Overview

 

 

The 11749 ft Mt Timpanogos is the second highest peak in Utah’s Wasatch Mountain Range and the 7^th most prominent peak in Utah. It rises to the northeast of the Provo metropolitan area and is well visible from the city streets and the shores of Utah Lake.

The two most commonly used trails to reach the summit of Mt. Timpanogos are: Timpooneke Trail and Aspen Grove Trail.

Timpooneke Trail starts at an elevation of 7360 ft to the north of the summit and is 7.4 miles long one way (per my GPS). Aspen Grove Trail starts at an Elevation of 6890 ft to the east of the summit and is 7.6 miles long (per my GPS). I did a one way 15 miles long hike from Timpooneke Trailhead to the summit of Timpanogos and then down to Aspen Grove Trailhead.

 

Hike Statistics

Hike Length: 15.01 miles per my GPS

Total Ascent: 4736 ft per my GPS

Hiking Time: 6:20 AM to 4:24 PM, including the time to take 197 pictures (1.5 hours?) and 20 minutes on the summit.

 

 

 

 

Trip Report

My wife and I left the vacation rental house in Orem, Utah at 5:00 AM when it was still mostly dark (sunrise around 6:05 AM). Drove to the community of Sundance and then a little beyond that to Aspen Grove Trailhead so that my wife would know where to come pick me up at the end of the day. We then continued on the narrow and very winding Route 92 through an Aspen forest until we reached Timpooneke Trailhead. The parking lot was half full and I could see other hikers getting ready.

 

It was 6:20 AM (elevation 7360 ft) when I said goodbye to the lovely wife and asked her to pick me up at Aspen Grove Trailhead at around 4:00 PM (I turned out to have good cell phone connection and could keep her up to date on my progress). I had 4 liters of water plus half a liter of apple juice so my backpack was very heavy. The trail headed south going into a forest. I could see the tip of Mt. Timpanogos, but it soon went out of view.

 

 

Continuing up the trail.

 

 

 

 

I then got a glimpse of Scout Waterfall but could not take a decent picture. The trail began to make a number of switchbacks.

 

 

At around 8300 ft elevation, I entered a beautiful basin. Was running into people going up and down every now and then.

 

 

Another view north.

 

 

At around 7:50 AM, the sun rose on me making me worry about heating up. Stopped in a place to apply sunscreen and drink water. Shortly after that, the trail made a switchback traversing up an east facing talus field under the full strength of the morning sun. Fortunately, trees appeared again soon.

 

 

Looking north.

 

 

Crossing what looked like an avalanche field.

 

 

View of North Timpanogos.

 

 

Twin falls.

 

 

At around 10 000 ft elevation, I entered a beautiful large basin called Timpanogos Basin. The summit of Mt. Timpanogos came to view.

 

 

Tarn.

 

 

Mount Timpanogos and South Mount Timpanogos. The valley where the glacier used to be seen between the two summits.

 

 

Hiking up the basin.

 

 

Mountain Goats.

 

 

 

Upper Timpanogos Basin.

 

 

Mount Timpanogos and Mount Timpanogos South. 

 

 

The trail then began to traverse a talus field going toward a 11060 ft saddle.

 

 

A patch of snow covered a portion of the trail. As I was negotiating the muddy steep slippery slopes below the snow, a mountain goat suddenly ran up the cliffs above the snow causing a small rockfall. Fortunately, I did not get hit.

 

 

Went past the junction with Aspen Grove Trail and at 10:20 and 6.25 miles, I reached the 11060 ft saddle. Utah Lake (4488 ft) and the sprawling city suddenly appeared to the east. A cold wind began to blow and continued until I was back at the saddle.

 

 

Summit from the saddle.

 

 

Continuing on the trail.

 

 

It suddenly looked like I could not find the trail anymore. It turned out that the trail zigzagged up a narrow couloir. Looking down from the top of the couloir.

 

Ran into a few people coming down the trail. Was hoping not to see a big crowd on the summit. Final push to the summit.

 

 

Reached the summit at 11:07 AM and 7.40 miles of hiking. Nobody was in the summit cabin. A couple were outside sheltering from the wind behind the rock. I put on my raincoat and began to take pictures before other people came. View from inside the summit cabin.

 

 

Looking north. North Timpanogos, Box Elder, Lone Peak, Pfeifferhorn, White Baldy, American Fork Twin Peaks and many others.

 

 

Looking west at Emerald Lake and the valley of the old glacier. The Shoulder, Elk Point and Deer Creek Reservoir seen.

 

 

Mount Timpanogos South and The Shoulder.

 

 

Looking south at Mt. Nebo, Provo Peak and others.

 

 

Zoomed view of Mt. Nebo, Utah Lake and the city.

 

 

Utah Lake and the city to the east.

 

 

Many people came to the summit as I was having my lunch. Called my wife and said to expect me around 4:30 PM or so. Left the summit at 11:30 AM going back down the way I had come up. A better view of North Timpanogos.

 

 

On the trail.

 

 

Reached the 11060 ft saddle at 12:08 PM and 8.23 miles. Sat there to rest for a few minutes. Cold wind stopped. I then went down to the junction and got on Aspen Grove Trail. In the back of my mind, I was a little concerned that if I were to reach an impassable obstacle, I would have to go back to the junction and return via Timpooneke Trail that I had come up from. Depending on how far down, the obstacle might be, that might mean spending the night on the mountain. Fortunately, no obstacles appeared. While I had seen people fairly frequently on Timpooneke Trail, I saw only 3-4 groups of people for the 4 hours that I was on Aspen Grove Trail. Mt. Timpanogos from Aspen Grove Trail.

 

 

Got on a big snow field at the base of a wall. Not quite the same but reminded me of Alam Kooh in Iran.

 

 

Looking north.

 

 

Emerald Lake came to view.

 

 

Went down to reach the 10380 ft Emerald Lake at 1:04 PM and 9.32 miles of hiking. The valley where the now melted Timpanogos Glacier used to sit could be seen above the lake.

 

Saw the remains of a collapsed shelter. Did not know what happened to it, avalanche or movement of the rock glacier below (just like the old collapsed shelter on Alam Chal rock glacier in Iran).

 

 

Continuing down, looking back at the wall of Mt. Timpanogos and The Shoulder, which appeared as a horn.

 

At around 9900 ft, I reached a big basin called Lost Lakes, a true alpine heaven.

 

 

 

Roberts Horn.

 

 

 

Elk Point.

 

 

Having descended a good 1900 vertical feet below the summit to reach 9800 ft elevation, I was suddenly confronted with the view of the additional 3000 vertical feet that I still had to descend.

 

 

 

The seemingly endless switchbacks started. View from the top of the first waterfall. Little did I know that for the next 3000 vertical feet, I would see one waterfall after another.

 

 

Still far above.

 

 

 

String of cascades and waterfalls.

 

 

Had a 10-minute rest at 9250 ft elevation. Called wife and informed her of my progress.

 

 

Buildings near Aspen Grove came to view making me think that I did not have much more to go but I was still at 8700 ft elevation, 1900 more vertical feet to go.

 

 

Further down.

 

 

Looking back up at Mt. Timpanogos South, The Shoulder and Elk Point.

 

 

 

Lower slopes.

 

 

More waterfalls.

 

 

 

Nothing like finding the lovely wife waiting for you at the trailhead, 4:24 PM, 15.01 miles.

 

Images

View Mt. Timpanogos, Up Timpooneke Trail, Down Aspen Grove Trail Image Gallery - 77 Images