HAZARD STATS

BACKBONE BOONIES

2011-07-28T08:53:00.006-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Jen, Uta, Hope

WEATHER: sunny, with a little chill in the air at the start.

KIM'S NOTES: I was the lagger today, but it was still a good hike. It was fun to have Jen there for the first time. I'm happy to report- no bugs. As we reach our summit on this hike, there is a 'camp' there (that is pretty permanent) with a tombstone that read: 'Here lies the last person to call us white trash.' Words to live by.

NEW CANYON SUNSHINE

2011-06-28T09:08:00.003-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Jamie, Hope, Uta

WEATHER: 60˚ & sunny!

NOTES: Felt really good today. Amy remembered the bug spray, so we were in good shape. We just hiked our little hearts out and enjoyed the sunshine.

BACKBONE BUGS

2011-06-14T08:45:00.002-06:00

HIKERS: Jamie, Kristi, Amy, Kim

WEATHER: nice and sunny, warm

NOTES: This is the first time we've done the Backbone this year. It was in great shape and we had a good hike. The sun was wonderful on our faces. We have missed it. One thing about a great water year, however, is all the bugs. We came home with quite a few new bites.

MUDDY CREEK

2011-06-11T17:10:00.001-06:00

RAFTERS: Kim & Cory, Amy & Brook, Sandra & Danny, Brook & Jason, Tim & Ashley
WEATHER: warm, sunny, clear, 85˚ F
PUT IN: Tomsich BUTTE
TAKE OUT: Hidden Splendor Mine
TIME: 5.5 hours with a few stops
HWY GAGE: 2.3 (this run), 1.6 (last run)
DIRECTIONS: Exit 131. There are 2 major signs at forks in the road - head towards the seep and mckay flats. Red Canyon road is to be avoided due to length and condition.
DISTANCE: 15 miles (according to other sites)
AMY'S NOTES: The great and mighty Muddy Creek, a formidable torrent of switches and boils and drops deep enough to write home about! Well, OK, maybe not so mighty. But certainly a fantastic ride and worthy of blogging about. A very narrow slot called the Chute - 8 or so feet wide at it's skinniest with log jams 20 feet above crammed in the rock. It starts as a banal looking canal and slowly narrows into the chute with red rock walls towering up either side 200 feet into the blue sky above. I did this run last week with V. and friends and it was a VERY boney run. However the levels this weekend were perfect and the water swift. Note to self: Always bring a patch kit.

OLD HIKE, NEW SIGN

2011-06-09T08:56:00.005-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Jamie, Hope & Juta

WEATHER: warm, sunny, clear, 60˚ F

KIM'S NOTES: I didn't feel great today until I got to the top (of course;). Allergy season is truly upon us. Jamie kicked butt and so did Amy. With all the injuries she's had lately, she did terrific. We are so glad to all be back together!!

'Thumbs down' on the new billboard at the base of Bald Mountain.

This is Jamie as she left us in the dust. Energizer Bunny Award winner- again. (Amy and I have yet to receive this esteemed award.

We set up the self-timer to take a photo and Hope had to come sniff the camera. So you get a close-up of her hind leg and us laughing in the background.

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN

2011-05-26T20:21:00.000-06:00

NOTES: It's been so long I can't even remember how to blog. Finally WALKING AGAIN!!! Kim and I hiked up New Canyon to the concrete head gate. Hope and Juta came along and loved it, or maybe I'm just projecting... Sunny, but still cool end of May day.

TO THE SCREEN

2011-05-03T10:59:00.005-06:00

HIKERS: Jamie and Kim

WEATHER: 60˚ƒ, sunny and beautiful!!

NOTES: This is the back of the screen (our destination) and view of our pretty little valley. There are three consecutive hills on this trail we have dubbed the Three Sisters. At the second sister Jamie consistently pulls away from me. I guess I just can't keep up the pace. I was huffing today!! I've learned that running and hiking aren't the same muscles. Cross-training is good... Cross-training is good... Cross-training is good...

NEW CANYON MUD

2011-04-16T09:51:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Kim and Jamie

WEATHER: Partly sunny, 48 f

NOTES: Second hike of the season and it went well... except for the mud. It was dry ground until the hill after the EZ PZ rock, then it turned into slushy, muddy snow. Bummer. We didn't get the full hike in. I guess the weather is going to need to improve a bit more. Other than that, it was great.

BALD MOUNTAIN BIRTHDAY

2011-04-05T17:05:00.003-06:00

HIKERS: Kim and Jamie

WEATHER: Sunny, windy, 65 f

NOTES: It was a great way to start my birthday. I forgot to time us, but I know it was slow. I am VERY out of shape. Jamie made it to the screen about 2 or 3 minutes before me. It was a bit muddy, snowy, slushy but only in one spot. Definitely a great day to hike. Too bad its supposed to snow tomorrow! :(

BASE OF BALD

2010-12-09T22:40:00.008-07:00

PHOTO DISCLAIMER: I am lame at talking self-portraits. I concentrate so much on taking the thing that I look ridiculous in them! Your turn next time, Amy!

