Alpine Loop Road Summit
 The
Alpine Loop Road Summit just may be the best alpine paved
climb in Utah. At least it was for me during a day in May,
when the road was still closed to automobiles, but open to
nonmotorized traffic. The tight, narrow turns on the
western side are something special for this continent,
where highways usually cut across all obstacles like a
knife.Instead this is a narrow thread of a road, winding
itself up a shoulder of majestic Mount Timpanogos, and
climbing its shoulder at just about treeline. I don't know
how heavy the summer traffic is, which would seriousely
detract from the cycling suitability. The pass is
indicated as summit on some commercial maps. There is no
summit sign.
|
01.(4600ft,mile00) START-END SOUTH:
Provo, Brigham Young University area
02.(4840ft,mile05) entrance to Provo Canyon
03.(5120ft,mile08) Bridal Veil Falls area
04.(5200ft,mile11) Vivian Park
05.(5220ft,mile12) turnoff from Provo Canyon onto
Alpine Loop road
06.(6080ft,mile14) Sundance ski area
07.(8030ft,mile20) TOP: Alpine Loop road summit
08.(6070ft,mile26) Alpine Loop road joins American
Fork Canyon
09.(5070ft,mile31) START-END NORTH ALTERNATE:
junction Ut146, Ut92 at mouth of American Fork
Canyon
10.(4640ft,mile38) START-END NORTH: junction Ut92,
I15 |
Approaches
From South West. The approach from Provo starts with
the best part of Provo Canyon, an excellent bike path far from
traffic. After a short section on the shoulder Ut92 turns up
to the Sundance Ski area. The place is worth a stop to view
interesting photography centered around celebreties of
cultural events at Sundance, naturally including Robert
Redford.
From South. A parking area at the summit gives
the opportunity to study a map of the Wasatch Crest Trail
which crosses here from Pole
Line Pass on its way up the monumental Mount Timpanogos.
The initial switch backs give the impression of being on a
narrow mountain pass, somwhere in the alps. Following that,
American Fork Canyon shows a deep, spectacular side, the likes
of which only exist in northern Utah. The lower road is a much
straighter and faster decent than the other side.
Other approaches. The Cascade Springs forest road
offers another way to the summit from the east. It joins the
southern approach almost at the top. It is paved at least from
the Cascade Springs area. This is more of a conventionally
engineered road with wide sweeping turns instead of the
made-for-bicycle minuature road features of Ut92. From Cascade
Springs a short cut dirt road leads directly into Midway,
entering the town behind the golf course. One advantage of the
Cascade Springs approach is that it bypasses the worst part of
Provo Canyon, which is currently under construction (2006).
Tours
Dayrides. (Paved): A circle ride from Provo over the
summit, descening American Fork Canyon and returning to the
starting point through Orem and Alpine, with a few small
valley detours, measured 69 miles with 3988 feet climbing in
5.4 hours, using a Vetta 100A cycle computer.
(Paved+MTB): A loop ride from Midway over Pole
Line Pass, down American Fork Canyon to its junction with
the Alpine Loop Road, then returning over this summit and the
Cascade Springs road, also using the described shortcut to
Midway, measured 65 miles with 7270 feet of climbing in 6.5
hours using a Cateye 100AT computer (m3:6.6.3)
(Paved+MTB): A loop ride starting at the Alpine Summit to
the TR157 summit:
Ridge Trail, over Sandy Baker Pass to Pole
Line Pass, down to Cascade Springs and back to the
starting point via the Cascade Springs Road measured 31 miles
with 5200ft of climbing over 5:1 hours, using a VDO MC1.0
cycle computer (m3:07.06.02). This also includes about 5 miles
and 400ft of additional approach to the loop from the
Salamander Flats area.
back to cycling
Utah's summits and passes
|
