A Path to Peace: Hiking Catherine Pass to Sunset Peak & Albion Basin

Conquering Catherine Lake and Supreme Summit

Do you ever feel the need to just... stop? To let the world fall away? That feeling is what led me to this journey on what is now my favorite wildflower hike ever: the loop over Catherine Pass. This trail is more than just a path; it's a meditation. But it's also a classic Wasatch adventure, taking you past pristine alpine lakes, up to a breathtaking summit, and down through the world-famous wildflowers of Albion Basin. This is my guide to that journey—a story of finding peace, pushing through challenges, and experiencing one of the most beautiful hikes Utah has to offer.

The Golden Nugget 🌟

Don't Miss This: The surprise wildflower explosion on the descent into Albion Basin. After the rocky summit of Sunset Peak, the trail bursts into a celebration of color that is absolutely breathtaking. It's a powerful lesson that sometimes you must walk a different way to see everything in a whole new light.

TRANSPORT YOURSELF TO THE MOUNTAIN

This is one of the most stunning and heartfelt videos I've ever created. It is a slow, meditative journey designed to bring you a moment of peace. Put on your VR headset, find a quiet space, and let's walk this path together. Let the scale of the mountains shrink the size of your worries and let the golden light of dawn fill you with hope.

"Take a break if challenges get overwhelming, but don't give up! Then you make it to the top and conquer the challenge, and it is so worth the hardship."

Adventure at a Glance

🏞️ Location: Alta & Brighton, Utah (Little Cottonwood Canyon)
🚶‍♀️ Activity: Strenuous Hiking, Wildflower Viewing
⭐ Shauna's Rating: 💎💎💎💎💎 (5 out of 5 Diamonds - My favorite!)
☀️ Best For: World-class wildflower displays, stunning 360-degree summit views.
⏳ Best Time: Late July to mid-August for peak wildflower season.
🧭 The Route: Start at Alta, hike past Lake Catherine to Catherine Pass, summit Sunset Peak (top of Supreme lift), and descend through Albion Basin.

My Catherine Pass Story

The journey begins with an uphill climb where wildflowers greet you at every turn. With each step, the combination of the vibrant flowers and the vast mountain vistas is simply stunning. I've done hundreds of hikes, and this is hands-down the most beautiful wildflower hike I have ever experienced. You can't help but relax and breathe in the healing energy of such immense beauty. After a while, the reality of the steady climb starts to set in, but just then, a charming meadow opens up, offering a perfect place to sit and soak in nature before the next challenging push.

That push brings you to the overlook of the lovely Lake Catherine. Most people stop here, content to see the lake from a distance. But we wanted to truly feel and connect with it, so we made the choice to take the steep descent down to its shores. It's a commitment, knowing you have to endure climbing right back up that mountain, but the views while wandering around the pristine lake are so worth it. After soaking it all in, we began the grueling hike back out, arriving at the pass spent and exhausted.

Here, we faced a choice. A sign pointed back down the way we came, or further up, to the very top of the mountain that most don't brave. Do we push on up that very steep climb? Yes, we do. We embrace the challenges of life. It’s not about going fast; it’s about taking it slow, telling yourself, "I can do one more step," and taking a break when it feels overwhelming, but never giving up. And then, you make it. You're at the top, you've conquered the challenge, and the feeling is worth every bit of the hardship. The final gift of the journey is the walk down, where we found the companionship of a little stream to follow, its gentle presence filling our souls and giving energy to our final steps home.

Your Trail Guide: Helpful Hints

♦️ Two-Car System: This hike is best done as a loop starting at Alta (Albion Basin campground) and ending at Brighton (bottom of the Supreme lift). It's ideal to take two cars and park one at each endpoint, or be prepared for a long walk back along the road.
♦️ Go for the Summit: From Catherine Pass, the trail to the top of Sunset Peak is steep but absolutely worth it for the incredible 360-degree views of all the surrounding lakes and canyons.
♦️ Wildflower Season: To see the legendary Albion Basin wildflowers, you must go during their peak, which is typically from the last week of July through the first two weeks of August.
♦️ Know the Lifts: The peak you summit is the top of the Supreme chairlift at Brighton Resort. Seeing the ski infrastructure in the summer gives you a fun, different perspective of the area.

Conclusion

This hike is a complete journey. The climb to the pass is a challenge of will, the push to the summit is a test of resolve, and the descent through Albion Basin is a joyful celebration. It's a path that teaches lessons in resilience, surrender, and the beauty of taking a different way home. I hope this guide inspires you to experience the magic of Catherine Pass for yourself, and that the video brings you a moment of the profound peace I found there.

Sending Love and Positive Vibes,

Shauna from VRGetaways