A HIKE WITH HISTORY

Summiting Mt. Timpanogos is not only a steep hike - it's a hike steeped in history.

Learn the legacy of the summit hike to enrich your experience as you follow in the historical hikers' footsteps.

View larger versions of the images - click or tap on them to see them on BYU Library's Digital Collections website.

Eugene Roberts

In 1908, Eugene Roberts served an LDS mission in Einsiedeln, Switzerland.

After seeing a group of 5,000 people climb together to a hilltop shrine, he wanted to do something similar when he returned home to Provo, Utah.

Thus emerged the idea of the community hike to the summit of Mt. Timpanogos.

Roberts eventually became known as "Timp" Roberts.

Roberts' Horn, a peak near Mt. Timpanogos' summit, is named in his honor.

Read a Profile of Eugene Roberts

The hikers from the first group of students to hike to the summit of Timp line up in this black and white photograph.

1912 The first group summit hike

In July 1912, Eugene Roberts, Brigham Young University's (BYU) Athletic Director, led the first group summit hike. Twenty students made the trip and it was front page news in the Provo Post on July 23, 1912.

Read the Provo Post Article

Group of students from the first summit hike stand by a waterfall in this black and white photo.

A group of students from the first summit hike are shown climbing a hill covered in snow in this black and white photo

Clockwise from left: The first Timp hiking group takes a break at a waterfall; close up of the group at the falls; the group climbed in some snow.

Men with pick axes stand along the trail they are building in this black and white photo.

1921: Trails built

Due to the hike's growing popularity, the U.S. Forest Service built the Timpooneke Trail, which provided access to the summit from the north. In the 1920s, with the help of BYU students, the trail from Aspen Grove was also built.

Men are shown building a trail with a waterfall in the background in this black and white photo.

Men and horses stand with Roberts Horn in the background in this black and white photo

Men are shown bending over and moving rocks along a trail they are building in this black and white photo.

A large crowd of people are in the Theater of the Pines amphitheater in this black and white photo

1925: Hike grows in popularity

In an article announcing the 14th annual hike, the Piute County News noted that 2,500 people attended the pre-hike bonfire in Aspen Grove the previous year. With trails built, the hike continued to draw more people each year.

In the undated photo at left, the Theater in the Pines amphitheater is full for the pre-hike program.

In the undated photo below, young women are shown in the torch lighting ceremony prior to the bonfire that was part of the pre-hike program.

Young women dressed in white carry torches in this black and white photo

1927: The Glass House built at the summit

Photo from Joe Hilton's Collection & courtesy of Michael R. Kelsey. The Glass House on the summit of Mt. Timpanogos in 1931. Rhodini Christiansen is in the picture and it was likely taken by his father, Alma Christiansen. From Michael R. Kelsey's Hiking & Climbing Utah's Mt. Timpanogos

Members of the Pleasant Grove's Wasatch Club wanted to place a monument at the Timpanogos summit. After several years of fundraising, then-Governor Dern encouraged the group to involve the Forest Service. The Forest Service supported the idea and construction was started and completed in September of 1927. Horses and burros transported the building materials and one article reported that U.S. Forest Service Ranger Vivian West, who oversaw the construction, had to hastily break camp after completion to avoid being snowed in.

Read September 3, 1927 American Fork Citizen article about construction plans for the Glass House

Read September 23, 1927 Salt Lake Telegram article about completion of the Glass House

Read September 28, 1927 Salt Lake Telegram article about 150 people visiting the Glass House

Read July 20, 2003 Daily Herald article about the history of the Glass House

The badges above are just a few from Alfred Pace's collection - read about them in a Y Magazine article.

1930 First year for Timp badges

Small badges designated membership in the Timpanogos Summit Club. The tradition of giving these to hikers who made it to the summit continued until the end of the hike. Alfred Pace is believed to be the only person to receive a full set of badges.

Read a Y Magazine profile of Alfred Pace and learn more about Timp badges.

Alfred Pace is shown with a Timp stick and a hat with many of his Timp badges during the 39th annual Timp hike

Alfred Pace is shown with a Timp stick and some of his Timp badges at the 39th annual Timp hike.

1936 Silver Jubilee Hike

For the 25th anniversary of the Timp hike, 5000 people attended the pre-hike celebration in the Theater of the Pines, and 1000 reached the summit. An article in the Sunday Herald noted that "Timp sticks" or alpenstocks were given to participants in the pre-hike ceremonies. In the undated photo at left, hikers take a break.

Read July 26, 1936 Sunday Herald article about the 25th anniversary hike

Hikers are shown lined up waiting to get into the Timp glass house

In this undated photo, hikers wait to go inside the Glass House on Timp's summit

Skiers at the base of the Mt. Timpanogos Glacier in 1948.

Photo from 1948 shows skiers during the Glacier Cup. Photo courtesy of the Marriott Library.

1948 Glacier Cup

Deep snows in the 1940s added skiers to the mix of hikers in summer. Races down the Timp glacier were held, with Utah Humanities reporting there was a record number of attendees in 1949. According to SkiUtah, Alf Engen, a famous ski coach and Olympian, set the slalom course for the 1948 Glacier Cup.

Cover of a flyer advertising the Glacier Cup in 1948

Image shows the front page of the July 18, 1953 Daily Herald

1953 First fatality and calls for increased safety

During the 43rd annual Timp hike, 19-year-old Vera Mecham was killed after being struck by a rock from a rock slide. Two days later, the editors of the Daily Herald encouraged hike organizers to continue the hike, but to increase safety measures. They noted that "the hike has 'gotten out of hand' in some respects, particularly with respect to the dangerous and deplorable practice of 'cutting the trail' by over-zealous participants."

Read the July 18, 1953 Daily Herald article about Vera Mecham's fatal accident

Read the July 20, 1953 Daily Herald article calling for increased safety measures

Image shows people milling around the Emerald Lake shelter

1960 Emerald Lake Shelter Dedicated

While plans were developed in 1953, and construction started in 1957, the Emerald Lake Shelter was dedicated in 1960. The shelter was designed to provide restrooms and a safe spot for injured hikers or those caught in bad weather. It included restrooms, a fireplace, first aid equipment, and communication gear.

Read June 30, 1953 Daily Herald article about plans for the Emerald Lake Shelter

Read information about the shelter from the Historic Site Form

Read an article & see pictures of the current state of Emerald Lake Shelter

Screen shot shows Emerald Lake blueprints

Emerald Lake shelter is shown in undated black and white photo

The images below are from the Emerald Lake Shelter Historic Site form - view the full document here.

By the time these were taken, the restrooms were gone and the shelter had fallen into a level of disrepair.

A view of the front of the emerald lake shelter

An angled view of the Emerald Lake shelter

Dedication plaque inside Emerald Lake shelter

The fireplace of the emerald lake shelter

People standing in the door way of the shelter

1970 Hike is so popular it is too popular

In its 59th year, the Timp hike had become very popular - too popular to be good for Timp and its environment. The headline from the Sunday Herald says it all - swarms of hikers converged on Timp, and it was not a good thing for the mountain from environmental and sanitation aspects. The negative impact had been noticed for a few previous years, but the 1970 edition of the hike solidified the detrimental effects.

Read a BYU Daily Universe article about the discontinuation of the hike

A screen cap of an article about the Timp hike being canceled

1971 Formal Hike Discontinued Due to Ecological Concerns

With thousands of people on the trails at one time, the impact on Timp's delicate environment could no longer be ignored. While it would have been the hike's 60th year, it was discontinued so future generations could enjoy Timpanogos in its full beauty. This article appeared in the May 14, 1971 edition of the Ogden Standard-Examiner.