Timpanooke Trail - 7/18/2009

This is my second Timp hike this year, and this one turned out to be great. The weather was perfect the scenery was amazing.

For those of you who don't know, you get to the Timpanooke trailhead by driving up American Fork canyon about 8 miles past the forest service booth at the mouth of the canyon. You stay on highway 92. The parking lot is just above the Timpanooke campground (one of the biggest challenges about doing the hike is finding a parking place). Sure enough, when I arrived around 7:00 AM, the parking lot was full. I talked with some guys I met on the hike, and they told me the parking lot was full at 4:00 AM as lots of people do the hike during the night to see the sunrise. I had to drive up the road about a mile and found a place to park in a campground.

I got started about 7:15, and it took just under 3 hours to make it to the summit. I did hike at a fast pace, stopping periodically along the way to take pictures. I think the hike to the summit could take around 4 or 5 hours.

Here is a Google Earth screen shot of the hike -
about 14 miles total with the extra Emerald Lake loop.

Below is a picture of parking lot where the hike begins.
There were literally 100s of people on the trail.

Not far up the trail, I ran into this guy standing
right in the middle of the trail.

I love the views as the hike progresses up the mountain.

About 2 or 3 weeks ago when I made this same hike,
this meadow was buried in many feet of snow. In a few weeks
this will be covered in wild flowers.

The Timp Saddle is the middle of the picture.

Once reaching the Saddle, the views are amazing.

For the first time the Provo Valley is visible.

There is still some hike left to the top, but the views are amazing.

The small hut at the very top can be seen in the distance.

Almost there...

Here is a picture looking back down the trail I had just walked up.
This picture was taken from the hut at the top.

Here is a picture looking towards the East into Emerald lake.

I decided to make the loop around Timp, and go down the
"glacier" into Emerald lake as opposed to backtracking.
This picture was taking after heading south of the summit.

Here is a video from the top:

Top of Timpanogos from Patrick Davies on Vimeo.

Going to the south provides for even better views of the Provo valley.

Here are a couple videos from the top of the snow slide. The second video is of Sammy,
whom I meet on the trail, making the slide down the snow field:

Mt Goat on Timpanogos snow field from Patrick Davies on Vimeo.

Sliding down Timpanogos snow field from Patrick Davies on Vimeo.

This picture was taken of the huge snow field I just slid down.

Emerald lake was very cool. Most of it is still frozen,
but it was crystal clear. I imagine it will be even more beautiful
in a couple weeks.

There were Mt. Goats all over the meadow by the lake.

Here is yet another video:

Mt Goats by Emerald Lake - Timpanogos from Patrick Davies on Vimeo.

There is another very cool snow field slide below the meadow.
Since I was alone, I couldn't ask anyone to film me,
so I just took a video of a random guy:

Another Timp snow field slide from Patrick Davies on Vimeo.

Here is a picture of one of the many water falls along the trail.

Heading towards the bottom.

The wild flowers are starting to bloom in the lower elevations.

Here is a look back at Timp.
I hope to do this hike again this year.