Climbing Tanners Gulch

"Don't slip here", I said out loud to myself as worked my way down the steep slope. The slope was only about 60 degrees, but it felt nearly vertical. Facing the slope, I methodically plunged my ice ax into the snow then kicked two new steps with my feet, making sure that my crampons had a solid purchase in the snow. Step and repeat. Ammon had already worked his way down the slope and Jason was waiting patiently at the top for my signal that I had moved out of the fall line. The top of the slope was full of loose rock so we had to work our way down one by one to avoid knocking anything down on the person below. After about six or seven minuets I yelled up to Jason that I was out of the fall line and he could start working his way down. I cut a little ledge in the snow with my ax, unclipped the waist belt of my pack and sat down to wait for Jason to join me.


It started early, 3:00 AM. I'd set my alarm for 3:15, but I never get much sleep the night before a climb and was wide awake long before then. I was supposed to meet the rest of our group at the s-curves in Big Cottonwood Canyon at 4:45 to leave a few shuttle cars and then drive around to Little Cottonwood Canyon to start the climb near the Tanners Flat campground. The goal was to climb up Tanners Gulch from Little Cottonwood Canyon, summit Mt. Dromedary (11,107 ft), Sunrise Peak (11,275 ft.), and Broads Fork Twin Peaks (11,330 ft.) and then head out Broads Fork to the shuttle cars we left in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Tanners Gulch, Photo by Ammon Hatch

The climb was long and steep, but well worth the effort. The views were incredible and the weather was amazing. The group successfully summited all three peaks and made it back to the car safely and without incident. Unfortunately, I only summited the first two peaks. I was slowed down with some leg cramps and wanted to get down off the mountain before the hot afternoon sun turned the snow to mush. As I sat on my ledge waiting for Jason to finish down climbing the steep slope, you could hear the "whooomph" sound of avalanches in the distance, triggered by the afternoon heat. That sound is scary and moving as slowly as I was, I thought it best to start heading down. I was a little disappointed to have not summited the final of the three peaks, but I've already been to the top of the Broads Fork Twins so that helped ease the disappointment a little. Plus, two 11,000 + foot peaks in one day isn't half bad.

Hear are some of my photos from the trip:

Alec, Ammon, and Jason at the base of Tanners Gulch

Sunrise on the Pfeifferhorn on the Alpine Ridge

Alec on the first summit of the day, Mt. Dromedary


Ammon working his way down from the Summit of Mt. Dromeday.

Alec and Ammon working their way along the ridgeline

Jason watching Ammon downclimb a steep slope on the west side of Jeppson's Folly.


Jason traversing a steep snow slope.

Looking back on our route Mt. Dromedary on the right, Sunrise Peak in the center, and Jeppson's Folly on the right.