The Lone Peak Wilderness

     There are not many places that are both easily accessible and stunningly scenic, but the Lone Peak Wilderness is one of those places. For the people in Salt Lake and Utah counties, the LP Wilderness is a short drive away and offers a very wide variety of beautiful and fun destinations. There are many destinations on the edge of the wilderness, as well as deep into the forests. Whatever the destination or simply afternoon scenery, the Lone Peak Wilderness is an incredible environment.

     Two of the more relaxed, entertaining destinations are Snowbird and Alta resorts. About 15 miles up the rugged Little Cottonwood Canyon, lies the two world class ski resorts. In the wintertime, they are the focus point of the LP Wilderness, as they offer thousands of skiable terrain and some of the best powder on Earth. In the summertime, the two resorts have many different attractions for people of all ages. They have campsites, lodging, hiking, mountain biking, and various mountain amusement rides. For convenient, family-fun in the Lone Peak area, Snowbird and Alta resorts are an excellent choice.

     For the more adventurous person, the Lone Peak Wilderness offers multiple 10 and 11 thousand foot peaks. Obviously the crowning beauty of the area, Lone Peak towers at 11,253 ft, over the Sandy and Draper area. This is one of the most popular summit hikes for the surrounding areas. Pfeifferhorn sits behind Lone Peak at 11,326 ft. This peak is also extremely popular as it is a relatively short summit hike, but still produces stunning views of the surrounding wilderness and city. Even further into the wilderness sits the American Fork Twin Peaks and the Broad's Fork Twin Peaks. Both sets of peaks are above 10,000 ft, and are fantastic day hikes. Situated above the Alta/Snowbird area lies two consecutive peaks, Sugarloaf Peak and the Devil's Castle. Sugarloaf Peak is an easy couple hour hike. The Devil's Castle however is a complex stack of rugged rocks, which offers some thrilling rock climbing and nerve-racking hiking. These are just a few of the many thrilling summits in the Lone Peak area.

     Underneath the towering peaks are many pristine, stunning, alpine lakes. My personal favorites are the red and white pine lakes in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Both are directly beneath sky-scraping summits nestled away in the granite sheets. On the American Fork side, Silver lake and Upper Silver Lake are very popular destinations and for good reason, as they are filled with clear blue water. Pittsburg Lake is nestled deep in the woods and offers a nice quiet location. Accessible from the Salt Lake Valley, Upper Bell's Canyon lake is a grueling hike, but is incredible because of its remote ruggedness. Secret lake is a short, family friendly hike that is just above the Alta area. Finally, Lake Hardy is located high up, near the ridge line, and is not easily accessible, but it is a great location to get away from the crowds.

     The Lone Peak Wilderness is truly a spectacular and versatile area. It offers so much diversity for people of any skill level.