I hiked this on memorial day weekend 2007 and there was still plenty of snow in the east and north facing bowl that you hike up to a saddle where you turn north (right) to the peak. In this bowl when there is too much spring snow it obscures the trail and the terrain can easily push you too far north into double black diamond type chutes and away from the easier saddle to the south. I had hiked this trail twice before and knew where the saddle was but went up where steep, loose rock abounded as I had got off trail due to snow and just 'went up'. It was a chore and dangerous as I almost pulled a rock the size of 2 basketballs down on myself.
If you are planning your first ascent of Deseret Peak in springtime conditions please bring a good topo with you and stick to the safe(er) and easier saddle - even if it means back-tracking and/or descending.
nate? - Jul 6, 2007 9:20 pm - Voted 7/10
Springtime conditionsI hiked this on memorial day weekend 2007 and there was still plenty of snow in the east and north facing bowl that you hike up to a saddle where you turn north (right) to the peak. In this bowl when there is too much spring snow it obscures the trail and the terrain can easily push you too far north into double black diamond type chutes and away from the easier saddle to the south. I had hiked this trail twice before and knew where the saddle was but went up where steep, loose rock abounded as I had got off trail due to snow and just 'went up'. It was a chore and dangerous as I almost pulled a rock the size of 2 basketballs down on myself.
If you are planning your first ascent of Deseret Peak in springtime conditions please bring a good topo with you and stick to the safe(er) and easier saddle - even if it means back-tracking and/or descending.