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Hopie, Juta

WEATHER: about 35 f, partly cloudy

KIM'S NOTES: Yes! We are back! So fun to get out and hike again. It was pretty casual, but wonderful to be outside enjoying the brisk winter air. We need to go again soon!

AMY'S NOTES: Yes it was good to be out. And Kim it's just the camera phone...

MAPLE CAYON WITH THE KIDS

2010-10-17T15:14:00.005-06:00

HIKERS: Cory, Kim, Drew, Kayle, Christian, Marshall, Phoebe

WEATHER: 75 f, a beautiful, sunny fall day

NOTES: We hiked up to the Pipe Dream rock climbing area and set up a zip line for the kids. It was such a perfect temp. to be there and we had a great time enjoying the outdoors.

BAPTIST DRAW/LOWER CHUTE CANYON AGAIN

2010-09-18T07:57:00.003-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Jamie, and miscellaneous friends and Young Women

WEATHER: up to 90 f, clear and sunny

KIM'S NOTES: I went back to Baptist Draw and took some Young Women from my church and some of their leaders (14 of us all together). We had postponed this hike 3 times before because of bad weather (rain and slot canyons are NOT a good mix). We were so happy we were finally able to do it.

Here I am with Jamie and a friend (Juli) waiting our turn to do the first rappel (15 ft).

Here is Jamie doing the second rappel (80 ft).

This is the 'hall of horrors' we literally had to swim through, it was so deep. It goes clear back under the rock and way around the corner. However, I did keep my pack over my head, thus keeping my camera dry. I know, I am truly talented.

Jamie, Kristi and I trying to clean off our feet after swimming the big hole. It was silly to do, because just around the corner there was more mud and water, and just around that corner, and just around that corner... you get the picture...

This is such a beautiful place! Despite the muck, smell and chill, I can't help but want to go back. You just don't see places like this every day.

THE PLAYFUL PAYETTES

2010-08-17T16:42:00.005-06:00

Yay! Amy is back in action- at least for some river running! We had a blast up on the Payette rivers in Idaho.

We did the Old Swirly run (class 2-3)...

... and the Carbarton run (class 3-4) in our inflatable kayaks!

We sat in some amazing hot pots!

Here is Amy trying out the slack line. We need to look for a cabin up there! We LOVED it!

RAMBLING AROUND E-TOWN

2010-08-02T19:51:00.002-06:00

WALKERS: Jamie, Kristi, Linsy, Kim

WEATHER: warm, clear morning

KIM'S NOTES: We have been doing some jaunts around town since our big summit. We are also going on hiatus for a week or two while we do some summer vacationing. See you later...

BALD MOUNTAIN ROUND TRIP

2010-07-28T19:20:00.005-06:00

HIKERS: Jamie & Kim

WEATHER: 60's- 70's, overcast

SUMMIT TIME: 2 hours

RT TIME: 4 1/2 hours

View of Manti

KIM'S NOTES: Jamie and I have not had the driving force of Amy behind us this summer. She is out with an injury and we really miss her pushing us to do some serious hikes. We finally got the gumption to summit Bald Mountain. It was WAY longer than I remembered, but we finally made it.

This time, however, we hiked down the back side and ended up going down the Backbone to the main canyon. We hadn't set up a shuttle car, so that walk added 45 minutes to the ordeal. Our feet were burning, but we accomplished our goal! Yay us!

SEVIER WITH THE GIRLS

2010-07-27T19:11:00.002-06:00

RIVER RUNNERS: Amy, Kristi & Kim

WEATHER: 80, partly cloudy

BIKING TIME: 55 min.

RIVER TIME: 1 hour, 10 min.

KIM'S NOTES: I had such a great time on Saturday I wanted to do it again, so Amy and I packed up Kristi and off we went. We had a nice ride up the canyon (the temps were still in the 70's for the ride) and then we all had a clean run down the river (no one swam). The water was a bit lower than Saturday. I think they are shutting it down while all the farmers cut their hay.

Lunch at the Big Rock Cafe at the BIG ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN was a great way to end our trip. (What is it about water sports that make you starving?) All, in all, a perfect girls day out!

SUNNY SEVIER

2010-07-24T20:43:00.005-06:00

RIVER RUNNERS: Kim and Cory

WEATHER: 95 f, hot and sunny

TIME: 50 minutes on bike trail, 1 hour 20 minutes on river

KIM'S NOTES: This is such a fun river for me. I know it very well, it is an adventure without being too scary. Cory and I rode our bikes up the 6-mile bike trail that follows the river to Big Rock Candy Mountain where we had left our boats hidden in the bushes. We left our bikes and floated the river. The water is fairly warm this time of year and it was a good, clean run for us both. I highly recommend it!

