Rabbit Ears Peak via Left Fork of North Creek in Zion National Park, UT

Hike Rabbit Ears Peak via Left Fork of North Creek Zion National Park, UT

Class 4 16.2 miles 4400 gain 11-15 hrs Out + Back Mar 31, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Rabbit Ears Peak via Left Fork of North Creek GPX Track

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You can make this day shorter and probably even more fun if you exit via The Subway. We didn't have a permit for The Subway, so we went out the way we came, which just added more elevation gain after an already very long day. Taking The Subway route requires a permit and a shuttle.

This is a ridiculously fun route-finding adventure through the heart of one of the least visited areas of Zion National Park. If you ask me, backcountry hiking doesn't get much better than this. A few months ago, I got a chance to summit South Guardian Angel, which served as a great introduction to the Kolob Terrace region of Zion, and I've wanted to check out more of the obscure peaks back here. There are definitely many ways to trek through this area of the backcountry via washes, canyons, hills, hoodoos, and slickrock. The route mapped out that we took includes a bit of bushwhacking, but for the most part follows sandy washes, animal trails, and slickrock to make the going easier.

NOTE: A year after doing this route, Yoshi and I returned to the area and hiked Dead Tree Peak, Elkhorn Peak, and Turkey Peak. I actually would recommend you look at that link's map and description instead, because it fixes a few of the mix-ups we took during this route. Of note, this trip to Rabbit Ears Peak follows the standard Subway route for a while, whereas the Dead Tree Peak route took us down a sneak route, dropping us right where we needed to be. Also, since we were more acclimated to the area, we made some better choices for navigating the brush/washes. So at the very least, go check out the map from that route. Anyway, this route was definitely viable and was a great time for us so I left it intact. Carry on!

From the Wildcat Trailhead, follow the standard route into The Subway, cairned and fairly well traveled. Once in the Left Fork of North Creek (above The Subway), go through two swimmer sections. We had not prepared for these frigid pools, but it got the day started on some pretty intense terms. My DSLR ended up getting wet and broke at this point, so most of the photos from this trip are taken with Josh's phone. Shortly after the pools, look for a large jug arch on the left and scramble a Class 4 sandy ledge that doesn't seem like it would go, but it does. A trail leads up over the south rim of the Left Fork of North Creek. From here, try to follow the map or plan your own route. On the map, the orange line is our exit route just to chang it up, but both options worked fairly well. It's definitely slow moving back here because of the wildness of the terrain, so don't get too lost. Along the way, you get a really nice view of North Guardian Angel and South Guardian Angel, as well as the tip of Greatheart Mesa as you skirt its west ridge, a ridiculously large looming mountain that helps keep you on some sort of trajectory for most of the day. Eventually, Rabbit Ears Peak comes into view, and it's a super fun Class 3 white slickrock slab until just before the summit, where a dirty and easily breakable series of Class 4 moves lead to the summit block. We made good use of the tree with some webbing and by stemming up the trunk to get past the most dangerous part. A couple of fun and exposed moves take you the final push of the way.

From the summit, the cliffs of the eastern ridge of Rabbit Ears Peak proved to be one of the most stunning displays of Zion majesty I've ever seen, and we could pretty much trace the entire route we had taken to get to this point, as well as figure out another route to change it up a bit (see map's orange line). Our short mini loop to see more things proved to be much more pretty and interesting, with a Class 3 slabby downclimb with an incredible view of South Guardian Angel, and bushwhacking through a canyon/wash leading back to our approach route. We continued back the way we came. When faced with the frigid pools again, we were grateful for our webbing and managed to find a way to avoid the pools entirely.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Rabbit Ears Peak
6840 ft
n/a rise

