Mount Loafer

    Today's run is a very difficult run that begins at Payson Lakes just off of the Nebo Loop.   It's a little bit out of the way, but if you are heading up there already, or are just looking for a good challenging run, this is a real great one. 

Distance:             9.72 miles
Elevation Gain:  3515 Feet
Max Elevation:   10704 Feet
Min Elevation:    7434 Feet
Average Slope:    +18.4%
                              -9.3%
Season:                 June-October

  
Things to be aware of: 
    It has been said that there are lots of bears up in this area.  I've been up here multiple times and never seen one, but it's probably better to be on the safe side.  Maybe run with somebody else.  The trail is forested pretty good for the first 3 miles, but then it leaves the tree cover and follows the exposed ridge line where you shouldn't have to worry about bears.  (If your really that paranoid you probably shouldn't be trail running.)
    Before attempting this run you should become very familiar with the route due to multiple forks in the trail, that in most cases lead you up to the neighboring Santaquin Peak.

View from Payson Lakes:  Mount Loafer pictured center right.

    I started my accent up the mountain from Payson Lakes because the family was already there.  I started by running down the road about a half mile to the Mount Loafer trailhead.  If you want to, you could just start there.
   You start by hopping on the Mount loafer trail, heading north for about a mile with minimal elevation gain, just some rolling hills.  At a mile from the trail head, you get to some sort of livestock pen, and turn right heading downhill into mud hollow.   The trail hugs to the mountain for about a half mile, then comes to a fork.  Turn left and head up towards the canyon.
    This is where the serious climbing begins.  There is no break in elevation gain from this point on. Once up the canyon, head straight up, eventually running into some switchbacks about a half mile up.  The switch backs traverse up towards the north east ridge.  Once on the ridge line, turn left and head north up the trail, on the east side of the exposed mountainside.  The trail cuts around the the mountain to the ridgeline in about a half mile.

Looking south to Payson lakes from the ridge line: about .5 miles from the summit.

   Soon after, you begin to hug the west side of the ridge until you reach the a point where you get a view of the summit to the north.  At this point you can see your destination, just take the ridgeline to the top which is only about a half mile away.

Looking west towards Santaquin peak from the summit of Mount Loafer.  Mount Loafer is just 15 feet taller than Santaquin Peak.

    Once at the top, if your looking to make your run even longer, it is only about three quarters of a mile to get over to the summit of Santaquin Peak.

Little Cottonwood Creek

    POST UNDER CONSTRUCTION

    At the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon, the trail head to Little Cottonwood creek is in a very convenient location.

You really shouldn't need this map.

Distance:             6.5 miles
Elevation Gain:  1395 Feet
Max Elevation:   6617 Feet
Min Elevation:    5423 Feet
Average Slope:    +9.3%
                              -5.4%
Season:                 Year Round

Sunset Peak

        Located at the top of Big Cottonwood canyon, Sunset Peak is an out and back climb to its summit above Catherine pass.  The trail begins at the parking lot of Brighton ski resort.  Taking this run in mid summer comes with well maintained trails, wildflowers, heat, and lots of people. Ascending the 2235 feet to the summit requires some serious pacing if you plan on running up the whole thing.

  
Distance:             6.48 miles
Elevation Gain:  2235 Feet
Max Elevation:   10679 Feet
Min Elevation:    8802 Feet
Average Slope:    +15.4%
                              -9.3%
Season:                 June-October

2235 Feet of relatively consistent elevation gain.

Things to be aware of: 
    Look for the moose that are almost always up there.  Near the top there are sections of the trail that are exposed to some pretty good drop-offs, but nothing to serious.  This probably is not a good trail to be on during summer thunder storms.  All the lakes are water shed, so don't let people see you swimming.
 
    The trail begins at the parking lot to Brighton Ski Resort.  During the first half mile, the trail snakes up through open meadows up the ski slopes.  It soon enters into the trees and approaches Lake Mary on a very scenic single track. 

Tree cover is rather patchy, becoming more sparse as the elevation increases.

    The first sign of the lake is it's dam.  You arrive at Lake Mary just after mile 1.  The trail will then traverse along the shoreline of the lake with a little brake in elevation gain.  

