4x4 will add several miles to your trip.
2b) My old Ford F150 4x4 was extremely handy on the way out as well due to a major downpour resulting in many sections of the formerly well groomed dirt "highway" being reduced to washed out brush covered sink hole/pseudo rivers. Strong advice is to stay put in the CCC campground if you see a storm brewing to the North when heading back to Wendover regardless of your type of vehicle.
2c) When heading in, if you have a 4x4, there is a section of steep rocks you will need to climb not too far in and after a stream crossing. The other vehicles up there simply didn't attempt it. The way to get up is to stay to the right side as far as possible (drive over a flattish rectangular rock with your right tire next to a tree). Stay on the same side when heading down on your way out. You will only fail if you go up the left side or middle. I wouldn't call it anything serious if you approach it right.
3) If you make it over the steep rocky part in a vehicle, its pretty smooth sailing aside from the heavy brush on both sides of the trail (-1 antenna), and one rocky stream crossing until you reach a final camp site. At the true trail head and right before the aforementioned camp spot the road will swing sharply to the right and open almost immediately to an aspen clearing where you will be greeted with a fire pit and space for several vehicles. It is six miles to the peak from this aspen circled camp site. You will not be able to take a 4 wheeled motorized vehicle further. The fallen trees on the foot trail would make a prohibited motor bike untenable as well.
4) Trail head: The true trail head is unmarked by any signage and is a continuation of the road that brought you up the canyon before it swings sharply to the right and opens to the aspen camp site. You will know it because it is blocked by an iron gate (which you can walk around). The trail from there is as described by others. It's a old jeep/mining road for a while before becoming a winding foot path up to the meadow at 10k feet
If you see your first iron gate and take a sharp right down and over a stream then a sharp left, you are not at the trail head or aspen camp site. Keep going where you will find the steep rocks, and several miles later the second metal gate which is the trail head near the aspen camp site.
4b) At the aspen camp site, there is what looks like a trail heading towards the right side of the canyon. If you were to simply go straight through the aspen camp site after taking the sharp right you would be looking directly at it. Do not take that path. It ends quickly and is not an established way to get to the peak. Some dangerous scrambling is all you'll find.
5) The trail between the aspen vehicle camp site and the meadow at 10k feet is very easy to follow with the exception of two spots. If you find yourself off trail, go back to the last known trail location and simply look around until you see where the trail turned. There were several large fallen trees at various points on the trail. There is water in a few places along the as well if you have a filter. There are also two or three camp sites along the trail before the meadow.
6) If I were to do it again, I would park at the aspen site and immediately backpack the 3-4 miles from there and camp at the last site with fire pit just below the meadow. Then summit as early as possible the next day. The primary reason for this is to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms and ensure you have a view when reaching the summit. If you don't do this, make sure you get a very early start from the aspen site.
7) When you get to the meadow hang a right and head directly towards Ibapah. There is no trail through the meadow so just keep heading towards the peak. There is a smaller false peak before Ibapah which you will want to stay to the right of. You do not need to climb it to get onto the ridge. Just go straight and you'll eventually see some cairns to guide you after which point it becomes an easy to follow trail again all the way to the peak. No exposure required.
Good luck. There is no cell coverage much beyond Wendover so either don't go alone, or bring a delorme inreach. I did get a few txt messages while on the peak with Verizon service.
Moogie737 - Nov 5, 2012 10:08 pm - Hasn't voted
Parking just after the 1st creek crossingIf you choose to park very shortly after crossing the creek the elevation is about 6,200' and hiking from here adds approximately 2.5 miles r/t. The sharp angular rocks which make this little stretch of road dangerous to tires doesn't last long, but it requires a closer look before you tackle it. Once up the road 500' things get better and the major obstacle to smooth sailing is another creek crossing.
Rigel007 - Aug 16, 2014 7:05 pm - Hasn't voted
trip adviceMade a successful summit on 8/13/14.
Notes for others:
1) Mileage: The mileage to various turns in the directions above were all higher than my odometer but the directions as is got me there. It's possible my odometer is the problem, but wanted others to be aware in case it isn't so you don't overshoot the turns; especially the last one into granite creek canyon.
2a) 4x4: You can get to the canyon over the dirt roads in Juab county just fine with any old car on a dry day but will quickly wish you had a high clearance 4wd vehicle in heading up the canyon. Taking anything but a high clearance 4x4 will add several miles to your trip.
2b) My old Ford F150 4x4 was extremely handy on the way out as well due to a major downpour resulting in many sections of the formerly well groomed dirt "highway" being reduced to washed out brush covered sink hole/pseudo rivers. Strong advice is to stay put in the CCC campground if you see a storm brewing to the North when heading back to Wendover regardless of your type of vehicle.
2c) When heading in, if you have a 4x4, there is a section of steep rocks you will need to climb not too far in and after a stream crossing. The other vehicles up there simply didn't attempt it. The way to get up is to stay to the right side as far as possible (drive over a flattish rectangular rock with your right tire next to a tree). Stay on the same side when heading down on your way out. You will only fail if you go up the left side or middle. I wouldn't call it anything serious if you approach it right.
3) If you make it over the steep rocky part in a vehicle, its pretty smooth sailing aside from the heavy brush on both sides of the trail (-1 antenna), and one rocky stream crossing until you reach a final camp site. At the true trail head and right before the aforementioned camp spot the road will swing sharply to the right and open almost immediately to an aspen clearing where you will be greeted with a fire pit and space for several vehicles. It is six miles to the peak from this aspen circled camp site. You will not be able to take a 4 wheeled motorized vehicle further. The fallen trees on the foot trail would make a prohibited motor bike untenable as well.
4) Trail head: The true trail head is unmarked by any signage and is a continuation of the road that brought you up the canyon before it swings sharply to the right and opens to the aspen camp site. You will know it because it is blocked by an iron gate (which you can walk around). The trail from there is as described by others. It's a old jeep/mining road for a while before becoming a winding foot path up to the meadow at 10k feet
If you see your first iron gate and take a sharp right down and over a stream then a sharp left, you are not at the trail head or aspen camp site. Keep going where you will find the steep rocks, and several miles later the second metal gate which is the trail head near the aspen camp site.
4b) At the aspen camp site, there is what looks like a trail heading towards the right side of the canyon. If you were to simply go straight through the aspen camp site after taking the sharp right you would be looking directly at it. Do not take that path. It ends quickly and is not an established way to get to the peak. Some dangerous scrambling is all you'll find.
5) The trail between the aspen vehicle camp site and the meadow at 10k feet is very easy to follow with the exception of two spots. If you find yourself off trail, go back to the last known trail location and simply look around until you see where the trail turned. There were several large fallen trees at various points on the trail. There is water in a few places along the as well if you have a filter. There are also two or three camp sites along the trail before the meadow.
6) If I were to do it again, I would park at the aspen site and immediately backpack the 3-4 miles from there and camp at the last site with fire pit just below the meadow. Then summit as early as possible the next day. The primary reason for this is to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms and ensure you have a view when reaching the summit. If you don't do this, make sure you get a very early start from the aspen site.
7) When you get to the meadow hang a right and head directly towards Ibapah. There is no trail through the meadow so just keep heading towards the peak. There is a smaller false peak before Ibapah which you will want to stay to the right of. You do not need to climb it to get onto the ridge. Just go straight and you'll eventually see some cairns to guide you after which point it becomes an easy to follow trail again all the way to the peak. No exposure required.
Good luck. There is no cell coverage much beyond Wendover so either don't go alone, or bring a delorme inreach. I did get a few txt messages while on the peak with Verizon service.