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Starting out from the Wildcat Trailhead.
Starting out from the Wildcat Trailhead.
Cutting off onto the standard Subway route.
Cutting off onto the standard Subway route.
Heading down toward Left Fork of North Creek.
Heading down toward Left Fork of North Creek.
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Left Fork of North Creek on the right.
Left Fork of North Creek on the right.
Class 2 scramble down to get into Left Fork of North Creek.
Class 2 scramble down to get into Left Fork of North Creek.
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First set of swimmers.
First set of swimmers.
My camera got wet at the second swimmer and I continued the day with Josh's phone camera.
My camera got wet at the second swimmer and I continued the day with Josh's phone camera.
After finding the jug arch, this is the short Class 4 move section leading up the gully. The webbing you see here was placed by us temporarily. I recommend taking webbing or a rope on this trip for sure.
After finding the jug arch, this is the short Class 4 move section leading up the gully. The webbing you see here was placed by us temporarily. I recommend taking webbing or a rope on this trip for sure.
Left Fork of North Creek below, as we head up to the south rim.
Left Fork of North Creek below, as we head up to the south rim.
At the south rim above Left Fork of North Creek. Greatheat Mesa in the distance. Rabbit Ears Peak is behind that.
At the south rim above Left Fork of North Creek. Greatheat Mesa in the distance. Rabbit Ears Peak is behind that.
Continuing in washes, etc.
Continuing in washes, etc.
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Looking back the way we came, North Guardian Angel in the distance.
Looking back the way we came, North Guardian Angel in the distance.
Taking in the views of South Guardian Angel.
Taking in the views of South Guardian Angel.
Pano of South Guardian Angel along the route we chose.
Pano of South Guardian Angel along the route we chose.
Continuing toward Rabbit Ears Peak. Finally, a first glance at it. It's the pointy one just off right center.
Continuing toward Rabbit Ears Peak. Finally, a first glance at it. It's the pointy one just off right center.
Continuing down from our view of South Guardian Angel toward Rabbit Ears Peak (pointy thing just left of center).
Continuing down from our view of South Guardian Angel toward Rabbit Ears Peak (pointy thing just left of center).
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Passing through some hoodoos.
Passing through some hoodoos.
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Shawn stuck in quicksand.
Shawn stuck in quicksand.
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More washes and canyons.
More washes and canyons.
There's Rabbit Ears Peak (white peak on the left).
There's Rabbit Ears Peak (white peak on the left).
Looking back toward the hoodoos and South Gaurdian Angel.
Looking back toward the hoodoos and South Gaurdian Angel.
Continuing up slickrock toward Rabbit Ears Peak.
Continuing up slickrock toward Rabbit Ears Peak.
Looking back toward South (left) and North (right) Guardian Angel peaks.
Looking back toward South (left) and North (right) Guardian Angel peaks.
Class 3 slabs. Shawn and Josh on the left for size reference.
Class 3 slabs. Shawn and Josh on the left for size reference.
Looking down the slabs, the Guardian Angels in the distance. For reference, our day started behind North Guardian Angel (right).
Looking down the slabs, the Guardian Angels in the distance. For reference, our day started behind North Guardian Angel (right).
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Image 43 from gallery
Approaching the Class 4 section.
Approaching the Class 4 section.
Shawn set up some webbing after getting through the dangerous and crumbly rock. We took the webbing back though ;)
Shawn set up some webbing after getting through the dangerous and crumbly rock. We took the webbing back though ;)
Looking down at the Class 4 up climb.
Looking down at the Class 4 up climb.
The short ridge to the summit.
The short ridge to the summit.
Looking back along the ridge, just after the Class 4 section. North Guardian Angel is visible in the center top.
Looking back along the ridge, just after the Class 4 section. North Guardian Angel is visible in the center top.
Shawn at the summit of Rabbit Ears Peak. The cliff in the center is an incredible feat of nature not translatable through photos.
Shawn at the summit of Rabbit Ears Peak. The cliff in the center is an incredible feat of nature not translatable through photos.
Looking southwest into Right Fork of North Creek.
Looking southwest into Right Fork of North Creek.

Hire me or show me some love!

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!