Clomping around Guardsman's Pass - The Return

A few days ago we went out with for our objective the Hidden Canyon Saddle (between Clayton Peak 10,721 and Peak 10,420) on the Guardsman's Pass to Clayton Peak ridgeline. That day we didn’t make it all the way mainly because of our route being just enough off that we missed our objective. So, we went back there today and nailed it!

We started the tour with a skin from Empire Lodge up Orion slope and from there crossed over to Bonanza Flats where the Old State Route 152 and Pine Canyon Rd meet. From there we aimed square for Bloods Lake at about 9,500’. After that, we followed the summer trail towards Lake Lackawaxen and about halfway into the trail we took a hard left (west) towards the headwall under the pass, then skinned it up, et voila!

For the return we contoured, on skins, 10,420’ on the Big Cottonwood side and so skinned through part of Hidden Valley, then onto Sunny Glades and into Promised Land which holds amazing ski lines. Once we made it back to the Guardsman's Pass ridgeline it was skis on the back (not enough snow to ski down) down to Guardsman's Pass. After that, still walking, it was down Old State Route 152. Then it was a skin back up a service road to Deer Valley and down Ontario back to the Empire Lodge.

This does not qualify for a glamorous Wasatch bluebird powder day. However, it’s was still beautiful and it’s always fun to figure out the terrain and approach when you make up your own tour!

Here are the pictures (click to enlarge):

The ridgeline.

Mike, Loki, and Skadi at a frozen Bloods Lake.

On top Peak 10,420 dominating Bloods Lake.

The white field in the center is the slope just under Hidden Valley Pass.

View of upper Big Cottonwood Canyon while contouring the "backside"
of Peak 10,420. In the Center is Mount Wolverine with, to its right,
Mount Millicent, and to its left Mount Tuscarora,

Beyond and above Twin Lakes Pass (center) is
Mount Superior in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Mike walking down the ridgeline to Guardsman's
Pass. This was a skin up, skin down, climb, hike up
and down with your skis on your back. Anything
but actual skiing! Time for more snow!

Clomping around Guardsman's Pass - 11-09-2017

We decided that with our really thin snow "cover" we needed to go highish. However, also wanting what could pass for a ski out, we picked the gate where the 224 is closed for the winter. That would be our starting point and how we got back to the car. Other than that the objective would be the Hidden Canyon Saddle between Clayton Peak and Peak 10,420 on the Guardsman's Pass to Clayton Peak ridgeline.

We skinned from the winter road closure gate to Empire Pass and from there on to where the Old State Route 152 and Pine Canyon Rd meet. From that point, we crossed over and into the Bonanza Flats. After that, it was all improvisation.

One thing that surprised us a bit was the one foot plus snow depth on the north facing as we got higher on fairly steep terrain towards the ridgeline. A bigger surprise yet was that the snow audibly settled on that very avalanche-prone terrain. As a consequence, we rerouted towards more benign terrain and made it to the ridgeline which turned out to be an awesome viewpoint for lunch break.

The return started with a walk, skis on the back, on the ridgeline to Guardsman's Pass. After that, we were planning on skiing down Old State Route 152 but the snow was so thin we would have ended up in a protracted stone grinding session of our bases on the pavement. So we walked half of it and glided the rest where the cover was marginally thicker. Then it was a skin back up to Empire Pass and the anticipated "ski out" on the 224 down to the gate.

As you can see this is not your glamorous Wasatch bluebird powder day. was the skiing fun? Nope. Is it fun being out exploring terrain using any excuse to put skis on? You betcha!

Here are a few pictures (click to enlarge):

From Bonanza Flats looking up to Guardsman's Pass

The unnamed peak 10,420. Our initial objective
was the Hidden Canyon Saddle to its left.

Mike breaking trail towards Bloods Lake.

This picture was not taken today but is useful to give a better idea of the
overall lay of the land. The far right of the picture just cuts off Guardsman's
Pass. Going left, the first knob is point 10.200, after that the pointy
on is peak 10,420, then the deep pass is Hidden Canyon
Saddle and then Clayton Peak (center-left of picture) at 10,721'.