Notch Peak and Sawtooth Mountain Loop in House Range BLM, UT

Hike Notch Peak and Sawtooth Mountain Loop House Range BLM, UT

Class 3 10.8 miles 3600 gain 4-6 hrs Loop May 21, 2022
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Notch Peak and Sawtooth Mountain Loop GPX Track

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Notch Peak is a high peak in the House Range, notable mostly for having the second highest vertical drop in the United States. It gets a fair amount of attention from hikers looking to check out the incredible view, but also from climbers interested in some adventure. We ran into a couple of such folks who were establishing a new climbing route on the loose limestone face. No, thanks! Although Notch Peak is a gorgeous and classic summit all on its own, I highly recommend the traverse along the rim to Sawtooth Mountain to the north. This traverse really makes the hike special, introducing lots more cliffy views and an exceptional perspective back toward Notch Peak. FYI I attached a CalTopo map base layer instead of my normal map imagery because a few maps are incorrectly drawn, resulting in a GPS track appearing to be wandering in thin air.

To reach the trailhead, leave the paved Highway 6 here (39.07185, -113.21826) and continue north to here (39.11302, -113.22055) and head northwest on Miller Canyon Road. The road is suitable for any vehicle to here (39.1415, -113.30767), where a pavillion and bathroom mark a junction. Take a left onto a road passable to Crossovers vehicles and continue to the trailhead.

Chris and I started up Sawtooth Canyon on the gravel trail, well-marked and easy to follow. At a junction within the wash we kept left and continued ascending through progressively narrowing limestone. There was a short slotty section as well as a few Class 2 obstacles, initially. A bit into the canyon cairns mark the way up a couple of short, low Class 3 scrambles on the solid limestone before continuing through the gravel wash again. A social trail leads out of the drainage and ascends north toward the saddle on Notch Peak's east side. There were at least three carved social trails along this section, so you can't get too lost.

We reached the "notch", a ridiculous drop with walls stretching away from us. We paused to take it in for a bit before heading west and up to the summit of Notch Peak. Along the way we encountered some Class 2/2+ on steep limestone slabs, as well as a couple of baby cliff bands. If the notch below wasn't impressive enough, the views from the summit were simply overwhelming and dizzying. I've spent a lot of time on limestone peaks in the Great Basin Desert, but it was pretty incredible to see sheer walls at this scale despite the familiar rock type.

Onward for the traverse! We headed back down off Notch Peak and ascended a small hump to the north (Class 2) on the way to Peak 9424, also Class 2. Although you could avoid some elevation gain by not ascending this minor summit, I highly recommend sticking to the rideline as much as possible for more mind-blowing views of the western face of the House Range. We headed over another minor summit along the way north, and then noticed a significant drop ahead. Fortunately, a steep and dirty Class 2 descent option presented itself away from all cliffs, an ultimately easy undertaking to drop a few hundred feet to a flatter section below.

Sawtooth Mountain was in view ahead, but a pyramid-shaped obstacle rested along the ridgeline and should be avoided by hugging the base of its eastern face since the north side has a cliff. Once around the pyramid-shaped feature, a social trail led us up the east ridge of Sawtooth Mountain before curving north and wrapping around in an ascending traverse to get to the northern ridge of Sawtooth Mountain. You could likely head directly to the summit from here, but we chose to stick to the crude trail instead. Class 2 led up the north ridge and to the summit of Sawtooth Mountain, where more lovely views awaited.

We headed back down Sawtooth Mountain's north ridge, but rather than backtrack all the way we decided to turn the hike into a loop. To do this, we decided to head east along the wide eastern slopes of Sawtooth Mountain and look for a way back down into Sawtooth Canyon. If you're not a fan of even a little bushwhacking I'd recommend just returning the way you came. We looked on a satellite map and figured most of our intended descent route would be clear of brush, and we were mostly correct. A couple of miles of ridge walking gave us sweeping views of the surrounding landscape and back toward the peaks we'd just traversed. A few hundred feet of brush here and there slowed us down, but it was never too annoying and mostly required just ducking through tunnels created by tall bushes. I do recommend having a satellite map handy so you know where the biggest bush pockets are.

Eventually we decided it made the most sense to leave the ridgeline and head south down into Sawtooth Canyon. With some light side-hilling and some more minor bushwhacking, we dropped down about 1000 feet on our slope of choice and made it into Sawtooth Canyon. Here we took the gravel wash back to where it met with the Notch Peak Trail.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Notch Peak
9654 ft
3414 rise
2
Peak 9424
9424 ft
220 rise
3
Sawtooth Mountain
9353 ft
313 rise

