Twin Peaks, Unconventionally

Twin, with Storm Mountain in the lower left.

For many years, I have stared at Twin Peaks from various vantage points throughout the valley. I admit to have even had some near accidents in my car while being so mesmerized with the peak during my commute home on I-15. The summit was first attained for me when I was a Tenderfoot Scout and I have loved that area ever since. As I've grown older, the summit itself is not as important to me as how it is attained from different approaches and angles. Sometimes the route matters more than the destination.

Besides the traditional Broads Fork trail, there are two other valley approaches: Deaf Smith Canyon and Fergeson Canyon. A few Saturday's back, with a rare open schedule and a good map in hand, I decided I would link them all together. I parked at Fergeson and worked my way past the climbing routes. This tight canyon is always 10 degrees cooler in the summer, and is a personal favorite spot of mine to beat the Dog Days.  The trail fades, but remains as a game trail into the upper reaches of the canyon.

Minimal bushwhacking up here

 I came up the back side of the canyon to find the pass into Storm Mountain to my left.





More bushwhacking, but not too severe still...



Finally, I came over into the Deaf Smith bowl area. The minor bushwhacking gave way to down-climbing and scrambling over rocks. There was so many cliffs and extensive downclimbing on the ridge into upper Deaf Smith Cirque that I didn't have time for pictures. You will just have to take my word at this point. :)  I worked my way down into the cirque and straight up a col leading up to West Twin Peak. Sorry I didn't take the customary summit self-photo, but there are lots on the web, so just use your imagination. It's a beautiful view - one of the best of the Wasatch for sure.  Also, this would be an amazing place to ski in the winter. Total time up was just under 4 hours. Leaving the summit, I headed down into the south fork of Deaf Smith Canyon. This was a very mystical area that had been ravaged by fire, but was now recovering with a lot of wildflower growth.



Now the bushwhacking gave way to Indian Paintbrush viewing with dead pines in the background

The other cool part of this area was the mix of Little Cottonwood Canyon granite with Big Cottonwood Canyon shale rock. 

Gorgeous views of the valley through the pines



Working my way through the upper cirque and down into the meadow, I soon realized that the views would be lost. I was now going into how I remember Deaf Smith: lots of rock hopping through thick forage (the Amazon Jungle of the Wasatch in places) with little to no trail, as one follows the river down. Luckily it made for some nice shots of the lush river.



Give said the little stream...



...creating dense foilage amid the deadfall



Bushwhacking my way to the lower half of Deaf Smith Canyon, I suddenly  began severely itching. Worse yet I scratched the itch, quite literally. I looked around only to find a large field of these plants I had just trod directly through.

Stinging Neddle: Enemy Number 1 of Hikers

This was not a fun experience, but I kept moving onward. I have decided that Deaf Smith is a very anti-social canyon, compared to Fergeson, which is much more approachable and tame. No wonder no one I know has done this loop up and back Twin Peaks. But I would do it again, only in long pants next time!

During the last mile, I texted my buddy Scott Wetzel to see if he could give me a ride from the Deaf Smith trailhead back to my car at the Fergeson Canyon trailhead. His response: "it's only 1.5 miles away and should make for a short jog." Reading between the lines he was really saying: "finish the job dude, and get yourself out of the situation you got yourself into!"  So I accepted the challenge. However, my jog was definitely more of a hobble along Wasatch Blvd due to extreme fatigue and thrashed, itchy legs. I know it looked bad because never have I been picked up so quickly when I stuck my thumb out for a ride. Sympathy worked for hitch hiking to finish off my 8 hour 10 minute day...