Storm Mountain via North Ridge and Ferguson Canyon in Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT

Hike Storm Mountain via North Ridge and Ferguson Canyon Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT

Class 4 6.6 miles 4100 gain 6-8 hrs Shuttle Aug 3, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Storm Mountain via North Ridge and Ferguson Canyon GPX Track

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This is not the standard Ferguson Canyon Trail up to Storm Mountain. We used that as our descent route. This is a description of the route up the unmarked north ridge of Storm Mountain. Starting from a historical sign on the side of the road, find a steep gully to gain the ridge and follow a social trail for as long as you can until it disappears, and class 2 and 3 fun stuff starts. Eventually, you'll get to what appears to be an extremely steep rock face, which is what it is. This is the only section where route-finding is important. We found ourselves backtracking on exposed Class 4 after leaving the ridge accidentally. It's hard to give beta here, but my suggestion would be that if you find yourself on scary Class 4 and you are off of the ridgeline, you'll likely get cliffed out, so stick to the ridge.

The entire route up the north ridge of Storm Mountain is littered with dirty Class 2/3 gullies, but the sections of blocky and mostly solid rock scrambles make it worth the effort. Once you make it to the Storm Mountain summit, you could head back the way you came, which I wouldn't recommend, or head down the standard Ferguson Canyon route, which is cairned until you get to a social trail, which widens into a real trail. Shuttle required.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Storm Mountain
9524 ft
124 rise

