Pleasant Grove, Utah

Magnificent

Mt. Timpanogos

Effie W. Adams

December 1988

Author's note:

The information in this article does not represent primary research. I have relied heavily for most of my material on the publications and writings of other authors. It was written as a Christmas project for my 1988 gift to grandchildren and is for their interest. It contains some facts about Mt. Timpanogos -- its name, its fame, its trails, its face. Also I have written of my feelings bout the magnificent mountain and some of my experiences thereon. I have included my "view" of Timp, a couple of "they say" stories, a couple of legends of Timpanogos, and a few of my favorite poems about Timp. I have closed with Timp's own song, "On the Trail of Timpanogos."

The shortcomings and flaws in this writing are all mine. However, I credit Dale Adams for its being as well organized as it is. I also acknowledge his editing, suggestions, and assistance with printing. He tried valiantly to get me out of the typewriter age into that of the word processor, but that hasn't yet produced anything in the way of sure results. His computer and his knowledge of its workings have made this manuscript more readable than it would have otherwise been.

Effie W. Adams

December 1988

Magnificent Mt. Timpanogos

THE NAME

The grandeur of Mt. Timpanogos is recognized by those who lived within sight of her, and the name Timpanogos is widely known. But while many Utahns and others know of the mountain and claim it by name, not all know the source of its christening. Those who claim to know do not always agree as to the source of the name except to the extent that it has Indian roots. Research reveals that while the name Timpanogos at present identifies the grand mountain of the Wasatch range, there have been times when the mountain was known by other names. And there have been times when the name Timpanogos identified other places and things. Also the designation Timpanogos has one meaning to one writer and a different meaning to another.

By contemporary interpretations, the name Timpanogos means "Sleeping Woman" in the Paiute language, But this comfortable belief was questioned in the recently published UTAH ATLAS. In the chapter titled "Utah Names," but Mr. John W. Van Cott, it reads: "Mt Timpanogos does not, as many believe, mean Reclining Woman. The name refers to the rocky ledges and narrow canyon of the river."

Some writers have attempted to understand the Indian language and give what they thought was the true meaning of "Timpanogos." Albert B. Reagan, for example, gave a report in a 1935 presentation he made to the Utah Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters. His title was "Some Names of the Ute Indians of Utah," followed by a selected list of words used by the Indians of the State. He gives the spelling of the name as it sounds, and the English equivalent. Of interest were the following:

Tim (peg), means rock

Pah, means water

To yab by, means mountain

Ipeds, means boy

Non-zitch, means girl

Ep-way, mean sleep

Wig-ki-bah, means mountain top

William R. Palmer, another Utah historian who did considerable research in Indian lore, wrote an article for the Utah Historical Quarterly Volume 1, number 8 (1928), titled, "Indians Names in Utah Geography." He wrote:

Timpanoquint, Timpanogos -- The Provo River, Utah and Mount Timpanogos nearby. The word Timpanoquint has been slightly changed and transferred by our geographers from the river to the mountain. Mt. Timpanogos was know to the Indians as Pa-ak-ar-et Karb," meaning Very High Mountain. The word "timp-pa" belongs to the river. The full name for Provo River was "Timp-pa-no-quint," which interpreted is as follows: Timp, rock; no-quint, running (water running over rocks or a stream with a rocky bed).

Mr. Palmer quotes from George W. Hill the following breakdown of meanings of Indian words:

Timp - rock, stone

Timp-in-og-wa , Provo River

Timp-a-we-to-e, cast iron kettle

Timp-tim-ad-so-ne, grindstone

FIRST RECORD OF THE NAME

The first written mention of Timpanogos is found in the journals of Father Escalante. He and his companions were the first white men to make a written record of their visit to Utah Valley, and to view Provo River, Utah Lake, and the surrounding peaks of the mountains, including magnificent Mt. Timpanogos. Prior to the arrival of Escalante's group there was little known about the land of the Utes -- the area north of the Colorado River which Cardinas called the "damned country" as he viewed it from the south rim of the Grand Canyon in 1541. For over 235 years after Cardinas bestowed this title to what is now Utah the Spanish largely ignored this vast area. But during the late 1770's settlement of California and troubles with Indians of the Southwest encouraged the Spaniards to try to find a safer route to California from Santa Fe. They speculated that perhaps a less hazardous route would take them through the land of the Utes who were less warlike than Apaches and other tribes along the southern route.

There was knowledge circulating at the time that somewhere in one of the valleys of the mountains through which this route would pass there lived Indians known as the "Laguna" (lake) Indians. These Indians were reported to be friendly and could likely be of help as guides and sources of food.

