Home
Stump Hollow Trail, 4 January 2026
Nine snowshoers turned out for this early winter outing in upper Logan Canyon. We met at Smith's Marketplace parking lot, as usual, and carpooled to the Beaver Junction Winter Trailhead parking area just off the turnoff to Beaver Mountain. We crossed the highway, donned our snowshoes and began our hike at approximately 11:00 a.m., stopping briefly for a group picture at the Stump Hollow Trail sign. Conditions at the start were typical of a transitional winter day: temperatures hovered around 32°F, and light, wet snow was falling as we set out. Snow depth near the trailhead was roughly a foot, enough to fully cover the trail but still soft and manageable.
After about 1/3 mile, we reached the trail split and chose to follow the newer (official) Great Western Trail route for our ascent, planning to return via the older jeep trail alignment. After about 3/4 miles the trails joined again and continued up the hollow. As we gained elevation, snowfall gradually intensified. The forest closed in around us, dominated by dense stands of conifers—primarily Douglas-fir and subalpine fir—interspersed with occasional aspen groves.
As we climbed higher, the snow became noticeably deeper and lighter underfoot, and visibility began to soften as snowfall increased. By the time we reached a broad meadow roughly two miles from the trailhead, at an elevation of about 7,700 feet, snow was falling steadily. The temperature at the meadow was about 30°F
The meadow offered a brief opening in the forest, though distant views were largely muted by the falling snow and low clouds. The quiet was pronounced, broken only by the sound of snowfall and our own movement through the powder.
The meadow was our planned turnaround point, so we took shelter near the edge of the trees and stopped for a short lunch break approximately 12:40 p.m., then started back after a group photo. The snowfall became much lighter as we finished lunch and headed back down.
The return trip followed the route down the old jeep road, providing a slightly easier route than the alternate ascent route. Descending brought lighter and wetter snowfall. We arrived back at the trailhead around 2:10 p.m., having completed a well-paced winter outing marked by changing weather, classic canyon geology, and quiet, snow-laden forest scenery.
Overall, the hike offered a rewarding snowshoe experience with steadily evolving conditions and a warmer than normal outing in upper Logan Canyon.
Trip Summary:
- Nine participants: Bree, Brent J, Brent L, Christine, Dave P., David, Michelle, Ophelia, and Ralph (leader)
- Organized carpools and drove 28 miles up Logan Canyon on US-89 to Beaver Junction parking area
- Snowshoeing started about 11:00, with lunch about 12:40 p.m.; back at the parking area by 2:10 p.m. and Logan by 3:00 p.m.
- Cloudy skies with snow showers and temperatures averaging about 32 ºF
- Our GPS track shows about 4.3 miles with an elevation gain of about 800 feet
Thanks
to Ralph for the narrative, photos, and GPS data, and
Dave P and Bree for photos.
2026.jpg) |
|||
| Starting out on the Stump Hollow trail | |||
 |
 |
||
| Everybody duck! |
A snowy trail |
||
 |
 |
||
| Some logs had been cut in advance |
A sign marks the junction between the
"old" and "new" trail sections |
||
 |
|||
| It was snowing
steadily when we arrived at the meadow |
|||
 |
|||
| Ready to head back after lunch | |||
 |
|||
| An outcropping of Nounan Dolomite (Cambrian), with big patches of orange lichen | |||
 |
|||
|
Our GPS track shows about 4.3 miles
and 800 feet of ascent.
You can look at our route using Google Earth
or download our GPS file.
|
|||