Twin, Sunrise, and Dromedary Loop via Lake Blanche (Triple Traverse) in Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT

Hike Twin, Sunrise, and Dromedary Loop via Lake Blanche (Triple Traverse) Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT

Class 3 10.9 miles 6400 gain 7-10 hrs Loop Sep 16, 2016
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Twin, Sunrise, and Dromedary Loop via Lake Blanche (Triple Traverse) GPX Track

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I figured I'd kick off my time in the Salt Lake City area with a tougher hike. I planned to meet up with a new friend Shawn who I met online. Not knowing anything about each other, we went for the tantalizing Triple Traverse (Broad Fork Twin Peaks, Sunrise Peak (aka O'Sullivan Peak), Dromedary Peak), a hike that begins on a fairly well-marked trail most of the way to Twin Peaks and its short section of 3rd class scrambling. The trail is steep, and likely changes due to scree movement each year, but it's straightforward enough. There's a short Class 3 section to gain Twin Peaks. We only did the East Twin, the taller one. After Twin Peaks, we went back to the saddle and assessed the west ridge that would eventually lead to Sunrise Peak from here. It looked like a straight drop, easily 5th class. Shawn "accidentally" scrambled up a 5th class section, but with a little extra searching around the westward-facing side, I was able to find something a bit more reasonable without much exposure. The route I found was maybe light Class 3, much more safe. The rest of the traverse just took some route-finding, most of which was on the southern face of the range (since the north face of all three peaks is basically just a sheer drop), but nothing else was quite as cryptic. One section to note, though, is the saddle between Sunrise (O'Sullivan) and Dromedary, where the inclination is to go to the right up a super-steep and dirty slope, but with a short Class 3 scramble to the left leads up more easily.

From the top of our third peak, Dromedary, we continued to the north and down to low point on the ridge, noticing Lake Blanche to the northeast. Rather than take the standard Triple Traverse route heading west from the saddle and back to the Twin Peaks Trail, we attempted a route from the east slope toward Lake Blanche. It was definitely farther than it looked, but well worth it. I can't say the route on the attached map is the best. Shawn and I were having fun and made some unnecessary Class 3 (sometimes Class 4) scramblnig choices to keep the descent interesting. I would say you can keep the descent at Class 3 with some care. A few cliffs served as obstacles, but we eventually avoided the worst of them and made it down to the lake. The fall colors and sunset were sort of overwhelming and I took about a million pictures, but going down this way to make a larger loop and add beautiful lakes really completed the hike for us.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Broad Fork Twin Peaks
11330 ft
1410 rise
2
Jepsens Folly
11085 ft
n/a rise
3
Sunrise Peak (O'Sullivan Peak)
11275 ft
475 rise
4
Dromedary Peak
11107 ft
347 rise

