The news item for this post is that Willard Peak, incomplete from 22 September 2008, has been wrestled into submission as of 26 June 2009.
Where the heck is Willard Peak ? Next trip to Brigham City, UT via Ogden, UT on I-15, look up and
to the right (NorthEast) and there will be another section of the Wasatch. The high bump to the left of the group is Willard Peak. The bump to the right is Ben Lomond Peak. Ben Lomond is popular, Willard is higher, hence our target.
Here are the essentials
[Equipment]: We used a rented GMC Acadia to get to our improvised "trailhead"
[Hike start point] This route starts for us at a road turnout 6.5 miles up the Willard Peak road
which we shall call the "Perry Reservoir Monster Pumpkin Cracker Event Horizon". The road legend graphics actually do change at that point on the topo map. The road itself goes from
diminishing quality car/truck road to ATV playground.
The route is 3 miles longer each way because we never attempted to take a vehicle all the way to Willard Basin campground; We have seen vehicles that make it, but we do not own one such. Choices are: (1) ATV, (2) Monster high clearance pickup we do not mind scratching up.
[Hike elapsed times] Start 1245, End 2100, Time 8:15
[Road Segments] (1) Perry to Willard basin overlook - multiple switchback road, (2) Willard overlook to Willard basin campground - straight sloping segment down into the basin with a curve to the west at the end.
[Attempted Variations]
James looked at segment 2 and decided to try NOT losing and regaining altitude on the way to
the top (south end) of Willard Basin. He and Amanda tried a ridge route with limited success.
Others (Dad) just used the road... boring but less annoying complexity. The original intent was
try both and keep one for the return. The ridge showed some goofy side effects (traverse of 70 degree incline with snow on it, for example) and was eventually discarded. Got to use the radios, though. This only cost 30 minutes past Dad's slower time on the road.
[The Snow] We pre-inspected the summit conditions from the valley floor and everything looked clear and dry. North and East facing slopes are hidden from valley and this is quite a ways north....
So there actually a number of isolated patches of left over snow where we could not see:
On Willard Basin south end/campground area, on the road and on lots north and east facing slopes of Willard Peak northwest ridge(alias south basin headwall), notably including Amanda's fun chimney to northeast ridge from the time before.
[Other assorted method variations]
With all the snow there still was a completely workable modified route up the normally obvious and easy northwest ridge route to the north of the summit area. It did require us to flagrantly commit the
great unforgivable sin of all responsible hiking .... Shortcutting of switchbacks.
The subsequent route onto the summit outcrop was actually relatively obvious and easy.
Once on the summit outcrop the route turns slightly troublesome again.....
The summit itself is fractured and exposed in spots. Much rock hopping and exposure skirting engaged in. Dad was on his own, others having gone ahead.
[The summit ritual] Summit at 1715-1745 depending on who one was. Much high-fiving and group-hugging engaged in. Also many declarations of the one-time-ness of the route, with identification of the grungier elements of same.
[A thought provoking descent]
As soon as we were safely off the summit, a squall hit summit and ridge - horizontal sleet, etc.
Good thing we insisted that Amanda take an adequate shell. She used it this time.
Our photo footage shows indications of the squall rolling in.
[Down-hike death march] The road section just before Willard overlook was the death march we knew it would be. A one-timer within a one-timer, except that for one of us (ME) it was the 4th time. We congratulate ourselves after doing such things, which is the only consolation for how rotten we feel during them. Dreadfully anti-climactic after the psycho-high we get from pushing ourselves to the limit during the up-hike. No medal, just something dumb one has to do.
[Remaining get the heck out] What's to tell .... Just back to the car.... other than being asked by ATVers if we would be OK walking that far. One is tempted to point out that based on past experience, the seasoned pedestrians are not the ones in jeopardy.
So... Lot's of fun, but the group is glad to be done with it.
