Lone Peak

Infobox Mountain
Name=Lone Peak
Photo=LonePeak_Utah_Saddle_View.jpg
Caption=Looking Eastward at Lone Peak from Jacobs Ladder
Elevation=11,253 feet (3,429.9 meters)
Location=Utah, USA
Range = Wasatch Range
Prominence =
Coordinates = coord|40|31|36|N|111|45|19|W|type:mountain_region:US
Topographic
USGS Lehi, Draper, Dromedary Peak
Type= Quartz monzonite |Age=

Lone Peak is the center of the Lone Peak Wilderness Area, which was established in 1978. Lone Peak, at 11,253' elevation, is one of the taller peaks in the Wasatch Range along the Wasatch Front and tends to be a favorite hike. Lone Peak consists almost entirely of quartz monzonite (a granitoid, or granite-like) rock of the 30.5 million year old Little Cottonwood Stock [Crittenden, M.D., 1965, Geology of the Draper Quadrangle, Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Map GQ-377, scale 1:24,000.] [Crittenden, M.D., 1965, Geology of the Dromedary Peak Quadrangle, Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Map GQ-378, scale 1:24,000.] [Vogel T.A., Cambray, F.W., Constenius, K.N., 2001, Origin and emplacement of igneous rocks in the central Wasatch Mountains, Utah: Rocky Mountain Geology, v. 36, n. 2, pp. 119-162.] . Quartzite and limestone are also found in distal locations on the mountain. Lone Peak is the 87th [http://www.americasroof.com/highest/ut.shtml] highest named mountain in Utah.

Hiking/Backpacking

It is possible to summit in one long day, but Rock climbers often camp at the base of the summit and non-climbers often camp lower on the Jacob's Ladder trail. There are a few streams that dry up before summer, so water must be carried in. There is a spring that runs year round (GPS Coords: unknown--see Bear Canyon Trail).

Jacobs Ladder Trail

From the gate go 2.6 miles to the start of the trail. The trail head coord|40|29|39|N|111|48|59|W|type:mountain_region:US is unmarked, it is identified by a large turnout on the right side of the road and three 4-wheel drive tracks climbing the road bank on the left (north) side of the road. In 2007, the turnout was accompanied by a wooden fence leading to the starting point of the trail.

Draper Ridge Trail

This is no longer used and very difficult to follow. Trails have diminished. The top of the trail is very exposed to weather. Towards the bottom, the trails fade leaving you to bush whack the rest of your way down steep terrain. There should be no reason to attempt the overgrown, nearly vanished Draper Ridge trail since the Jacob's ladder trailhead is just up the road. The Jacob's ladder trail overlaps the Draper ridge trail for the last 2/3 of the way to the peak. Just make sure to catch the Jacob's ladder turn off on the way back so you don't end up in those bushes.

Bear Canyon Trail

Important features of this trail are that it has what is reported to be a year-round spring and a small cabin in a meadow. It is one of the longest routes to the peak. Recommended for only experienced backpackers and hikers.

The route gains a lot of altitude in the beginning, going through a steep scrub oak section. After hours of punishment, things change as the trail levels off and veers north into the cool trees crossing the water of a spring which has been reported to flow year round. The trail climbs out of the drainage on the north side, into a new drainage, but stays generally just below that ridge line. The trail eventually opens into a meadow with a small cabin in the trees. The trail continues up above the cabin to the southeast and crosses over to the south into yet another drainage at a low point on the ridge. The south east top of that new drainage meets up with the main granite drainage running roughly north-south which leads to the Lone Peak Cirque via stacked rock cairns. An alternate route (not trail) for experienced hikers from the cabin site is to roughly follow the stream bed up the drainage until you are at the top of a ridge that runs roughly north-south above a granite drainage. You'll be facing the granite bowl of the Lone Peak Cirque and easterly across to the peak. Note that your exit/entry for this drainage is high and that the drainage of the cabin is not the same as the massive westerly drainage that you see from the saddle. Route find clockwise around the Cirque to the obvious peak. In general avoid straying far from view of the cirque as you follow the ridge. Use common sense and don't take this as your only source of information.

Outlaw Cabin

There is an old wooden cabin that was built by the Allen Brothers, and Alan Summerhays. The cabin has 3 cots, a pot belly stove, cabinets. Two small windows. It is built from trees downed in the area and the roof is lined with plastic and dirt/grass for insulation. All the materials besides the trees were hauled to the location by horse back. Many of the locals referrer to the cabin as "The Outlaw Cabin. The year that it was built is unknown, but the cabin appears to have been built well before 1977 when the area was designated as wilderness area. In October 1997, a Draper family was once caught in a blinding snow storm and took shelter in the cabin until they were rescued. The Outlaw Cabin (coord|40|31|12|N|111|46|53|W|type:mountain_region:US) is located on the southwest side of the meadow. It is partially hidden by large trees.

Deaths on Lone Peak

* July 25th of 2002 - Two hikers were struck by lightning near the summit of Lone Peak while they were trying to seek shelter. [http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/projects/disasters/light_stats/light_deaths.php]

References

* [http://www.climb-utah.com/WM/lonepeak.htm Climb-Utah]
* [http://www.climb-utah.com/WM/Maps/LonePeakMap.jpgClimb-Utah Marked Topo Map (727.06 KB)]
* [http://www.utahwild.com/mountains/wasatch/lone_peak.shtml Utahwild]
* [http://utahpictures.com/LonePeak.html Utah Pictures - Lone Peak]
* [http://www.americasroof.com/highest/ut.shtml AmericasRoof - Utahs Highest Named Summits]
* [http://hiking.hyrumwright.org/hike/Lone_Peak Hiking Lone Peak by Hyrum Wright]
* Red Pine Lake