When Kings Peak wasn’t Utah’s ‘tallest’

                               The view from the southeast side of Kings Peak.

By Lynn Arave

Kings Peak, High Uintas, hasn’t always been recognized as the highest point in Utah.

An April 15, 1911 Ogden Standard-Examiner article stated that Emmons Peak in the Uintas, at 13,694 feet above sea level, was tallest. That was the general belief of that year.

(In reality, Emmons is today’s 4^th tallest in the Utah at 13,440 feet.)

However, just two years later, the Vernal Express newspaper on Jan. 23, 1913 stated that South Kings Peak was the state’s tallest summit at 13,498 feet. North Kings was second at 13,496 feet.
It stated that a "South Baldy" and a "North Baldy" were previously thought to be Utah's tallest summits at 12,210 and 12,680 feet above sea level.
-Back in 1881, it was even more sketchy. According to the Salt Lake Tribune of Aug. 18, 1881, Gilbert's Peak was believed to be Utah's tallest at 13,687 feet above sea level. Kings Peak was not even mentioned back then.
-In 1903, it wasn't much more accurate. A Salt Lake Tribune article from Dec. 8, 1903 reported that Uintah County surveyors were claiming that Emmons Peak was tallest in the state at 14,449 feet above sea level. (They were just 1,009 feet off the mark!)
-The Richfield Reaper newspaper of April 5, 1906 reported that a Mount Hodges had supposedly been named by U.S. surveyor Clarence King in the 1800s, but that now no one seems to know where that peak actually is. The newspaper called it "the largest unlocated peak in Utah." Could that have been today's South Kings Peak? Perhaps.
-The Salt Lake Tribune of April 10, 1914 finally got its somewhat right: it had Kings Peak as tallest at 13, 498, followed by Mount Emmons, 13,428 and Gilbert Peak, 13, 422.
(Lacking satellite measurements, North Kings would not be correctly named highest in the state until 1966.)
-The Roosevelt Standard newspaper reported on Aug. 20, 1924 that members of Salt Lake’s Wasatch Mountain Club had hiked Kings Peak (today's South Kings Peak). On top, they “salted the peak,” by placing a bottle of briny water from the Great Salt Lake on its lofty summit.

The water bottle also had the signatures of Utah Governor Charles R. Mabey and others on it.

A 1940s map pegged Kings Peak as the state's tallest at 13,498 feet above sea level.

A Jan. 30, 1947 article in the Vernal Express newspaper stated that in the mid-1940s, two men climbed North Kings Peak and constructed a two-foot high monument on the highest part of the summit.

Then, one of the men proclaimed, "There, that makes them even."

Other newspapers of the era referred to the "twin Kings Peaks."

For 53 years, that was the accepted belief, that South Kings, was tallest in the Beehive State. So, anyone hiking Utah’s tallest in that time period went to the southern peak, missing or passing by the actual tallest peak – (North) Kings Peak at 13,528 feet.

In June of 1961, a helicopter crash landed on Kings Peak. The crewmen walked away unharmed, but this crash took place on today's South Kings Peak. (Good thing too, as South Kings has a lot more usable space on top. If they would have crashed on today's Kings Peak, the copter likely would have slid down hundreds of feet on one side or the other.)

It wasn’t until 1966 that new measurements by satellite proclaimed the north Kings as highest and re-measured South Kings Peak to be second-highest at 13,512 feet.

(Ironically the U.S. Forest Service had placed the first official plaque on Kings Peak one year earlier in 1965. Back then, it estimated that only 30 people a year hiked on average to the summit.)

          The view looking down from Anderson's Pass to Heny's Fork,west of Kings Peak.

Kings Peak, Duchesne County, though it is the king of Utah peaks, is actually named for Clarence King of the U.S. Geological Survey, who explored the Uinta Mountains from 1968-1871. He was later the director of the Geological Survey.

By the 1970s, the Forest Service had a metal plaque on the correct tallest Kings Peak. However, that plaque vanished in the late 1990s, presumably by vandals, who either took it, or cast it off nearby cliffs.

 There's also a legend about Sir Edmund Hillary, one of the first two men to conquer Mt. Everest in 1953, that he also climbed Kings Peak.

This is actually a true story, but it happened in the summer of 1978 when Sears and Kellwood (an outdoor equipment manufacturer), was testing camping gear in the Yellowstone drainage of the High Uintas.

