Mount Superior via South Ridge in Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT

Hike Mount Superior via South Ridge Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT

Class 4 5.2 miles 2800 gain 3-5 hrs Loop Aug 7, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Mount Superior via South Ridge GPX Track

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The South Ridge of Mount Superior consists of a ton of fun scrambling on an easy-to-follow Class 4 ridgeline. It's also a very popular scramble due to its easy acess from Salt Lake City within Little Cottonwood Canyon and requires barely any hiking to reach the start of the fun. If you're confident scrambling, this is a far more fun route to the summit than the standard route to Mount Superior from Cardiff Pass, the route we used as our descent.

A social trail leads from the parking spot at the base of Mount Superior to the base of the ridge, where Class 2 talus leads up the slope. We located a Class 3 headwall to gain the crest. Once on the crest, we encountered fun Class 2/3 on solid rock. The scramble includes fun and solid slabs, knife edges, and a couple of avoidable Class 5 moves. Basically just stick to the ridge crest unless you're freaked about a particular section. The route can easily be kept under Class 5. From the summit of Mount Superior, we followed the standard trail heading east. Once we made it back down the Cardiff Pass Trail, we hiked along the road back to the car.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Superior Peak
11040 ft
40 rise

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Starting up a social trail that you kind of don't need. The South Ridge of Mt. Superior is right there.
Starting up a social trail that you kind of don't need. The South Ridge of Mt. Superior is right there.
Getting closer to Mt. Superior South Ridge.
Getting closer to Mt. Superior South Ridge.
Class 3 headwall to gain the ridge.
Class 3 headwall to gain the ridge.
Mostly solid rock after gaining the headwall.
Mostly solid rock after gaining the headwall.
Looking down the Mt. Superior South Ridge toward Little Cottonwood Canyon.
Looking down the Mt. Superior South Ridge toward Little Cottonwood Canyon.
Class 2 fun for a while.
Class 2 fun for a while.
Image 6 from gallery
Sections of Class 3. It's easy to route-find, though. Just stay on the obvious ridge with solid rock. I'd argue that almost all Class 4 moves are avoidable, but some sections of exposure likely puts the route at Class 4.
Sections of Class 3. It's easy to route-find, though. Just stay on the obvious ridge with solid rock. I'd argue that almost all Class 4 moves are avoidable, but some sections of exposure likely puts the route at Class 4.
Image 8 from gallery
Some fun scrambling on a solid slab.
Some fun scrambling on a solid slab.
First of a few knife edges.
First of a few knife edges.
Image 11 from gallery
Looking back along the first knife edge.
Looking back along the first knife edge.
Image 13 from gallery
Jordan heading along the knife edge, Mt. Superior false summit visible up there.
Jordan heading along the knife edge, Mt. Superior false summit visible up there.
More fun knife edges, mostly avoidable if you want to miss the fun.
More fun knife edges, mostly avoidable if you want to miss the fun.
I guess this is the spot that people take the most pictures on, but it's an avoidable (but fun) knife edge.
I guess this is the spot that people take the most pictures on, but it's an avoidable (but fun) knife edge.
Close up of Jordan posing on the knife edge.
Close up of Jordan posing on the knife edge.
More Class 2 fun.
More Class 2 fun.
Looking down Mt. Superior South Ridge at our progress.
Looking down Mt. Superior South Ridge at our progress.
Last bit of Class 3+/4 stuff coming up.
Last bit of Class 3+/4 stuff coming up.
Jordan doing the Class 5 section that I opted to avoid by doing a Class 4 thing.
Jordan doing the Class 5 section that I opted to avoid by doing a Class 4 thing.
More fun knife edge stuff.
More fun knife edge stuff.
Image 23 from gallery
Mt. Superior ahead.
Mt. Superior ahead.
Image 25 from gallery
A walk up from here to the summit.
A walk up from here to the summit.
Looking down the entire Mt. Superior South Ridge.
Looking down the entire Mt. Superior South Ridge.
Mt. Superior summit, looking toward Monte Cristo Peak.
Mt. Superior summit, looking toward Monte Cristo Peak.
Mt. Superior summit, looking toward Cardiac Ridge.
Mt. Superior summit, looking toward Cardiac Ridge.
Mt. Superior summit, heading down the standard trail to Cardiff Pass.
Mt. Superior summit, heading down the standard trail to Cardiff Pass.
Image 31 from gallery
Image 32 from gallery
Looking toward the South Ridge of Mt. Superior on the way down. You can see the entire route from here.
Looking toward the South Ridge of Mt. Superior on the way down. You can see the entire route from here.
Continuing down on the trail from Mount Superior.
Continuing down on the trail from Mount Superior.
Looking up the trail we came down toward Mt. Superior, hidden on the left.
Looking up the trail we came down toward Mt. Superior, hidden on the left.
Follow the road back about a mile, South Ridge visible there.
Follow the road back about a mile, South Ridge visible there.

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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!