Sneak Peak and Little Majestic via West Rim Trail in Zion National Park, UT

Hike Sneak Peak and Little Majestic via West Rim Trail Zion National Park, UT

Class 3 11.8 miles 4700 gain 7-10 hrs Out + Back Apr 17, 2019
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Sneak Peak and Little Majestic via West Rim Trail GPX Track

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I've been spending a lot of time in other areas of the Zion backcountry, and thought a break from solitude to return to the main canyon amongst the crowds would be a good change of pace. Of course, I would ultimately be leaving the main trails in order to venture to some obscure peaks out there, but it was nice to kill some miles on a basically paved route for much of the way. This route covers Refrigerator Peak, Twin Peak, Sneak Peak, Little Majestic, and Majestic Spur. They're all a bunch of little peaks accessed from the West Rim Trail.

I took the shuttle (running this time of year) to the notoriously popular West Rim Trail leading to the base of Angel's Landing, before continuing deeper onto the West Rim Trail where the crowds basically disappeared. Refrigerator Peak is accessed just off the trail, and I ran into a guy nude sunbathing up there, as well as another couple. It's a nice little viewpoint of the next few peaks for the day. I dropped back down onto the West Rim Trail and followed it north as it lost some elevation and crossed a bridge over a slot. Shortly after the slot crossing, a social trail parallels the canyon and leads to a confluence of two canyons, where a crossing facilitates access to the north. Fromm here, I headed to the saddle between Twin Peak and Sneak Peak, then scrambled up a short Class 3 section to Twin Peak's summit. I went back to the saddle and continued along the ridge to Peak 6256. I dropped down to the saddle between Peak 6246 and Sneak Peak. Here, the ridgeline seems to continue seamlessly to the summit of Sneak Peak, but in fact ends in a 10-foot drop where some webbing was set up for rappeling to continue along the ridge. I removed this section on my map to avoid confusion since I had to backtrack. Instead, I dropped down the east side of the saddle on animal trails for a few hundred feet, before locating a gully filled with pine trees and Class 2 annoyance. Toward the very top of this gully, a particularly steep, sandy slope prevented easy access up. Nothing else seemed viable nearby, so I made footholds in the sand to get higher up, where I was confronted with a Class 3 move on crumbly rock. Class 2 stuff leads to the summit, but I was cautious on the awful terrain. There's a small amount of route-finding required to get to the mesatop, but nothing serious. The high point of the overall unimpressive Sneak Peak was hard to locate within the brush, and I wouldn't say it was a particularly interesting peak. I headed back to the saddle of Sneak Peak and Peak 6246. I could either just go back the way I came or drop down into a gully to the west in an attempt to check out a different route. It worked well, with some annoying Class 2, and was much better for a descent than it would be for an ascent. Some easy bushwhacking led into a creek which I followed back into the landscape just west of Twin Peak and back to the West Rim Trail. On the way back, I left the trail to check out Little Majestic and Majestic Spur. They were cute little peaks with some nice views. Overall a nice day, but none of these peaks were Zion favorites.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Refrigerator Peak
6015 ft
n/a rise
2
Twin Peak
6145 ft
n/a rise
3
Peak 6256
6256 ft
n/a rise
4
Sneak Peak
6550 ft
550 rise
5
Little Majestic
6185 ft
n/a rise
6
Majestic Spur
6329 ft
n/a rise

