Lone Peak via Jacob’s Ladder

Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT Central Wasatch Mountains

Trip stats

Distance
11.4 mi
Net Gain
5,700 ft
Time
6-8 hrs
YDS Rating
Class 3
Route
Out/Back
Peaks
1

Ratings out of 10

Effort
6.9/10
Personality
6/10
Beauty
8/10
Solitude
4.5/10
What do these mean? →

Peaks on this hike

Summits listed in route order

  1. Lone Peak
    11,253′ elevation · 893′ prominence

Route map + Trailhead

Trailhead Coordinates

40.494147, -111.816192

The directions link below drops a pin on the trailhead coordinates and lets Google Maps pick the route. If the drive has rough roads or access issues that GPS nav might get wrong, I cover that in my trip report.

Get directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)

Trip report

Jul 12, 2017 — The coordinates I listed are for the parking area. However, if you try navigating there using Google Maps, it may take you the wrong way. Rather, navigate to Orson Smith Park (40.5216677,-111.8341106) and follow the obvious dirt road on the right just after entering for 2.5 miles until you get to a parking area with a bathroom. The trail starts just after this before a closed gate, and is well-marked with a wooden sign.

From the Jacob's Ladder Trailhead, follow a mountain bike trail for a while, and then an ATV trail, and finally, you get to the start of the tue Jacob's Ladder. Not going to lie, it sucks. An uphill struggle with only decent views, mostly just of Salt Lake City suburbs, takes you on an unrelenting journey on slippery dirt and quad-killing monotony. Eventually, you get some tree cover and it starts to mellow out before you reach a really pretty area of wide open granite slickrock and amazing views of Lone Peak. You get a few little scrambles on the bright white granite, Lone Peak looming above, as you work your way past the southwest cirque. More fun Class 2+ scrambles lead to the final ascent to the short Class 3 moves just below the summit block of Lone Peak. Going back down Jacob's Ladder hurts more than going up, so have fun!

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Photos

40 photos

  1. Jacobs Ladder starts on a mountain bike trail before opening up to meadows on the mountainside.
  3. Looking back the way we came.
  4. Lone Peak way up there.
  5. Soon, the meadows and wide dirt trail turn into a ridiculously steep, dusty trail through brush. This is Jacobs Ladder, and it isn't much fun.
  6. Hard to tell how steep it is, but it's relentless.
  7. Looking down Jacobs Ladder.
  8. Looking toward Lone Peak along the way.
  9. Toward the end of Jacobs Ladder, the trail starts to mellow out a bit.
  10. Lone Peak ahead, Box Elder Peak on the right in the distance.
  11. Looking back along the ridge.
  12. Lone Peak ahead!
  13. A section of relatively flat trail through green meadows.
  16. And then we start to ascend again into a beautiful granite landscape.
  21. Looking back the way we came.
  22. Lone Peak ahead!
  23. Looking back before the series of fun granite scrambles.
  27. Lone Peak on the right. The trail takes you around to the left before following the ridge to the summit.
  28. Getting closer to the Class 2+ scramble.
  29. Looking back at the Lone Peak cirque.
  30. A fun scramble to gain the ridge.
  33. Following the ridge.
  34. Lone Peak coming up.
  35. More fun scrambling.
  36. The ridge becomes covered in massive boulders and you get a great view east.
  38. A few sections of easy Class 3.
  39. Amazing views before the summit.
  40. Lone Peak summit view, looking southeast.

Photo 1 of 1

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Hire or refer me as a web developer, or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so it's funded by yours truly. It also takes a ton of work to edit photos and write these reports. I really appreciate it!

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