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Backpacker Magazine – August 2009
Where Solitude Rules - Lonely Summits
You won't find bottlenecks on these untrammeled peaks.
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Tags:
- California |
- Oregon |
- Wyoming |
- Utah |
- New Hampshire |
- Acadia |
Guide's Secret Acadia
"I often recommend that folks explore the west side of Mt. Desert Island in Acadia, also known as the 'quiet side,'" says Jeff Butterfield, of Maine's Atlantic Climbing School. "Western Mountain (1,071 feet) is less traveled than the mountains on the east side of the island." Plan a 4.9-mile loop starting at the south end of Long Pond. nps.gov/acad
SOLITUDE RULES
Find more crowd-free hikes.
Mt. Barnard, California | Diamond Peak, Oregon | Gannett Peak, Wyoming | Henry Mountains, Utah | Baldface-Royce Range, New Hampshire
Henry Mountains, Utah
Explore a wild range in the heart of canyon country.
Bison in the Utah desert? Yep, you'll find one of the largest free-roaming herds in North America grazing the Henry Mountains, which rise as much as 7,000 feet above the scrubby desert south of Hanksville. Though the Henrys are in plain view from Canyonlands, Lake Powell, and Capitol Reef, isolation and rough roads (4WD is recommended) radically limit visitor numbers. The 11,522-foot north summit of Mt. Ellen, high point of the range, is only about 2.7 miles north of the dirt road at Bull Creek Pass. (Find the access road to the 10,485-foot pass 21 miles south of Hanksville on UT 95.)
Best plan: Pack water and camp on the broad ridge below Mt. Ellen's summit to watch the sun set over Waterpocket Fold and the wilds of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument; to the east, alpenglow will linger on the La Sals near Moab and the distant San Juans in Colorado. The next day, explore 11,371-foot Mt. Pennell, which has spectacular diorite formations that draw rock climbers, or 10,722-foot Mt. Hillers, whose flanks are decorated with towering sandstone fins.
Days 1-3
Map Henry Mountains Recreation Map ($7, cnha.org)
Permits None
Info (435) 542-3461; blm.gov/ut
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READERS COMMENTS
My best friend Dave and I summited Barnard as part of a JMT through hike in the summer of 1975, we were the only ones on the mountain at that time. I thought it was more fun than Whitney where we had to put up with other noisy obnoxious climbers. It wasn't a particularly difficult climb, but the solitude was fantastic. If anyone finds that register, you will find my our names right next to each other.
Never lose your way or succumb to exposure just because you want to avoid the crowds on a glorious trail to a lonely summit! Know how to find your way by reading "Felix the Sugar Glider Be Safe Hike Smart" (Amazon). Learn how to orient yourself using a compass, a compass and a map, a map and no compass, no compass and no map. A compass doesn't need satellites or batteries and works in all types of weather but you need to know how to use it and this book makes learning how to use a compass easy. Look for it on Amazon, "Felix the Sugar Glider Be Safe Hike Smart." The ability to know your way and know where you are is something we all need in any survival situation not just while hiking. Learn how to stay found by using a compass and paying attention to your surroundings. Learn what to pack for a day-hike, what to do if you get lost, how to get rescued, and survival packing (for the car and for the trail) just incase you end up unexpectedly spending the night outdoors.
We (a bunch of SoCal climbers) think Barnard needs to be re-classified back yo a 14er. Fairly accurate GPS readings show it as 14,007. A new survey should be done...
There are also many, much faster ways in to Barnard.
We (a bunch of SoCal climbers) think Barnard needs to be re-classified back yo a 14er. Fairly accurate GPS readings show it as 14,007. A new survey should be done...
There are also many, much faster ways in to Barnard.
Yep, that's Fremont. Got snowed out of there in September a couple of years ago but got some nice pics.
I agree with Andy that is Fremont Peak not Gannett
I climbed them both years back
The second picture is of Island Lake but that is Fremont Peak in the background with Jackson Peak to the right, Gannett is several miles north over Bonney Pass.
In August of 2004, our group from Omaha made the climb to the top of Gannett Peak, coming in from Elkhart Park. Best to plan your climb during a full moon for the extra bit of light as you want an early morning start when the snow is hard. To better acclimatize, we overnighted half way to Titcom Basin and then over Bonnie Pass. Great Trip!
We drove across the Henrys about 5 or 6 years ago. We saw only one couple leaving a camp ground and a hunter on an ATV scouting for the next season. It was very low usage. And we did see the buffalo herd. Wish we had had more than 1 day to spend there. Would not do with out 4WD and decent ground clearance.
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