Notch Peak, Utah 2015

In June of 2015, I decided to climb Notch Peak in West-Central Utah. Notch Peak (3220 m elevation) is in Utah’s West Desert, west of the town of Delta, Utah. Notch Peak is part of the House Range mountains and Notch Peak Wilderness Study Area.

Map of West-Central Utah

This relatively easy hike follows Sawtooth Canyon as it meanders though a gorge-like canyon, past sage brush and a mini natural arch. The views at the top can’t be beat.

Notch Peak trekking-trail up Sawtooth Canyon.

The hike is located in the very wild and unpopulated west desert of Utah. Services, people, and help are a long ways away when visiting the area.

On the trail towards Notch Peak at the saddle before the last climb. Looking west.

The hike is quite casual, but the summit offers jaw dropping exposure down the second highest vertical drop in the United States, (the first is El Capitan in Yosemite National Park). Some debate the second highest drop status depending on how you define pure vertical drop, but it is a stunning drop to stand on top of, and a hike I would strongly recommend.

Looking north across the saddle before the last climb to the peak.

This part of the House Range is chiefly made up of a passive margin sequence of Cambrian to Ordovician carbonate rocks.

On top of Notch Peak, Utah; looking southwest towards Tule Valley and the Nevada border.

The top of the range is the type section for the aptly named Notch Peak Dolomite. At the base of the range is the pink/orange Notch Peak granite and monzonite, which is Jurassic in age (143 to 169 million years old). Around Notch Peak, especially from the west side (Tule Valley side), white Lake Bonneville fossiliferous marls occur.

Looking Northwest down “Painter Spring Canyon” & Tule Valley; off of Notch Peak’s massive cliff.

Because of the intrusion, “Painter Spring Canyon below the notch can clearly show a well-developed metamorphic Skarn-aureole and even inter-fingering textures between the intrusion and the limestone. Also, small quantities of tungsten and placer-gold have been found.

Looking North-Northwest from atop of Notch Peak.
Looking North along the “House Range” from atop of Notch Peak. This is the top of the massive cliff face.

The northwest face of the mountain is a massive carbonate rock (limestone and dolomite) cliff with a 670 m of vertical rise, making it among the highest cliff faces in North America. Overall, the summit rises about 1,360 m) above Tule Valley, (pictured below).

A view of Notch Peak and Painter’s Spring from Tule Valley

The view of the west desert of Utah, from its summit give some perspective on the lonely western side of the state and how isolated and expansive it is.

I’m posing for a selfie from atop of Notch Peak during 2015.
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