Hillary, age 59 then, was said to have had little trouble hiking Kings Peak and the Uintas.

(No stranger to Utah, Hillary had also floated the Green River during 1969, as part of the centennial commemoration of John Wesley Powell's 1869 original exploration of the area. He also backpacked with his family in the High Uintas in the summer of 1962.)

Dozens a day each summer are likely hiking to Kings Peak in the 21^st Century.

Most popular starting point is the Henry’s Fork trailhead, accessed by seven miles of paved road and almost 20 miles of dirt road from Mountain View, Wyo.

Roundtrip hike distance is 30 miles, with a 4,128-foot elevation gain. The last mile is a scramble over large, loose slabs of rock.

               The author atop South Kings Peak, with Kings Peak in the background.

By the 1990s, some hikers began taking a steep, rock slide "shortcut," that directly accesses Anderson's Pass, instead of taking the traditional path over Gunsight Pass.
Kings Peak can be hiking in one, long extreme day, but most do conquer it in a two, or three-day backbacking trip and camping over at places like Dollar Lake.
At least one Salt Lake group snowshoes or cross country skis to Kings Peak each winter.

Not surprisingly, though Kings Peak is remote and almost 30 air miles from the nearest town, there is pretty good cell phone reception there (though in the surrounding valleys it is almost non-existent).

Danger from lightning storms is the key danger atop Kings Peak.
-Finally, a helicopter crashed on Kings Peak on June 16, 1961. This "Kings Peak" back then was actually today's South Kings Peak, state's second tallest. The crew was able to walk away and eventually met a rescue party. The copter was repaired and all traces of it were removed. (-From the Uintah Basin Standard Newspaper of June 22, 1961.)

-In 1933, some of the streams in the High Uintas had name changes. For example, today's Yellowstone River, located west of Kings Peak, used to be called Fast Fork, before that time. 
Lake Fork, which flows through Moon Lake, used to called West Fork. (-From the Vernal Express newspaper of May 11, 1933.)

(-Some material originally published by Lynn Arave in the Ogden Standard-Examiner on July 25, 2014.) 

-NOTE: The author, Lynn Arave, is available to speak to groups, clubs, classes or other organizations about Utah history at no charge. He can be contacted by email at: lynnarave@comcast.net  

When Bear Lake became popular

When did Bear Lake first catch on a summer destination for Ogden area residents?

It was less than two decades after the advent of the automobile in Utah.

“Distance to Bear Lake only 76 miles” was a Sept. 1, 1917 headline in the Ogden Standard-Examiner.

Manager C.H. Wilson of the Utah-Idaho Motor Company made the drive in a six-cylinder, seven-passenger Mitchell automobile.

He drove from Ogden at 9 a.m., by way Beaver Creek and Blacksmith Fork/Hardware Ranch, considered the “Standard” route in that day.( I believe the “Beaver Creek” Canyon  mentioned is the one off today’s U-39, near the South Fork of the Ogden River.  It was 21 miles long.)

 The detailed story also mentioned “the great blue waters of the lake.” His actual destination was “Ideal Beach,” as it was called even back then, at evening time – an all-day journey.

Wilson returned by Logan Canyon, Logan and Brigham City and advocated that state roads should be made to access the lake. Almost all the driving was done on good dirt roads.

“Thrilling dugways and sharp turns” was how Wilson described going through Logan Canyon almost a century ago. In fact, it was reported that passing vehicles at many spots along the narrow canyon roadway was just not feasible.

Almost a year later, Aug. 24, 1918, the Standard published another detailed auto trip report to Bear Lake and back. This trip went through Ogden Canyon, mentioning now vanished key milestones there, like “Watson Flygare Camp,” “Bristol Camp,” “Wildwood” and “Becker Bridge.”

The route then went by way of “The Liberty Dugway” to Paradise, Logan and Logan Canyon.

Ironically, both the Beaver Creek Canyon ("Piss Ant Flat") and the Liberty Dugway routes never got fully paved, or became modern corridors.

MORE HISTORICAL ITEMS:
-When did Ogden City have its first public tennis courts?

It was the summer of 1922, when the parks of Lester, Liberty and Lorin Farr all received tennis courts, according to a May 10, 1922 Standard report. It was the tennis committee of the Ogden Kiwanis Club that was behind the construction. Ogden had one private tennis club and a few private and school courts previously.