WHITE TRASH WAY

2010-07-16T09:12:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Kim & Jamie

WEATHER: 54 f, clear and sunny

RT TIME: 1 hour

KIM'S NOTES: I have decided this is the new name for the Backbone. We hike up through the oak brush along a steep trail that is a great workout. The issue, however, is that it is predominately private land and the people who own it are full-on rednecks. They have put together the biggest collection of old campers and trailers and motor homes west of the Mississippi and have them strategically placed all the way up the mountain. We just noticed this morning that they have put some 'lots' up for sale, so if you are in the market for a place to park your trash, this is your lucky day!

BIG 'S' MOUNTAIN

2010-07-12T09:18:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Kim & Jamie

WEATHER: 55 f, sunny & clear

SUMMIT TIME: 19 minutes

RT TIME: 34 minutes (+ 8 more back up to get my jacket :)

KIM'S NOTES: This is our first official hike up S mountain. It is a short, but STEEP hike and gave us a great workout. We got all the way back to the car and I realized I had left my jacket about 1/2 way up, so we did the trail again. OOPS! My legs are feeling it now. We really miss Amy and hope she gets better soon!

FOREST SERVICE BOUNDARY

2010-07-09T08:22:00.006-06:00

HIKERS: Kim & Jamie

WEATHER: 52 F, sunny and clear

KIM'S NOTES: We have been on hiatus for a few weeks. Lots going on for everyone, so today some of us were back to it. We hiked the main canyon road today because there was a man just starting New Canyon and we didn't want to follow him the whole time. We hiked to the cattle guard at the Forest Service Boundary. It was a beautiful morning.

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT IN NEW CANYON

2010-06-21T10:08:00.003-06:00

HIKERS: Kim & Jamie

WEATHER: 45 f, SUNNY!

KIM'S NOTES: The sun was up this morning! We were on a road that lined up directly with the rising sun. It was crazy how blinding it was. I don't remember it from previous years...

BALD MOUNTAIN BITES

2010-06-16T08:13:00.003-06:00

HIKERS: Kim & Jamie

WEATHER: 51 f- sunny

KIM'S NOTES: Well, the mosquitos are out! Jamie and I found out first hand. Bummer. It sure has been nice without them.

NEW CANYON CHILL

2010-06-11T11:45:00.005-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Kim & Hope the dog

WEATHER: 49 f, chilly and overcast

SUMMIT: we went to the irrigation divider in 29 min.

KIM'S NOTES: This morning was chillier than it has been for a while. The sun was hidden behind the clouds and it just never warmed up. It was a great hike though. I felt great today!

BALD MOUNTAIN SHRUBBERY

2010-06-09T08:59:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Jamie, Kim & Hopie the dog

WEATHER: 60 f, sunny

KIM'S NOTES: It is getting sunny and warm in the mornings. We go at 6:45, but the sun is over the mountain and shining on us the whole way. We went farther this morning- to the shade tree. I was sweating like a pig, but felt pretty good.

NEW CANYON SPRINKLE

2010-06-02T08:45:00.001-06:00

HIKERS: Kim & Jamie

WEATHER: 53 f, cloudy and sprinkling

RT TIME: 60 min.

KIM'S NOTES: Nice hike this morning. After yesterday it was nice to do something a little more gradual. Jamie was nice and stayed with me. We went all the way to the irrigation divider.

BALD MOUNTAIN PHLEM

2010-06-01T08:40:00.001-06:00

Oh, what a beautiful morning... I love our little valley this time of year. So nice and green with the snow still on the peaks.

HIKERS: Jamie, Kim, Amy, Hope the dog

WEATHER: 48 f, sunny

SUMMIT TIME: Jamie- 22 min., Kim & Amy- 24 min.

KIM'S NOTES: Jamie wins the the Energizer Bunny award again. Amy and I couldn't keep up with her. She had made it to the screen and past and was jogging back by the time we got there. (Thanks for rubbing it in Jamie ;). Amy and I did shave a minute and a half off our time from Friday though (thanks to Jamie pushing us)- there's always a bright side!

BALD MT. BUTT-KICKER OR RETURN OF THE PINK SKIRT

2010-05-29T08:23:00.006-06:00

click for link to get your own little hot pink number

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Hope

WEATHER: 66 f, warm and sunny (woo hoo)

SUMMIT: 25 min.

RT TIME: 50 min.

KIM'S NOTES: Our summer is finally here. We were actually WARM on the way up this morning! We didn't talk much on the hike because we were too breathless. It was quite a chore to make it, but we did. Definitely not our fastest time, but it is great to be back in the groove and have a schedule again. Our summer hikes are here to stay! It was inauguration day for Amy's pink hiking skirt. Such a proud day when that comes back out after a winter in the drawer...

