Sevier County High Point Trip Report
Fishlake Hightop (11,633 ft)
Date: August 4, 2000
Author: Joe Stanford
2,503 foot elevation gain
8.5 mile round trip (HIU, seems accurate)
USGS Map 7.5 minute: Fishlake
Our Time: 6.5 hours, with rests
Description: The High in Utah (HIU, Weibel and Miller) guide was accurate and describes this hike well.
It took us 6.5 hours, including our rests, rather than the 5 hour turtle time HIU gives. We did have some
rain and hail at the top, during which we rested under a boulder. We found that the confusing sign at the
junction of the North and South Fork of Pelican Canyon Trails in a meadow about 2 miles up the trail
(described in HIU) had been torn down and was laying on the ground. We went up the North Fork as
described in HIU. We found the Summit on a large boulder among other large boulders. A rock cairn on
top of the summit boulder led us to it and the survey marker confirmed that this was the summit. Three of
our party of 7 made the return trip on the North Fork trail, and four did it on the South Fork trail as a
longer loop (looks like maybe 1.5 miles longer based on the map), but the decent was less rocky and they
made about equal time on the way down. The USGS 7.5 minute map (Fishlake Quadrangle 1968) shows
only the South Fork of the Pelican Canyon Trail, not the North Fork, but it does show the small pond next
to the trail that is at the aforementioned junction.
GPS READINGS USING THE GARMIN GPS-12 (UTM 12S)
NOTES: While I have tried to be as accurate as possible in making GPS readings and recording them
here, I make no guarantee as to their accuracy.
* Indicates points that are described in HIU, the others are not specifically described there.
* - Trailhead at Pelican Overlook: 0439448, 4269335
- About one mile up the trail: 0437814, 4269781
* - Junction of North and South Forks (Torn down sign): 0436609, 4270732
- Beginning of final steep switchback ascent to plateau: 0436580, 4272152
- Junction of North Fork of Pelican Canyon Trail on plateau with jeep road that leads South to South Fork
of Pelican Canyon Trail: 0435880, 4273302
* - At the summit: 0435624, 4273546