The South Face of Ben Lomond
This year, I dedicated a significant amount of time to exploring new zones in the Wasatch that I had always admired from afar.
Just north of Salt Lake City sits Ben Lomond, a mountain so striking that it can be seen from the Salt Lake airport, even 50 miles away. A little-known fact about Ben Lomond is that it served as the original inspiration for the Paramount Pictures Production logo. Its sheer vertical beauty and majestic presence in the Ogden Skyline truly justify why it was found to be so inspiring.
Just like the producers of Paramount, I also found this mountain to be deeply inspiring. Almost three times a week, while sitting at my work desk, I would daydream about riding its magnificent face.
As the winter days passed and snowfall accumulated, I decided to reach out to my friend Jonathan Cheever and at 3 am the following Saturday, we set off from the Salt Lake Valley, eager to spend a day in the Ogden skyline.
We began our adventure at the Pleasant View trailhead, walking along the shoreline for a mile or two before starting our ascent up the south face.
Johnathan schwacking through a section we wanted to cut. I do not recommend.
Walking up Barret Canyon
The minutes turned to hours and the sun started to shine keeping us on a steady march upward.
Evidence of shedding was clear from days before.
By the time we reached the ever-arching southeast ridge, our spirits were high, and our conversations took on a philosophical tone. It was a true indication that time was flying by, and we were fully immersed in the experience.
Suddenly, the weather took an unexpected turn, and the lower sections of the mountain became engulfed in clouds. Fortunately, Johnathan and I were not shy in our experiences of navigating whiteout conditions.
Despite the clouds surrounding us at higher altitudes, the views remained nothing short of sublime.
As we walked along the ridge, we couldn't help but be mesmerized by the sight of trees cloaked in the raw power of Mother Nature. The location provided a unique vantage point of the Wasatch that left me in awe.
As the hours ticked away and the clouds lingered below, we finally reached the summit, where we were rewarded with a descent worthy of a story. Ben Lomond had certainly lived up to its well-deserved reputation.
The view right below the summit.
Before strapping in for the descent, Johnathan and I knew that we needed to trend left instead of heading straight down. The snow was wonderfully soft, and the upper section was nothing short of dreamy. However, once we entered the clouds, it became crucial to rely on our instincts.
Turns off the top while trending riders left.
Johnathan look ahead at our next section.
It took over an hour to make our way through the cloud layer.
We were enveloped in such thick fog that, at times, we simply sat and waited for the clouds to part even briefly. Our decision to be patience and take our time during the descent proved to be fruitful. At the very bottom, we were then rewarded with an epic view of Ogden, Utah. The descent of Ben Lomond was terrific.
