Mt. McKinnon on The Monte Christo Road

When I was young, my father, Robert Gordon McKinnon, would take the family on summer trips to Randolph, Utah. Usually, we'd travel from Bountiful to Randolph via Evanston and Highway 16 through Woodruff, then on the way home, if time and the weather permitted, we would go back to Woodruff, and turn right onto Highway 39, also known as the "Monte Christo Road". Once into Ogden we'd follow I-15 home. If you've never taken this scenic route, do so, it is very much a "must" for nature-lovers, campers, photographers, and history buffs. We would sometimes stop near Mt. McKinnon, and my dad would remind us that Mt. McKinnon was named after his Uncle.

Until recently, I couldn't remember which Uncle it was named for, but through research on the Utah Digital Newspapers (UDN) website, I've learned not only which Uncle, but the reason why it was named for him.

Mt. McKinnon was named in honor of my Grand-Uncle, Archibald McKinnon, Jr.. He was the roadway's champion from the beginning. He did the initial survey, from where the road leaves Woodruff, all the way to the Rich County line near Monte Cristo Peak, and he supervised the construction of the first 13-miles of this stretch. Others supervised the construction from where he left off until the Rich County portion was completed. This stretch of the Monte Christo Road is about 22-miles in length, and is almost entirely uphill.

This work was truly a monumental effort that employed roughly 300 of Rich County's men. Although I've found no evidence of it, I have no doubt that the women of Rich County, particularly those in Woodruff and Randolph participated in their way, by preparing food and cleaning/repairing the workers clothing.

Without Archibald McKinnon, Jr., and the dedicated men that assisted him, this now famous scenic route may never have been constructed.