Sunset Peak, Brighton, Utah

Sunset Peak, Brighton, Utah

Page Type Page Type: Trip Report
Location Lat/Lon: 40.57711°N / 111.59362°W
Additional Information GPX File: Download GPX » View Route on Map
Date Date Climbed/Hiked: Jul 7, 2022
Activities Activities: Hiking, Mountaineering
Seasons Season: Summer

Overview

The 10648 ft Sunset Peak rises near Utah’s Brighton Ski Resort close to Salt Lake City. A three-mile-long trail takes you from the ski resort’s parking area, past three beautiful alpine lakes to the summit of Sunset Peak. Having done long hikes on Mt. Nebo and Mt. Timpanogos over the prior few days, I was looking forward to a beautiful short hike with great views from the top.

 

 

 

Trip Report

 

Trailhead Elevation: 8770 ft

Summit Elevation: 10648 ft

Roundtrip Hike: 6.4 miles

 

Left the vacation rental house near Orem Utah at 5 AM (sunrise a few minutes after 6). Had a good 30-mile drive north toward Salt Lake City. Temperature was already 75 degrees F making me worried about the day being very hot. Got on Big Cottonwood Canyon Road which in 15 miles, took me from an elevation of 4800 ft to 8770 ft making the temperature drop nicely to 50 degrees F.

 

Parked at Brighton Ski Resort’s parking lot that I had seen on aerial photos. A number of cars were there but I did not see any people. Started my hike at 6:12 AM. Got on a trail that went under ski lifts. Mt. Millicent was visible.

 

Mt. Millicent
Mt. Millicent

 

Sunset Peak soon came to view.

 

Sunset Peak
Sunset Peak

 

After 1.17 miles, reached the 9510 ft Lake Mary. Mts. Millicent and Tuscarora seen.

 

Lake Mary plus Mts. Tuscarora and Millicent
Lake Mary plus Mts. Tuscarora and Millicent

 

Sunset Peak and Mt. Tuscarora.

 

Lake Mary Plus Sunset Peak and Mt. Tuscarora
Lake Mary Plus Sunset Peak and Mt. Tuscarora

 

Looking northeast at Scott Hill.

 

Lake Mary and Scott Hill
Lake Mary and Scott Hill

 

Beyond Lake Mary, the smaller Lake Martha came to view.

 

Mt. Tuscarora and Lake Martha
Mt. Tuscarora and Lake Martha

 

The trail made a couple of switchbacks and went on to traverse the slopes below the white cliffs of Pioneer Peak.

 

Pioneer Peak
Pioneer Peak
Pioneer Peak
Pioneer Peak

 

 

I then reached a split in the trail near the 9920 ft Lake Catherine. The white granite reminded me of California Sierras.

 

Near Lake Catherine
Near Lake Catherine
Near Lake Catherine
Near Lake Catherine

 

 

Bypassed the lake and went toward Catherine Pass. Views of Sunset Peak.

 

Sunset Peak
Sunset Peak
Sunset Peak
Sunset Peak

 

 

Reached the 10220 ft Catherine Pass at 8:05 AM and 2.9 miles. Got on a beaten path that traversed a slope going toward Sunset Peak.

 

Sunset Peak
Sunset Peak
Trail to summit of Sunset Peak
Trail to summit of Sunset Peak

 

 

 From below, I could hear people who had camped on the shores of Lake Catherine. Sounded like there were many children down there.

 

Lakes Catherine and Mary
Lakes Catherine and Mary

 

Reached the summit of Sunset Peak at 8:17 AM and 3.16 miles. Great views for little effort.

Zoomed view of Provo Peaks, Cascade Mountain and the closer Mill Canyon Peak.

 

Provo Peaks, Cascade Mtn., Mill Canyon Peak
Provo Peaks, Cascade Mtn., Mill Canyon Peak

 

The Massif of Mt. Timpanogos.

 

The massif of Mt. Timpanogos
The massif of Mt. Timpanogos

 

Twin Peaks, Mt. Baldy, Sugarloaf Mountain etc.

 

Twin Peaks, Mt. Baldy, Sugarloaf Mtn
Twin Peaks, Mt. Baldy, Sugarloaf Mtn

 

View toward Dromedary and O’Sullivan Peaks.

 

Dromedary, O'Sullivan Peaks
Dromedary, O'Sullivan Peaks

 

Mt. Wolverine, Tuscarora and Millicent plus Catherine Lake.

 

Mts. Wolverine and Tuscarora
Mts. Wolverine and Tuscarora

 

Lakes Catherine, Martha and Millicent.

 

Lakes Catherine, Martha and Mary
Lakes Catherine, Martha and Mary

 

Sat there to eat and enjoy the views. A lone lady hiker came up and soon left. I started to go back at 8:55 AM. Another great view toward Mt. Dromedary.

 

View toward Dromedary Peak
View toward Dromedary Peak

 

Was soon at Catherine Pass. I was then running into people and the lower I went, the more frequent my people encounters became. Went on the trail that took me toward Lake Catherine.

 

Sunset Peak and Lake Catherine
Sunset Peak and Lake Catherine

 

Lake Catherine and Pioneer Peak
Lake Catherine and Pioneer Peak

 

Beautiful flowers.

 

Sunset Peak
Sunset Peak

 

Flowers around Lake Catherine
Flowers around Lake Catherine
Flowers around Lake Catherine
Flowers around Lake Catherine

 

 

Reached those people who had camped by Lake Catherine, four ladies and a whole lot of children, one lady was changing diapers. View of Mt. Tuscarora and Millicent from Lake Catherine.

 

Mt. Tuscarora and Lake Catherine
Mt. Tuscarora and Lake Catherine

 

Sunset Peak and Lake Catherine.

 

Sunset Peak and Lake Catherine
Sunset Peak and Lake Catherine

 

I was then back on the trail going down the path I had come up from.

 

Lake Mary and Scott Hill
Lake Mary and Scott Hill
Lake Mary
Lake Mary
Sunset Peak Trail
Sunset Peak Trail
Lake Martha and Mt. Tuscarora
Lake Martha and Mt. Tuscarora

 

Lake Martha and Mt. Millicent
Lake Martha and Mt. Millicent
Lake Mary and Mt. Millicent

 

A look back at Sunset Peak from the lower parts of the trail.

 

Sunset Peak
Sunset Peak

 

Reached my car at 10:43 AM. It was 69 degrees F and as I drove down the mountains, it went up to 91 degrees in the city.

 



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