I'm planning on heading to the SLC area Feb 21-28 and I'd like to hit the mountains and do some snowshoeing. Does anybody have any good suggestions on where to go? I'm looking at 3-4000' gain with up to 10 miles RT.

Do you want to hit a summit or is your main goal just to have a good snow shoe day? There are plenty of good places to go in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, White Pine trail (LCC) to Red or White Pine lakes would be great, Mill D (BCC) up to Dog or Desolation Lakes would be good too. If you want a summit try Mt. Aire from Millcreek Canyon, or Grandeur Pk. from Church Fork. These are all 20-30 minutes from Salt Lake City.

I'd like to hit some summits while I'm out there. I'm a shameless peakbagger at heart. With the drier snow I can probably do more gain and distance than I can here in the Cascades where we tend to get the wet and heavy stuff we like to call "Cascade Concrete".

I've actually found the opposite to be true. The soft fluffy stuff here in Utah is much worse than Cascade Concrete because it doesn't compact under the snowshoes. I'm a shameless peakbagger as well and have all kinds of trips on my website. Here are a few within an hours drive.

http://www.willhiteweb.com/mill_creek_canyon/grandeur_peak_159.htm

http://www.willhiteweb.com/salt_lake_city/mount_wire/big_beacon_217.htm

http://www.willhiteweb.com/mill_creek_canyon/church_fork_peak/grandeur_391.htm

http://www.willhiteweb.com/salt_lake_city/dude_benchmark/ensign_trailhead_218.htm

http://www.willhiteweb.com/provo_hiking/y_mountain_269.htm

http://www.willhiteweb.com/park_city_hiking/glencoe_canyon/ski_133.htm

http://www.willhiteweb.com/utah_climbing/oquirrh_mountains/nelson_peak_023.htm

http://www.willhiteweb.com/farnsworth_peak/oquirrh_mountains_034.htm

TheMaintenanceMan wrote:I'd like to hit some summits while I'm out there. I'm a shameless peakbagger at heart. With the drier snow I can probably do more gain and distance than I can here in the Cascades where we tend to get the wet and heavy stuff we like to call "Cascade Concrete".

Will you have a partner, avalanche gear, and the knowledge to use it? If not, I'd stick to very mellow places. We're about to have some pretty crazy avalanche conditions as soon as a little more snow falls. There aren't many peaks you can bag in the central Wasatch without crossing slopes that can produce avalanches.

I did Scott's Pass on Friday. It is listed here. http://www.snowshoeutah.com/PDF_Finished/Ch11_T31.pdf

Here is a youtube video I made with some pics and a little video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHrHeei_RMg[/youtube]

Two years ago, I went up to a saddle on Timpanogos with snowshoes and 3 pin skis this time of year. I found it all the adventure I could want. Even walking across a frozen lake with 18 in of snow. Two feet in the couloir. There's tons of snow here, why you'll be driving by ski areas. + 1 to the avy warnings.

Good parking, leave the fee in a lockbox. Easy to find etc - everything a visitor could love.

Friendly people too. One gave me a ride on a snowmobile up to the TH.

Maps, directions on the Timp pages.

TheMaintenanceMan wrote:I'd like to hit some summits while I'm out there. I'm a shameless peakbagger at heart. With the drier snow I can probably do more gain and distance than I can here in the Cascades where we tend to get the wet and heavy stuff we like to call "Cascade Concrete".

I usually get out a few times per week, so if you are looking for someone to go with let me know and I'll let you know what I have planned that week.

Thanks for the good info.
Scott, I'll send you a message when my trip gets closer. I'm planning on leaving Seattle Feb 20.

Ed F wrote:Will you have a partner, avalanche gear, and the knowledge to use it? If not, I'd stick to very mellow places. We're about to have some pretty crazy avalanche conditions as soon as a little more snow falls. There aren't many peaks you can bag in the central Wasatch without crossing slopes that can produce avalanches.

I'm hoping to get a few partners from SP while I'm out there. I do not have avy gear and have very elemantary education when it comes to analyzing snow conditions, etc. As I go along I'm learning stuff from friends out here, but not nearly enough to venture up to peaks that would require more knowledge and experience than I have. That's also why I'm posting about this trip so that I can find safe routes to take if I do end up doing some peaks solo. As my trip gets closer I plan on posting for partners if I don't find any before then.

TheMaintenanceMan wrote:I'm hoping to get a few partners from SP while I'm out there. I do not have avy gear and have very elemantary education when it comes to analyzing snow conditions, etc. As I go along I'm learning stuff from friends out here, but not nearly enough to venture up to peaks that would require more knowledge and experience than I have. That's also why I'm posting about this trip so that I can find safe routes to take if I do end up doing some peaks solo. As my trip gets closer I plan on posting for partners if I don't find any before then.

In addition to ericwhilhite's great suggestions above, Mt Aire in Parleys Canyon is pretty reasonable if you stick to ridges, and the view is really nice in 360 degrees. Another great safe winter option is Antelope Island on the Great Salt Lake. No one is around in the winter, and there's tons of wildlife -- even herds of buffalo. Frary Peak is the highpoint, and it rises considerably above the surface of the lake for an amazing view. Don't go here if there's a pollution inversion in SLC.