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| Scotts Pass from Guardsman Trailhead | |
|---|---|
| Trailhead | Guardsman Trailhead |
| Trailhead Elevation | 8,900' |
| Pass Elevation | 9,480' |
| Total Vertical | 600' |
| Skinning Distance | 1.9 miles |
| Online Map | View on wbskiing.com |
Scotts Pass is located in upper Big Cottonwood Canyon on the border between Salt Lake County and Summit County. It overlooks Park City's Jupiter chairlift (there is even a ski area trail sign at the pass—boo!). Scotts Pass is on the way to Pinecone Ridge and Scott Hill. The trail to Scotts Pass is popular with snowshoers.
To reach Scotts Pass, park at the Guardsman winter gate and skin one mile up the road to a right-hand hairpin turn. (Stay near the side of the road to avoid the snowmobilers.) Take the access road which leaves the main road on the left side of this hairpin turn (there is a gate about 200 feet up the access road). Follow that road as it crosses below Scott's Backdoor and arrives at Scotts Pass. Depending on all the variables, it will probably take less than an hour to get to the pass from the Guardsman trailhead.
Returning to the trailhead does require some poling on the flat-ish access and Guardsman roads. This makes this a route little less enjoyable for snowboarders who will probably end up doing some walking.
About the Name
Grammaticians who are concerned that Scott's Backdoor and Scott's Bowl have apostrophes whereas Scotts Pass is missing an apostrophe can relax. The USGS doesn't use apostrophes on names, so I don't when publishing names that appear on USGS maps. However, I do use apostrophes for possessive names that were created by backcountry users. Thus, I'm consistently inconsistent.
Beginner terrain
that is good as you develop your backcountry skills and when the avalanche danger is higher. Click for details.
Intermediate
terrain that requires more experience in skinning and skiing. Click for details.
Advanced terrain
that requires strong skiing and skinning skills. Click for details.
Expert terrain that is
challenging and a small mistake can have serious consequences. Click for details.
Extreme terrain
that includes insanely difficult chute skiing and beyond. Click for details.
The difficulty of this terrain
varies widely. Click for details.
This terrain hasn't
been rated. Click for details.