MAIN CANYON

2010-05-25T09:30:00.003-06:00

HIKERS: Amy & Kim & Hope the dog

WEATHER: 45 f, sunny, but with a chilly breeze (we got ear ache/headaches)

TIME: ?

KIM'S NOTES: A beautiful sunny morning, but cold. We got 3 inches of snow yesterday and it was all melted. We did the main canyon again because we were concerned it might be too muddy.

EPHRAIM BY BIKE

2010-05-21T18:07:00.004-06:00

CYCLISTS: Kim, Amy
WEATHER: 47 F, Mostly sun
TIME: 1 hour

AMY'S NOTES: Our first bike tour! We skirted the edge of Ephraim city streets proper with a short excursion onto some dirt trails on the east foothills. Thinking about "Same Old Mondays", "Bike Tour Wednesdays", and "Discovery Fridays." Or some variation of that.

MAIN CANYON MUD

2010-05-19T11:40:00.000-06:00

HIKE: main canyon road

HIKERS: Kim & Amy

WEATHER: chilly wind (about 49-50 f)

KIM'S NOTES: It was muddy (already stated), so we stuck to the main canyon road and it was still muddy. Good workout, however.

WE'RE BACK!

2010-05-17T10:55:00.005-06:00

HIKE: New Canyon

HIKERS: Amy, Kim & Hope

TIME: not very fast

WEATHER: beautiful, sunny day in the 60's!

KIM'S NOTES: It was great to be hiking again, especially in this lovely weather we are having today! (Wish it would last longer than just today...) I got tired easily because I haven't exercised for a MONTH, but we made it to the Lone Pine marker. We are back on the trail and happy about it!

NEW CANYON

2010-04-20T18:30:00.003-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Hope the dog
SUMMIT: 50 min, Petey Bishops TH
RT DISTANCE: 4.5 miles,
RT TIME: 1:30 approx
ELEVATION GAIN: 1000 ft

AMY'S NOTES: I love Gmaps Pedometer. It allows you to figure out all the mileage and elevations with sat images and road maps. Check it out. http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3659401

SOUTHERN LOOP (via 100 E 300 E)

2010-04-19T16:43:00.003-06:00

BIKERS: Amy
RT DISTANCE: 10 miles (2 Loops)
TIME PER LOOP: 26 min average

AMY'S NOTES: The great thing about going uphill is that you get to go downhill. The loop is one I used to run and is a total of 5 miles. Today I lapped it twice for a total of 10 miles.

DIRECTIONS: Starts at the corner of 100 E 100 S, south on 100 E to the end of the pavement at the Christensen Rd, then back on 300 E.

LEGACY PARKWAY TRAIL

2010-04-19T09:03:00.006-06:00

BIKERS: Amy, Brooklyn
RT DISTANCE: 16 miles

AMY'S NOTES: Started at the North Salt Lake Center St. trailhead and pedaled north. The first of 8 legs in the bike portion of the triathlon. Mile 4 brought a flat tire due to a staple, but with the help of a couple of strangers I was back up in a few minutes (thanks Alan). I did learn a few things I did not know before. I have a tube in my tire (as opposed to tubeless), compressed air cartridges are really cool, schraeder valves are old school, it takes a special tool to remove a tire, squishy stretchy pants are a good investment, and if the store you bought them at forgets to remove the anti-theft device don't try to remove it with a hammer.

IRONMAN TRIATHLON

2010-04-15T13:51:00.006-06:00

AMY'S NOTES: Let the games begin! I'm excited silly about this. I've decided to do an Ironman Triathlon, newbie style. I have 2 weeks to complete all the mileage. A local woman participated in a similar event while living elsewhere and has decided to get it started in our rural outpost of a town. Interestingly, we have a strange abundance of very athletic outdoor minded people in these parts. (One of the things I love about this place.) Despite my prodding, cajoling, and general harassment, I couldn't convince Kim to do it with me. She did, however, agree to do a handful of the legs with me. Yeah Kim! (Why is everyone not as excited about this as I am?) Tomorrow we will do 9.2 miles up Bald. I am worried about the torn acl and IT band but plan to go slow and put in the time rather than focus on speed. This will be the first significant physical effort since last fall. I think it's just what my body and soul needs, injuries included. The loose plan is to break up the mileage by day and hike rather than run to save the knee. I also plan to swim at Palisade rather than the pool because I can't stand chlorine. I have the least experience with biking, and in anticipation of a sore saddle bought a new ergonomic squishy bike seat and gel filled bike shorts, which I've always laughed at in the past. :-) I'll be using the bike I've had since college and my kayak helmet as a bike helmet. Not exactly high tech, but it will work. This is the newbie version of a tri after all.

Swim 2 legs (1.25 miles ea) @ Palisade
Hike 3 legs (9 miles ea)
Bike 8 legs (14 miles ea)

TOTAL MILES:
Swim 2.5
Run 26.2
Bike 112

"WANNA COME OUT 'N PLAY?"

