Mount Magog, Naomi Peak, Mount Gog, White Pine Lake in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT

Hike Mount Magog, Naomi Peak, Mount Gog, White Pine Lake Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT

Class 2 12.6 miles 4300 gain 5-7 hrs Loop Aug 19, 2022
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Mount Magog, Naomi Peak, Mount Gog, White Pine Lake GPX Track

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This loop hits some of the most beautiful high points of the Bear River Mountains, creating a pretty fun and mostly off-trail adventure in an otherwise popular area. A few years ago I hiked Naomi Peak (which uses a well-maintained trail), but I wanted to return to include its neighbors. This was the result of a fair amount of planning to create a nice loop of Mount Magog, Naomi Peak, Bullen Hole Peak, Mount Gog, and White Pine Knob. I was also thrilled I could loop in White Pine Lake.

I started from Tony Grove Lake and headed along the Naomi Peak Trail, taking it to about 9000' at a baby pass where I headed north, leaving the trail. My first peak along the route would be Mount Magog. I ascended a mostly clear grassy slope with some light Class 2, keeping right of the rockier terrain along the crest of a spur ridge, and made my way to the peak's western ridge. Once here I headed toward the summit, where a social trail led to the right of the rocky crest before ascending some Class 2 fun to gain the summit, where I took in the lovely views of pretty much the entire route to come.

I headed along the west ridge of Mount Magog, quickly coming across a rock outcropping. Rather than drop left around it, I decided to stick to the crest (Class 2) and continued unencumbered for a while until the landscape became a bit fractured, a maze of weird landscape features. I had to drop in and out of a few gullies and avoid some rock outcrops, but somehow managed to keep the route pretty straightforward and found myself back on the Naomi Peak Trail. I followed the trail to a saddle and then took the short spur trail to reach Naomi Peak. More excellent views.

I started north along the ridgeline, where a social trail wrapped me around to the start of the ridge traverse to Bullen Peak Peak, but it faded away shortly after. I was in excellent spirits as the sweeping tundra around me was lit by morning light. Maybe I should start getting up earlier to enjoy more light like this. But like, probably not. Suddenly I came to a steep near-cliff, which surprised me since I sort of expected the ridgeline to be a no-brainer. Keeping mostly to the ridge crest, I descended loose Class 2, then side-hilled on more of the same. This section didn't last long, but it was totally out of character for the rest of the grassy traverse. After some more tundra walking, I made it to the summit of Bullen Hole Peak, which gave a really cool perspective toward Cherry Peak's sloped cliffs in the distance.

Dropping down the steep grassy east slope of Bullen Hole Peak, I noted Mount Gog ahead. It was more forested than I anticipated, but I had high hopes for it not being too annoying. Weird limestone slabs greeted me around the saddle separating the two peaks, more just cool to walk over rather than being any sort of obstacle. I started up Mount Gog, pretty much immediately locating an unexpected social trail. It took me almost the entire way to the summit, becoming more thin toward the top. A small Class 2+ cliff band served as the only real obstacle, but I'll also note that there are some large blocky features just before the summit that provide some Class 3 fun to navigate, but it can all be avoided on the right. I encountered a potential friend on the summit, but this ended up being the second time in a month an unfriendly hunter on a summit was quick to tell me how my arrival couldn't have been at a worse time. I guess, um, sorry for the inconvenience of my presence?

I backtracked from Mount Gog and was hoping to find a reasonable route down into the basin housing White Pine Lake. Almost immediately I found a social trail certainly well-beaten enough to be human-formed. Steep at times, I followed it all the way to the lake, where I picked up the White Pine Lake Trail. I was amazed at the gorgeous cliffs on the lake's west side and the towering faces of Mount Magog and Mount Gog on either side. In hindsight I wish I'd hung out a bit longer to enjoy the spot. Maybe I need to calm down a bit on these hikes… anywayyy! I took the White Pine Lake Trail as it ascended east, gaining about 500 vertical gain to reach a minor saddle above.

Just to the east was a minor summit called White Pine Knob. Despite being a bushwhack (not too bad), I felt obligated to go for this little peak since it was so close. There were actually some relatively decent views up there, but few would probably enjoy this add-on bump. I continued along the trail as it descended to Tony Grove Lake, completing the loop.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Mount Magog
9750 ft
310 rise
2
Naomi Peak
9979 ft
3159 rise
3
Bullen Hole Peak
9828 ft
363 rise
4
Mount Gog
9714 ft
514 rise
5
White Pine Knob
9134 ft
294 rise

