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Backcountry Fever

Deseret Peak from the Twin Couloirs

Posted on May 12, 2020June 15, 2022 by Backcountry Fever

There is a small window of time in the Spring where the snow is just right and the weather conditions are ideal for some pretty awesome hiking.  I also couldn’t wait to use the new mountaineering gear I got for Christmas for the first time.  It was the perfect day to summit Deseret Peak from the Twin Couloirs.

This next pic is of Dry Lake near the base of Deseret Peak.  We will be going up the Twin Couloirs (left) before heading to the peak (top center).

The closer we got the more I saw how this was going to be one of the coolest hikes I’d ever done!

Rocks were tumbling off the cliffs as the sun heated the surface.  One of them came whizzing down and smacked this tree just ahead of us.  You could see the gash and the chunks of rock that broke off from impact.  Further uphill, we followed the marks in the snow where it bounced down the slope more than the length of a football field.

The plan was to go up the West Col (right) due to the amount of rock in the path and slide down the East Col (left) since it was smooth.

This is one of the Christmas gifts that allowed me to do this.  Without these Grivel G10 crampons, the climb up this ramp of snow and ice would have been a lot more dicey.

SO. FREAKIN. COOL.

1,200 feet up in just a 1/2 mile was like climbing a staircase…just without the handrail.

Can you see the group behind me? …look near the lowest part of the rock slide.

This is a pretty tame/entry-level ascent for beginners like me to build some mountaineering experience for harder things to come.

It didn’t take long to hit to the top of the ridge.

Deseret Peak is just a short walk up the summer switchbacks from here to the actual summit.

This was my 2nd summit of Deseret Peak.  The first time was in 2016 up the standard way, via the Mill Fork Canyon Trail.  At the time, I had no idea you could come up one of these rocky slopes.

Standing on the tallest peak in the Stansbury Mountains with my other Christmas gift in hand!

Some head down the summer switchbacks while others took the ridge.

Each snow patch is like an apron to their respective chute.  Dave and Greg are standing on the one we came up.  We go down the other off in the distance.

It’s a little intimidating to think about sliding down this for the first time since as you have no view of the bottom from this vantage point.

No need for a sled down this!  Glissading on your heinie is plenty fast enough….although your rear does get pretty cold and numb before you reach the bottom.

Here we are about half-way down.

Looking back up to see what we just slid.

Coming in hot across home plate.

This glissade doesn’t look like much from here, but what a rush!

Yeah. We did that…and it was pretty incredible.

As we hiked out, with an awesome experience under my belt, I now paid a lot more attention to that notch we saw coming in.  I decided right then that I would do this before the snow was gone!

Later, I learned this “notch” is called Temple Couloir.

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Had to stop and see Amicalola Falls before leaving Georgia. I confirmed a total of 600 steps up the 1/2 mile climb from bottom to top of this 550` waterfall. It was worth the side trip.

#amicalolafalls #amicalolastatepark #amicalola #stateparks #georgia #waterfall #waterfalls #lotsofstairs #lovestairs #legworkout #legwork #notstrenuous #notdifficult #nottoohard #sidetrip #worthit #exploregeorgia #visitgeorgia

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Had to stop and see Amicalola Falls before leaving Georgia. I confirmed a total of 600 steps up the 1/2 mile climb from bottom to top of this 550' waterfall. It was worth the side trip.

#amicalolafalls #amicalolastatepark #amicalola #stateparks #georgia #waterfall #waterfalls #lotsofstairs #lovestairs #legworkout #legwork #notstrenuous #notdifficult #nottoohard #sidetrip #worthit #exploregeorgia #visitgeorgia

The last stop on my End of Summer East Coast Highpointing Tour: Brasstown Bald for #28 of 50

The Arkaquah Trail from Track Rock Gap is like an Appalacian-style hike in the jungle... a bunch of ups and downs through dense foliage and viney rhododendron shrubs. Turned out to be another 12-mile day RT with about 3,400 of gain. Not bad for the highest point in Georgia.