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Autumn morning along the Twin Peaks Trail.
Autumn morning along the Twin Peaks Trail.
Image 1 from gallery
The trail opens up after a couple of miles, where you can see Dromedary and O'Sullivan Peaks in the background.
The trail opens up after a couple of miles, where you can see Dromedary and O'Sullivan Peaks in the background.
Image 3 from gallery
Image 4 from gallery
Looking back down the Twin Peaks Trail as we head into the talus field.
Looking back down the Twin Peaks Trail as we head into the talus field.
Another shot looking back.
Another shot looking back.
The big talus/scree field leading up to the saddle of Twin Peaks and O'Sullivan Peak.
The big talus/scree field leading up to the saddle of Twin Peaks and O'Sullivan Peak.
Approaching the saddle, view east toward O'Sullivan. First we went west to Twin Peaks.
Approaching the saddle, view east toward O'Sullivan. First we went west to Twin Peaks.
Looking south down Lisa Canyon from the saddle.
Looking south down Lisa Canyon from the saddle.
Looking west toward the Twin Peaks summit.
Looking west toward the Twin Peaks summit.
Shawn along the interesting approach to Twin Peaks.
Shawn along the interesting approach to Twin Peaks.
The approach to Twin Peaks.
The approach to Twin Peaks.
The easy 3rd class scramble up Twin Peaks.
The easy 3rd class scramble up Twin Peaks.
Twin Peaks ahead.
Twin Peaks ahead.
Twin Peaks summit looking toward O'Sullivan and Dromedary.
Twin Peaks summit looking toward O'Sullivan and Dromedary.
Looking south from the Twin Peaks summit.
Looking south from the Twin Peaks summit.
After descending Twin Peaks and passing back across the saddle, this is the 2nd/3rd class scramble up O'Sullivan.
After descending Twin Peaks and passing back across the saddle, this is the 2nd/3rd class scramble up O'Sullivan.
Looking back toward Twin Peaks from along the ridge line.
Looking back toward Twin Peaks from along the ridge line.
O'Sullivan (Sunrise) Peak just across this mini knife edge.
O'Sullivan (Sunrise) Peak just across this mini knife edge.
Summit of O'Sullivan looking toward Dromedary Peak.
Summit of O'Sullivan looking toward Dromedary Peak.
Image 21 from gallery
A view of the ridgeline, toward O'Sullivan and Twin Peaks.
A view of the ridgeline, toward O'Sullivan and Twin Peaks.
Looking into the basin, where the Twin Peaks Trail comes up.
Looking into the basin, where the Twin Peaks Trail comes up.
Looking along the ridge line toward the descent of O'Sullivan.
Looking along the ridge line toward the descent of O'Sullivan.
Shawn scoping out the descent.
Shawn scoping out the descent.
The descent steeply goes on the south side of O'Sullivan.
The descent steeply goes on the south side of O'Sullivan.
The saddle to ascend Dromedary Peak. The 2nd/3rd class route we found went to the left around that pine tree (next photo). It doesn't look like much, but there's a good way up. The super steep slope to the right looked way too sketchy.
The saddle to ascend Dromedary Peak. The 2nd/3rd class route we found went to the left around that pine tree (next photo). It doesn't look like much, but there's a good way up. The super steep slope to the right looked way too sketchy.
The fairly straightforward scramble from the saddle.
The fairly straightforward scramble from the saddle.
Looking down at the basin from the scramble at the start of Dromedary Peak's approach.
Looking down at the basin from the scramble at the start of Dromedary Peak's approach.
The easier 2nd class scramble for the duration of the hike up to Dromedary.
The easier 2nd class scramble for the duration of the hike up to Dromedary.
The final section of fun scrambling before the summit.
The final section of fun scrambling before the summit.
Looking back at the ridge line from Dromedary Peak's summit.
Looking back at the ridge line from Dromedary Peak's summit.
Summit view of the final bit of the ridge line. The valley to the left is where we came up, the Twin Peaks Trail. The valley to the right with the lakes is the Lake Blanche Trail.
Summit view of the final bit of the ridge line. The valley to the left is where we came up, the Twin Peaks Trail. The valley to the right with the lakes is the Lake Blanche Trail.
Lake Blanche and Lillian Lake in the distance. Farther than they look for sure.
Lake Blanche and Lillian Lake in the distance. Farther than they look for sure.
Route-finding down Dromedary Peak might take some time. Nothing is harder than 2nd class, and you can easily get cliffed-out along the way down.
Route-finding down Dromedary Peak might take some time. Nothing is harder than 2nd class, and you can easily get cliffed-out along the way down.
Image 36 from gallery
Approaching the ridge line before we decided to go toward Lake Blanche.
Approaching the ridge line before we decided to go toward Lake Blanche.
Image 38 from gallery
Image 39 from gallery
Nearing the spot along the ridge where we headed down right - it was the lowest section of the ridge, pretty easy to find.
Nearing the spot along the ridge where we headed down right - it was the lowest section of the ridge, pretty easy to find.
Shawn butt sliding down the last sketchy part of the hike.
Shawn butt sliding down the last sketchy part of the hike.
Looking up at the interesting descent from the ridge line, Dromedary Peak in the distance.
Looking up at the interesting descent from the ridge line, Dromedary Peak in the distance.
Lake Lillian ahead.
Lake Lillian ahead.
Lots of cliffs to navigate around and through to get down to the lakes. You can keep it Class 3, but it might be hard to find easier routes, or it would be very time-consuming.
Lots of cliffs to navigate around and through to get down to the lakes. You can keep it Class 3, but it might be hard to find easier routes, or it would be very time-consuming.
Looking back up the cliff-riddled descent we took from Dromedary (visible top left).
Looking back up the cliff-riddled descent we took from Dromedary (visible top left).
The lakes have an old dam of stones. From here, the Lake Blanche Trail is easy to find and follow back.
The lakes have an old dam of stones. From here, the Lake Blanche Trail is easy to find and follow back.
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Image 50 from gallery
Lake Blanche.
Lake Blanche.
Image 52 from gallery
Image 53 from gallery
Image 54 from gallery
Headed down the Lake Blanche Trail.
Headed down the Lake Blanche Trail.
Image 56 from gallery
Image 57 from gallery
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Image 59 from gallery
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Image 61 from gallery
Image 62 from gallery

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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!