Northern La Sal Mountains Traverse in Manti-La Sal National Forest, UT

Hike Northern La Sal Mountains Traverse Manti-La Sal National Forest, UT

Class 2 17.7 miles 8900 gain 9-12 hrs Loop Jun 5, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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I fell in love with the La Sal Mountains after hiking Mt. Tukuhnikivatz last year, so I planned a traverse of the northern section of the range. Unfortunately, I couldn't coordinate a two-car shuttle, so I worked to figure out a reasonable route to traverse the major peaks, but to make the day into an epic loop rather than a point-to-point. Fortunately, there is a trail system that allows this route to be possible! The traverse is incredible, and summits La Sal Peak, Castle Mountain, Mt. Waas, Green Mountain, Pilot Mountain, Manns Peak, and Mt. Tomasaki, as well as a few bumps along the ridgeline that keep the leg pump going.

Starting from the Warner Lake day use area, take the easily-followed Miner's Basin Trail up to the saddle below Gold Knob, only to descend into Miner's Basin, losing almost all the elevation you just worked to gain. Once in Miner's Basin, check out the historic cabins, and then attempt to locate the the proper old mining roads to gain the saddle beneath Horse Mountain: yet another bit of elevation gain that will be lost shortly after (ugh). Continue along the old mining road that leads to the cirque beneath Mt. Waas and Castle Mountain, then locate the saddle of those two peaks and ascend awful, extremely steep Class 2 dirt and scree. This was the only section of the day that felt a bit contrived, but I had to get to the ridgeline somehow.

Once on the La Sal ridgeline, bag Castle Mountain, and then La Sal Peak, which feels rough because you're going north when the range heads south. You could skip these two peaks, but I wanted to get the whole range. From La Sal Peak, head back south, bypassing Castle Mountain, back to the saddle of Castle and Waas. A social trail leads up the scree via switchbacks to the summit of Mt. Waas. Continue along the ridge to Green Mountain, then Pilot Mountain, and onward to Manns Peak. The ridgeline is obvious. From Manns Peak, you can descend the ridge on a social trail to get to Burro Pass, but this would mean skipping Mt. Tamasaki. You got this far, so might as well finish the whole ridgeline. Mt. Tamasaki is steep and feels like a perfect ending to the day. Bushwhack down any number of slopes from the summit to the start of the Burro Pass Trail. I chose to head back to the base of Tamasaki and stay just to the left of the treeline. You may be tempted to cheat by staying high to get closer to Burro Pass as not to loose extra elevation gain, but the bushwhacking looked fairly rough and my route avoided almost all of it. Follow the Burro Pass Trail through gorgeous greenery back to Warner Campground.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Castle Mountain
12044 ft
364 rise
2
La Sal Peak
12001 ft
321 rise
3
Mount Waas
12331 ft
1793 rise
4
Green Mountain
12163 ft
163 rise
5
Pilot Mountain
12200 ft
440 rise
6
Manns Peak
12272 ft
632 rise
7
Mount Tomasaki
12239 ft
639 rise

