Things To Do Near Ogden: Bushwacking To A No Name Peak Summit

My good friend and college bandmate Jesse Meik came to visit recently.  To celebrate the occasion, we decided to pick a local area hike.  Our interests pointed us toward Gunsight Peak just north of the town of Plymouth in Box Elder County.

After doing some cursory research we believed the trailhead started on the South Divide Road east of Plymouth.

At the top of the divide there were a couple parking spots.

We then began our hike on the two track trail heading north.

The trail was easy at first but we could see the trail ascending steeply up the mountain nearby.

Sure enough, the trail got very steep very quickly.

The upside was being rewarded with some spectacular views of the Bear River Valley and Cache Valley.

Unfortunately, the trail faded and we began the arduous task of bushwacking our way up the hill.  The rocks were very uneven and the soil was unstable.  It was slow going.

We thought we knew where we were going based on some research we had done in advance.  As it turns out, we were off course.

The mountain we were on forms a parabolic incline toward the very end of the ascent.  Of course, there was no trail to follow as we scrambled over loose rock, tall weeds, and fought off the horse flies.  

When we reached the top of our climb we realized our mistake.  There was a giant canyon separating us from Gunsight Peak which is seen here in the background.  We grumbled for a few minutes deliberating on how we wanted to proceed.  But a check of our water supplies told us we needed to turn back.

The walk down was as tricky as the hike up.  The loose rock and soil made for a cautious descent.

Here is the no name peak we hiked.  Our course took us along the ridgeline to the right.

In all, our hike was 1.6 miles one-way.  We ascended 1830 feet.  If you want to relive our misguided adventure, you can follow our trail.  In the meantime, may we all enjoy the great outdoor recreation Northern Utah has to offer.  Happy hiking!