The plan
Be at the church parking lot by 6:45 AM. We leave at 7:00 AM sharp. If you're late, we'll already be on the road. Drive 45 minutes together to the Mapleton Canyon trailhead in Right Fork. Hike up the Spanish Fork Peak trail for 4 miles, stopping at a small pond, then turn around. The last mile has some passable snow. Plan to be home between 3 and 5pm, with boys dropped at each home.
The point of this hike
This is the last hard hike before Kings Peak — 19 days out from the summit. We've shifted the point of this one: it now simulates day 2 of Kings Peak, when we leave base camp with just a daypack to push to the summit and back. On that leg there is no chance to stop and filter, so we carry everything we need — all 3 liters of water — the whole way. By now the boys have done the 5k and Horsetail Falls, so we know where everyone stands on shoes, fitness, and gear. The trail is steeper than the approach to base camp at Dollar Lake, which makes it a useful confidence check. Daypacks should be light but comfortable.
Challenging but doable. Anyone who finishes Mapleton will finish Kings Peak.
What to bring
Wear
- Breathable T-shirt
- Lightweight hiking pants or shorts
- Hiking shoes (ideally the ones you will take to Kings Peak)
- Good hiking socks (wool or synthetic)
- Hat for sun
Daypack
- Long sleeve shirt or light jacket for the morning
- Light gloves Optional (for snow patches)
- Daypack — ideally the one you'll use for summit day (day 2) of Kings Peak
- Lunch and light snacks
- Water bottle or hydration pack
- 3 liters of water total — no filtering on this hike, so carry it all
- Sunglasses Optional
- Sunscreen and bug spray Share
Eat Before You Arrive
Eat a real breakfast at home before showing up at the church. We do not stop for food on the way to the trailhead.
Read before the hike
Safety on the Trail
All youth pair up with a buddy and stay with them at all times. Adults do the same to maintain two deep leadership. Nobody goes in front of the lead adult. Nobody goes behind the rear adult. Youth must always be within sight and sound of an adult. The lead adult will stop at every mile to make sure the full group is accounted for. We bring a phone with satellite emergency messaging.
Daypack Weight
Target 8-10 lbs total, including the 3 liters of water. This mirrors the light daypack the boys will carry on summit day at Kings Peak — light but comfortable, and still enough to be a real pressure test. Drink the water as you go and dump some to lighten the load if needed.
Fathers Welcome
We need drivers and extra adult supervision, and more importantly this is great father and son time. Come hike with your son.
Reward at the Top
Ice cream sandwiches are coming with us to the turnaround at the pond. Earn them.
RSVP
Please reply to the email or text Ryan Calder at 801.592.4486 for boys and fathers so we can plan accordingly.
Questions or comments: Bentley Folkman, YM Camp Director, 801.440.7162.