Father Francisco Atanasio Dominguez was appointed to organize a party commissioned to discover a feasible northern route from Santa Fe to Monterey. The Father chose as his first lieutenant and party diarist a young Franciscan priest, 24 years old Fray Silvestre Velez de Escalante, know as Father Escalante and who gave his name to the adventure. The party also included a mapmaker, Don Bernardo Miera y Pacheco, who made a number of maps that marked the general topography of the area and recorded many of the campsites of the expedition. These two members of the exploring party provided the first written description of the land of the Laguna Indians, to become known as the Land of Timpanogos.

When the party started their journey they had no guide who knew the country or the trails. They hoped to find a Laguna Indian along the way who would serve as their guide. They left Santa Fe on July 29, 1776 On August 26th, Escalante records that they had moved north into what is now Colorado and then on to what is now the borders of Utah near Moab. They were near enough that they could see beautiful mountains to which they gave descriptive names, the LaSal and the Abajo. But the way ahead was formidable, and so with no trail, or guide, they retraced their route some distance to find a guide. On August 28th they made contact with natives who know of the Indians for whom they were looking. This is Escalante's first mention of the term Timpanogotzis, or Timpanogos as later spelled. He writes:

"We stopped today with the intention of resting a while and then continuing up the river until we found a settlement of the Sabauagana Indians, which we learned yesterday was near here, and in some Timpanogotzis Indians through whose land we intended to pass…"

A day or two later the journal says this:

"Here we stand at the door to the unknown and as yet without a guide. Into camp with Atanasio and Anders have come five Sabuagans Utes and another who was of the Timpanogotzis. He is exactly the one we seek, an Indian whose people live beside that distant lake we have heard so much about. Persuading him to guide us, we name him Silvestre."

These two items which give casual mention of the name "Timpanogos" for the first time suggest that the name was well known to the Spaniards. It indicates that the name was indigenous to the Indians and did not originate with the Escalante group as did many other local and people names they bestowed as they traveled.

Escalante's party proceeded to travel safely through the mountains following the trail over which they were led by their guide (whom they later found to be one of the chiefs of the Timpanogos Indians). They entered Utah Valley via Spanish Fork Canyon on September 23rd and camped on the south shore of Utah Lake for three days. Contrary to the description of the Ute country given by Cardinas, Escalante gave a glowing report about Utah Valley. He gave the following report:

"We climbed a small hill and we saw the lake and the vast valley of Nuestra Senora de la Merced de los Timpanogotzis (This is the name we will give it from now on)."

They continued their report with the following description and mention of the Timpanogos name identifying it again with the people, the valley, and mountain.

"There is no easy way to tell of our brief stay in the lovely valley beside the lake of the Timpanogos people whom we have called the Lagunas. Perhaps it is best summarized in retrospect … It was about 1 o'clock in the afternoon when we saddled up and said our good-byes. Surely it was not by mere coincidence tat we entered this lovely valley on the Feast of our Lady of Mercy. In its singular loveliness, it deserves the name of the most holy Mother of Jesus Christ…

None of us can forget this valley and lake and the majestic mountain which gives this people their name: Timpanogos, THE STONE ONE. But we have little chance to enjoy exploring this fertile place. It try to note in my journal all the important things of settlement -- foul and fish, timber and streams, mountain meadows and valley grassland."

This is the fist time the travelers give the Timpanogos name to the mountain. The mountain must have particularly impressed Escalante -- or been an important aspect of the Indians' lives -- for him to apply the name Timpanogos to the mountain and then to emphasize the majestic sight as the "THE STONE ONE."

Part of the report made on their return to Santa Fe was maps drawn with meticulous attention to names by Miera. They were primitive and curious, but well executed andd of great interest and value. For many years thereafter they appear to have been the basis of all maps that were issued relating to the Yuta country. Miera clearly identifies by name the lake as Laguna de los Timpanogos, the river as Rio Timpanogos, and the mountain as Sierra de los Timpanogos,. He also gives an enthusiastic description of Utah Valley, or as Escalante wrote "The Valley of Nuestra Senora de la Merced de los Timpanogotzis." Miera wrote:

The base where the principal objective of the enterprise should be established is the valley and the borders of the Lake of the Timpanogos, near one of the rivers which water the valley, because this place is the most pleasant, beautiful and fertile in all of New Spain. The lake and rivers which empty into the lake about in many kinds of choice fish; there are to be seen there very large white geese, many varieties of duck, and other kinds of beautiful birds never seen elsewhere; beavers, otters, seals, and other animals which seem to be ermines by the softness and whiteness of their fur. In the valleys of these rivers there is much uncultivated hemp and flax

A summary of the applications made by Escalante of the name "Timpanogos" to the lake, the Mountain, and the Valley show the following:

THE LAKE -- When Escalante applies the name "Timpanogos" to the lake, he does it with few adjectives. Very early in their journey, before they had found the guide they needed, he notes in his journal: "Don Miera will be able to plot all of this on his map, and from the Sabuagans Utes we will obtain the best of all guides and be assured of a certain pathway to the lake of the Timpanogos people."

