hayden peak - 12,479 - class 2+
august 2014
With another day to kill before starting my new project in the Uinta Basin, I drove up the Mirror Lake Scenic Highway and parked at Hayden Pass. I started up the boot path heading northeast towards Hayden Peak and quickly caught up with a father and son who were also headed over to Ryder Lake to camp. They showed me the correct trail since it can be very hard to find at first. I hiked with them for awhile through the trees until we reached treeline and I just went straight up the talus towards the saddle between Hayden Peak and Mount Agassiz. A hundred feet or so below the saddle there was a 15 foot Class 4 chimney to climb that proved to be the crux of the entire day.
Beyond this, I reached the broad saddle where the boulders were huge and travel slowed a bit. I went left and followed the ridge towards Hayden Peak and caught up with another guy who was slowly making his way up. He told me the general way up which involved first heading left of the first significant rise in the ridge and then following a ledge system to the right side of the summit area. We talked for a few minutes and I continued on my way. The scrambling was fun the whole way but never exceeded Class 3.
I reached the summit and relaxed at the top taking in the views of the western side of the Uinta Mountains. The highway was clearly visible below and Mount Agassiz was easily seen to the east. This was a short climb and I was back at the car by noon, giving me the rest of the afternoon to drive through some of the narow windy scenic roads in the Wasatch Mountains around Park City.
Beyond this, I reached the broad saddle where the boulders were huge and travel slowed a bit. I went left and followed the ridge towards Hayden Peak and caught up with another guy who was slowly making his way up. He told me the general way up which involved first heading left of the first significant rise in the ridge and then following a ledge system to the right side of the summit area. We talked for a few minutes and I continued on my way. The scrambling was fun the whole way but never exceeded Class 3.
I reached the summit and relaxed at the top taking in the views of the western side of the Uinta Mountains. The highway was clearly visible below and Mount Agassiz was easily seen to the east. This was a short climb and I was back at the car by noon, giving me the rest of the afternoon to drive through some of the narow windy scenic roads in the Wasatch Mountains around Park City.
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