It has been called "the best hike in Utah" and most visitors usually confirm that this majestic mountain lives up to that honorary title because of the spectacular bird's-eye views, refreshing waterfalls, flowers and mountain goats it contains.
Although Timpanogos Peak is only 11,750 feet above sea level - a height that doesn't even rank it among Utah's tallest 15 non-Uinta mountain peaks - in terms of sheer "vertical relief" (the height difference between the valley and the summit), Timp is unsurpassed with it's 7,090 feet rise from the western foothills to its summit. (King's Peak has an immediate altitude difference of only 2,328 feet.)It may be the state's premier hike but it is also probably the most dangerous too, based on its heavy use, perpetual snow and steep cliffs. There have been many accidents in the Timpanogos area over the years, ranging from avalanches to plane crashes. (A B-25 bomber crashed near Timp in 1955 and much of wreckage can still be found today.) There have been at least 10 hiking deaths on the Timp trails since 1954, half of which were snow related and another from rock climbing. Spring is considered the most dangerous season because of snow caves.
Although the Timp trails are the most crowded on summer weekends, an emergency response team is also on duty then to try and respond to all injuries within 30 minutes.
Rebecca Brighton of the U.S. Forest Service office in Pleasant Grove said that on weekends there may be as many as 500 hikers on the trail at one time. She said that this year is shaping up as one of the worst ever for accidents, mainly on snowfields because the snow has stayed around so long this summer. Some hikers have received cuts and scrapes but a few have flipped over on rocks, suffering broken bones.
Many hikers like to continue on the trail south of Timp and then slide down the "glacier" (more "perpetual" snow than a true glacier) above Emerald Lake. Some hikers even take garbage can liners along so that they slide down and not get wet.
Brighton said this is the most dangerous portion of the hike and that she doesn't recommend sliding. Besides the steep grade, the snowfield is full of jagged rocks, holes and snow that varies in hardness.
Perhaps the biggest question regarding Timp is how far of a hike it actually is to the summit. One book on Timp lists the distance at 13.3 kilometers (8.3 miles), while another hiking book pegs it at only 6.8 miles, another at 14 miles and still another fails to list the distance at all.
The sign at the Aspen Grove trailhead states 9.4 miles to the summit, while another sign at Emerald Lake lists the distance at three miles to the summit and 5.3 miles back to Aspen Grove for a total distance of 8.3 miles.
Brighton said that the trail was recently re-measured more accurately and that the Aspen Grove trailhead now has the correct distance - 9.4 miles to the summit. The sign at Emerald Lake will soon be revised too. She also said it's 6.9 miles to Emerald Lake and additional 2.5 miles to the peak. That equals a roundtrip distance of 18.8 miles.
- HIKING TIMP: Hiking Timpanogos used to be an annual Brigham Young University event each July. Beginning in 1912, Eugene Lusk "Timpanogos" Roberts, a BYU coach, started the treks but they became so popular (with as more than 7,000 hikers in one day, half of whom made it to the top), that such group hikes were canceled in 1970 because of the abuse to the fragile environment.
The peak has been conquered in every season but July to October is the main period. The two most popular ways to hike it are from Aspen Grove or Timpooneke. There are also seven other options.
According to the Forest Service, the trail from Timpooneke slightly shorter than the path from Aspen Grove but is less rugged and offers more early morning shade. (Some like to take a loop hike from Aspen to Timp and then down to Timpooneke but this requires additional transportation.)
Reach Aspen Grove by going up Provo Canyon and past Sundance Ski Resort. The trailhead begins at west end of Aspen Grove at the day use parking lot of the upper theater-in-the-pines.
No mountain bicycles or motorized vehicles are allowed on the trail. (Horse are only allowed on the trail from Timpooneke.) Some people take dogs along but it would be wise to not take them beyond Emerald Lake because of the sharp rocks and mountain goats that lie beyond.
The Aspen trail is very gradual (it was improved in 1968 to make for a less grade but longer distance). The trailhead starts at 6,900 feet and is paved for one mile to the first waterfall. Many hikers don't like the pavement, especially on the return trip but it was paved before the area's wilderness designation and the Forest Service is now letting it erode away.
Strong hikers can reach the summit in three hours but most people will require five to six hours. Coming down will require three to four hours. In 1967, Michael R. Kelsey climbed from Aspen Grove to Timp in the fastest known time - one hour and 30 minutes. He came down in only 45 minutes. (Kelsey also has written what is perhaps the best book on the peak, "Climbing and Exploring Utah's Mt. Timpanogos," published in 1989.)
The trail zigzags up to Emerald Lake, passing several almost a dozen waterfalls in all. Emerald Lake is a popular camping spot, below the glacier. The shelter there was built in 1959 as an aid station for the annual BYU community climbs. There's a toilet about 200 yards north of the lake.
Some hikers don't go past Emerald Lake because Timp still looks so distant from there - indeed it's 2.5 miles away by trail and 1,450 feet higher. Limited camping is available at the lake but open fires are not permitted. The trail beyond Emerald Lake is rough, crossing rock fields and snow. Several snow crossings are potentially hazardous - especially if the afternoon sun melts it enough, making foot and hand holds give way.
Sturdy shoes are must on the Timp trails. Indeed, the final mile of the climb from the Timp saddle to the summit is a precarious perch where one misstep would mean disaster. The final portion of this hike is a nightmare for anyone with even mild acrophobia.
Look for mountain goats in these upper reaches. Ten goats were introduced to the Timp area in 1981. Today there are probably more than 50 roaming around.
There's also a shelter on the summit, a metal observation hut, built in 1928. The hut used to have glass windows but they didn't last more than a few years and were blown out. From the summit, half the Salt Lake Valley and almost all of Heber and Utah valleys are visible.
There are actually two Timpanogos mountains on Forest Service maps. The taller is the peak, while the other, a half a mile to the southeast and 28 feet lower, is simply called Timpanogos.
The higher Timp can easily be recognized from Utah Valley because of the shelter on it, visible with a keen eye.
Lightning storms can be a danger on top and hikers should also plan on the threat of cool, wet or windy weather in any season.