TAYLOR'S FLAT

AMY'S NOTES: Taylor's Flat is located on the south side of Ephraim Canyon road a short way beyond the turn off to New Canyon. Several trails and atv roads lead up from the Flat. What began as a plan to summit Bald Mt on Saturday evolved into a quick jaunt up the start of the Backbone (which I'm excited to see more of). The continual rain over the last several days has converted our snow into melted rivers of water, deep slush, and trecherous mud. Everything is pretty sloppy. We were still able to catch the setting sun over the valley and watch the clouds throw patterns on the foothills. As I write this now in the warmth and shelter of inside, the house is getting pounded by hail. Kim and I talked about big plans and big hikes for the spring and summer and decided a conversation with Virgil is due. Stay tuned.

NEW CANYON

Hikers: Kim, Amy & Isa the Dog
Start Time: 3:20 pm
RT Time: 1 hour 40 min
Weather: 45 F, overcast with breaking sun

AMY'S NOTES: It's springtime in New Canyon. The snow is melting and the smell of the ground is strong. We forged small rivers, slogged through ankle deep slush, broke through ice, and admired the reds and browns of last season's turned maple leaves and the scent of junipers. New Canyon is always beautilful regardless of the season. I think we are sufficiently warmed up for tomorrow provided our boots are dry by morning.

BALD MOUNTAIN WINTER SUMMIT

Hikers: Amy & Isa the Dog
Start Time: 10:00 am
Summit: 12:35 pm (2 hr 35 min)
RT Time: 4 hours 40 min
Base Elevation: 5900'
Summit Elevation: 8464'
Way Points: Screen 32 min
RT Distance: 9.2 miles
Weather: 15 F at start, clear & sunny

AMY'S NOTES: A great day to be alive in Sanpete. While the rest of the world was sitting in church pews, I got the mountain to myself. A beautiful, exquisitely quiet, blue-bird winter Sunday. I had no intention of reaching the summit when I first started out this morning. After a weekend spent in Park City with scensters, hipsters, and art farts at Sundance it simply felt good to be alone in wide open space under a Utah desert sky. The plan was to make the huff to the screen and head back, but I couldn't help myself. I'd been thinking about that summit for the last couple of weeks and it just felt too close and too hard to pass up on such a beautiful day. (Sorry Kim, we'll have to do it again next weekend.) The first third of bald mountain (to the screen) is a fairly steep climb. The second third is a relatively moderate series of switchbacks. And the last section is once again a steeper climb. I was able to walk in snow mobile tracks for the first two thirds but after that was goose stepping through knee high snow (without gaitors) and following the deer tracks. It didn't look like anyone had been up there since the last snow fall. The summit time from our last bald mountain excursion in early fall was 1 hr 53 min. It took me 40 minutes longer. Returned soaked, hungry, thirsty, and happy.