Mount Superior

Mount Superior (also known as Superior Peak) is an 11,045 feet (3,367 m) mountain peak in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States.

Superior
Mt. Superior as seen from Little Cottonwood, April 2009
Highest point
Elevation11,045 ft (3,367 m) NAVD 88[1]
Coordinates40°35′32″N 111°40′01″W[2]
Geography
Superior is located in Utah
Superior
Superior
Location in Utah
Superior is located in the United States
Superior
Superior
Superior (the United States)
LocationSalt Lake County, Utah
United States
Parent rangeWasatch Range
Topo mapUSGS Dromedary Peak

With prominent visibility from Utah State Route 210 in Little Cottonwood Canyon, and being only 35 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, it is a popular hiking, climbing, and skiing destination.

Routes

There are many ways to access the summit of Mount Superior, with the two most popular options being via the Cardiff Pass and South Ridge trails.

Cardiff Pass
Summit: 11,045 feet (3,367 m)
Estimated Starting Elevation: 8,675 feet (2,644 m)
Elevation Gain 2,370 feet (722 m)
Average Total Distance: 4.8 Miles
Rating: Difficult

The Cardiff Pass trail follows a well-maintained route starting in the town of Alta until it reaches Cardiff Pass. Once the pass has been reached, it skirts around Cardiff Peak along a ridge line to the summit.

South Ridge

The summit can also be reached via the South Ridge.[3] Considered a 5th class[4] scramble or rock climb, the ascent can be made, depending on ones climbing experience and conditions, free solo or with ropes and other rock climbing equipment.

Skiing and Snowboarding
Looking down Suicide Chute
Looking down Suicide Chute with Utah State Route 210 below, February 2019

There are various skiing and snowboarding lines that descend Mount Superior on all aspects.

South Face

This descent is included in Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America[5] and is rated S4[6] with slopes 35–45°[6] with dangerous fall potential and a few terrain obstacles. It is also a part of The Chuting Gallery: A Guide to Steep Skiing in the Wasatch Mountains,[7] a skiing guidebook for various Wasatch Range chutes.

Suicide Chute or Shane's Chute

An obvious and prominent east-facing chute seen from Little Cottonwood Canyon, this line has been known by a few names, but is most commonly referenced as Suicide Chute.[8] This descent has slopes upwards of 40° and is rated S4.[6]

References
  1. "Superior, Utah". Peakbagger.com.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Superior Peak
  3. "Hike and Climb the S. Ridge of Mt. Superior". www.theoutbound.com. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
  4. "Rock Climb South Ridge, Wasatch Range". Mountain Project. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
  5. Newhard, Penn (2010). 50 Classic Ski Descents of North America. p. 39. ISBN 978-0982615430.
  6. "The Chuting Gallery - Index of Routes by Ratings". www.pawprince.com. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  7. Andrew, McLean (1998). The Chuting Gallery: A Guide to Steep Skiing in the Wasatch Mountains. United States of America: Paw Prince Press. pp. 46–47. ISBN 0-9621935-7-7.
  8. "WBSkiing Guide". wbsguide.com. Retrieved 2020-08-27.

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