44

She'd be 44 today. 

Red Pine Lake

Red Pine Lake up Little Cottonwood Canyon Utah is a pleasant hike year round.  I shouldered the snowshoes on the day ruck and headed up the ski track.  The pack thermometer read cccold.  I kept moving.  The few vehicles in the parking lot revealed today will be quiet on this popular trail.

I made my way up, adjusting speed with the rate of sweat.  I made sure I didn't sweat.  Keeping warm means keep moving.  Survival means not getting wet. The trail, an easy step, as many skiers have taken to the rugged back country slopes this area offers.  To my dismay I saw but 8 people all day.

My sunglasses icing up encouraged me to use the brim of the hat to see.  I hiked most of the way up pointed into the sun.  This trail provides clear views down Little Cottonwood into Sandy City and beyond.  The valley, crisp and clean, I hummed a few bars of Michael W Smith's worship song "This is the air we breath."  I didn't mind today.  When I journey up here and see smog below then I mind.

I hit the trail split to Maybird Gulch faster then expected.  I took a breather and a good slug of water.  Utah's dry winter air is dehydrating.  To the west is a rocky gulch that looks to be very popular tday.  I didn't see many boot tracks but a ton of ski skins.  My path is south bound, scratched into the sign next to the engraved Red Pine is 1 hr.  Thruthfully, not far from the actual, when you're the one breaking trail or out of shape.

I pressed on wards.  The track fulk of post holes mixed with snowshoe prints.  I pressed on without snowshoes with no issues.  I hit the false summit in no time and the lake moments later.  Two months ago, I snowshoed up from the split.  Today I'd use the snowshoes as my lunch counter.

At the lake, I found a spot already tramped down and set on the snowshoes.  Pulling a little alcohol stove out I fixed a pot of noodles and tea.  A day like today couldn't be more perfect for this treat.

Headed back down after an hour, glancing at the thermometer there's an extra c to the ccccold.  In the sun temps are surprisingly pleasant, without wind even more so.

Desolation Lake January 1st

Ringing in this New Year couldn't be complete without a hike.  A dusting of snow overnight means a bit of a refreshed trail.  Knowing my car doesn't take to snow well, I headed up Big Cottonwood Canyon.  Mill D looked inciting, only a few cars at 10 am.  I threw on the micro-spikes, wrote in my trail log, and headed up.
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I hiked this trail a month ago.  Ironically, it's also the last entry on the blog.  The Wasatch's received several brief snow storms since then.  This image is taken about a quarter mile up from the last post.
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I hoped the trail would be packed up to the lake.  I got to the final meadow before it abruptly ended and someone post holed in from there.  I tried to match their steps.  I continued on from where they left off.  I can see why entries on http://www.postholer.com begin to mark feet per hour in the Sierra's.  It took near 5 minutes to traverse 100 feet.  I didn't even think about tossing the snowshoes on the ruck because of how well traveled this trail is.  Thankfully this is Utah Powder and not Sierra Cement.  Waist deep, chilled but not cold, and dry as a bone.  Ah, near heaven (okay, at Desolation Lake).
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A couple of snowshoers stomped right past me after I finished up my lunch.  I'd sat on the no swimming sign post which was a foot higher then the snow.  Trying to be in their tracks proved fruitless.  I continued to be waist deep.
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Once back to the beaten path and on the way down, I began to see other hikers and snowshoers.  I joked with the hikers, I post holed for then.  With the snowshoers that they didn't need em until the lake.
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Mill D leads to two lakes.  Dog Lake is fairly easy & well traveled year round.  Desolation Lake is a mile plus further. Though Desolation Lake is a bit further the winter traffic is nearly as heavy.  The trail splits about a mile behind a summer community in Big Cottonwood Canyon. I do recommend these lakes as destinations for those new to hiking.
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As with all mountain traveling, take caution, be seasonally prepared.  It is said of the Wasatch that you never hike alone for long, please do not depend upon someone else for your safety.

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.

Veteran's Day

Today we celebrate the remembrance of our veterans.

I'd like to honor my dad, Capt. Ken Jaworski.  He served in the Cold War as a pilot flying the F-111.  His story is not one of tragedy or misfortune.  When presented with a choice in the late 60's and impending draft to Vietnam he chose to forgo his citizenship to another nation (Canada) and join the service of his choosing - the US Air Force- as an officer.  He chose to honor and serve his adopted homeland rather then take a gamble and put his young bride and child (my sister) at risk of loosing their loved one (himself).  His choice to serve took his young family (and eventually me) to states like Texas and Idaho and to an overseas location - England.

Dad, thank you.

The F-111 was a feared terrain hugging mock 2.5 nuclear ready fighter-bomber. It was more apt as a light weight bomber then fighter.
F-111 on wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics_F-111_Aardvark

No More Zen...

For the last couple of years I've hung out on Zenfolio as my main website of choice to post images and to sell them there.  The time has come with frustration of sorts that Zenfolio is no longer meeting my needs.  I like to post quickly and simply.  They have a rather trite uploader that takes either a bit of navigation to get to or a bit of programming ingenuity to add to Lightroom 3, don't even think about trying to get the Open Source DigiKam of KDE to integrate with it.  As one pages through my images do be aware of the blank spaces.  These were links into Zenfolio.  Hopefully in the cache of GOOGLE the links will still be active from the archives.

Updating

I recognize I don't log into blogger as often as I should.  I am updating and re-arranging things on-line and off.

