The Pfeifferhorn. A few days after some friends had hiked up this peak out of Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, I thought I'd check out a portion of the trail—at least up to Red Pine Lake. Grabbing my Camelback, a couple snacks, downloading a few podcasts, I threw on some shorts and sunblock and made the short drive from my house up the canyon.
The beginning of the trail is well-defined and green, and often wet from streams and runoff as it climbs up to Red Pine Lake, which is surrounded by wildflowers. Attaining the lake, I could see a rocky ridge above it ending in a rough outcropping. Thinking this must be the peak. Having less of a defined trail past the lake and more of a climb, I start along the ridge to see, looming into view, a jagged pyramid of rock and realizing this daunting monolith is the Pfeifferhorn.
The access to the peak from the ridge is a spine of sharp boulders dropping off steeply on either side, which I skirted around to the left, dropping down before the last climb up the peak where I scrambled up with the trail more at my hands than my feet. The view from the top looks at the surrounding summits in Little Cottonwood Canyon, but more memorable is the sweeping vista down to Utah Lake and the edge of Timpanogos. After a few overheated selfies, I was able to climb directly through the rocky spine, along the ridge, and then following a different descent back down toward the lake.
The total trip took 5 hours on a hot July afternoon and I was glad to see that I left a few pounds behind.
As with earlier motion graphics, I mixed GPS data, my own photography, maps and satellite imagery to build a trail tour in AfterEffects.
The beginning of the trail is well-defined and green, and often wet from streams and runoff as it climbs up to Red Pine Lake, which is surrounded by wildflowers. Attaining the lake, I could see a rocky ridge above it ending in a rough outcropping. Thinking this must be the peak. Having less of a defined trail past the lake and more of a climb, I start along the ridge to see, looming into view, a jagged pyramid of rock and realizing this daunting monolith is the Pfeifferhorn.
The access to the peak from the ridge is a spine of sharp boulders dropping off steeply on either side, which I skirted around to the left, dropping down before the last climb up the peak where I scrambled up with the trail more at my hands than my feet. The view from the top looks at the surrounding summits in Little Cottonwood Canyon, but more memorable is the sweeping vista down to Utah Lake and the edge of Timpanogos. After a few overheated selfies, I was able to climb directly through the rocky spine, along the ridge, and then following a different descent back down toward the lake.
The total trip took 5 hours on a hot July afternoon and I was glad to see that I left a few pounds behind.
As with earlier motion graphics, I mixed GPS data, my own photography, maps and satellite imagery to build a trail tour in AfterEffects.
