Box Elder County High Point Trip Report
elevation 9,920 ft
Date: August 20, 1999
Author: Andy Martin
DeLorme shows unimproved FR 022 leading to the high ground of the Raft River Mountains.
This "Ridge Road" is closed to the public below 9,000' by a rancher,
though it may be open for local traffic. However FR 014 from the west is open,
and gets a lot of 4wd truck traffic from hunters. There seems to be some
bad rancher-hunter blood, as lots of signs are found informing one whenever
the land status changes from public to private.
FR 014 is not too rocky,
but is steep, and most passenger cars will not make the grade, though a
Dub Bludworth piloted vehicle might :) A steep grade is also found on
the road climbing from 9,000 to 9,600. We used 4wd here, but a 2wd pickup might make it.
In any case, Guy and I eventually drove our way to the top, and nearly
Martinized the neat USGS wood tripod on top of BM Dunn, 9925'.
We ate lunch here, enjoyed the view of the Great Salt Lake,
and then drove east to the 9920+ area called Bull Mountain.
(9934' in "High in Utah") Our sight level showed this was the HP,
and we found a register placed by Gordon MacLeod and Barb Lilley near
the highest rock. This is a short distance north of the dirt lane
running east-west across the flat, treeless summit.
At first we were puzzled by the large number of vehicles and bush campers on the mountain,
but it turned out that bow hunting season started the next day, and these folks were just
staking out the prime spots in advance. On our drive down the mountain
we passed a steady invasion of hunters streaming in, usually in 4wd pickups
with a couple ATVs bouncing around in the back. One comical rig was towing a
large trailer up the rutted road, which looked like it would turn turtle as it
was yanked through some rough spots.
Our jests about this rabid convoy were dampened when one speeding trailer
winged a hand full of rocks at the Mitsi, and added a new crack to the windshield.
Well, at least that guy can claim one "kill".