2010-04-14T14:23:00.005-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, HopE the dog
HIKE: New Canyon
WEATHER: 55 F, or so
RT TIME: 1 hour

AMY'S NOTES: To which I responded, "YES! I'd love to run away from home for the afternoon!" And so began our New Canyon afternoon adventure. We both are clearly feeling the cabin fever of winter and work.

BALD MOUNTAIN- SIDE DOOR

2010-03-23T20:16:00.003-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Kim, HopE

SUMMIT: 40 min.

RT TIME: 3:25 pm- 4:38 pm

WEATHER: 40 F -- way warmer than we thought it would be.

NOTES: tough conditions today. lots of mud and slushy, heavy snow. we chose the cross-country route most of the time to keep the mud from the road from building up on our shoes. It was a great work-out and a beautiful spring day.

ICY CHILL - NEW CANYON

2010-03-17T08:16:00.003-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, HopE the dog
RT TIME: about an hour
WEATHER: fairly cold

AMY'S NOTES: A few days of warm weather and a snow storm thrown in between made for an icy hard-packed landscape yesterday morning. Classic Utah. The signs and symptoms of the closing of winter are in the air. Hallelujah! Look closely at the picture of HopE.

SLUSH & MUD- NEW CANYON

2010-03-05T17:38:00.004-07:00

HIKERS: Kim , Amy, Hopie the dog

RT TIME: 1 hour, 10 min. to Lone Pine Hill

WEATHER: nice, brisk hiking weather

KIM'S NOTES: Whew, this really got us back into the thick of it. We really felt it in our calves, so it was a good work out. Lots of melting, slushy snow, thus the mud, but a great hike. May I just stress again how great it is to get out and hike again!

MAIN CANYON TEST HIKE

2010-02-25T15:21:00.004-07:00

{Insert Amy's Photo Here }

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Hope the dog

WEATHER: cold, frosty morning

SUMMIT: 24 minutes (?)

KIM'S NOTES: Wow, it's been a long time since we hiked and posted. Amy's been holed up with her injuries, so I have been doing other things for exercise. It was great to get out on the trail again. Felt good to do something besides running or reps in front of the TV.

SANPETE FOOTHILLS

2009-12-08T21:40:00.003-07:00

AMY'S NOTES: This is post #101. A really cold but beautiful late afternoon walk. Smitten with the light and fresh snow. A busted knee and a sick dog makes for slow walking. Call it a meander. Hope is the only one with any agility to speak of these days and she certainly has enough for all. The first big snow of winter. Soft, powdery, Utah snow. And the warm yellow light of the desert in december. The dogs love it - it's what Bernese Mountain dogs were bred for. They are utterly in their element.

LITTLE WILD HORSE & BELL CANYONS LOOP, SAN RAFAEL SWELL

2009-11-10T18:42:00.005-07:00

HIKERS: Kim, Cory, Dane, Drew, Christian, Amy, Brook
WEATHER: 60's, Sunny
RT TIME: 3.5 hours
DISTANCE: 7.5 miles

AMY'S NOTES: This is a very accessible hike in San Rafael Swell about 5 miles from Goblin Valley State Park. We started at the parking lot trailhead for Little Wild Horse and looped back through Bell Canyon. The midsection connecting the 2 canyons is a multiple use dirt road with full sun exposure. Wild Horse is a great canyon for running up and down walls - demonstrated best by Christian! More detailed info and maps on Tom Jones' website: http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/utah/swell/little.htm

CANYON ROAD- IN THE SNOW

2009-10-28T14:38:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, and the dogs

TIME: 8:30 am- 9:30 am

WEATHER: 24 f, snowing

KIM'S NOTES: It was interesting to be hiking in the snow again. I had some mixed feelings about it. It was beautiful, no doubt about that, but a little too early in the weather scheme of things for us to be getting 4-8 inches of snow. Nice hike though.

ZION, CORAL PINK SAND DUNES

2009-10-26T18:29:00.005-06:00

Walking on the petrified dunes.

The actress.

Modeling the hair piece.

AMY'S NOTES: Spent the weekend in Zion National Park shooting an experimental film short. I didn't have too much time for hiking but did manage a few solitary wanderings up side canyons in the petrified sand dune area. We also spent some time shooting in Coral Pink Sand Dune State Park which looks just as the name describes - coral pinkish, dunish, and very sandy. Beautiful weather in the 70's.

