The Four Tops and Ptarmigan Point, 07/16/2005
We summited five peaks, including the four tops, on this hike in the following order: Flattop Mountain (12324 ft, 3756 m), Ptarmigan Point (12363 ft, 3768 m), Notchtop Mountain (12129 ft, 3697 m), Knobtop Mountain (12331 ft, 3758 m), and Gabletop Mountain (11939 ft, 3639 m).
We started hiking from the Bear Lake Parking Area at 7:30, reaching the Flattop Mountain summit at 9:21, Ptarmigan Point at 9:45, Notchtop summit at 10:17, Knobtop summit at 10:37, and the Gabletop summit at 11:21.
After the Flattop Mtn summit, we did not meet a single soul until we returned to Flattop after tagging the other four peaks. In contrast, when we returned to Flattop we could see countless people standing around the summit of Hallet Peak. Besides enjoying the wildness, solitude, and immensity of Bighorn Flats, we actually saw some bighorn sheep as we hiked from Ptarmigan Point to Notchtop Mountain. It was a couple of females with young ones. When they saw us they headed for the safety of the cliffs near the south side of Notchtop. On the four summits after Flattop we only found one with a summit register, Gabletop Mountain. The register only had two entries for this year, and not very many before then, since the register was placed there in 1992 by Jennifer Sears.
We returned to the Flattop Mtn summit at 12:49. There were a huge number of people on the trail from the Flattop summit down to Bear Lake. We returned to the parking area at about 15:00.
GPS data
Place Name Elev [ft] Accuracy [ft]
Bear Lake Parking Area (high end) 9484 14
Flattop Mtn summit 12346 14
Ptarmigan Point 12391 10
Notchtop Mtn summit 12314 16
Knobtop Mtn summit 12369 15
Gabletop Mtn summit 11963 14
Elevation difference from low point (Bear Lake Parking Area) to high point (Ptarmigan Point) = 12391-9484 = 2907 ft
Elevation difference from highest peak (Ptarmigan Point) to lowest peak (Gabletop Mtn) = 12391 - 11963 = 428 ft
Point list
Flattop Mtn 40.3092 105.6906Ptarmigan Point 40.3130 105.7020
Notchtop Mtn 40.3186 105.6945
Knobtop Mtn 40.3244 105.7020
Gabletop Mtn 40.3325 105.7008
Bear Lake Parking Area 40.31195 105.64515
Notchtop position 40.31948 105.69690