The Great Outdoors

Out annual family hike this year was a little different. I couldn’t attend on the initial weekend, so Tee and Uncle Roger had to trek it alone the weekend before. Luckily for me, Troy could make it either and I was able to convince Harvest that she wanted to hike up the mountain, since she had never done it before. My morning began at ten to 4 after a frantic night of trying to get my sister navigate the correct way to my house after an evening of babysitting, then getting all the needed supplies to take us up and back down the mountain. I always stress out that I’m going to forget some necessity and we’re all going to be miserable the whole time because of it, maybe I channel my inner Jewish mother, but I make sure I pack everything I think we could possibly need. Because of this, I end up with a heavy load, but we always have snacks and TP.
We were just in time to pick up some Carl’s Jr for breakfast and head south to the 2nd tallest peak in the state. Since Troy was driving we were worried that we would take a wrong turn off in one of the mountain roads. It was also getting closer to dawn, and the parking lot is always insane. But lady Luck was with us, as we took the right turns and the parking lot was pretty dead. We easily found a spot and got ready to start. It was pretty cold, maybe in the 50s and still dark while we started.
We planned on getting as far as we could before we needed to turn back, Troy wanted to be home by 3, I wanted to be home as soon as we felt accomplished. The goal was the meadow, which is over half way to the top. We hiked hard and I’m a bit surprised, but I was the one dragging, but of course I didn’t want to be the one to slow us down too far, it wasn’t terrible, but I can see that my hour workouts weren’t enough to prepare me for an all day hike. I was huffing and puffing and my muscles burned. But we got up to the “sun line” where we finally got to hike in the sun, just before we got to the meadow around 10. We felt good and it seemed like it hadn’t been too difficult, so we pushed for the saddle, the point where you reach the crest of the mountain before you hike to the peak. You get a spectacular view of the whole valley. It’s especially nice with all the autumnal colors coming through. We had made it there about 11, since it was conference weekend a few people had their radios and while we couldn’t really hear it, it was almost like we were listening to it. Troy tried to talk us into going that last half mile up to the peak, but even if we weren’t trying to be fast, Harvest wasn’t doing so good with the height we were at, and the last stretch is so much higher and scarier, I thought letting harvest wait until next year would be a good idea.
We decided to hike back to the meadow for lunch, since we had all that extra time. Down was so much easier at first. I was cheerful, I smiled and talked to those hiking up the mountain, because in my mind, I was done. I got less cheerful, really fast. Time stretches so much longer on the way down. Parts of the trail that weren’t there before show up on the way down. I was lucky that my knees and ankles held up, but the bottom of my feet were killing me. We ran out of water, we weren’t sure how much further until the end, we were getting close but it still could have been another 30 minutes of hiking. We stopped and put some mole skin on Harvest’s blisters with this in mind. We were all thirsty and hoping to get a drink from the spigot at the bottom. After getting moving again, around the next corner and we see the end (really the beginning) of the trail. It was just after 2:30. We made it! Another year down and now I know what I should do to prepare for next year.
Things we talked about along the trail:
How you can eat mold because it’s too warm for it to survive in your body. But I disagree with that since everyone on House always is dying from rare spores.
If you plan random seeds throughout your garden, not only will it grow better, but it will also prevent weeds from growing.
Troy’s kids like to wonder about things being numbered a google-plex.
Harvest is really afraid of heights.
Running along the trail may or may not be easier then walking it.
Skiing down the glacier is a fast way down the mountain, but some of us may be too chicken to ever try it (Hey! I like my bones all in one piece!)

Conquering the Mountain (Again!)

This past Saturday marks the 3rd time I've ventured to the top of Mt Timpanogos. Once again, my dad, my great uncle and my brother Tee was in the mix. Absent and missed was my Eldest brother troy, and while it wasn’t a good idea for Caleb to come last year, I did end up missing his fun energy on the way up the mountain.
When we pulled into the trailhead parking lot at 0600 in the dark, it was to find the lot was already full. And it wasn’t like all the hikers were there at 5:45 either, they had been there, some overnight. Overnight? Seriously? The info at the little ranger booth said that the temperatures at the top were about 31 degrees at midnight. Isn’t that freezing? We started up the mountain with flashlights to guide us, but the dark made it treacherous. Later we found out a good portion of those hikers, were midnight hikers, so they could watch the sun rise from the top. Let me just tell you that the sunrise from the bottom of the trail, it was fantastic and not that cold!
The hike seem to go really fast, we made fun of the BYU co-eds hiking and waited while multiple groups passed us and we made jokes about how our group had never passed anyone and why should we start now?
It was really interesting to me to see that a lot of the trail was familiar this time, this is the 4th time I’ve gone on the hike, I just didn’t make it all the way the first time, but since then, I have, but even last year, while there were certain spots that were familiar, now a lot more was familiar.
Being a girl, going to the bathroom on the trail isn’t a happy experience, so at the point on the trail where they have a “toilet” I take advantage. But even with as terrible as this outdoor toilet seat above the ground has been, nothing prepared me. When I hike the extra few meters to get to the secluded spot, the “toilet” was full. To the top. It was just as bad as if there wasn’t one there. I had to use the ground. It was lame, but this is what I guess I have to put up with. This year. Next year I’m getting certain camping supplies that relate to allowing females to relieve themselves while standing. I could have used that. Or maybe I’ll wear a diaper. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
I was really worried about the cold wind on top and packed a lot of cold weather gear. When we find got to the point passed the saddle that becomes fully exposed to the elements and also gets really freaky of those of us afraid of heights, we found the wind, while chilly, was nowhere near as cold as it had been the year before. I actually took my gloves off at one point and was happy that my butt crack wasn’t in danger of being exposed this year. We made it up in just over 6 hours. We had a lovely lunch and I don’t think any of us were really ready for the down hill portion, so we stayed as long as we could at the top. My dear Uncle Roger was kind enough to help me down the steep and rocky portions. It actually not only helped me with my balance but I think it took some pressure off my knees, which didn’t start hurting until much later down the trail.
We made it to the car at about 5 pm. An eleven hour hike from start to finish. Even though it felt like we were making really good time, those last few miles really multiply on the way down. When it’s dark and your muscles are fresh it’s nothing, even though it’s uphill, but by the end those muscles are crying out to stop. And once you do stop, don’t try to start up again. Because it is not worth it.
I spent that evening hobbling around until my bedtime at 8:30 and while moderately sore, it was worth it. I got my rock from the top of mountain again. I hope that I continue to go often. My dad threatens every year is his last and Uncle Roger says 2 more years and then he can retire. Since he’ll be 76. I think 30 years of hiking the mountain will deserve that much needed rest.