Mount Superior Explained

Superior
Topo:USGS Dromedary Peak
Coordinates:40.5922°N -111.667°W
Map Size:210
Map:Utah#USA
Location:Salt Lake County, Utah
United States
Elevation Ref:[1]
Elevation Ft:11045

Mount Superior (also known as Superior Peak) is an 11045feet mountain peak in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States.

With prominent visibility from Utah State Route 210 in Little Cottonwood Canyon, and being only 35 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, it is a popular hiking, climbing, and skiing destination.

Routes

There are many ways to access the summit of Mount Superior, with the two most popular options being via the Cardiff Pass and South Ridge trails.

Cardiff Pass

Summit:11045feet
Estimated Starting Elevation:8675feet
Elevation Gain2370feet
Average Total Distance:4.8 Miles
Rating:Difficult
The Cardiff Pass trail follows a well-maintained route starting in the town of Alta until it reaches Cardiff Pass. Once the pass has been reached, it skirts around Cardiff Peak along a ridge line to the summit.

South Ridge

The summit can also be reached via the South Ridge.[2] Considered a 5th class[3] scramble or rock climb, the ascent can be made, depending on ones climbing experience and conditions, free solo or with ropes and other rock climbing equipment.

Skiing and Snowboarding

There are various skiing and snowboarding lines that descend Mount Superior on all aspects.

South Face

This descent is included in Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America[4] and is rated S4[5] with slopes 35–45° with dangerous fall potential and a few terrain obstacles. It is also a part of The Chuting Gallery: A Guide to Steep Skiing in the Wasatch Mountains,[6] a skiing guidebook for various Wasatch Range chutes.

Suicide Chute or Shane's Chute

An obvious and prominent east-facing chute seen from Little Cottonwood Canyon, this line has been known by a few names, but is most commonly referenced as Suicide Chute.[7] This descent has slopes upwards of 40° and is rated S4.

Notes and References

  1. 5458 . Superior, Utah .
  2. Web site: Hike and Climb the S. Ridge of Mt. Superior. 2020-08-28. www.theoutbound.com. en.
  3. Web site: Rock Climb South Ridge, Wasatch Range. 2020-08-28. Mountain Project.
  4. Book: Newhard, Penn. 50 Classic Ski Descents of North America. 2010. 978-0982615430. 39.
  5. Web site: The Chuting Gallery - Index of Routes by Ratings. 2020-08-27. www.pawprince.com.
  6. Book: Andrew, McLean. The Chuting Gallery: A Guide to Steep Skiing in the Wasatch Mountains. Paw Prince Press. 1998. 0-9621935-7-7. United States of America. 46–47.
  7. Web site: WBSkiing Guide. 2020-08-27. wbsguide.com.