West Jordan - 08/18/2007 - Notes and Pictures - South Tent Mtn, Sanpete, Utah

Who went on this trip:
At the car above Reeder Canyon road: Mom, Marilyn
On the trail on foot for the multi-miler: Dad, James, Amanda

Where the pictures for the South Tent Mountain trip post were taken:
North Tent Mountain and South Tent Mountain are a pair of mountains
in the mountain area east of Sanpete Valley (called the "Wasatch Plateau").
Sanpete Valley contains the towns of Fairview, Moroni, Mount Pleasant,
Spring City, Ephraim, and Manti.
Link to a topographic map of the area:
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=39.39819&lon=-111.36478&datum=nad27&u=4&layer=DRG&size=l&s=50
Wasatch Plateau:
Wasatch Plateau area is 25 miles East-to-West and 65 miles North-to-South.
Most of the plateau is high meadow above 10000 feet, including peaks up to 11,300 feet.
It is shared by Sanpete, Carbon and Emery counties, and county lines run across it.
Given the altitude of the flatland, it is not surprising that the highest elevations of each of
the three adjoining counties are on the Wasatch Plateau.
An additional feature of the Wasatch Plateau is a well-known scenic roadway called the
Skyline Drive, which runs North-South along much of the length of the plateau,
from Spanish Fork Canyon to Manti.

About the county high (elevation) points:
As of the excursion described by this post, various members of the family have now visited all of the county highest elevations located on the Wasatch Plateau, namely:
Monument Peak (10452), Carbon county, checked out by James and Dad and later visited by Dad, Mom, Joshua and Julie. (This nice drive down the high dirt road with incredible scenery on all sides and the short (10 minute) hike to the top on July 24 a couple of years back.) This continues to be a good candidate for another excursion.
East Mountain (10743), Emery county, also checked out by James and Dad during the Monument Peak trip.
It is about 10 miles SW of Monument Peak and was quite a bit more of an uphill trip on foot.
South Tent Mountain (11285), Sanpete county, also highest point of Wasatch Plateau.

About the Tent Mountain group:
The mountains of the group have the word "Tent" in their names due mainly to the appearance of the
North peak; It looks like an old dual post military A frame style tent, complete with the mild sag in the middle.
The visual resemblence of South Tent to a tent shape is not obvious unless observed from above
or on a topographic map in which case there is some resemblance.
The Tent Mountain group is located immediately east of the Skyline Drive, 11 miles north of the
Ephraim Canyon road junction, and 14 miles east of Ephraim.

Technical and travel considerations...
The 2.5 miles of the Skyline Drive immediately before the most convenient cross-country
starting point (informal trailhead) have been the topic of considerable discussion amongst us
for the 3+ years this trip has been under consideration, because…
At the Skyline drive 9 miles north point, the road traverses the head wall of Reeder Canyon
for 1 mile along a narrow sloping (i.e. mildly exposed) 1.5 vehicle-width roadway.
It is fairly easy to drive the road; It has been driven at least twice in dry sunny conditions
and we are now quite familiar with it. The final mile to the pedestrian trailhead is even easier
to use except for the tendency to develop ruts in wet weather and heavy traffic.
The general understanding regarding dirt roads on the Wasatch Plateau is that they
may exhibit unstable soil consistencies for motoring in wet weather.
The Reeder Canyon grade is a section of road which is easily passable in dry weather but
questionable for driving on in haste, dark or wet weather.
Two of the three times we have approached this road, the sky has been cloudy.
On this occasion there was light sprinkle when we started. Owing to these reasons
and the logistical considerations of getting to Sanpete county from Salt Lake,
we have generally elected to park the motor vehicle at the upper entry to the Reeder Canyon grade
and walk down into Tent group basin to our actual trailhead.
This section adds 30 minutes to the front of the hike, which is not a problem,
but then adds 90 minutes to the end of the hike when we are all tired, which is an issue.
North of the maximum extent of even our experimental vehicle travel, Skyline Drive road conditions
deteriorate to not suitable for our customary motor vehicles.

Clark/Jorgensen family history connections to Sanpete-Carbon-Emery region excursions:
The emigrant generation of the Jorgensen family (Jens Jorgensen) initially settled in Sanpete Valley upon arrival from Denmark. By the time the next generation (John S. Jorgensen) was of age to have his own homestead, most everything in Sanpete Valley was taken, according to the accounts, so he decided to move east to Carbon county. The typical route of the day was similar to the current route through the plateau: entering at Fairview Canyon and leaving via Joes Valley through Huntington Canyon to Price. He first tried Price, then after his marriage made an usuccessful attempt in Burrville, (Sevier county) before finally settling in Buckhorn Wash near Castle Dale. This is why Jens Jorgensen is born in Denmark, buried in Mount Pleasant, John S born in Denmark, buried in Castle Dale (Emery), and also why George Edgar Jorgensen was the 2nd of 3 eldest children born in Burrville, Sevier (elevation ~ 7000 ft) from 1883 to 1886 when the family gave up on Burrville and after 4 years back in Mount Pleasant, (2 more children), finally settled in Castle Dale for the birth of the remaining 7 (of total 12 children).
And now the pictures ...
(courtesy 1.3 Megapixel cell phone camera) ... comments below each frame .....

