Hike Mount Ogden and DeMoisy Peak via Snowbasin Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT

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Mount Ogden and DeMoisy Peak via Snowbasin GPX Track

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My chosen route heads along the ridgeline from north to south, hitting Allen Peak, Mt. Ogden, The Needles, DeMoisy Peak, and Strawberry Peak. I'll preface this trip report with a lengthy note that there are countless route options up to the base of Mt. Ogden when starting from the east within the Snowbasin. The overwhelming web of trails, dirt roads, ski slopes, and mostly brush-free cross-country lends the east slopes to being really flexible for the approach. That being said, the route described in my attached map is not by any means the "best" route. I took the most efficient route I could figure out to get up to get to the summit before it rained, but then on the descent, I decided to meander along the Snowbasin Needles Trail (part of the trail system managed by the people who own the resort, I guess) to get back. Even the trailhead you choose can be different from mine: I parked on the side of the road and just headed past a gate and followed a dirt road. You could drive a bit farther to the Snowbasin Resort and start there. In addition to the web of potential approach options, you could also wait for the weekend and pay to take the gondola up to the Needles Lodge, removing a significant amount of mileage and vertical gain.

Alternatively, you could also come from the west along the Beus Canyon Trail, but I opted to skip that route because all references to it I found online and offline mentioned it being very overgrown. All this being said, it's hard to go too wrong when heading up the east slopes, but honestly none of them are particularly interesting and the hike is pretty boring until the ridgeline.

Assuming you're able to navigate any sort of weird combination of route options and have made it to the base of Mt. Ogden, the route becomes less free-form. I headed north along the Shelby John Trail (just a dirt road) past the Shelby John Lodge and up to the north ridge of Allen Peak. From Allen Peak, a fun Class 2 ridgeline led south to the summit of Mt. Ogden, and then an easy ridge walk continued over to the north ridge of DeMoisy Peak. A trail heads around DeMoisy Peak's west slopes. I decided to follow this since the ridge looked particularly brushy. I ended up ascending the peak's west slope since the trail clearly wasn't going to head to the summit, but I would recommend just following the trail to DeMoisy's south side and taking the much more mellow approach to the summit from the south rather than the steep north or west slopes.

Once down from DeMoisy, I took a quick jaunt up to Strawberry Peak and then followed the dirt road from the saddle of DeMoisy and Strawberry until it met up with the Needles Trail. As you'll see on my map, this trail wanders forever (since it's designed to be a mountain bike trail), and I took it simply because I wanted to enjoy the scenery via a trail rather than descending on dumb dirt roads and ski slopes. I should note that my descent route also leaves the Needles Trail a few times to follow a ski slope in order to avoid a bunch of long and tedious switchbacks. There were some nice views back toward Mt. Ogden and out to the east, but a bit tedious overall. Not doing the Needles Trail would definitely reduce the mileage of this hike significantly.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Allen Peak

9465 ft

145 rise

Mount Ogden

9570 ft

3810 rise

Floyd Iverson Ridge

9322 ft

n/a rise

The Needles

9240 ft

80 rise

De Moisy Peak

9363 ft

363 rise

Strawberry Peak

9265 ft

145 rise

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Where I started.

One of a million roads/trails/slopes you could use to access the base of Mount Ogden.

I didn't document my route particularly well because it honestly doesn't matter. There are so many ways up that it's definitely a chose your own adventure sort of deal.

Mount Ogden above. I followed the dirt road along its base, my first goal being Allen Peak, the northernmost peak along the ridge.

The road becomes the John Paul Trail.

Along the John Paul Trail at the base of Mount Ogden and Allen Peak.

View back, a lodge or something along the way up.

Still making my way up to Allen Peak along the John Paul Trail.

View back toward the impressive east face of Mount Ogden.

Almost up to Allen Peak, view north.

View back down a steep section on my way up Allen Peak. Willard Peak visible in the distance.

Allen Peak, view south toward Mount Ogden.

Along the ridge to Mount Ogden.

Class 2 to the summit of Mount Ogden.

Mount Ogden, view north toward Allen Peak.

Mount Ogden summit, view south. There's a road just below on my right that I took down to the saddle on the far right in this photo. If you're only interested in Mount Ogden, you could just descend on the road visible in the center of this photo. I opted to continue along the ridge crest.

View back up toward Mount Ogden.

The Needles (left), and DeMoisy Peak (center). It was a steep stretch to gain the summit of The Needles.

Summit of The Needles, view north toward Mount Ogden.

Summit of The Needles, view toward DeMoisy Peak. I followed a trail that avoided the peak's north ridge.

The trail keeps to the right of the ridge, so I followed it to avoid the bushwhacking seen here. Eventually I just ascended DeMoisy Peak via its west slope, but it's likely a better idea to just follow the trail to the peak's south side and ascend from there instead.

DeMoisy Peak summit, view north. The Needles center, Mount Ogden behind The Needles.

DeMoisy Peak, view south toward Strawberry Peak.

Along a dirt road toward Strawberry Peak, center. I left the road and ascended the straightforward slope to the summit of Strawberry.

Strawberry Peak summit, view north toward the way I came from. I headed back to the saddle on the left and followed the obvious road in the center of this photo.

Strawberry Peak summit, view south.

Along the road, where I accessed the Needles Trail. Like I mentioned in my trip report above, there are so many ways down and the Needles Trail is certainly not the most efficient way. I just wanted to wander and enjoy the scenery.

Needles Trail.

A junction along the Needles Trail. I didn't document this trail particularly well. It's just one of many ways down.

View back up toward the peaks.

I made my way back eventually.

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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!