Mount Timpanogos

Mount Timpanogos

by Sam

I feel like I arrived late to the party. I cannot believe it has taken me so long to finally summit Timp. I've been meaning to for about two years now, but it just slipped out of my grasp...until now. Still, I arrived late, in the season anyway. In someways that is good. I have heard it can be quite the zoo on the trail in the summer season. So, I didn't have to contend with very many people, however, I fear I missed seeing Timp's summer and fall glory. The color was drab, the trees and brush dead. But the climb was spectacular.

Map and Stats of Mount Timpanogos from Timpooneke.

The trail itself passes through a beautiful alpine forest the first mile and a half. Then it levels out somewhat on a grassy open area with the occasional small stair-like cliffs here and there. Around mile three it has a long stretch of exposed rock slide, however the trail is very well maintained and easily traversed. Miles four and five mirror the first part of the trail, alpine and grassy cliffs but now surrounded by immense majestic rock faces. The last mile to the ridge is exposed again, getting steeper. Finally on the ridge, it's a little more than a mile to the summit on completely exposed rock slides, again the trail is well maintained, but if you're afraid of heights this is not the trail for you.

Ridgeline just below Timp's summit to the north.

I imagine about three weeks ago was the ideal time to catch fall colors. I'll have to keep that in mind for next year. Be that as it may, there is beauty in seeing the rocky ridge reaching toward the heavens. At times I wonder how the rocks remain in place at all. Especially on a day like today. As I neared the ridge the wind started to pick up. It was chilly. The wind was strong and cold on the ridge itself. I was blown off balance a few times and had to remove my hat so as not to lose it. 

A few spots on the ridge are scarier than others. At one point it switchbacks several times rather quickly. I couldn't help but think they filmed The Hobbit on this very slope. You know, the part where the rock creatures come to life and fight each other in the rain. All while the dwarves miraculously manage to not fall off. I was at mile 6.5, I was cold from the wind chill, and tired from the climb. Also, I was close to topping out my elevation well above 11,000'. I was a bit dizzy and tried to just keep my eyes on the trail.

Finally, I reached the hut on the summit. I snapped the OTM classic Mt. Dew summit photo, then shivered in the hut while I ate half a slice of pizza. It was cold, and I was not dressed in winter clothing as the idle hikers were. So, I wasted no time getting off the ridge. The descent was nice. I enjoyed it, not going very fast, for me.

Do the Dew!

Summit Monkey

I ran this whole run on Tailwind, except for the Dew and pizza. For the past two years I have relied mostly on Bloks for energy. It works fine, until about six hours into a run. Then I regularly suffer stomach and energy issues. The Tailwind gave me all the energy I needed today. Now I just need to try it out for longer than a four hour period.