Mt. Ogden via Taylor's/Malan's

Mt. Ogden via Taylor's/Malan's

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 41.19979°N / 111.88208°W
Additional Information GPX File: Download GPX » View Route on Map
Additional Information Route Type: Hiking
Seasons Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Additional Information Time Required: Most of a day
Additional Information Rock Difficulty: Class 3
Additional Information Difficulty: Strenuous
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

Standing tall and proud above Ogden is the aptly named Mt. Ogden.  Its cell/radio towers mark the summit and stand over 5,000' from the valley floor.  Many hike the first half of this to Malan's Peak and Malan's Basin, but very few venture past that (as evidenced by the condition of trail) to gain the summit.  A fun adventure with everything from established trail, light bushwhacking, following a drainage, a steep upper section, and rewarding views will treat the committed hiker.

The route is approximately 9.8 miles with 5,300' of elevation gain, round trip.

Getting There

The trailhead is the same as that for Taylor's Canyon and/or Malan's Peak at the end of 27th Street.  Be sure to not block anyone's driveway or the fire hydrant.  Alternatively, you can park at 29th Street and take the Bonneville Shoreline Trail up to the Taylor's Canyon trail.

Route Description

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Mt. Ogden via Malan's


The route is simple and easy to follow up to Malan's Basin.  This is about the 2 mile mark.

Now locate the trail as it goes through some bushes.  Hint: the obvious trail from the old Malan's resort leading north isn't it.  However, all routes that are heading uphill eventually converge within 100 yards.  The correct trail involves 5ft of bushwhacking into the next meadow.

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Bushwhacking


Continue to head uphill and follow a faint and many times overgrown trail.  Watch for stinging nettles, as they are prolific through this next section.  Eventually, you'll cross a dry streambed (summer) marked with a cairn, followed 50 feet later by a running stream crossed by narrow logs.  (This stream feeds the waterfall at Waterfall Canyon).  Follow again the faint and overgrown trail as it zigzags through meadow and aspen forest.  Eventually you're posed with a trail split: a faint trail heading left to cross the stream again, or a well-worn trail heading right and uphill.  Hint: the trail to the right becomes full-on bushwhacking with nowhere to go in a short distance.

This is the last point you can easily refill water.

After crossing the stream, follow a nondescript to non-existent trail uphill following a very small drainage.  Soon you encounter the beginning of the scrub oak bushwhacking.  There is a trail underneath the scrub oak, so look for this as your guide.  The next 0.1 miles is on-and-off scrub oak navigating with breaks of short meadows.  This whacking ultimately leads to a big, deep drainage.

Follow the drainage uphill.  At around the 4 mile mark, you'll be posed with yet another trail split option: take the quick and fast drainage straight up, or contour to the right following the main drainage as it peters out.  Hint: both options converge but you'll have better footing if you contour right.

Between this and the summit is just under a mile and gains over 1500'.  Once you gain the ridge, it's an easy though steep final trek to the summit.  Enjoy the views!

For the descent, follow your tracks back down.

Essential Gear

Depending on your pace and style, you can get away with as little as trailrunners and shorts, or full-out hiking gear and boots.  For winter, be aware that this is a major terrain trap and wet slides in the spring are common and visible from the I-15.

Use sunscreen as the upper 2 miles are fully exposed.  A jacket and the standard dayhiking gear is good practice.

Bring a filter or tablets if you plan on refilling water.  For our ascent, I took 3L of water on a 90 degree day and it was barely enough.

Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.