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Quick morning photo of Warner Lake before starting along the Miner's Basin Trail.
Quick morning photo of Warner Lake before starting along the Miner's Basin Trail.
Starting up the Miner's Basin Trail.
Starting up the Miner's Basin Trail.
Image 2 from gallery
Image 3 from gallery
Image 4 from gallery
Image 5 from gallery
Along the Miner's Basin Trail, looking toward Gold Knob (left). Won't be doing this little peak today.
Along the Miner's Basin Trail, looking toward Gold Knob (left). Won't be doing this little peak today.
After getting to the saddle beneath Gold Knob, the Miner's Basin Trail goes back down and into the Miner's Basin.
After getting to the saddle beneath Gold Knob, the Miner's Basin Trail goes back down and into the Miner's Basin.
Image 8 from gallery
Historic cabin. There is a very old dirt road leading up to the right sort of behind the cabin.
Historic cabin. There is a very old dirt road leading up to the right sort of behind the cabin.
Another ruin along the dirt road.
Another ruin along the dirt road.
Old mining road ascends for a while to the saddle of Horse Mountain and Green Mountain (you can't see either from here).
Old mining road ascends for a while to the saddle of Horse Mountain and Green Mountain (you can't see either from here).
And then the old mining road descends a bit again. So much up and down already and haven't even bagged a peak.
And then the old mining road descends a bit again. So much up and down already and haven't even bagged a peak.
You can see the saddle between Castle Mountain (left) and Mt. Waas (peeking out center). Get to this saddle.
You can see the saddle between Castle Mountain (left) and Mt. Waas (peeking out center). Get to this saddle.
Approaching the terrible-looking route to the saddle between Castle and Waas.
Approaching the terrible-looking route to the saddle between Castle and Waas.
Scree field on the way up to the saddle, looking back down the way I came. You can see the previous saddle between Horse Mountain and Green Mountain in the center. I came up that on the old mining road.
Scree field on the way up to the saddle, looking back down the way I came. You can see the previous saddle between Horse Mountain and Green Mountain in the center. I came up that on the old mining road.
Scree slope leading to the saddle
Scree slope leading to the saddle
Just above the saddle, looking toward Mt. Waas (left) and Green Mountain (right). First, headed up to Castle Mountain (behind me).
Just above the saddle, looking toward Mt. Waas (left) and Green Mountain (right). First, headed up to Castle Mountain (behind me).
Trail leads through the scree to the Castle Mountain summit.
Trail leads through the scree to the Castle Mountain summit.
Castle Mountain summit looking toward La Sal Peak.
Castle Mountain summit looking toward La Sal Peak.
More scree to the La Sal Peak summit.
More scree to the La Sal Peak summit.
La Sal Peak summit, looking toward Castle Mountain (right) and Mt. Waas (left). Now that I got Castle and La Sal, time to go back to the Castle-Waas saddle and continue along the ridge.
La Sal Peak summit, looking toward Castle Mountain (right) and Mt. Waas (left). Now that I got Castle and La Sal, time to go back to the Castle-Waas saddle and continue along the ridge.
Mt. Waas Saddle again.
Mt. Waas Saddle again.
Scree up Mt. Waas. Eventually, there is a switchback trail. I saw a group who had just done Mt. Waas coming down.
Scree up Mt. Waas. Eventually, there is a switchback trail. I saw a group who had just done Mt. Waas coming down.
Mt. Waas summit ahead.
Mt. Waas summit ahead.
Mt. Waas summit, looking toward Castle and La Sal.
Mt. Waas summit, looking toward Castle and La Sal.
A hiker posed without realizing it for me.
A hiker posed without realizing it for me.
Mt. Waas summit, looking toward Green Mountain (right), Pilot Mountain (center), and Manns Peak (left). You can also see Mt. Mellenthin, Tuk, and Peale in the distance.
Mt. Waas summit, looking toward Green Mountain (right), Pilot Mountain (center), and Manns Peak (left). You can also see Mt. Mellenthin, Tuk, and Peale in the distance.
Close-up of the ridge from Waas to Green.
Close-up of the ridge from Waas to Green.
Green Mountain ridge, looking back toward Waas, Castle, and La Sal.
Green Mountain ridge, looking back toward Waas, Castle, and La Sal.
Green Mountain summit, looking toward Pilot Mountain.
Green Mountain summit, looking toward Pilot Mountain.
Close-up of the ridge from Green to Pilot.
Close-up of the ridge from Green to Pilot.
Pilot Mountain, looking back toward Green, Waas, and Castle peeking out between them.
Pilot Mountain, looking back toward Green, Waas, and Castle peeking out between them.
Close-up of Porcupine Rim, way below on the desert floor, seen from Pilot Mountain.
Close-up of Porcupine Rim, way below on the desert floor, seen from Pilot Mountain.
Pilot Mountain summit, looking southeast toward Manns Peak.
Pilot Mountain summit, looking southeast toward Manns Peak.
Close-up of the ridgeline to Manns Peak from Pilot Mountain
Close-up of the ridgeline to Manns Peak from Pilot Mountain
A big bump between Pilot and Manns. I decided to bag it, not sure if it was an official peak or not. It wasn't. Yay for extra elevation gain.
A big bump between Pilot and Manns. I decided to bag it, not sure if it was an official peak or not. It wasn't. Yay for extra elevation gain.
Almost to the summit of Manns Peak, looking back toward the ridgeline.
Almost to the summit of Manns Peak, looking back toward the ridgeline.
Manns Peak ahead.
Manns Peak ahead.
Manns Peak summit, looking back the way I came.
Manns Peak summit, looking back the way I came.
Manns Peak summit, Mt. Tomasaki on the left. Mellenthin, Tuk, and Peale on the right, far away.
Manns Peak summit, Mt. Tomasaki on the left. Mellenthin, Tuk, and Peale on the right, far away.
Close-up of Mt. Tomasaki (right).
Close-up of Mt. Tomasaki (right).
On the way to Mt. Tomasaki, looking back toward Manns Peak.
On the way to Mt. Tomasaki, looking back toward Manns Peak.
Tomasaki ahead.
Tomasaki ahead.
Base of Tomasaki.
Base of Tomasaki.
Mt. Tamasaki summit, looking back along the whole ridgeline.
Mt. Tamasaki summit, looking back along the whole ridgeline.
Close-up of the Burro Pass Trail below. You can see the outline of the trail in this pic, sort of.
Close-up of the Burro Pass Trail below. You can see the outline of the trail in this pic, sort of.
Heading down from Tomasaki, hugging the treeline.
Heading down from Tomasaki, hugging the treeline.
Heading up the Burro Pass Trail.
Heading up the Burro Pass Trail.
Looking back toward Mt. Tomasaki on the Burro Pass Trail.
Looking back toward Mt. Tomasaki on the Burro Pass Trail.
Burro Pass, looking down into the forested valley.
Burro Pass, looking down into the forested valley.
Image 51 from gallery
Image 52 from gallery
Image 53 from gallery
Image 54 from gallery
Views of Mellenthin, Tuk, Peale from the trail.
Views of Mellenthin, Tuk, Peale from the trail.
Approaching the Warner Lake Trailhead. I went up that gully in the center of this photo at the start of the day (Miner's Basin Trail).
Approaching the Warner Lake Trailhead. I went up that gully in the center of this photo at the start of the day (Miner's Basin Trail).
Warner Lake.
Warner Lake.
Night shot from the previous night.
Night shot from the previous night.

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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!