2013

As the sun slips into Utah's brillant atmospheric conditions, I take a moment to reflect on 2013.  This is was a year to plan my dreams.  I hiked, not as often as 2012, but still I hiked.  I spent fewer nights under the stars, but the nights I did taught me invaluable lessons mixed with great rewards for knowing how far I can go.  I took great cafefully planned strides, may be to well planned.

For 2014 I'm looking to define my box, climb out of it, and push for the horizon.  If nothing else, I don't want to see what's on the other side, more for the lessons of the journey.

Each year I write a prayer for the year.  2013 was the shortest and the most rewarding.  In thinking about 2014's it'll be about the same length.  I do prayers over resolutions as prayers are deeper in meaning.  Resolutions, to me, are lists, lists to define, mark off, and to compare.  Seldom has a resolution rssulted in the desired change, prayers have.

Here's to a great New Year.  May your footing be solid, your traction true, & you find that which you are looking for while loosing that which does you no good.

Desolation Lake Trail

Here is the image from the link in another post.  This is the trail enoute to the lake.  For more images of the hike please see my flicker page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/preyingjaws. The set is Desolation Lake November 2013.

Desolation Lake

http://www.flickr.com/photos/preyingjaws/11141486484/in/set-72157638224934993/

I'm copying the link and pasting it as text.  I hope the mobile blogger program inserts the picture.

Each weekend I get up expecting to get turned away at the mouth of the canyons with the sign saying 'chains or 4 wheel drive only.' So far I haven't seen it.

This weekend in keeping with my rotation of which canyon I hike, I went up Big Cottonwood Canyon.  I chose Desolation Lake for the lack of vehicles parked there.

Since it's been a couple of weeks since the last snow fall, I readied myself for mud and ice.  I wasn't far off.  The snow packed trail did not reveal itself until 2 1/2 miles up.  On the way down mud shoe covering deep presented itself several times.  I choose to walk through it, boots are cleanable.  It takes time and a lot of effort to repair damaged trails.

The lake covered with a thin layer of ice kept creakin and moaning under the warmth of the day.  I fixed a hot cup of noodles while scanning for wildlife.  Deer and moose tracks were bountiful on the trail and around the meadows I passed.

Lake Blanche

This image accompanies the post sent by email.  I am thinking, rather pondering, sharing my hikes with more people who are not able to get out and about these beautiful regions.

Re: Hiking

I'm sitting up at Lake Blanche, BCC UT, the day crystal clear, the trail ice mixed with sessions of mud.  My thoughts are surrounded by goals of next year.  I can't isolate how many miles I want to hike nor where I want to explore.  I think I've pushed into 40 days on the trail in over 400 miles.  I've grown to know and love SLC's tri-canyons, Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, and Millcreek, over the last 4 years.  I've seen then in all kinds of crazy weather to perfect days like this one that draws many into the mountains.    This is my first year that I've not taken off to another hiking destination for a week or so of camping.

Where to next year?  How far next year?  When I worked in Yellowstone NP for two summers over 20 years ago, I hiked over 300 miles one of those summers.  Another summer of work, I hit Shenandoah NP  where I met a young fellow carrying a lawn chair, he said it was worth the weight at the end of the day.  The Appalachian Trail runs parallel to the road their.  A couple I'd worked with in a different park showed up too, but they'd bailed out from the AT citing to much rain made for great reason to get off the AT.  Since returning to Utah near a decade ago I've been hiking in my own region.

Memories of those summers hiking in the Parks and other places around the world leave me longing, longing just to take off and go for a very long hike without a daily destination. Without a concern as to trying to get back by a certain time or worrying if I need to be presentable at the days end.  I want to just see how far I can go, how much I can see, how freeing life can be when my worry would be water, warmth, and food.  Were the worries are few and the experience is shared and real.

From my HTC Sensation 4G on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network

off line test

This enrty is to test the adaptablity of the blogger app to see how well it performs off line.  I am wanting to get backnto actively blogging or a post or two a month.  I sent an email post earlier to if that is a viable method.

snow fall

snow fall, originally uploaded by preyingjaws.

Yeah? The first snow fall of this winter.

Ben Lomond

High above North Ogden Utah is a mountain known visually to many as Ben Lomond.  To movie viewers around the world, I'm sure, they know it too.  I've wondered many a time while seeing the title frames of Paramount Picture flicks, where is that mountain.  According to the local trail guide '60 hikes within 60 miles of Salt Lake City' those mountains are one in the same.

Bored with hiking my same trails around Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, I chose to go for a drive and a hike.  Ben Lomond is 16 miles round trip with a bit of elevation gain/ loss at both ends of the route.  It's clean and easy to navigate.  This trail is on public land and is mix use so motorized bikes, horses, and mountain bikes are allowed.  One thing it does lack is a water source.

I found the trail traffic to be light, the views to be stretching, and the weather pleasant. Pictured is a weathered map of the area at a trail junction a mile and a bit below the summit.

Stepping Out

http://www.flickr.com/photos/preyingjaws/9721307280/

I took the opportunity to Step Out for Diabetes this past weekend with my collegues at Twrs Watson/Extend Health.  Many folks I know have or are developing this condition.  Exercise and diet play big part in avoiding it.

Rain

Rainy days in Utah are a rare treat.  Folks may disagre with the last half of my openning statement which is okay by me as it means I can count on fewer folks on the trail.

I fell asleep last night with rain dancing on the roof.  I pondered which trail to hike.  I decided on Desolatin Lake in Big Cottonwood Canyon.  It is gentle in grade, well traveled, and not a lot of brush to push aside this time of year.  I arrived at the trailhead aound 9:30 eith gentle rain falling. The temp hoverd around 60 degress.  Dressed in gortex, my z-poles slung on th day ruck I hded up Mill B/D (I often get the to mixed up).  Rain danced in waves through the trees.  I dared a picture hre nd the eith my pocket point and shooter.  The clouds draped themselves mystically over the minor peaks of the Wasatch. 

After an hour an half of a wet and occasionally muddy trail, I arrived at the lake.  Knowing wet, sweat, and cold don't mix I found a grove of trees to shelter under and add a dry layer.  It's a smart move, a few minutes later I checked th temp again, 40's, burr. 

I suckd down some water and crunched a granola bar for lunch.  This is an area I'll typically hang out for a while.  Had I come yesterday with its clear sky and warm temps this area would be packed with hikers and mountain bikers.  Today, I was alone.  Even alone I did not stay long, just long enough for a few pictures, burr.

Side note, I wrote this on a mobile devic to see if writing a blog on such would be of future usefullness.  I've spent way to long away from blogging and staying current on this site.  The device is working out so far but editing is a drag when i miss a charctr.  Argh there it goes again.