The backcountry roads are still too muddy, the valley is beautiful, but the moment you start to gain in elevation, patches of snow appear, water begins to run across the road, and soon even the maintained roads become slick. So I continue to search for unranked peaks that are close to home. I could drive south and climb some ranked desert peaks, but for the moment, I am enjoying the local hills.
Muddy Hill is another stand-alone minor peak nestled among several small ridges along the foothills outside Minersville, Utah. I don't know why the other mountains are not listed, but Muddy Hill has a name and a dry road that comes close to the base of the peak.
Muddy Hill
I park at the southeastern base, following a game trail through a ravine. The hiking is easy going, and I avoid the cliff band that rises from where I park to the summit. Taking a zig-zag approach, I smile when I notice the nearby saddle has tire marks and a camp firestone circle on it. Not often, I've climbed a peak to find a road up the opposite side, but the paths in this area spider a lot, and I could have wandered around the foothills for another hour and still not found the trail to the top. I reach the summit in short order, eat a small snack, and return to the car in 27 minutes flat. These are not significant peaks, but I still enjoy the view and the thrill of reaching a summit. Not far from here is where we often gather the beautiful Picasso Marble for Linda to use in here jewelry art.
Muddy Hill summit view to parked Fj
Muddy Hill summit view north to Minersville, UT
My next destination is Ninemile Knoll; the peak resides along a maintained road to the west and south of Minersville. I locate the blacktop road and start my drive. Soon it turns into a beautifully maintained road, and I am surprised by the amount of dust I am kicking up in my wake. The way is flat, and I can see for miles. As far as I can tell, not another dust cloud is present along any of the roads in view.
Ninemile Knoll, Ninemile Knoll - UT, quad
Ninemile Knoll is another bump in the road, and I strain to see it as I approach from the east. The route will pass by, but not close. Another dirt road passes to the west, and I travel down this path until it becomes apparent that I'm not getting any closer. The ground is solid, flat, and contains little vegetation. I could drive to the base, be up and back in 5 minutes, but I don't. It's not my land, and although cattle trails mark the valley, I don't see any vehicle prints heading in that direction. Returning, I pull over on the main road in an area I hope is the closest to this peak as I can reach by car.
Ninemile summit view northeast
My GPS puts the summit just under 1/2 mile away as I set out across the dry landscape. Reaching the peak, I take a few pictures and attempt to find the high point of this rounded hill. The return hike is pleasant as the sun shines, and there is no wind. Not a single car has passed in the 24 minutes I have been walking. Ninemile Knoll is the only listed peak in this quadrangle, so I am pleased to be able to check it off my list.