Five of us squeezed into Dan's 4-seater car and drove to the Uinta Mountains for a 10-mile hike. Destination: Box Elder Peak (nothing to do with the Box Elder bug.)
After paying the $5 entrance fee, we winding our way up, past the Timp Caves entrance to our trail head. Only 100 meters into the hike, there was a little confusion as to which trail we were suppose to follow. There were numbers with no names that we recognized. We followed our guts, which ended up leading us in the right direction...I took pictures of markers just in case we had to double back and couldn't remember which paths we chose.
A little too sure of ourselves after feeling like we were headed in the right direction, some of us thought we could get to the peak easier by bush-whacking. I was NOT an enthusiastic follower. The initial trail that lured us away from the main path was a blocked off trail that looked like it led straight to the base of the mountain. The "trail", however, gradually became more and more impassible. If it weren't for my leaving markers that only I could identify, we never would have found our way back without them.
Joseph, the most adventurous and leader of the group, was always searching for new trails to take. I had to play the grandpa card and keep him in line. (There is a 0% chance of hiking with him again if there is any chance of an ambiguous trail.)
However, on one of his off-trail excursions, he did find a moose in a pond that we all enjoyed photographing. I am so glad that we were on a cliff above him where there was no possible way for him to charge us.
The hiking bunch included, me, Dan, Chen, Joseph, and Dan's RM brother
'
At this point, bad things started happening. My trusty walking stick split when I put all my weight on it as it came down on a stone in the path. CRACK! At least I still had my book I was listening to on my iPod.
This tree stump marked mile 3 on our ascent. By this point, my Mongoose boots had started to rub my heels raw. After the hike, I decide to donate them to Chen and stick with the other winter boots that Dad bought for me my sophomore year at BYU.
This was one of the beautiful vistas we enjoyed on the way to our destination. Unfortunately, the sun went down soon thereafter and I didn't really get any other good pictures. I must say, I have not seen a sky so full of stars in YEARS! Away from the city lights, the Milky Way truly appeared to be a river of light.
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Listening to: Enya - The Memory of Trees
After paying the $5 entrance fee, we winding our way up, past the Timp Caves entrance to our trail head. Only 100 meters into the hike, there was a little confusion as to which trail we were suppose to follow. There were numbers with no names that we recognized. We followed our guts, which ended up leading us in the right direction...I took pictures of markers just in case we had to double back and couldn't remember which paths we chose.
A little too sure of ourselves after feeling like we were headed in the right direction, some of us thought we could get to the peak easier by bush-whacking. I was NOT an enthusiastic follower. The initial trail that lured us away from the main path was a blocked off trail that looked like it led straight to the base of the mountain. The "trail", however, gradually became more and more impassible. If it weren't for my leaving markers that only I could identify, we never would have found our way back without them.
Joseph, the most adventurous and leader of the group, was always searching for new trails to take. I had to play the grandpa card and keep him in line. (There is a 0% chance of hiking with him again if there is any chance of an ambiguous trail.)
However, on one of his off-trail excursions, he did find a moose in a pond that we all enjoyed photographing. I am so glad that we were on a cliff above him where there was no possible way for him to charge us.
The hiking bunch included, me, Dan, Chen, Joseph, and Dan's RM brother
'At this point, bad things started happening. My trusty walking stick split when I put all my weight on it as it came down on a stone in the path. CRACK! At least I still had my book I was listening to on my iPod.
This tree stump marked mile 3 on our ascent. By this point, my Mongoose boots had started to rub my heels raw. After the hike, I decide to donate them to Chen and stick with the other winter boots that Dad bought for me my sophomore year at BYU.
This was one of the beautiful vistas we enjoyed on the way to our destination. Unfortunately, the sun went down soon thereafter and I didn't really get any other good pictures. I must say, I have not seen a sky so full of stars in YEARS! Away from the city lights, the Milky Way truly appeared to be a river of light.
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Listening to: Enya - The Memory of Trees
Wow, that last picture is really beautiful. Do you always hike listening to musica? I am glad you're really getting to appreciate Utah beauty. I miss hiking.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the raw heels. Glad you left those great markers Hansel. Love you! Talk to you soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments on my blog! I forgot to say, I didn't see the moose at first in the picture, because I was drawn in by the moose-shaped LAKE, cool. Feelin' sore from your half marathon?
ReplyDelete