Notch Peak via Sawtooth Canyon

Approach

From the main highway, pull onto a dirt road heading north about 1/2 mile before Skull Rock Pass (which is where the road starts going uphill again and makes a sharp turn). The turnoff is where the road is about at its lowest point before it starts going uphill again. Refer to the map for which dir roads to take to get to the trailhead. The trailhead is marked by a log cabin in the north side of the road. I drove this road in a Subaru Impreza, which had low clearance, but also 4-wheel drive. The road should be passable in a regular city car.

breezejr adds:
After the cabin, there is a small road that branches south. This is not the southern route. Continue into the steep-walled canyon. The next left is the southern route.

As of July 2005, there was a rock cairn at the split between the south and north routes. There were also cairns at the two major canyon junctions on the way up. You go right and then left. Then you're looking up at Notch Peak's ridge.

Route Description

7.5 miles round trip
2600 foot elevation gain

From the trailhead there is a fairly well-defined trail that heads up Sawtooth Canyon. The trail soon fades after the canyon forks. Either fork will get you to the top (I took the south one). Follow the bottom of the wash until you near the end of the tributary (you'll need to refer to the topo map to tell where you are. It's hard to see out of the narrow winding canyon). From here the vegetation should be light enough for you to start scrambling straight up the mountain towards the dropoff. Once you reach the cliff, it should be obvious where Notch Peak is, and you can just walk along the ridgeline to the summit. Descent options include going back down the south fork, or going down the north fork.

breezejr adds:
Don't take the north route. It's much harder all around, and the wash includes a 100-foot drop. If you do go without a rope, you can downclimb a steep, knife-edge ridge that is just northeast of the sheer drop.

Essential Gear

Make sure to bring all of the water you're going to need with you. There are no water sources along this trail. A decent pair of hiking boots and a daypack are all one needs to hike the trail.

An important thing to bring, though, is a spare tire or two. The first time I visited Notch Peak I picked up some stranded motorists along the dirt roads leading to the canyon because they had gotten a flat and didn't have a spare. My second time visiting the range, I got a flat and had to drive the spare all the way back to Salt Lake City. The roads are very isolated out there, and if you have car troubles, it will proabably be a good while before you run into someone else.

Miscellaneous Info

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Images

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