(18Aug2007-1449) During a pause on our selected trail to the top of North Tent
James has been wanting to get both summits starting with North Tent ever since our first very shaky attempt. This shows the first part of our route up a very nice moderate slope and via what looked to us like a road that someone wanted to not be a road any longer. Our sobriquet for this route is therefore "ELFSaysNotA Road". Note that the trail goes up the hill and then switches back when there is a slope issue for humans. Most creek beds will not do this, says James. Not shown on our topographic map, either. Is this a conspiracy? See this very fine non-road route from bottom left to center – follow the rocks. Also see Amanda and James as discernable specks dead center ahead up slope. The geezer came to sponsor, take pictures and eat dust.

(18Aug2007-1450) Same location a minute later. James and Amanda are separated a few feet and they have moved left, because where they are our non road turns left.
(18Aug2007-1537) Here we are shortly later at the top of North Tent (11230) (James & Amanda shown, me behind the lens) This is only 47 minutes later than the prior shot at on the way up the hill - probably 15 minutes into the hike They flew up this one. Nice. I like my group. This would have been even nicer without the 10 minute wait for 57 year old trail speed. Thanks to the gang for waiting......

There are actually two hills at the top of North Tent - the points of the tent, I suppose

The north summit where we are shown standing is the one that counts as the summit.

There were no benchmarks or summit registers on either one.

See in the background in increasing order of distance the following terrain features of interest:

--> North Tent, south summit (not as high but to be visited on our way)

--> Slope off of NTM south summit toward saddle leading to South Tent

We are headed to these things next.

See smiles of quiet contentment on faces of crew.

(18Aug2007-1544) The view south from North Tent, south summit, just 9 minutes and 600 mostly level feet later.

Upon close observation the causal viewer will see Amanda’s head at bottom center.

See also the next areas to which we are headed, starting with Amanda as reference:

--> Down the ridge to the saddle – just follow the bare spot in front of Amanda

--> Then notice that it climbs again – go straight and then bear right and follow the ridge where it curves

--> The highest part of that thing at dead center photo medium distance is the real deal at 11285.

All of this for a measly 65 foot net increase in altitude.

Does anyone perchance notice any false summits out there in the distance????

There are in fact 2. We tried not to notice. (18Aug2007-1655) We made it. This is the first of several shots of various of us at the top of South Tent.

In this frame, James ponders the summit features - A cairn, 2 Benchmarks and a register. James and Amanda got here at least 20-30 minutes before I did.
I do not recall which of our summit rituals (see later note on) we had or had not conducted when I took this,
so maybe some other time can be subtracted from travel time.
Still not bad for hammering a very nice ridge hike. We are still only 2 hours into the trip.

The Summit rituals (in what ever order occurs to us at the time):

(1) Engage in jubilant high-fiving, group-hugging and "we-rock"-ing as desired.

(2) Using water bottle, pour small amount of water on summit cairn or bench mark. Reason for this uncertain, but we always do it.

(3) Using GPS, store exact Lat/Long or UTM coordinates of actual summit, also make paper note of GPS altitude reading.

(4) Using camera, photodocument at least one of following:

(4.1) The summit cairn/register/benchmark

(4.2) Permutations of portions of summit team beside cairn, taken by one member not shown or, when possible, entire team with self-timer of camera on tripod or wedged among rocks, trees, or foliage.

(4.3) Panoramae of surrounding terrain from summit

(5) Eat lunch or other traditional/experimental foodstuffs (granny smith, bagels, dried cranberry), Chat, rest, extend jubilation as needed.

(6) Keep eye on weather and daylight and get-the-heck off as appropriate.

Optional additions

- Welcome slower stragglers to summit location with repeat of (1) as necessary

- While chatting, wax sentimental/philosophical regarding beauties of nature, joy of expoloration as desired

(18Aug2007-1656)
Amanda resting on South Tent summit. I think we ate, poured water, took pictures and looked around. Note clouds on all these pictures. By the time we got way up here it turned out to be very fine weather.
Amanda’s boot tread design not shown. Vibram is doing some pretty zany stuff with tread design lately. No one knows why. (Boredom, perhaps?)We have come to refer to this as "Tread Design as Art"

There are two separate US Govt survey benchmarks on this summit. This compensates for the lack of such on the North Tent summit, we suppose. This is an image taken on our prior trip on 28Jul2007.

(18Aug2007-1735) Still on South Tent - 40 minutes later. We could not get enough of it. What a great day. And here we go with the permutated photographs. First, James and Amanda. Notice that this summit is not horribly rugged. Other parts of the mountain get into that but not this part. Wooded summit complete with trees as shown, so not exactly a towering granite pinnacle.
(18Aug2007-1736)
Amanda behind the lens, James and self in front. James looks to be either about to yawn or sneeze. We disregard whatever foreign object partially covers bottom of image.(18Aug2007-1737)
James on the camera, another foreign object mildly in front, Self and Amanda with smiles of quiet contentment and comeradery and thumbs skyward.

(18Aug2007-1738)
James at STM summit a minute later, contemplating the mysteries of the universe.

(18Aug2007-1752)
Overview of the descent route - just before dropping from the ridge.
There was no need to revisit North Tent, so we just dropped from the saddle to about 10600 feet and contoured to the right (north)
and back to the road - shown at center with some squinting.

(18Aug2007-1946)
South Tent Mountain from Skyline Drive after descent.
We left the ridge shown at extreme left. This is 1 hour 40 minutes later, so we are probably part way up the road towards
Reeder Canyon grade.
(18Aug2007-1947)
One last view of South Tent summit from Skyline Drive on the way back to the car.
Only five hours for the whole trip. We are just about to hike the tedious part in the dusk.