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Starting along the Naomi Peak Trail after leaving Tony Grove Lake.
Starting along the Naomi Peak Trail after leaving Tony Grove Lake.
Mount Magog seen ahead.
Mount Magog seen ahead.
Ascending the Naomi Peak Trail.
Ascending the Naomi Peak Trail.
At the top of this slope, I left the trail.
At the top of this slope, I left the trail.
Heading up to Mount Magog.
Heading up to Mount Magog.
I hiked up a grassy slope to reach the west ridge of Mount Magog, the peak seen on the right.
I hiked up a grassy slope to reach the west ridge of Mount Magog, the peak seen on the right.
View back along the grassy slope. Tony Grove is somewhere in the center/left.
View back along the grassy slope. Tony Grove is somewhere in the center/left.
Along the west ridge of Mount Magog.
Along the west ridge of Mount Magog.
A social trail avoids most of the rocky stuff.
A social trail avoids most of the rocky stuff.
View along the west ridge toward Naomi Peak.
View along the west ridge toward Naomi Peak.
After keeping right of the crest, the social trail leads up this weakness to gain the summit (Class 2).
After keeping right of the crest, the social trail leads up this weakness to gain the summit (Class 2).
Mount Magog summit, view toward Tony Grove Lake (center).
Mount Magog summit, view toward Tony Grove Lake (center).
Mount Magog summit, view toward White Pine Lake, Mount Gog (right) and Bullen Hole Peak (left).
Mount Magog summit, view toward White Pine Lake, Mount Gog (right) and Bullen Hole Peak (left).
View toward Naomi Peak (left) and the start of the traverse from Naomi to Bullen Hole (right).
View toward Naomi Peak (left) and the start of the traverse from Naomi to Bullen Hole (right).
Along the west ridge, headed toward Naomi. I reached this outcrop. I could have kept left around it, but the crest was calling me.
Along the west ridge, headed toward Naomi. I reached this outcrop. I could have kept left around it, but the crest was calling me.
View back along the crest toward Mount Magog (right).
View back along the crest toward Mount Magog (right).
A very cool cravasse along the crest.
A very cool cravasse along the crest.
Naomi Peak ahead, but the landscape was surprisingly more tedious than it appears on topo maps.
Naomi Peak ahead, but the landscape was surprisingly more tedious than it appears on topo maps.
Back on the Naomi Peak Trail, seen below.
Back on the Naomi Peak Trail, seen below.
Approaching the saddle.
Approaching the saddle.
Spur trail to Naomi Peak.
Spur trail to Naomi Peak.
View back toward Mount Magog.
View back toward Mount Magog.
Naomi Peak, view north.
Naomi Peak, view north.
Naomi Peak, view west. Cherry Peak seen on the right.
Naomi Peak, view west. Cherry Peak seen on the right.
Naomi Peak, view southwest.
Naomi Peak, view southwest.
View toward the saddle, now headed north.
View toward the saddle, now headed north.
View back toward Naomi Peak.
View back toward Naomi Peak.
Image 27 from gallery
View back along the traverse.
View back along the traverse.
Approaching a steep and unexpected obstacle.
Approaching a steep and unexpected obstacle.
View up the Class 2/2+ steep slope section.
View up the Class 2/2+ steep slope section.
Some Class 2 side-hilling.
Some Class 2 side-hilling.
View back, just before the terrain calmed down again.
View back, just before the terrain calmed down again.
Almost to the base of Bullen hole Peak, view back along the ridgeline.
Almost to the base of Bullen hole Peak, view back along the ridgeline.
Bullen Hole Peak ahead.
Bullen Hole Peak ahead.
Bullen Hole Peak, view south. Naomi (left), Cherry (right).
Bullen Hole Peak, view south. Naomi (left), Cherry (right).
Close-up of Cherry Peak.
Close-up of Cherry Peak.
View north toward Doubletop Mountain.
View north toward Doubletop Mountain.
Headed down from Bullen Hole Peak, Mount Gog on the left, Mount Magog on the right. White Pine Knob seen center.
Headed down from Bullen Hole Peak, Mount Gog on the left, Mount Magog on the right. White Pine Knob seen center.
Mount Gog and White Pine Knob.
Mount Gog and White Pine Knob.
Cool limestone slabs near the saddle. View back toward Bullen Hole Peak.
Cool limestone slabs near the saddle. View back toward Bullen Hole Peak.
A social trail leads up Mount Gog.
A social trail leads up Mount Gog.
Image 42 from gallery
Image 43 from gallery
Class 2/2+ small cliff band below the summit.
Class 2/2+ small cliff band below the summit.
Mount Gog summit, view toward White Pine Lake and Mount Magog.
Mount Gog summit, view toward White Pine Lake and Mount Magog.
Back at the saddle, now descending to White Pine Lake.
Back at the saddle, now descending to White Pine Lake.
Close-up toward Mount Magog and White Pine Lake.
Close-up toward Mount Magog and White Pine Lake.
A good social trail led me down to the lake.
A good social trail led me down to the lake.
View back up at the social trail.
View back up at the social trail.
White Pine Lake below.
White Pine Lake below.
Gorgeous cliffs, and Mount Magog looming above.
Gorgeous cliffs, and Mount Magog looming above.
The social trail would be hard to find if starting from below. This is a view back up at the saddle I just descended from.
The social trail would be hard to find if starting from below. This is a view back up at the saddle I just descended from.
White Pine Lake.
White Pine Lake.
View back toward White Pine Lake.
View back toward White Pine Lake.
Mount Magog above. The White Pine Lake Trail leads up to the ridge seen on the left.
Mount Magog above. The White Pine Lake Trail leads up to the ridge seen on the left.
Pleasant forest stroll.
Pleasant forest stroll.
View back as the trail starts ascending, Mount Gog seen on the right.
View back as the trail starts ascending, Mount Gog seen on the right.
Ascending to the ridge above.
Ascending to the ridge above.
View back again.
View back again.
Once I reached the pass, I left the trail to make a short bushwhack to White Pine Knob.
Once I reached the pass, I left the trail to make a short bushwhack to White Pine Knob.
White Pine Knob, view west.
White Pine Knob, view west.
Along the White Pine Lake Trail, descending back to Tony Grove.
Along the White Pine Lake Trail, descending back to Tony Grove.
Image 63 from gallery
Looking back, Mount Magog seen top left.
Looking back, Mount Magog seen top left.
Tony Grove Lake.
Tony Grove Lake.

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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!