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Starting up Sawtooth Canyon from the Notch Peak Trailhead.
Starting up Sawtooth Canyon from the Notch Peak Trailhead.
A junction. We'll be returning from the right later, but the trail leads left.
A junction. We'll be returning from the right later, but the trail leads left.
Along the trail as we enter the mouth of the narrower section of canyon.
Along the trail as we enter the mouth of the narrower section of canyon.
Image 3 from gallery
Some Class 2, but all straightforward.
Some Class 2, but all straightforward.
A narrow section.
A narrow section.
Image 6 from gallery
A low Class 3 section within the canyon.
A low Class 3 section within the canyon.
Chris on the Class 3.
Chris on the Class 3.
Some more Class 3
Some more Class 3
View back at the Class 3 stuff.
View back at the Class 3 stuff.
Ascending through the canyon.
Ascending through the canyon.
Past the narrows, the canyon starts to open up.
Past the narrows, the canyon starts to open up.
Still some cool limestone along the way. Shortly after here we left the canyon drainage and followed a social trail leading left.
Still some cool limestone along the way. Shortly after here we left the canyon drainage and followed a social trail leading left.
View back into the drainage.
View back into the drainage.
Notch Peak up there on the left, but it looks like just a big lump from here. There were multiple social trail options leading to the rim above.
Notch Peak up there on the left, but it looks like just a big lump from here. There were multiple social trail options leading to the rim above.
View back toward the canyon we ascended from.
View back toward the canyon we ascended from.
Almost at the saddle on Notch Peak's east side.
Almost at the saddle on Notch Peak's east side.
Holy moly, the saddle looking into the notch.
Holy moly, the saddle looking into the notch.
Notch Peak ahead.
Notch Peak ahead.
Class 2/2+ on the way up to the summit.
Class 2/2+ on the way up to the summit.
Notch Peak summit.
Notch Peak summit.
Notch Peak summit, view south.
Notch Peak summit, view south.
Notch Peak summit, view west.
Notch Peak summit, view west.
Close-up into the ridiculous drop.
Close-up into the ridiculous drop.
The widest shot I could get with my camera of the notch on the north side of Notch Peak.
The widest shot I could get with my camera of the notch on the north side of Notch Peak.
Descending from Notch Peak back to the saddle. We went up and over the small hump ahead to start the traverse to Sawtooth Mountain.
Descending from Notch Peak back to the saddle. We went up and over the small hump ahead to start the traverse to Sawtooth Mountain.
View back toward Notch Peak from the small hump.
View back toward Notch Peak from the small hump.
We continued along the rim, Peak 9424 seen ahead.
We continued along the rim, Peak 9424 seen ahead.
Close-up toward the rim to come.
Close-up toward the rim to come.
Notch Peak's insane face.
Notch Peak's insane face.
View back toward the little hump and the saddle on Notch's east side.
View back toward the little hump and the saddle on Notch's east side.
Image 32 from gallery
Onward along the rim from Peak 9424.
Onward along the rim from Peak 9424.
View back along the rim, Notch Peak seen right.
View back along the rim, Notch Peak seen right.
Close-up back at the descent from Peak 9424.
Close-up back at the descent from Peak 9424.
Image 36 from gallery
We went over another little hump after Peak 9424 and got a nice view of Sawtooth Mountain, seen center. To reach it we'd have to first drop down a steep Class 2 slope into the trees on the left and then wrap around the right side of the pyramid-shaped obstacle on the right in this photo.
We went over another little hump after Peak 9424 and got a nice view of Sawtooth Mountain, seen center. To reach it we'd have to first drop down a steep Class 2 slope into the trees on the left and then wrap around the right side of the pyramid-shaped obstacle on the right in this photo.
Down the Class 2 steep slope.
Down the Class 2 steep slope.
Sawtooth Mountain ahead.
Sawtooth Mountain ahead.
View back toward the hump we just came down from.
View back toward the hump we just came down from.
Class 2 to get to the base of the pyramid-shaped obstacle.
Class 2 to get to the base of the pyramid-shaped obstacle.
View back as we wrap around the pyramid.
View back as we wrap around the pyramid.
Heading up to Sawtooth Mountain on a good social trail.
Heading up to Sawtooth Mountain on a good social trail.
View back toward the pyramid-shaped obstacle and the rim we just traversed across.
View back toward the pyramid-shaped obstacle and the rim we just traversed across.
The social trail leads up to Sawtooth Mountain's north ridge.
The social trail leads up to Sawtooth Mountain's north ridge.
Sawtooth Mountain's north ridge, heading to the summit (Class 2).
Sawtooth Mountain's north ridge, heading to the summit (Class 2).
Sawtooth Mountain, view toward Notch Peak and the traverse we just completed.
Sawtooth Mountain, view toward Notch Peak and the traverse we just completed.
Image 48 from gallery
We wanted to make a loop, so we backtracked off Sawtooth Mountain and then descended along the wide ridge seen left of center.
We wanted to make a loop, so we backtracked off Sawtooth Mountain and then descended along the wide ridge seen left of center.
Mostly clear.
Mostly clear.
But there was some light bushwhacking.
But there was some light bushwhacking.
View back, Sawtooth Mountain seen on the right.
View back, Sawtooth Mountain seen on the right.
Nice sweeping views when we weren't bushwhacking.
Nice sweeping views when we weren't bushwhacking.
A view east along the rim of the ridge. Some cool formations to the north.
A view east along the rim of the ridge. Some cool formations to the north.
Another shot back before we started descending from the ridge.
Another shot back before we started descending from the ridge.
Descending about 1000 feet into Sawtooth Canyon, some brush, but nothing too bad.
Descending about 1000 feet into Sawtooth Canyon, some brush, but nothing too bad.
Approaching Sawtooth Canyon, seen below.
Approaching Sawtooth Canyon, seen below.
Image 58 from gallery
View back up at the ridge we came down from.
View back up at the ridge we came down from.
Gravel wash within Sawtooth Canyon, which we took to meet back up with the Notch Peak Trail.
Gravel wash within Sawtooth Canyon, which we took to meet back up with the Notch Peak Trail.

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