Squaw Mountain
Distance: 1.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,700 feet
Summit Elevation: 7,876
Access: Paved
Squaw Mountain is well known in Utah County. It gets little respect because it is overshadowed by the much taller Cascade Mountain behind and has to compete with a mountain to the south with a giant letter Y on it. Half the peak is a sheer cliff so let' us take another look at summiting this guy.
The Route:
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Access:
Y Mountain from the summit of Squaw Mountain
Provo and Utah Lake from Squaw Mountain
Squaw Mountain from the trailhead gate
Traversed over going up between these rocks
A false summit
The slopes of Y Mountain from Squaw Mountain
Snowshoeing near the summit
Looking north to Lone Peak
Cascade Mountain from Squaw Mtn.
The summit area of Squaw Mountain
Find your way to the Provo LDS Temple. Follow the street (N. Temple) on the north side of the temple east up into the canyon. Park in the lot below the gate where a sign indicates you are at the Provo Bonneville Shoreline Trailhead.
There are a number of ways you could climb Squaw. I recommend winter as you'll have access, no snakes to look out for and you can spend your summer days climbing something better. I am told a trail does go to the summit. Head up the Rock Canyon Trail 1.5 miles looking for a minor trail and sign to your left. Another option would be to drop from Buffalo Peak (see map). I picked this route because I thought it would get me to the summit the fastest in winter. If the Rock Canyon Trail is compacted from other hikers, that route might be just as fast. My route seems to have many variations, but it might be possible to be cliffed out if ascending to far to the south.
My route: Walk behind the gate about 100 feet looking for a bridge to the left over Rock Creek. This is the Bonneville Trail heading north. Follow this easy level trail. Just after hitting the black chain-link fence on your left, you'll see a path working up to the right. I followed this until it hit a highpoint. From there I left the path working up the minor ridge between 2 large draws. Around 6,000 feet below some cliffs I was forced north into a ravine. This ravine is quite cliffy on the north side but access is possible once inside. Follow this up until easier slopes and the north ridge of Squaw is reached. Snowshoe southeast on one of two ridges that find their way to the summit area.