Emery County Highpoint Trip Report

East Mountain

Date: July 17, 2006
Author: Scott Surgent

From the Carbon HP area, I drove a little over an hour to the base of East Mountain, following HIU's road directions but using Edward Earl's (EE) description for the actual hike. I was able to park within feet of the downed log in EE's report, then hiked the steep roads and trails to the summit. Beautiful wildflowers (my sinuses thought otherwise) but the flies were relentless. I should have worn long pants. I found the top as described by EE (and his brushy mound) and a fabric 'x' near the BM. The round-trip hike took about 2 hours in increasingly cloudy weather.

I am unsure why HIU would suggest their direct route up the west slopes, when a fine road and trail combo will get you there in not much longer time. If you can get your vehicle to the cattle grate as described in HIU, then you should be able to go the extra mile to the downed log farther up the road. Obviously road conditions change. On my visit, the worst part of the road was a section of deep ruts not far past the end of the gravel.