UT39 Monte Cristo s(u) by Bicycle - Velo

Ut39 over Monte Monte Cristo Peak is one of the bigger paved climbs in Utah. In spite of this the route does not have summit designations or road warning signs, that are customary in Utah for roads like this. The climb is not really steep and does not go through alpine country, but instead pleasant forested hills, that nontheless are every bit as big as the nearby peaks in the Wasatch Range. Views are better without the summer haze. On the west side, starting a few miles east of Huntsville traffic is light, so that the lack of a good shoulder is not a problem.

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01.(6340ft,mile00) START-END EAST: jct Ut16 - Ut39 in Woodruff
02.(6740ft,mile08) START-END EAST ALTERNATE: turnoff to Birch Creek Reservoir on right
03.(8770ft,mile19) FR59 on right leads down to Randolph
04.(8890ft,mile21) Monte Cristo campground and ranger station
05.(9010ft,mile25) TOP: on north west flank of Monte Cristo Peak
06.(7060ft,mile32) turnoff on right goes to Hardware Ranch
07.(4920ft,mile49) START- END WEST: Ut39 turns left, east of Huntsville. Profile continues down Ogden Canyon, since this is the most direct approach. For a less dangerous route turn right towards North Ogden Canyon.
08.(4910ft,mile55) turning right onto Ut162 also leads to North Ogden Pass. Profile continues straight down Ogden Canyon
09.(4470ft,mile60) Route leaves North Ogden Canyon and continues on bike path on Ogden River.
10.(4310ft,mile62) START-END WEST ALTERNATE: jct bike path - Washington Ave in Ogden.

From East. Woodruff has a small store that looks like it might have some groceries. Ut16 heads west towards the low sage brush hills. The turnoff to Birch Creek Reservoir is located after the initial foothill turns and has nice campsites. There are few unique landmarks, where the road negotiates the sage brush hills towards the ridge line. In a deeply forested section the road passes the Monte Cristo campground and ranger station. As the road turns south it periodically opens up views north to the Bear River Range. During the summer months these are obscured by haze. Approaching the summit the road traverses around a rounded knoll - Monte Cristo Peak - calling this a peak is a stretch of the imagination.

From West. (described downwards). Where the road goes beneath a power line, a few lower meanders of the road come into view, in the background the Wasatch Valley and Wasatch Range, which are barely higher than the vantage point. A shallow descent goes through juniper forest. Following the South Fork of the Ogden River into Huntsville, the road passes by numerous National Forest campgrounds, hopelessly overcrowded during busy summer times. The profile continues on the most direct way down through Ogden Canyon into Ogden. Signs discourage cycling along this route, but do not prohibit it. For a more pleasant route, climb over North Ogden Pass.

Ut39 Monte Cristo s(u) x2: camping spot near jct rd to Birch Creek Reservoir - Ut39, a few miles west of Woodruff <> Ut39 Monte Cristo S(U) <> Huntsville with a few miles around town: 86 miles with 5600ft of climbing in 6:4hours on a hot July day (Vetta 100A r3:10.7.16).