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Grandeur Peak Yo-Yo

Posted on January 19, 2021September 19, 2022 by Backcountry Fever

I accepted the new Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge for Utah yesterday with a Grandeur Peak Double!  There are several routes up Grandeur that I would categorize as Standard, Strenuous and Adventurous.  The Standard route is up from the Church Fork trailhead out of Mill Creek Canyon.  This eastern approach climbs 2,500′ in about 3 miles.  The Strenuous route comes in from the other side, up West Ridge.  That approach climbs 3,200′ in about 2 miles.  The Adventurous route is a traverse along the next ridge south of West Ridge called the Dragon’s Tail.  I would imagine this elevation gain and distance is like West, but I bet the experience is a whole lot more intense.

Since I’ve already done the Standard route three times before and the strenuous West Ridge only once, I thought I’d up the ante for this challenge and combine the two for a Grandeur Peak Yo-Yo.  Dragon’s Tail is still on my ToDo list, but didn’t want to traverse that spine alone.

It was a beautiful day with nice views of downtown Salt Lake City.

I made good time up the east side for summit #1.

I then went down the West Ridge…

…and back up for summit #2.  My time climbing this west side wasn’t so great, but it was what I needed to push myself harder.

A late start put me into the evening hours but I didn’t mind.  Some like to start early to catch a sunrise. Others like to start late to see the sun set (or because of that thing called Work).

Turned out to be a 10.5 mile day with 5,700 feet of elevation to kick off this year’s training for bigger and better things later.

Speaking of bigger/better, I later found out another friend I know started earlier that day with a similar idea in mind.  Her and a few others tied all three routes together and called theirs a Grandeur Yo-yo-yo (up west, down east, up east, down dragon, up dragon, down west).  That’s nearly 10,000′ of elevation in 14ish miles… talk about intense!  I didn’t ask how long it took them, but I know they move fast.

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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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