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| | | Provo Peak via Slate Canyon, UT | | | |
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Provo Peak via Slate Canyon, UT
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| Hiking | 13.68 Miles |
6,911 AEG |
| | Hiking | 13.68 Miles | 7 Hrs 41 Mns | | 1.87 mph |
| 6,911 ft AEG | 21 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | It's been about 5 years since I first hiked Provo Peak, an 11,000 ft. summit in the Wasatch Mountains, with the probably the most demanding stretch of trail I've ever hiked--gaining 2,800 ft. in 1.25 miles, and nearly 7,000 feet overall.
In contrast to my first visit, I started this approach from Slate Canyon--the next drainage to the south of the Y trailhead which leads into Slide Canyon.
Both trails meet behind the first row of peaks and then wrap around an intermediate summit before dropping down 300 feet to Squaw Peak Road where the final, intense climb to the summit begins.
The trail was quite overgrown, due no doubt to the strong winter snowfall and melt providing plenty of water to feed the grasses and plant life. Luckily, Utah plant life isn't generally the pokey variety (If I had hiked through this kind of overgrowth in AZ, I'd be a bloody mess).
We enjoyed almost total solitude throughout the hike, and because we got an early start and with the west-facing approach to the peak, we managed to get all the way to the summit before facing the sun. I highly recommend the early-start approach, as the final climb to the summit has very little shade and would have been a hot mess later in the day.
The 360 degree summit views did not disappoint, and having the mountain to ourselves made it that much more special.
The descents was as joint-grinding as I remembered. And regaining the 300+ elevation on the opposite side of Squaw Peak Road after already climbing over 6,500 feet, and in the sun, was draining.
As we approached the finish line, we agreed that almost all challenging hikes are about 1 mile too long. Haha!
Seriously though, this is an awesome, butt-kicking hike! |
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