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Starting up the West Rim Trail, where everyone is heading to Angel's Landing.
Starting up the West Rim Trail, where everyone is heading to Angel's Landing.
Image 1 from gallery
Walter's Wiggles, just below the saddle.
Walter's Wiggles, just below the saddle.
Looking back at Angel's Landing from along the West Rim Trail. Very few continued this way - most are just going up to Angel's Landing.
Looking back at Angel's Landing from along the West Rim Trail. Very few continued this way - most are just going up to Angel's Landing.
Approaching Refrigerator Peak, just off the West Rim Trail.
Approaching Refrigerator Peak, just off the West Rim Trail.
Refrigerator Peak, looking east. Observation Point visible top right.
Refrigerator Peak, looking east. Observation Point visible top right.
Refrigerator Peak, looking west toward Mount Majestic. Little Majestic and Majestic Spur (which I did later in the day) are in the center, much smaller.
Refrigerator Peak, looking west toward Mount Majestic. Little Majestic and Majestic Spur (which I did later in the day) are in the center, much smaller.
Continuing down the West Rim Trail. Twin Peak and Sneak Peak visible on the right.
Continuing down the West Rim Trail. Twin Peak and Sneak Peak visible on the right.
Twin Peak (right) and Sneak Peak (left).
Twin Peak (right) and Sneak Peak (left).
West Rim Trail loses some elevation. View of Majestic (right), Little Majestic (left), and Majestic Spur (tiny center bump).
West Rim Trail loses some elevation. View of Majestic (right), Little Majestic (left), and Majestic Spur (tiny center bump).
Leaving the West Rim Trail to take the social trail visible on the left. Twin Peak visible top right. I'm heading for the saddle north of Twin Peak.
Leaving the West Rim Trail to take the social trail visible on the left. Twin Peak visible top right. I'm heading for the saddle north of Twin Peak.
Crossing a confluence.
Crossing a confluence.
Looking back toward Mount Majestic.
Looking back toward Mount Majestic.
Social trail fades out, but emerges again at the saddle north of Twin Peak. You can see two knobs up there - the southern one is taller.
Social trail fades out, but emerges again at the saddle north of Twin Peak. You can see two knobs up there - the southern one is taller.
At the saddle, looking south toward Twin Peak.
At the saddle, looking south toward Twin Peak.
Twin Peak ahead, along the ridgeline between the two knobs of Twin Peak.
Twin Peak ahead, along the ridgeline between the two knobs of Twin Peak.
Twin Peak summit, looking east toward the Virgin River.
Twin Peak summit, looking east toward the Virgin River.
Twin Peak summit, looking toward Mount Majestic.
Twin Peak summit, looking toward Mount Majestic.
Twin Peak summit, looking north toward my ridgeline to come and Sneak Peak.
Twin Peak summit, looking north toward my ridgeline to come and Sneak Peak.
Along the ridge heading toward Sneak Peak.
Along the ridge heading toward Sneak Peak.
Looking back toward Twin Peak from a spot along the ridgeline where I needed to drop down to avoid a cliff.
Looking back toward Twin Peak from a spot along the ridgeline where I needed to drop down to avoid a cliff.
Almost at Peak 6256 looking back toward Twin Peak and Mount Majestic.
Almost at Peak 6256 looking back toward Twin Peak and Mount Majestic.
Peak 6256 summit looking toward Sneak Peak.
Peak 6256 summit looking toward Sneak Peak.
Peak 6256 looking back the way I came. The valley on the right will be my descent route later.
Peak 6256 looking back the way I came. The valley on the right will be my descent route later.
Before dropping down from Peak 6256, you can see the ridgeline continues on the left, but it doesn't go anywhere unless you have a rope to rappel 10-15 feet or so. Instead, drop down to the right on animal trails and go all the way to the flat section visible on the bottom right.
Before dropping down from Peak 6256, you can see the ridgeline continues on the left, but it doesn't go anywhere unless you have a rope to rappel 10-15 feet or so. Instead, drop down to the right on animal trails and go all the way to the flat section visible on the bottom right.
Working east down animal trails from the saddle south of Sneak Peak.
Working east down animal trails from the saddle south of Sneak Peak.
At the flat area looking up at Sneak Peak. The gully I went up is on the left.
At the flat area looking up at Sneak Peak. The gully I went up is on the left.
Heading up the steep Class 2+ gully.
Heading up the steep Class 2+ gully.
Looking down the gully.
Looking down the gully.
Approaching the steepest section (the tree top left/center ), just below a notch. It's a dirty slope.
Approaching the steepest section (the tree top left/center ), just below a notch. It's a dirty slope.
Just after the annoying steep section, looking north at the crux. This rock stuff is loose and takes a bit of care.
Just after the annoying steep section, looking north at the crux. This rock stuff is loose and takes a bit of care.
Continuing after the crux on Class 2 nonsense.
Continuing after the crux on Class 2 nonsense.
Final ridgeline bit to the summit.
Final ridgeline bit to the summit.
Almost at the summit of Sneak Peak, looking back the way I came. You can see the saddle between Sneak Peak and Peak 6256 in the center (where I dropped east earlier).
Almost at the summit of Sneak Peak, looking back the way I came. You can see the saddle between Sneak Peak and Peak 6256 in the center (where I dropped east earlier).
Sneak Peak summit.
Sneak Peak summit.
Sneak Peak summit, looking toward Mystery Canyon.
Sneak Peak summit, looking toward Mystery Canyon.
Alternate descent route from the saddle of Sneak Peak and Peak 6256, heading west.
Alternate descent route from the saddle of Sneak Peak and Peak 6256, heading west.
Continuing south after the descent. A wash leads the way, some bushwhacking.
Continuing south after the descent. A wash leads the way, some bushwhacking.
Continuing south, you can see Twin Peak on the left.
Continuing south, you can see Twin Peak on the left.
Crossing back over the confluence to rejoin the West Rim Trail.
Crossing back over the confluence to rejoin the West Rim Trail.
I hiked along the West Rim Trail back to the west face of Refrigerator Peak and followed an obvious social trail that shot out west toward the south side of Little Majestic and Majestic Spur.
I hiked along the West Rim Trail back to the west face of Refrigerator Peak and followed an obvious social trail that shot out west toward the south side of Little Majestic and Majestic Spur.
Slickrock along the way to Little Majestic.
Slickrock along the way to Little Majestic.
Social trail fades out eventually, but took me pretty close to the south face of Little Majestic, seen here.
Social trail fades out eventually, but took me pretty close to the south face of Little Majestic, seen here.
Summit of Little Majestic (Class 2).
Summit of Little Majestic (Class 2).
Little Majestic, looking west toward Majestic Spur and Mount Majestic.
Little Majestic, looking west toward Majestic Spur and Mount Majestic.
Class 2 up to Majestic Spur.
Class 2 up to Majestic Spur.
Majestic Spur, looking north toward Twin Peak and Sneak Peak (left), Little Majestic visible on the right.
Majestic Spur, looking north toward Twin Peak and Sneak Peak (left), Little Majestic visible on the right.
Majestic Spur, looking southeast toward the way I came up.
Majestic Spur, looking southeast toward the way I came up.
Majestic Spur, view of the sheer wall of Mount Majestic.
Majestic Spur, view of the sheer wall of Mount Majestic.
On the way back, a photo of Angel's Landing from along the West Rim Trail.
On the way back, a photo of Angel's Landing from along the West Rim Trail.

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