JACOB'S LADDER

Extending along the border of the Lone Peak Wilderness area, Jacob’s Ladder is a high traffic trail popular with hikers attempting to reach the summit of Lone Peak, in addition to climbers looking to access routes near the summit. The proximity to the Salt Lake City metro area and the growth of climbing as a sport in the last decade have greatly accelerated the impact issues in this sensitive alpine area. The trail currently gains 2,174 ft in elevation over just 1.3 miles.

Partnering with The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance and the Salt Lake Ranger District in 2021, Singletrack Trails was contracted to construct the proposed reconstruction project on Jacob’s Ladder. The proposed new section of trail would extend roughly 3.3 miles at an average grade of 15%.

The purpose of this project is to stabilize and improve the sustainability of a portion of Jacob’s Ladder, a trail impacted by high use and erosion issues. The current trail alignment consists of soils including granitic sand with little vegetation. Coupled with unsustainable grades the trail has become highly eroded with multiple sections of trail forming trenches 2 - 6 ft deep.

The re-route and new trail alignment will reduce the average grade of this section by 50% while reducing soil runoff into the watershed, supporting vegetation growth, and minimizing future maintenance requirements. 1 mile of the reroute has been completed as of 2021, and work will continue to complete the remaining 2 miles during the 2022 season.