View from the north end of Lake Mary.  That mountain in the back center is Sunset Peak.

      After passing Lake Mary, you soon run past it's smaller neighbor lake to the south, Martha.  The trail then takes some switchbacks heading south up to Lake Catherine.  You get another little break from climbing while coasting through open meadows past Lake Catherine to the bottom of Catherine's Pass.  The Climb from the bottom of Catherine's Pass to the fork is tough.  

Looking down onto lake Catherine from top of Catherine's Pass.

    Once you've reached the fork the trail backs off on climbing for a little bit while you fly along the ridge towards the summit.  This part is really fun... especially if you don't like heights.  The trail begins to climb very steep, and cuts around to the back of the mountain.  It's very steep, but doesn't last very long, not to bad.  That is it. 

Yellow Fork

    Today's run is up Yellow Fork, a little canyon that branches off of rose canyon.  Located just southwest of Herriman it is a really enjoyable run in a somewhat convenient location.  I ran it as a loop, taking a small side canyon to the top, then dropping down into Yellow Fork canyon, taking it all the way back down.  The route is mostly single track, but contains small portions on small fire roads.

Distance:             6.5 miles
Elevation Gain:  1534 Feet
Max Elevation:   5658 Feet
Min Elevation:    7029 Feet
Average Slope:    +8.6%
                              -8.3%
Season:                 Year Round
    I've ran this trail many times throughout many different seasons.  The best time I ever had running it was in mid January, about a week after a big snowstorm.  Running it with about 10 inches of snow made for a little bit of a challenge heading up, however the top made everything worth it.  At the highest point I was actually above a nasty inversion that was taking place in the valley below. All I could see of the valley below was a solid sheet of gray smog to the south, brown smog above the salt lake valley, and brown-green smog to the north. Coming down is fun in the snow, the trail tends to be clear enough to not have to worry about anything underneath the snow that might trip you up.

1534 Feet of elevation gain,  pretty gradual uphill until just before the top.

 Things to be aware of:
    Watch out for lots of people on horses and bikes.

    The trail starts at a parking lot at the end of rose canyon road.  I begin by going through the gate on the west side of the parking lot.

A small stream @ at the parking lot.

   The route follows the dirt road for about a half mile until the canyon opens up a little bit, there a few pick nick tables on the north side.

The dirt road at the beginning of the run.

 This is where I cut south across a little stream and  head up the trail going south for about a mile.  The trail will continue on, but I took the more worn trail to the right heading due west (1.5).  It runs parallel to a fire road for a half mile (not always in sight), and then splits off up the right canyon (2.0).  After just over a mile, the trail connects with the fire road that I previously split off from (2.7).  Just across the road to the left the trail continues.  A good way to know if your in the right place at this point is if you immediately start to see aspen trees popping up out of nowhere.  The trail winds up the mountain in a series of switchbacks.

There are lots of horses and bikers all over the place.

  I soon escape the tree cover onto an exposed section of the trail.  There's no foliage at this point just a few cactus's and a bunch of rocks.  Heading towards the ridge, I crossed through a small stand of trees.  At the ridge, the trail approaches a road heading up the spine, the trail crosses it, and continues down the other side  (3.3).  Immediately the trail descends down onto the fire road, I head straight (left-ish) and follow the road around another small ridge, and then descend down into Yellow Fork Canyon.  Follow the road down to the end of the canyon and then take the trail on the right (3.6).  This is a nice single track trail with lots of soft loose dirt, making a great time for cruising down at fast speeds.

The trail coming down is a nice single track.

  The trail then just flows down the canyon for about a half mile or so (4.7).  It then crosses a small creek and meets up with a small atv trail.  At this point you can either continue to follow the little road, or you can explore the maze of bike trails that weave back and forth around the road.  Don't worry about going down the wrong path at this point, everything leads back down to the parking lot.  On the way down there are random hitching posts, benches, pick nick tables and a gate at one point.  All to soon the road becomes familiar again and meets back up with the road that originally forked off  by the pick nick tables (6.0).