Hiking Timpanogos' Bomber Peak Via the Timpooneke Trailhead

Last week’s hike of South Timpanogos made me curious about what lies north of the Timpanogos Saddle, so I figured I’d give it a try. I’ve been to the 1955 crash site some years ago, but don’t have any vivid memories of the area.

I also decided to take the Timpooneke trailhead instead of Aspen Grove. Having two Timp hikes back-to-back within a week under similar weather conditions gave me a great way to compare the two trails. In a nutshell, hiking Timpanogos via the Timpooneke trailhead:

is a smoother, better maintained trail
has a more consistent trail slope
has considerably more shade in the morning to early afternoon
has almost no water access later in the summer (based on August 2020)

See below for the water problem. In the meantime, enjoy some photos:

Looking up Timpanogos Basin. Mount Timpanogos summit visible just right of the aspen in the center of the photo.

One of many usually running streams crossing the trail, now dry this time of year.

Between mile 1 and mile 2 is a set of switchbacks that cross two streams several times.

In the Giant Staircase looking south-southwest

View of Bomber Peak (the flatish, roundish peak on the left of the photo) from the Giant Staircase area

Near the top of the Giant Staircase. Mount Timpanogos is the peak on the left, Bomber Peak is the next highest (apparent) rounded peak in the right third of the skyline, followed by North Timpanogos at the far right.

Bomber Peak (center) and North Timpanogos (right).

View of Timpanogos Basin, looking south with view of the "glacier" (far left) and Mount Timpanogos (left)

Some great blue limestone hoodoos. The 1955 B-25 crash site is just to the north of here.

View of Timpanogos Basin. Left to right: Robert's Horn (center), The Shoulder (prominent cliff face), South Timpanogos (barely visible), and Mount Timpanogos (far right).

North of the saddle looking south along the west face of Mount Timpanogos.

Looking north from Bomber Peak toward the ridge between Little Cottonwood Canyon and American Fork Canyon.

Looking south from Bomber Peak toward Mount Timpanogos, South Timpanogos, and The Shoulder.

View of North Timpanogos from Giant Staircase.

A lot of the Forest Service trail repair is done on the switchback shortcuts. $35 doesn't seem steep enough. If Utah can charge $100 for littering (which can be picked up and properly disposed of), surely we can do better than $35 for near-permanent land damage.

View of the ridge from State Street in Pleasant Grove.

And some trip details:

My time: another personal best as I have never recorded this before.

On Water

I was a little surprised at how little water there was on the Timpooneke trail. The only accessible water (as of mid-August 2020—a long, hot, dry summer) was between mile 1 and mile 2 where the switchbacks cross two little streams a few times. Once you make that last crossing, you’d better have enough water with you.

Your only other option would be to take a .8 mile detour at the bottom of Timpanogos Basin over to Emerald Lake, fill up, then traverse back and join the trail just below the saddle.

I saw several groups and individuals who looked like they were about to pass out at mile 4, carrying a little 16 oz. water bottle with them.

TERT recommends (at this time of year) at least a gallon of water if you’re going to summit. Last week from the Aspen Grove trailhead approach I drank about 5 liters and was still dehydrated by the time I got to the bottom.

On Water

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