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Starting from this historic marker on the side of the road, we thought this gully would be the easiest way yo gain the ridge. I'm sure there are others, as well.
Starting from this historic marker on the side of the road, we thought this gully would be the easiest way yo gain the ridge. I'm sure there are others, as well.
Once on the ridge, looking up our general route. There is a social trail, believe it or not, which eventually fades out.
Once on the ridge, looking up our general route. There is a social trail, believe it or not, which eventually fades out.
Looking up Big Cottonwood Canyon from the ridge.
Looking up Big Cottonwood Canyon from the ridge.
Looking south on our starting ridge, the north ridge of Storm Mountain.
Looking south on our starting ridge, the north ridge of Storm Mountain.
Looking back toward Big Cottonwood Canyon.
Looking back toward Big Cottonwood Canyon.
Some avoidable, but super fun, Class 3+ scrambles.
Some avoidable, but super fun, Class 3+ scrambles.
Loose rock on avoidable knife edges.
Loose rock on avoidable knife edges.
Some dirty areas that aren't avoidable. Big Cottonwood Canyon below.
Some dirty areas that aren't avoidable. Big Cottonwood Canyon below.
Some bushwhacking, but there's still enough of a social trail to make it without too many scratches.
Some bushwhacking, but there's still enough of a social trail to make it without too many scratches.
Eventually, the ridge levels off for a short bit, really nice views of what's to come.
Eventually, the ridge levels off for a short bit, really nice views of what's to come.
Looking toward the Wildcat Ridge (north), Big Cottonwood Canyon below.
Looking toward the Wildcat Ridge (north), Big Cottonwood Canyon below.
Close-up of Storm Mountain (left), and the ridge that goes west from Storm Mountain.
Close-up of Storm Mountain (left), and the ridge that goes west from Storm Mountain.
Image 12 from gallery
Image 13 from gallery
Lots of annoying dirty gullies that can mostly be avoided by staying on the ridge.
Lots of annoying dirty gullies that can mostly be avoided by staying on the ridge.
Image 15 from gallery
Image 16 from gallery
Ridgeline is a lot more pleasant - more rocks that steep gullies.
Ridgeline is a lot more pleasant - more rocks that steep gullies.
Image 18 from gallery
The Class 4 part ahead.
The Class 4 part ahead.
Starting up the route-finding Class 3/4 stuff.
Starting up the route-finding Class 3/4 stuff.
Looking back toward Big Cottonwood Canyon.
Looking back toward Big Cottonwood Canyon.
Yoshi doing a Class 4 scramble to the right - DO NOT go this way. If you find yourself doing the moves in this photo, look left and find a way to the ridge. We got cliffed-out on terrifying Class 5 terrain and had to back-track.
Yoshi doing a Class 4 scramble to the right - DO NOT go this way. If you find yourself doing the moves in this photo, look left and find a way to the ridge. We got cliffed-out on terrifying Class 5 terrain and had to back-track.
At the ridgeline, just above the Class 4.
At the ridgeline, just above the Class 4.
Down-climbing a little on the east side of the North Ridge to find easier gullies and to avoid a potentially cliff-us-out knife edge ridge.
Down-climbing a little on the east side of the North Ridge to find easier gullies and to avoid a potentially cliff-us-out knife edge ridge.
More dirty gullies.
More dirty gullies.
Image 26 from gallery
Image 27 from gallery
Eventually, we pass all the dirty gullies and make it to the final ridge scramble.
Eventually, we pass all the dirty gullies and make it to the final ridge scramble.
Final Class 2+/3 ridgeline scramble on the North Ridge of Storm Mountain. Blocky and fun.
Final Class 2+/3 ridgeline scramble on the North Ridge of Storm Mountain. Blocky and fun.
Looking back along Storm Mountain North Ridge at Yoshi, Big Cottonwood Canyon below.
Looking back along Storm Mountain North Ridge at Yoshi, Big Cottonwood Canyon below.
Fun scrambling.
Fun scrambling.
Image 32 from gallery
Image 33 from gallery
Storm Mountain summit, looking toward Twin Peaks.
Storm Mountain summit, looking toward Twin Peaks.
Haze from forest fires.
Haze from forest fires.
Close-up of the Wildcat Traverse (which we did a few weeks ago).
Close-up of the Wildcat Traverse (which we did a few weeks ago).
Class 2+ route down from Storm Mountain (the standard route up Storm Mountain).
Class 2+ route down from Storm Mountain (the standard route up Storm Mountain).
Looking back at the Class 2+ standard route up to Storm Mountain.
Looking back at the Class 2+ standard route up to Storm Mountain.
Heading down into Ferguson Canyon. There were cairns, but we kind of missed a few.
Heading down into Ferguson Canyon. There were cairns, but we kind of missed a few.
Image 40 from gallery
Find this talus field to avoid annoying bushwhacking. If you are bushwhacking into Ferguson Canyon, I HIGHLY recommend you find the social trail because it only gets worse and worse. Thank god for the social trail in this area.
Find this talus field to avoid annoying bushwhacking. If you are bushwhacking into Ferguson Canyon, I HIGHLY recommend you find the social trail because it only gets worse and worse. Thank god for the social trail in this area.
Looking back up the talus field toward Storm Mountain.
Looking back up the talus field toward Storm Mountain.
Image 43 from gallery
Image 44 from gallery
Image 45 from gallery
Continuing down on the social trail into Ferguson Canyon.
Continuing down on the social trail into Ferguson Canyon.
Image 47 from gallery
Some really nice views down Ferguson Canyon. Most of the hike down though is just a tight trail with no views.
Some really nice views down Ferguson Canyon. Most of the hike down though is just a tight trail with no views.
Image 49 from gallery
Image 50 from gallery
Looking up Ferguson Canyon.
Looking up Ferguson Canyon.
Entering the forest toward the end of Ferguson Canyon.
Entering the forest toward the end of Ferguson Canyon.
Image 53 from gallery
Image 54 from gallery
A climbing area near the end of Ferguson Canyon.
A climbing area near the end of Ferguson Canyon.
Looking back toward Ferguson Canyon (right) and Big Cottonwood Canyon (left).
Looking back toward Ferguson Canyon (right) and Big Cottonwood Canyon (left).
Salt Lake City at sunset, just before the trailhead.
Salt Lake City at sunset, just before the trailhead.

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!