One of the biggest areas I am re-arranging is my hiking pictures.  I do hike a lot.  Right now I've logged over 400 miles of hiking since January 1st of this year which means I have a lot of photos not posted or processed and a few pages filled in the log book.  I am also studying log distance hiking.  One of the items on my life goals (bucket list) is to hike the Appalachian Trail.  I'll dedicate a post strictly to the AT at a later date.  What I am learning from this study in the intern is life is a series of short term goals played out over the long haul.

Second place of re-arranging is where I am keeping my images. http://preyingjaws.zenfolio.com/ is were I've posted most of my images since my 'pro flickr' account expired.  Zenfolio allows me to host event photos for private viewing and for general audiences.

Enjoy.

SkiLink

This is my letter of petition concerning the SkiLink proposal set up by Rep Rob Bishop.

June 17, 2012

Dear Representative,

I've been following the SkiLink initiative on the news and on the Save Our Canyons website. I do think this is a bold initiative for the development of the Greater Salt Lake/Summit County Region. In the theory that is expressed by the proposal H.R. 3452 and S.1883, yes it will work (for a select few). However, looking at the principles by which this initiative came about violates the very constitution that sets up due process in protecting the governance of the State of Utah, the people of Utah, and the resources of Utah.

I am one who stands for a government for the people and by the people. When a government meets the needs of the people by the set forth process then, yes, the initiatives need to proceed. With SkiLink the process was not followed. It was by passed by representative Rob Bishop acting out of his region and actively promoted as being good for the people with no input by the people. If SkiLink is so good for the people, why wasn't it promoted by the people? If it were good for the people why was is promoted by a foreign entity, Talisker Development Company, and not brought up by the US Forest Service that manages the region SkiLink will cross?

Save Our Canyons has been working with a large number of groups that promote outdoor recreation in developing a plan that will protect our diminishing resources of the Greater Salt Lake/Summit County Region while actively encouraging outdoor usage. These groups working together over the last few years is due process, multiple public hearing were held and proposals going out to the respected groups constituents. The increase usage through preservation of our canyons will bring about a greater economic boost to Utah's economy then by promoting a select few points of interest.

If you want to develop the resource of transportation between the ski resorts of Salt Lake and Summit Counties please look at developing the bus infrastructure and or paving Guardsman's Pass with an emphasis on year round bus shuttles. By developing the bus transportation this will allow for greater flexibility between points of interests which in turn means more people are likely to spend more time enjoying the region either in private resorts or by using public lands.

Sincerely,

Brian K Jaworski

An active user of the Wasatch Range.

Ref: http://www.SaveOurCanyons.org

GOYA

As the Presidential race begins to heat up, I want to express my political stance here amongst my hiking references. I am part of a movement I hope will catch on.  I call it GOYA.

GOYA is simply Get Off Your Ass.  I like to think of this as all people included: voter or not; Democrats to Republicans to Indies to Un-named etc; US citizen to Visitors; etc etc. If you call this or any country your home YOU have the right to participate & are encouraged to do so in the political arenas of where YOU reside.

If you doubt the power of your one vote or expression of concern just look at the race between Bush Jr & Al Gore especially for the state of Florida a few races ago.  Also examine the local races. One vote makes a difference, because together they add up.

In my local area the last local election drew an amazingly small 10% of the voter population. It's estimated that less then 3% of the overall population took part in choosing the next leaders. 

With this small of numbers it's no wonder why people bitch about things not getting done & about why people think we have so many professional politicians.  It's easy to become a professional politician, all one needs to do is run in any race where the incumbent is looking to get out or is no longer popular. Once in all one needs to do is learn to work the system and BANG instant PP.

If you want to bitch, Get Off Your Ass.  Do something, write a politician about one of your concerns, write a fact supported commentary, VOTE.

As the United States of America begins to race for electing or re-electing her leaders & for the office known as 'the most powerful man in the world' remember YOU have a guaranteed Constitutional right to voice your opinion, gather together peacefully, & VOTE.

PARTICIPATE

VOTE

Be the voice & voter that makes a difference in this & all elections.

GOYA

Invitations to charity events are always fun.  I enjoy getting out to see what is capturing the hearts of people.

Miles for Water is a University of Utah student charity.  They want to promote and raise awareness for access to clean water in the horn of Africa.  Though I visited and worked in West Africa with Mercy Ships, I find the continent always tugging at my heart.

I took the time to head out on a breezy afternoon to join a few dozen runners.  After the event I hung a kite in the sky for a while.

Sugarhouse Park is the first place I ever shot a running event close to 5 years ago.  I learned that it's beneficial to shoot people shots in RAW format while shooting high quality JPG's for the run.  This balances out performance with details.  

The D-90 shoots 4 frames per second but can only take 3 seconds worth of images into the buffer when shooting RAW before it has to dump into the memory card.  The dump can take 20 odd seconds which in sports can mean the lost 'money' image.  Shooting JPG's allow for smaller file sizes and thus more seconds of shooting with faster dumps.

If you use any of the provided images please give credit to PreyingJaws.com and send me the link or a copy of the publication, thanks.

SoJo's St Paddy's 5K Run

A couple of friends invited me out to South Jordan's St Patrick's Day 5K run.  I'm an outdoor's kind of person but not a runner.  I came anyways to support them and to chill for a while.

I met the friends of my friends and since I couldn't remember their faces I decided to take pictures of everyone as they neared the finish line.  There are over 750 images so please don't expect to see all of them in the few seconds you are taking to read this post.

Enjoy.