BALD MOUNTAIN WINTER SUMMIT - Ephraim UT
by Amy Jorgensen
Summit: 2 hr 35 min
RT Time: 4 hours 40 min
Base Elevation: 5900'
Summit Elevation: 8464'
RT Distance: 9.2 miles
Weather: 15 F at start, clear & sunny
Description/Story: A great day to be alive in Sanpete. While the rest of the world was sitting in church pews, I got the mountain to myself. A beautiful, exquisitely quiet, blue-bird winter Sunday. I had no intention of reaching the summit when I first started out this morning. After a weekend spent in Park City with scensters, hipsters, and art farts at Sundance it simply felt good to be alone in wide open space under a Utah desert sky. The plan was to make the huff to the screen and head back, but I couldn't help myself. I'd been thinking about that summit for the last couple of weeks and it just felt too close and too hard to pass up on such a beautiful day. The first third of bald mountain (to the screen) is a fairly steep climb. The following two thirds are a relatively moderate series of switchbacks. Just shy of the summit is a short steeper section. I was able to walk in snow mobile tracks for the first two thirds but after that was goose stepping through thigh high snow (without gators I might add) and following in deer tracks. It didn't look like anyone had been up there since the last snow fall. Returned soaked, hungry, thirsty, and deeply satisfied.
Additional Notes: Take plenty of water with you and consider snow shoes in winter, or least a good pair of gators to keep your feet and legs dry. (Do as I say not as I do). I like to use a hydration pack with a neoprene wrapped tube to keep my water from freezing in very cold weather. Wear polyprop layers to peel off as you sweat and go up the mountain, and include a good wind resistant jacket to wear on the way down as your body temperature cools. This is a beautiful hike in the summer and has a shorter round trip time of 3 hours 20 minutes because of the lack of snow. If you decide to tackle this hike in the summer be sure to get an early morning start as Sanpete County gets very hot by midday and there is no cover on this hike. Also know that this is primarily an atv trail and cuts a wider swath than your typical walking/hiking trails in other parts of the state.
Difficulty: Moderate
Location & Access: Just off Ephraim Canyon Road in Ephraim, UT. Begins at the base of the foothills.
Camping: Abundant camping up Ephraim Canyon and along Skyline Drive
Hotel Accomodations: Willow Creek Inn, Ephraim, UT
Gas & Groceries: Ephraim
Dining: Ephraim
Family Considerations: A great hike for the family, though time and distance would be a consideration for younger children.
Gear Rentals: Jason Stevens @ Maple Leaf Company
Summer pictures of the same hike:
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