-Lorin Farr Park wasn’t always known by that name. The Standard of July 12, 1918 stated the park was previously called Glenwood Park.

It was a recommendation by the Daughters of the Pioneers for the new name, to honor one of Ogden’s most prominent pioneers.

And, Lester Park wasn’t always identified by that title either. According to a June 14, 1881 Standard report, “Liberty Square” was the original name of that park.

-The greater Ogden area received some of its first location signs in 1927. According to a Sept. 7 Standard report that year, Weber Canyon’s Devil’s Slide, Devil’s Gate and other such touristy spots were finally identified for all travelers to locate and enjoy.

(-Originally published by Lynn Arave in the Ogden Standard-Examiner on July 11, 2014.)

-NOTE: The author, Lynn Arave, is available to speak to groups, clubs, classes or other organizations about Utah history at no charge. He can be contacted by email at: lynnarave@comcast.net  

Fourth of July festivities in 1895 Ogden

             Early 20th Century bicycle racers in Ogden on the indoor track at Lorin Farr Park.

 INDEPENDENCE Day in Ogden 119 years ago on July, 4, 1895 was a “Grand Success” and “observed in Ogden as it has never been before … “never such a day in its history.”

According to the Standard-Examiner of July 5 that year, there was a magnificent procession in the morning; a brilliant oratory in the park; an elaborate program in the afternoon; as well as a baseball game, cycle races, concert, fireworks, music and dancing.”

In short, there was much “mirth and frolic,” according to the newspaper report.

The report said people from all over Northern Utah were attracted to Ogden’s celebration – especially those from Salt Lake City.

The parade was a hit with many colorful floats, but there was a delay in getting it started due to the large crowd.

The mayor had issued a proclamation that fireworks were to be strictly controlled, but the police soon found that to be unenforceable, given the frequency of people using them throughout the day.

 Afternoon speeches and music were long and patriotic. However, the bicycle races didn’t go as planned.

“Only two gentlemen entered in the road race from the Reed Hotel to Five Points and back, therefore both of them (“Mr. Kohn” and Dan Cramer) get a prize and one of them only ran half of the way,” The Standard account stated.

The women’s bike race was even less so.

“It seemed that the girls thought it was too hot for a bicycle race and they would rather wear their prettiest summer dresses around the park than to bother bicycles,” the account stated. So, there were no female entrants in their race.

There was also a baseball game played at Union Field, between the Salt Lake University team and an Ogden team. In the end, the Ogden young men won by a lopsided score of 25-4. The disappointed Salt Lakers quit in the fifth inning and the game ended early.

A crowd of 10,000 was reported for evening open air concert and fireworks at Lester Park. The fireworks show lasted a full hour and then dancing went in the pavilion from 10 p.m.-11:30 p.m. However, it was reported to be 1 a.m. before the last party  had departed the park.

-"Cry room, where mothers with cross babies can see show one Peery feature" was a July 2, 1924 headline in the Standard. The  Egyptian Theatre in Ogden did initially feature a separate 'cry room', where babies and infants could make all the noise they wanted to, without disturbing other patrons. The theatre opened July 3 and also boasted fireproof walls and roof and more.
-Ever notice the “U” letter on the mountainside above the community of Uintah? It was originally placed there in May of 1923.

The Boy Scout Troop from Uintah constructed and whitewashed the huge block letter, according to the Standard of May 8, 1923. And they "were assisted by practically the entire male population of the town.”

A reported (but perhaps exaggerated) 200 tons of rock were used in its construction, which measures 125 feet in length and 100 feet across. A later program was being arranged to celebrate the feat.

-Think water use restrictions are a contemporary standard?

 No, they were even stricter more than a century ago. The Standard on July 17, 1900 stated that water consumers could only sprinkle their lawns been 6-8 a.m. and 6-8 p.m.

“If found sprinkling outside of these hours, our inspectors are instructed to shut off the water supply without notice. The use of water for public sidewalks and street sprinkling is prohibited,” the article said.

(-Originally published by Lynn Arave in the Ogden Standard-Examiner on   July 4, 2014.)

-NOTE: The author, Lynn Arave, is available to speak to groups, clubs, classes or other organizations about Utah history at no charge. He can be contacted by email at: lynnarave@comcast.net