Kessler Peak, Mill D South Fork Loop, Donut Falls in Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT

Hike Kessler Peak, Mill D South Fork Loop, Donut Falls Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT

Class 3 8.3 miles 3600 gain 4-6 hrs Loop Sep 16, 2017
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Kessler Peak, Mill D South Fork Loop, Donut Falls GPX Track

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This was supposed to be a super epic traverse of Cardiac Ridge, but I fell a bit short… very short. It was still a great hike over the easier part of Cardiac Ridge, though my ego was hurt a bit. I even scouted the area yesterday to see how the ridge looked from the summit of Mt. Superior. Oh well.

Park at the Donut Falls lot and shortly after you cross the creek over a bridge, you will get to a sign pointing toward Donut Falls, and there is a small use trail behind the sign. Take this trail and you will end up on a gravel road. Take this for a few hundred feet and you'll see a small use trail on the right. This is the Kessler Peak Trail. Follow the trail to the summit and take in the views of Cardiac Ridge. I was super psyched at this point. The ridge looked fantastic and totally reasonable. A short Class 2+/3 scramble takes you down the south side of Kessler Peak and onto the ridge. There is nothing past Class 2 after this until you reach a Class 4/5 knife edge. It's absolutely stunning, but extremely intimidating. I started on this ridge, Cardiac Ridge, but turned around very quickly when I realized a massive drop along the knife edge blocked my way. Maybe I could have downclimbed? A quick Google search let me know that later, the ridge becomes solid Class 5, and so, the rational part of my brain realized continuing would only have me turn around anyway, and so I didn't complete the ridge to Mt. Superior. Bummer. I backtracked until I found a nice gully to head into the Cardiff Fork Bowl and soon came upon a dirt road, which I followed back to my car. The dirt road gives some pretty scenery, but the entire area is Private Property, and big red signs constantly remind you.

If you're feeling it, definitely head over Cardiac Ridge and hit Mt. Superior and Monte Cristo, then shoot through the basin back to the Mill D Fork Trail. I'm sure it would have been really incredible. Maybe I'll try one day if I have climbing gear.

On the way back I stopped by the absurdly popular Donut Falls. I included some photos at the end of this trip report.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Kessler Peak
10403 ft
443 rise
2
Carbonate Peak
10380 ft
n/a rise

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Along the Doughnut Falls Trail, Kessler Peak in the distance.
Along the Doughnut Falls Trail, Kessler Peak in the distance.
Along the Kessler Peak Trail.
Along the Kessler Peak Trail.
Kessler Peak ahead.
Kessler Peak ahead.
Looking back along the Kessler Peak Trail.
Looking back along the Kessler Peak Trail.
Pretty steep sections.
Pretty steep sections.
Image 5 from gallery
Image 6 from gallery
Image 7 from gallery
Passing a mine shaft before the summit.
Passing a mine shaft before the summit.
Almost at the summit of Kessler Peak.
Almost at the summit of Kessler Peak.
Kessler Peak summit looking along Cardiac Ridge. Mt. Superior is in the distance.
Kessler Peak summit looking along Cardiac Ridge. Mt. Superior is in the distance.
Close-up.
Close-up.
Looking back at the short scramble down Kessler Peak.
Looking back at the short scramble down Kessler Peak.
Continuing along the ridge.
Continuing along the ridge.
Image 14 from gallery
Image 15 from gallery
Image 16 from gallery
Lots of undulating hills.
Lots of undulating hills.
Looking back along the ridge.
Looking back along the ridge.
Image 19 from gallery
Looking down into Mill D South Fork, Kessler Peak on the left somewhere.
Looking down into Mill D South Fork, Kessler Peak on the left somewhere.
Ridge gets narrower.
Ridge gets narrower.
Looking back along the ridge.
Looking back along the ridge.
Okay, knife edge resemblance begins.
Okay, knife edge resemblance begins.
Holy crap.
Holy crap.
Starting along the knife edge. It's the most incredible one I've seen to date.
Starting along the knife edge. It's the most incredible one I've seen to date.
I stopped when I got to a 5th class downclimb. Maybe another day.
I stopped when I got to a 5th class downclimb. Maybe another day.
One more shot of the awesome knife edge before finding a gully to bail off Cardiac Ridge.
One more shot of the awesome knife edge before finding a gully to bail off Cardiac Ridge.
My gully choice.
My gully choice.
A dirt road below.
A dirt road below.
Looking back toward Mt. Superior (center-ish) and Cardiac Ridge (right).
Looking back toward Mt. Superior (center-ish) and Cardiac Ridge (right).
Following the dirt road, aka Mill D South Fork Trail.
Following the dirt road, aka Mill D South Fork Trail.
Mill D South Fork Trail.
Mill D South Fork Trail.
Image 33 from gallery
Passing vibrant warnings of private property everywhere. Everywhere.
Passing vibrant warnings of private property everywhere. Everywhere.
Looking back toward the ridge along Mill D South Fork Trail.
Looking back toward the ridge along Mill D South Fork Trail.
Mill D South Fork Trail takes you back to the Douhnut Falls Trailhead.
Mill D South Fork Trail takes you back to the Douhnut Falls Trailhead.
Doughnut Falls.
Doughnut Falls.
Doughnut Falls from within the cave.
Doughnut Falls from within the cave.
Doughnut Falls from within the cave.
Doughnut Falls from within the cave.
Looking into Doughnut Falls.
Looking into Doughnut Falls.
Doughnut Falls from above, after climbing up to the left of the falls.
Doughnut Falls from above, after climbing up to the left of the falls.
A mini waterfall past Doughnut Falls.
A mini waterfall past Doughnut Falls.

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