Looking north from Mount Ellen Peak (11,506), I can see that one day I'm going to have to stash a vehicle down there somewhere and hike the whole ridge.

Looking west from Ellen Peak, the Anthill is much clearer here, right in the centre just below the horizon, a 'peak' with one green side and one white side (I mention the Anthill because it appears in many of my pictures taken around my house).

From here I turned back but I really didn't want to climb back up to the ridge and there seemed to be a path around the west side of the ridge, this turned out to be a mistake. The path was just a buffalo trace and though it was easy on this side of the summit, round the corner it became rougher and then crossed a series of rocky areas which were covered with loose layers of rocks and very difficult to traverse. I kept thinking that just round the next corner I would be able to get back up to the ridge but it seemed to just get further away with no obvious access. It took me a couple of hours at least to get back to the trail and I was exhausted by the time I did. It's pretty amazing what sort of terrain buffalo can cross, they must be fairly nimble. I got back on the trail near the first summit and staggered back to the bike.

By now the shadows were beginning to lengthen, I didn't know what the time was as I don't own or want a watch, but I can see from the photo time that it was 6:30, I'd been hiking for over 6 hours. Still, the road went in a loop round the south ridge and it seemed a pity to come up here and not make the loop. Looking south from just east of the pass.

Looking east towards the La Sal Mountains near Moab.

To the south of Mount Ellen is Mt Pennell with The Horn in front of it.

The Horn

I continued on round the loop reluctantly passing a number of side roads and then wound my way back down the mountain to the Notom Road. By the time I got there the sun was quite low.

The interior of the strike valley, one ridge east from the Notom Road.

They come to life once the sun sets...

Casting a long shadow.

It was a long day and my legs were sore for several days afterwards but I enjoyed the hike and will definitely go up there again. I'd like to go after the first snowfall, I've read several accounts of people being up there when it was snowy so I know it can be done, I think I'll take my truck rather than a bike though.

My Topo Maps

Links:
Thompson Expedition Through the Paria-Escalante-Waterpocket Canyons Region of Utah (1872)
Wikipedia - Mount Ellen
SummitPost