GREEN RIVER DAILY

2009-10-19T15:11:00.004-06:00

AMY'S NOTES: A beautiful weekend on the Green. Ran from Buckley Wash to Swazey's a couple of times with bike shuttles. Forgot the tent, forgot the bike seat, forgot my paddle, lost my wallet... Slept in the tandem inflatable, borrowed a paddle, got the wallet back thanks to the honesty of strangers... it all worked out. The cottonwoods were brilliant yellow, the beaches were empty, the sun warm, and the nights cool. A handful of rafters came down from Desolation but it was otherwise empty. Sad to see summer go. Oh yeah, and I forgot the pan to cook dinner in. :-)

MAPLE CANYON EXPLORATION

2009-10-16T22:04:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Cory, Kim, Phoebe

TRAIL: view point, slot canyon, and pipe dream

NOTES: Maple canyon is our oasis in the desert. Who would ever guess that a fern could grow in the wild in our climate, but it is true and we saw them today. I have hiked this trail before, but we took the 'road less traveled' a couple of times and were greatly rewarded by amazing scenery. The colors are so gorgeous right now I was mentally kicking myself the whole time that I didn't have my camera. We also found a huge cavern called 'pipe dreams' that has bolts all over the ceiling for climbers. I am so disappointed there weren't any climbers on one of the routes. It would be an amazing thing to see. They would have to be defying gravity! All in all- perfect weather, perfect scenery and perfect trails. After Phoebe quit bawling the company wasn't too bad either. : )

BACKBONE REVISITED

2009-10-16T21:16:00.002-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Kim

TIME: Approx. 9:30- 10:40 am

TEMP: Little chilly to begin with, but perfect after we got going.

NOTES: We haven't hiked in a while and it felt like visiting an old friend. We didn't do too bad for just eating a big breakfast right before either. Hiking in the fall is the best! Cool, crisp weather, beautiful colors and mud caking your shoes. Ah, perfect...

RAGNAR LAS VEGAS

2009-10-12T09:47:00.008-06:00

Attempting to spell RAGNAR

DATES: October 8-9, Friday & Saturday
TEAM: Mighty Mandelbaums #37 (aka Mighty Muffin Tops)
RUNNERS: Van 1: Amy, Tracy, Jason, Kristi, Joe, Hillary, Van 2: Jaren, Doug, Michelle, Brad, Roger, Tracy
START TIME: Oct 8, 9:00 am
FINISH TIME: Oct 9, 12:30 pm
LEG 6: Valley of Fire, 5.3 miles, Hard, 90 F, mid afternoon, 62 min
LEG 18: Lake Mead Trail, 5.4 miles, Hard, 58 F, midnight, 67 min
LEG 30: Vegas Suburbs, 2.9 miles, Easy, 60 F, early morning, 32 min

AMY'S NOTES: 171 miles. The first 12 hours of the race were pretty great. You run your first leg, support everyone else running their first leg. Carry water, spray your teammates down, spray strangers down, crack jokes, cheer for other runners, keep a running tally of all the honey pot stops, and generally have a good time. The next 12 hours are a little more interesting. Your normal bedtime hour comes and goes, the honey pots take on a certain rankness, the temperatures cool, people's eyes start to glaze, night settles in on the course, runners pass as bobbing flashing lights on the asphalt, and the legs become a journey of solitude through an unfamiliar desert landscape with only a few feet of headlamp illuminating the way. The final hours are another story entirely - it's more like survival mode. On my third leg, shortly after dawn, I joined the "god job, keep it up" club. I stopped counting after the 10th time and started laughing after each proclamation of encouragement. You have to look pretty miserable for perfect strangers to be repeatedly telling you "good job, keep it up." Not the fastest times in the world, but I ran the whole way despite being ridiculously sick all week long, and I'm shamelessly proud of myself.

To see several ridiculous videos of the adventure go to: http://www.youtube.com/remoteindustry

BALD MOUNTAIN IN THE MOONLIGHT

2009-10-02T13:56:00.001-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Phoebe

TEMP: 45 f

TIME: 8:30 pm

NOTES: Very fun little hike with my 6 year old daughter. We just went as far as she could (about half way to the screen) and then we stopped and had a little snack. She had a blast looking at all the lights of the town and all the stars. We had a great time!

TWIN PEAKS SUMMIT!

2009-09-28T16:51:00.010-06:00

The trail forks at this lake.

Justin coming up through the gap.

Dave working his way along the ridge.

Dave, Amy & Justin on the summit!

Manly men.

Before sunrise at the spot where we turned around the first time.

