Ascend – Exploring Utah By Elevation

Promontory is the site where one of greatest technological feats of the 19^th century was accomplished; the completion of the North American Transcontinental Railroad. At Promontory the Central Pacific Railroad from Sacramento, California and Union Pacific Railroad from Council Bluffs, Iowa were connected, thus linking the eastern and western United States by rail for the first time. Connecting the east and west coasts by rail would prove to be a pivotal event in transforming the American West both economically and demographically.

A six year endeavor, the rail line was started in 1863 and was completed at Promontory on May 10, 1869, just 4 years after the Civil War had ended and only 100 years before man would land on the moon.

Location of Promontory

Map of Promontory

All 4k Points

In mid-November of 2009, a spray paint mural was added to Salt Lake City’s skyline.

“For the times they are a-changin’” – Bob Dylan

2nd Street Color Version

2nd Street Madonna SLC Map

2nd Street Madonna 4k Map

all 4k points

Sundial Peak  is 28 miles south-east of Garfield Smelter and 6,017 feet higher. Located in the 10,000 foot slice of Utah, Sundial Peak is positioned in the mighty Wasatch Mountains on the eastern edge of Salt Lake County.

There are at least three destinations in Utah that go by the name Sundial. The lowest Sundial Park in Davis County is located at 4,265 feet, followed by The Sundial, a 7,590 foot peak just north of  The West Temple in Zion National Park, and finally the tallest of the Sundials, Sundial Peak which stands at an impressive 10,360 feet above sea level.

Sundial Peak Map

10k Sundial Peak Map

The Empire State Building is tall, really tall; and so it might surprise you to find out that Utah has a man-made structure that is almost equal in height to the Empire State Building – The Garfield Smelter.

The Garfield Smelter is a prominent landmark located in the north-west corner of Salt Lake County. The smelter’s smokestack is 1215 feet tall and is the tallest manmade structure in Utah. It is almost three times as tall as the Church Office Building which is the tallest building in Utah and is only 35 feet shorter than the Empire State Building.  In fact the Garfield stack is the tallest smokestack in America west of the Mississippi. Built in 1974 it cost 16.3 million dollars to build. Click here for more info on the smokestack.

Garfield Smelter Map

4k Garfield Smelter Map

If there is one thing Utah is known for it’s the Mormons; but let’s try to look past that. If there is one other thing Utah is known for it’s all the Californians; but let’s try to look past that too. If there is a third thing Utah is known for it’s the state’s dramatic range of landscapes and topography. Few if any of the other states in America have the variety of elevation and scenery that Utah has. This web log is dedicated to exploring Utah and categorizing its scenery based on elevation and excellence; the highest, the lowest, the oldest, the coldest, and so on. I hope you’ll enjoy it.