Mount Nebo (Higher North
Summit) Hike Scramble– Payson Nephi Utah
Date Scrambled – August 12, 2009
Nebo Group from I-15
Nebo Group from the Nebo Scenic Byway on the East side
Stretch of the Nebo Scenic Byway - minimal guardrails
Trail head with washroom, well pit toilet actually
Take this road as you enter the Monument trailhead for
the North Peak trailhead
North Peak and Nebo North Summit trail head
Looking back to the trail head from the top of the
small hill
Cool looking tree!
Trail follows fence line up the next hill
View of North Peak and the ascent drainage in the
center of the photo
A closer view of North Peak left of center and the
ascent drainage right of center
The route on a good trail from the bottom of the
drainage
Nearing the top of the ridge north of North Peak
At the ridge top with North Peak on the left and Pt
11,440 and Mt Nebo North Summit on the right
Looking back down the drainage from the ridge top
The trail soon splits right to traverse the west side
of North Peak
Looking back at the traverse
A view of the North Peak traverse down to Wolf Pass
from the top of Pt 11,440
Our objective looms larger, Pt 11,440 and Mt Nebo North
Summit behind
Wolf Pass and Pt 11,440
Wolf Pass
Route up Pt 11,440 big patch of blue wild flowers on
the lower slopes
View of upper trail on Pt 11,440
Looking back down to Wolf Pass from the top of Pt
11,440
Looking forward from the top of Pt 11,440
Along the ridge, getting closer
Looking back at a side traverse to skirt a gendarme on
the ridge
Another spot which require some route finding and hands
down
The last part getting looser and less defined
Hands down part on the NE side of the false summit
Finally the true summit in full view from the false
summit point, a short walk from here
View to the West, things look pretty small from 11,928
feet
View to the North
View to the NE
The summit register with slightly lower Nebo South Peak
in the background
Yours truly with all the uphill work completed
Al heads home!
Be careful here, the loose dicey stuff from the top of
the false summit
A large herd of elk fleeing from something? Bear,
mountain lion, Allan?
I waited for about 15 min at this point making some
noise not being sure
what spooked them.
Mount Nebo (Higher North Summit) Hike Scramble – Payson Nephi Utah
Date Scrambled – August 12, 2009
Scramble: Class 2 + – Steep Hiking, some hands down near
the top, dry conditions only
Altitude: 3,637m (11,928 ft)
Elevation Gain: approx 1,158m (approx 3,800 ft given the
ups and down of the trail)
Ascent Time: 3 – 4 Hours
Best Season to Scramble: Mid-July to Sept
Highlights
This scramble is the highest peak in the Wasatch at
11,928ft. It is a rugged ridge scramble which many experienced scramblers
will enjoy.
Getting There
From the I-15 take the Payson exit 250 and head east
through town until you hit 100 North. Go left here until you hit 600 East,
take a right here and you should be on the Nebo Scenic Byway. Drive this
scenic windy road for approx 24 miles and turn right into the Monument
Trailhead (washroom here). Immediately as you turn in is the dirt road
called the Mona Pole Road. Follow this for approx .4 miles and the trailhead
is an open area just after you cross a cattle guard. The road continues on
but stop here. Just after the cattle guard to your left you will see the
start of the trail along the fence heading up a small hill. The trail head
is at 9,020 feet.
Route Description
Head up the hill along the fence. In the far distance you
can see the drainage that will take you to the low ridge point just north of
North Peak. Do not confuse North Peak with Mt Nebo North Summit as they are
2 separate peaks as the pictures indicate. The trail along the fence has a
bit of up and down through stand of trees, then the trail leaves the fence
line and zig zags through the trees to take you to the base of the ascent
drainage in the pictures. As you enter the bottom of the ascent drainage the
trail is on the left side a short ways then abruptly crosses the drainage
onto the right side and you ascend to the ridge point from there. From the
ridge point (10,540 feet) you head left or south on the trail to go up North
Peak but only part way up the trail for the traverse on the west side of
North Peak splits off to the right. Take this trail and traverse the west
side of North Peak eventually dropping down to Wolf Pass. As you traverse,
Pt 11,440 and Mt Nebo North Summit loom into view. It looks like a long ways
yet to go and a bit intimidating. Once at Wolf Pass, continue on the trail
up Pt 11,440 where you view the final ridge traverse up to Mt Nebo North
Summit. The point you see here is actually a false summit but the true
summit is only a few feet higher and only a minute beyond the point you see.
From Pt 11,440 you stay mostly on the ridge crest until
just below the false summit where you traverse for a bit on the NE side of
the slope then a bit of hands down scrambling to the top of the false summit
point. There are some points on the ridge where you have to search around
for the easiest route so be careful to take your time and do that. Once at
the top of the false summit the North Summit come to view and the black
metal summit register. In the distance you can see the slightly lower South
Summit. Unfortunately the metal summit register is now loosely lying on the
top and knowing human nature it is likely only a matter of time until it is
thrown off the mountain. Carefully return the way you came especially the
first 100 feet or so down from the false summit area, watch your steps.