HIKERS: Amy, Dave, Justin
START TIME: 6:15 am
RT TIME: 9.5 hours
SUMMIT TIME: 5 hours
SUMMIT ELEVATION: 11,330 ft
ELEVATION GAIN: 5100 ft
TRAILHEAD: Broadsfork TH, Big Cottonwood Canyon
WEATHER: Sunny, clear

AMY'S NOTES: Third time is the charm. We finally made it and with the core group we started with - the stalwarts. The weather was beautiful and I was in the company of two really great guys. A cold front and storm moved in on the Wednesday afterwards and the mountains have been covered in snow since. And strangely, I actually love that it took us 3 attempts to summit - it became the epic of the summer. With every attempt the jokes became funnier and the adventure more grand. This time we took the left fork at the lake and were able to follow a well traveled trail into the next colouir where the trail peters out and you need to pick your way up the scree and talus slope. It's at this point that you can see one of the twin peaks in the foreground. On this last section, after splitting up and trying different routes, we found it easiest to stay left and aim for the gap (or slot) along the ridge. We then picked our way along the ridge to the summit. This seemed a better route than taking the "trail" that snakes along the base of the ridge. We spent about 45 minutes on the summit enjoying the views of Little Cottonwood, Big Cottonwood, Timpanogos, Nebo, Alta, Snowbird, Red Pine, White Pine, Salt Lake Valley, and Mt Olympus - the mountain that started it all. Ended the day in tradition with a big meal at Porcupines. Loved this climb.

"Broads Fork Twin Peaks, more frequently referred to simply as "Twin Peaks", is the highest and most prominent mountain on the eastern skyline behind Salt Lake Valley. With an elevation of 11,330 feet (east summit) and 11,328 feet (west summit), the Twins rise nearly 7,000 vertical feet above the valley floor. The most commonly used ascent route is via Broads Fork, a class 3 climb of 5,100+ vertical feet with some scrambling and exposure. The center of the Twin Peaks Wilderness Area, the peaks here are some of the most rugged to be found in the Wasatch." -SummitPost.org

THE MIGHTY WEBER

2009-09-28T16:25:00.006-06:00

KAYAKERS: Amy, Brooklyn
WEATHER: 75 F
FLOW: 510 FT
RUN TIME: 1 hour approx.
CLASS: II
PUT IN: Henefer, Weber River access turnoff
TAKE OUT: Taggarts

AMY'S NOTES: After hearing about the Mighty Weber for what seems like eons, I finally got to run it. It's a great narrow river that winds it's way through Ogden canyon. Stretches of calm interspersed with rock gardens, eddies that swirl in all directions, a very good surf wave, one really fun drop, and steel bridges that crisscross the river in multiple places. I took the bandit and Brook was in a hard shell. A beautiful warm Saturday afternoon with hits of fall foliage and very few people on the river.

AlBION BASIN: CECRET LAKE, GERMANIA RIDGE

2009-09-14T21:28:00.004-06:00

WEATHER: Storms, rain, wind & cold

AMY'S NOTES: The second trip to Albion Basin this summer though a completely different landscape this time because of the weather and turning colors of the vegetation. Storm clouds, rain, a lot of wind, and a beautiful sunset. A short hike to Cecret Lake and then we carefully picked our way up and then down the ridge that is closest to the Germania lift. Despite my careful steps I managed to get scratched up (see pic). No week would be complete without a few good war wounds. A really beautiful time to be up Little Cottonwood Canyon. I believe summer is over and fall has arrived.

TOUR DE PARK CITY

2009-09-14T21:07:00.004-06:00

WEATHER: Sunny summer day

AMY'S NOTES: A five hour bike tour of Park City backwood nostalgia hosted by a native. Copper kettle brewing, the Alamo, the historic Glenwood cemetery, Daly Canyon, Main St., abandoned mines, explosive vaults, Miss America 1950, long winding trails through grassy mountain meadows, and much more.

TWIN PEAKS ATTEMPT #2

2009-09-10T22:44:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Dave, Justin, Terry, Andrew, Lucy
DATE: Sat, 9/5
WEATHER: 50 F at start, rain, overcast
RT TIME: 6 hours approx

AMY'S NOTES: Unbelievable. Thwarted again! Headed up the trail at 6 am at a fast pace making very good time. Rather than going to the left of the lake we took the trail to the right of the lake. (Note to self, take the left...) Lost the trail. Picked our way up a very steep scree and talus slope to the ridge. Almost taken out by a few 40 mile an hour boulders passing within 6 feet of me. All very exciting. Ran out of time, the bad weather moved in, and a recent knee injury/surgery began haunting one of the party. I believe the saying is third time's the charm.

STEWART FALLS

2009-08-23T10:50:00.005-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Brook

AMY'S NOTES: A yearly tradition. Drive up to Sundance, buy a homemade sucker on a wooden stick at the general store, ride Ray's lift to the top, meander down to the falls crossing creeks and wading through meadows of grass and aspen along the way, and then fill up on fish tacos at the Foundry Grill. I've managed to do this most every summer for the last couple decades. The menu at the grill changes but the mountains and incredible views of Timp are constants. A lovely mellow stroll through the mountains in late summer.