Before they entered the valley he writes: "The Timpanogotzis are named for the lake, around which they live, which is called the Timpanogos (Rock or Rocky). This is a strange name for this lake, because the name or word used to signify any lake is Pagariri."

Reporting on conditions they found at the lake: "The Timpanogotzis Lake is teeming with several kinds of edible fish."

After wandering in the desert trying to find their way back to Santa Fe he writes: "In a serious vein, if this was to be the future road to the Lake of the Timpanogos, it is obvious our weeks of wandering hardly represent the best route.

As he left the Laguna people Escalante's heart was tender toward them: "There is no easy way to tell of our brief stay in this lovely valley beside the lake of the Timpanogos people whom we have called the Lagunas."

In his report he says that the lake of the Timpanogos was 800 miles from Santa Fe on this way out, and 900 miles on the way back.

While Miera, the mapmaker, was very definite in giving the name Timpanogos to the Lake, other map makers labeled it with different names. One later mapmaker was confused about the separation of the Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake for he joined them together and named them " The Lake Teguaya." On another map the lake of the Laguna Indians was labeled "The little Ute Lake." On another, "The Eutaw Lake," and another "Lac Salado." For a short period it was known as "Ashley Lake" [Utah Historical Quarterly, Vol. 11 (1943), p. 124].

THE MOUNTAIN -- Both Escalante and Miera appeared to have been more impressed with the valley and the lake than with the mountain and the river. Escalante notes his appreciation of the grandeur of the mountain when he notes: "None of us can forget this valley and lake and the majestic mountain which gives this people their name: TIMPANOGOS, THE STONE ONE.” And in one other note he adds another descriptive title. He is describing the Indians who live around the Salt lake: They are not enemies of the Laguna, according to what was hinted, but because on one occasion, they approached and killed a man and on this occasion they entered through the last pass of the Sierra Blanca DE LOS TIMPANOSIS … by the north." This identifies the mountain as the WHITE Mountain of the Timpanogos.

THE VALLEY -- Escalante also applies the name of Timpanogos to the valley, usually with laudatory adjectives. He wrote: "It was not by mere coincidence that we entered this lovely valley on the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy. In its singular loveliness, it deserves the name of the most holy mother of Jesus Christ."

As they ascended the small hill where they could see the present Utah Valley for the first time, he wrote: "We climbed a small hill and we saw the land and vast valley of Nuestra Senora de la Merced de los Timpanogotizis (This is the name we will give it from now on.")

True to his promise to call the valley by this name, he records this after they leave the valley: "It is two weeks since we left the Valley of Our lady of Mercy of the Timpanogotzis."

When Escalante made his report to the governor after returning to Sante Fe, he wrote:

On the northern side of the San Buenaventura River, as we said before, there is a ridge of mountains and from what we could see of it, it runs from northeast to Southwest more than seventy leagues. In its widest part it is more than forty leagues, and where we crossed it, perhaps thirty. In this ridge, on the western side, at 40 49" latitude, northwest, a quarter north of the town of Santa Fe, is situated THE VALLEY DE NUESTRA SENORA DE LA MERCED DE LOS TIMPANOGOTZIS, surrounded by the highest peaks of the ridge from which four medium sized rivers decent which irrigate the valley."

Don Miera in his report to the King described this lovely valley as "being the most pleasing, beautiful, and fertile site in all of New Spain. It alone is capable of maintaining a settlement with as many people as Mexico City." He reverts back to the simple name of Timpanogos for the valley when he tells about an interesting item in his report to the governor in Sante Fe: "We also shall present the skin token given us the day we left the valley of the Timpanogos."

Thus it is firmly established that the name Timpanogos, whether applies to the early inhabitants, to the Lake, the Mountains, to the Valley or to the River had its origin before white men knew of it. The meaning of the name is buried in Indian lore. The Paiutes said it meant "Very High Mountain," and also said it meant "Water Running Over Rocks." Mount Sierra Blanca de los Timpanogos, "The White Mountain of Timpanogos," was bestowed by Escalante. He also named it, "The Stone One." He also named the valley Nuestra Senora de la Merced de los Timpanogotzis, and explained the meaning, it being the day of the feast of our lady of Mercy. He thought the valley so lovely that it deserved the name of the Mother of Jesus Christ.