Huntington Canyon/ Fairview Canyon summit(u)
In a way the summit connecting Huntington and Fairview
Canyons plays a similar role in Utah as Grand Mesa
summit(u) does in Colorado. Neither one is marked as a
summit on maps, and both are obviousely great cycling
summits. In the case of Huntington/ Fairview Canyons
summit(u) maybe not quite as obviousely when approaching
from Huntington, due to heavy truck traffic. But the
volume decreases drastically when continuing further up
the canyon, escpecially during weekends. The striking
difference in climate and landsape between the bottoms and
top of this summit demonstrate the fascinating variability
of the Utah landscape.
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1.(5820ft,mile00) START-END EAST jct
Ut31, Huntington
2,(6400ft,mile08) START-END EAST ALTERNATE:
powerplant overlook
3.(7490ft,mile20) junction with road up Woodand
Canyon on right
4.(9700ft,mile34) junction with Skyline Drive south
on left.
5.(9880ft,mile35) TOP
6.(8850ft,mile40) junction with Skyline Drive north
and Ut264 on right
7.(6000ft,mile47) START-END WEST, jct Ut31, Fairview
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Approaches
From East. Starting up the Wasatch Plateau from
Huntington, this summit looks like anything but a great
cycling route. The reason is traffic, coal trucks. 10 to 12
axle double trailers frequent this road along with other
industrial traffic. However, there is a reasonably good
shoulder and the Utah Highway department has not rendered it
useless for cyclists by placing a rumble strip down the
middle. Thank You. But please read on, things get even better.
One reason for the coal traffic becomes immediately apparent,
a monstrous power plant at the mouth of the canyon, complete
with "scenic overlook" onto the plant, labeled as
such. Apparently some state officials not only deem this plant
economically advantageous, but also an aesthetic addition to
the landscape of rugged dessert bluffs.
Traffic conditions improve past the power plant, and after
two more coal mine turnoffs the industrial thoroughfare has
transformed into a lonesome country road. The landscape
undergoes equally drastic change to an alpine canyon
sculptured with straight edges into changing plateau geology.
A long shallow climb finally picks up grade around 8200ft and
climbs to lakes frozen solid in April. It feels like the top
should be near, with passage between rolling plateau knolls
below overhanging snow cornices is ahead, if it's April.
Instead the road heads up for the cornices and reaches a high
point where Skyline Drive ( a dirt route ) joins the road from
the south. Meanwhile the views to the north stretch to where
to Wasatch Plateau becomes the Wasatch Range, appearing like a
distant knife inserted into the plateau loaf. There is no
elevation or summit sign along the route. Descending on this -
in many places, shallow - climb still requires substantial
effort if there is a strong headwind, even if it does loose
3500 feet.
From West. The town of Fairview at this end of the
profile is a striking contrast to the town of Huntington on
the other end. Instead of trailer parks and refuse, manicured
lawns and refuse turned into museum exhibits line the wide
mormon avenues. Beginning with the first 100 yards, that Ut31
turns off US89, the climb is relentless and doesn't take a
break below 8000 feet. The view ahead consists of angular
slopes, whose straight lines aim for a vanishing point
somewhere on the plateau. Once on the plateau at around
8200ft, much climbing remains to be done. Skyline Drive from
the north joins the route and continues with Ut31 to the top.
Astonishing views of the San Pete Range to the west and the
Wasatch range to the north open up. These scenes have very
different appeals depending on the season, and make this my
favorite paved cycling climb over the Wasatch Plateau. An
initial false top before the real top is used as parking lot
not only by snowmobile motorheads, but also by Crosscountry
skiers and paraglide skiers into April. In my experience
traffic is very light on this side.
Tours
Dayrides. A out and back ride from the Huntington
Power Plant "scenic overlook" to Fairview and back,
covering the summit twice, measuered 79 miles with 7480 feet
of climbing in 7.2 hours. (m2:06.04.22)
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