Peaks of Davis County

Rising as much as a mile above the valley floor, the Wasatch Mountains — the area's most dominant landmarks — clearly define the eastern boundary of Davis County. A physical feature that many take for granted, these mountains create a watershed that helps support life in Davis' 15 cities.

But what are the tallest peaks in these mountains? Where did their names originate?

If one were to ask county residents to name the imposing peaks overlooking the housing-dominated flatlands nestled between the shores of the Great Salt Lake and the mountain foothills, its likely that the only answer that would be forthcoming is Francis Peak, which features a couple prominent white radar domes.

However, it's hard to really criticize the general ignorance concerning the names of the mountain peaks. That's because only two of the 10 highest peaks in the county (all located between Farmington Canyon in the center of the county and the mouth of Weber Canyon at the county's northern extremity) have been given official names by the Utah Geographic Names Committee, the state agency commissioned to identify the state's geological locales. While many have local nicknames that have historical roots, those names are not generally known outside the neighborhoods nearest to the peaks.

Only Francis Peak (9,515-foot natural elevation) and Thurston Peak, county's tallest (9,706), have official titles.

The number of peaks that have official names from Farmington southward to the Salt Lake County line isn't any higher either. Only Bountiful Peak (9,259-foot elevation) and Cave Peak (6,803) show up on USGS maps.

Francis Peak, Davis' most famous summit, was once Davis County's craggiest mountain, too. However, some 22,000 cubic yards of material and 32 feet of the peak's height were removed to level the site for the radar domes in the late 1950s.

The Federal Aviation Administration originally wanted to locate the radar site above Salt Lake City, near Alta or Snowbird. But the National Guard was already using a temporary facility at Francis Peak, so that became the joint location.

Workers at the peak's construction site had to wear thick, long boots and carry sticks or pistols. Although snake experts said the reptiles can't live that high, someone forgot to tell the rattlers.

There were numerous nests of rattlesnakes uncovered in the building process, despite the site's almost 2-mile-high elevation.