Pfeifferhorn
Encyclopedia
The Pfeifferhorn is the 11326 feet (3,452 m) triangularly-shaped peak located in the most isolated part of the Lone Peak Wilderness
Area of Utah's Wasatch Mountains. This rugged Utah mountain is commonly referred to as the Little Matterhorn
. This summit offers a hiking route to the summit which requires some scrambling. There are several technical rock climbing routes with the north ridge being the most popular. This summit also makes an excellent winter mountaineering adventure.
. The trail is approximately 3 miles to lower Red Pine lake and roughly 1/2 mile to the upper Red Pine Lake. From here proceed southwest up the steep talus slope to the top of the 'false summit'. A well-defined trail should be visible here in the absence of snow. Continue west along the ridge through a series of large boulders to a second steep slope. You can either wrap around this slope to the south and switch-back up to the summit (easier) or just continue west until you reach the summit (steep).
Another way to climb Pfeifferhorn is to hike in through Maybird Gulch. A small foot bridge breaks off to the right from the Red Pine Lake trail and will take you into Maybird. You will pass three small lakes nestled under the Hogum Divide with the Pfeifferhorn rising straight ahead. Once past the uppermost lake you will find yourself in a large boulder field (granite
talus
) which is difficult and slow to cross. At the other side, a steep scramble will take you to the summit base. A loop trip can be made starting at Maybird Gulch, climbing to the peak, then down by way of upper/lower Red Pine lakes or vice versa.
Lone Peak Wilderness
The Lone Peak Wilderness is a wilderness area located within the Uinta and the Wasatch-Cache National Forest in the U.S. state of Utah.The Lone Peak Wilderness was established in 1978 as part of the Endangered American Wilderness Act and was the only designated wilderness area in Utah until the...
Area of Utah's Wasatch Mountains. This rugged Utah mountain is commonly referred to as the Little Matterhorn
Matterhorn
The Matterhorn , Monte Cervino or Mont Cervin , is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Its summit is 4,478 metres high, making it one of the highest peaks in the Alps. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points...
. This summit offers a hiking route to the summit which requires some scrambling. There are several technical rock climbing routes with the north ridge being the most popular. This summit also makes an excellent winter mountaineering adventure.
Routes
The easiest and most popular route is the East Ridge via Red Pine Lake trail up Little Cottonwood CanyonLittle Cottonwood Canyon
Little Cottonwood Canyon lies within the Wasatch-Cache National Forest along the eastern side of the Salt Lake Valley, roughly 15 miles from Salt Lake City, Utah. The canyon is part of Granite, a CDP and “Community Council” designated by Salt Lake County. The canyon is a glacial trough , carved by...
. The trail is approximately 3 miles to lower Red Pine lake and roughly 1/2 mile to the upper Red Pine Lake. From here proceed southwest up the steep talus slope to the top of the 'false summit'. A well-defined trail should be visible here in the absence of snow. Continue west along the ridge through a series of large boulders to a second steep slope. You can either wrap around this slope to the south and switch-back up to the summit (easier) or just continue west until you reach the summit (steep).
Another way to climb Pfeifferhorn is to hike in through Maybird Gulch. A small foot bridge breaks off to the right from the Red Pine Lake trail and will take you into Maybird. You will pass three small lakes nestled under the Hogum Divide with the Pfeifferhorn rising straight ahead. Once past the uppermost lake you will find yourself in a large boulder field (granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
talus
Scree
Scree, also called talus, is a term given to an accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, or valley shoulders. Landforms associated with these materials are sometimes called scree slopes or talus piles...
) which is difficult and slow to cross. At the other side, a steep scramble will take you to the summit base. A loop trip can be made starting at Maybird Gulch, climbing to the peak, then down by way of upper/lower Red Pine lakes or vice versa.