#arkaquahtrail #trackrockgap #brasstownbald #brasstownwilderness #georgia #statehighpoint #highestpoint #tallestpeakingeorgia #tallestpeak #lookouttower #lookout #tower #summit #summitchaser #highpointing #highpointers #peakbagging #peakbagger #appalacianstyle #hiker #hikerlife #hikega #notreallygoatworthy #cherokeecountry #cherokee #jungleforest #wildrhododendrons

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The last stop on my End of Summer East Coast Highpointing Tour: Brasstown Bald for #28 of 50

The Arkaquah Trail from Track Rock Gap is like an Appalacian-style hike in the jungle... a bunch of ups and downs through dense foliage and viney rhododendron shrubs. Turned out to be another 12-mile day RT with about 3,400 of gain. Not bad for the highest point in Georgia. 

#arkaquahtrail #trackrockgap #brasstownbald #brasstownwilderness #georgia #statehighpoint #highestpoint #tallestpeakingeorgia #tallestpeak #lookouttower #lookout #tower #summit #summitchaser #highpointing #highpointers #peakbagging #peakbagger #appalacianstyle #hiker #hikerlife #hikega #notreallygoatworthy #cherokeecountry #cherokee #jungleforest #wildrhododendrons

The trails through the forests of the East are so green! The only downside is that they all kinda look the same.

#greenforest #lushcanopy #pisgahnationalforest #appalachianmountains #humidclimate

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The trails through the forests of the East are so green! The only downside is that they all kinda look the same.

#greenforest #lushcanopy #pisgahnationalforest #appalachianmountains #humidclimate

White markings on the trees (called blazes) marked the Foothills Trail to Sassafras Mountain in South Carolina. Blue blazes marked the Mt. Mitchell Trail to that summit in North Carolina. I wonder if that`s where the term "blazing the trail" comes from 🤔

#whiteblazes #foothillstrail #blueblazes #mtmitchelltrail #blazingthetrail #blazingthetrails #blazethetrail #hikethecarolinas #hikecarolina #hikenc #hikesc #appalachianmountains

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White markings on the trees (called blazes) marked the Foothills Trail to Sassafras Mountain in South Carolina. Blue blazes marked the Mt. Mitchell Trail to that summit in North Carolina. I wonder if that's where the term "blazing the trail" comes from 🤔

#whiteblazes #foothillstrail #blueblazes #mtmitchelltrail #blazingthetrail #blazingthetrails #blazethetrail  #hikethecarolinas #hikecarolina #hikenc #hikesc #appalachianmountains

South Carolina`s highpoint is down in the books now at #27. Took the Foothills Trail for a nice and easy walk in the woods for 9 miles RT.

#sassafras #sassafrasmountain #foothillstrail #statehighpoint #highpoint #highestpoint #tallestpeak #southcarolina #stateline #hikesouthcarolina #hikesc #easyhike #notgoatworthy #peakbagging #peakbagger

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South Carolina's highpoint is down in the books now at #27.  Took the Foothills Trail for a nice and easy walk in the woods for 9 miles RT.

#sassafras #sassafrasmountain #foothillstrail #statehighpoint #highpoint #highestpoint #tallestpeak #southcarolina #stateline #hikesouthcarolina #hikesc #easyhike #notgoatworthy #peakbagging #peakbagger

If you`re ever in Asheville to do the Carolina highpoints, ya gotta stop in at "Hole" for some of the best donuts I`ve ever had. These are as fresh as it gets with them made-to-order... my favorite was Toasted Almond Sesame!

#hole #doughnuts #donuts #holedoughnuts #holedonuts #holedonutsasheville #madetoorder #friedtoorder #asfreshasitgets #frieddonuts #asheville #northcarolina #bestdonutsever #toastedalmond #sesame #sogood #yummy #partyinmymouth #wheninasheville

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If you're ever in Asheville to do the Carolina highpoints, ya gotta stop in at "Hole" for some of the best donuts I've ever had. These are as fresh as it gets with them made-to-order... my favorite was Toasted Almond Sesame!

#hole #doughnuts #donuts #holedoughnuts #holedonuts #holedonutsasheville #madetoorder #friedtoorder #asfreshasitgets #frieddonuts #asheville #northcarolina #bestdonutsever #toastedalmond #sesame #sogood #yummy #partyinmymouth #wheninasheville
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