Sep 17, 2017 — The standard route to Mt. Timpanogos always seemed like a lot of mileage for not doing a loop on a super popular trail. So, finally I set out to figure out a fun route that would avoid the standard and popular Timpooneke Trail to the summit of Mt. Timponogos. I found a map that hinted at the ability to head up the northeast ridge of North Timponogos and traverse over to Mt. Timpanogos, and then follow the Timpooneke Trail back, hitting North Timp, Bomber, and Mt. Timp, three of the Wasatch 11ers, in a day. That was enough to get me excited. Then, with a little more research, I found that South Timpanogos was another official 11er, and only a short jaunt past Mt. Timp: a fourth peak.
I set out up the northeast ridge, North Timpanogos looming far away, only a ridiculously steep hike in my way: in under 2 miles, you gain about 3700 feet. From the Timpooneke Trailhead, follow a road through the campground until you see a sign on the left leading to an official trail on the northeast ridge, the Bear Canyon Trail. Once this trail starts to force you away from the ridge, leave and head along the ridge, following a trail that's good enough to show you other people have been this way, but not good enough to keep you from getting scratched up. Eventually, you hit the timberline and going up is super easy until the base of North Timpanogos. I saw a single cairn leading around a scree-filled sketchy ledge (Class 3, maybe?) that apparently would take you to the base of the northeast ridge of North Timp. I didn't like the exposure. I instead found a stupid Class 4 route that had me covered in sap on the edge of the horrifyingly crumbly cliffs of North Timp. Whatever route you chose, definitely keep right as you climb because the cliff progressively gets taller as you go left (obviously). However, I did get in touch with someone on SummitPost who completed this route as well and he kindly provided pictures explaining that the ledge I had avoided was actually less scary than it looked. Anyway, I gained the ridge and followed Class 2 scree and talus until the false summit, went across the ridge, met up with the offical trail, and continued onward to South Timpanogos. On the way back, I noticed the saddle seemed reasonable for descent, avoiding having to backtrack. A bonus was that going this way would add Emerald Lake into my loop. Great views in the basin, and then a very pretty and long hike along the Timpooneke Trail back to the trailhead.
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