MOUNT OLYMPUS SUMMIT

2009-08-18T07:18:00.010-06:00

DATE: Saturday, June 20
HIKERS: Amy, Dave, Matt
START TIME: 7:00 am
ELEVATION GAIN: 4200'
SUMMIT: 9026'
SUMMIT TIME: 3 hours 10 min
RT TIME: 5 hours
DISTANCE RT: 7 miles
WEATHER: Cool, scattered showers

AMY'S NOTES: Mt Oly has been a long time goal of mine. It was the mountain that filled the view from every window in the house I grew up in and served as my primary reference point in the Salt Lake Valley. As long as I could see Mt Olympus I always knew where home was. It was great to hike this with 2 guys that grew up next door.

The climb itself is straight up and pretty much a grind - think stair stepping. The top section involves some scrambling and jumping. At the summit there are spectacular views of Salt Lake to the east and all the rest of the Wasatch to the west. The weather conditions were great for keeping us cool but also made for very slippery rocks on the way down.

DIRECTIONS: The trailhead is roughly 1/4 mile north of Tolcate Hills Road along Wasatch Blvd at 5800 south on the east side of Wasatch Blvd., and is marked with a brown sign reading "Mount Olympus Trailhead". Park either along Wasatch Blvd. or in a slightly hidden parking lot just north of the trailhead.

TWIN PEAKS ATTEMPT

2009-08-17T09:57:00.006-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Dave, Justin
WEATHER: 53 F, Stormy - hail rain & thunder
ELEVATIONS:
SUMMIT: 11330'
DISTANCE RT:
RT TIME: 1 hour 45 min

AMY'S NOTES: Thwarted by stormy weather! A gorgeous hike cut short by hail, thunder, lightning, and other misc weather phenomenon. We hiked up an hour and reached the first meadow before deciding that this was not the day for a summit. Spotted a couple of rough grouse, watched low heavy clouds roll by, and to sound a little cheesy - generally marveled at the beauty around us.

DIRECTIONS: Big Cottonwood Canyon to the Mill B trailhead. From the bottom of the parking lot take the Broad Forks trail.

MOUNT NEBO

2009-08-09T07:57:00.006-06:00

HIKE: North Route to Mt. Nebo's highest peak
HIKERS: Amy, Dave, Matt
START: 8,100 ft., 8:40 am
SUMMIT: 11,928 ft., 3 hours 18 min
ELEV. GAIN: 3,828 ft.
RT TIME: 6 hours
RT DISTANCE: 8.84 miles
WEATHER: 45 F at start, mix of sun & overcast, cool

AMY'S NOTES: Nebo is still one of my favorites. This was a first summit for Dave and Matt. A cold front moved in over northern Utah this weekend and the weather could not have been more perfect for a Nebo summit in August. Temperatures were in the 50's at midday and when we reached the summit alone we watched our breath while clouds rolled in over us. A short stay on top (approx 10 min) and we headed down. There was some concern about thunderstorms. We spent a total of about 30 min sitting around - so you could shave about 30 min off the hike if you were in a hurry. A great way to spend a saturday.

TRAIL: Start at the Monument trailhead off of the Nebo Scenic Loop Rd and follow the dirt road to the right from the parking lot. The trail begins at the end of the road, follow the fence line up onto the Nebo Bench Trail. The trail is very clear until you are close to the summit at which point just pick your way along the ridge line through the shale.

For photos of last year's hike to nebo see: http://hazardstats.blogspot.com/2008/10/nebo-photos.html

ONEIDA NARROWS: BEAR RIVER, ID

2009-08-05T16:04:00.004-06:00

AMY'S NOTES: Spent Saturday and Sunday running the Oneida with Virg and friends. Took both a hardshell and the new bandit. A fun Class I float above Redpoint Campground and a mellow Class II section below the campground with a couple of rock gardens to play in. About a 4.5 hour drive from home. Reminder to head up during the week to avoid the crowds and road dust.

DUSTY BERG TRAIL

2009-07-31T08:52:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Charlynn, Sandra, dogs (3)

TIME: Summit 25 min.

WEATHER: sunny, clear and cool- about 57F

KIM'S NOTES: This is the first ascent for us on this hike. It is a beautiful, but steep one. The Ponderosa pines through the lower section were my personal favorite. It is quite a narrow, hazardous trail. Loose dirt and gravel combined with the incline, plus tripping over all the dogs, it is amazing we didn't have more falls (yes, of course I fell).

BACKBONE

2009-07-22T13:47:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Jamie, Kim, Amy & dogs
SUMMIT TIME: 40 min to the gate
RT TIME: 1 hr 15 min (approx)
WEATHER: 77 F at finish

AMY'S NOTES: A lovely hike in Sanpete. A traverse through multiple ecological zones, small hamlets, and a stunning view of our latest public art water sculpture. Truly an inspiring place to live.

PROVO RIVER: LOWER TOWN SECTION

2009-07-21T14:01:00.004-06:00

DATE: Monday, June 22, 2009
PADDLERS: Kim, Amy, Virg, Mark & Son
PUT-IN: Fire Station, Columbia Ln
TAKE-OUT: Utah Lake State Park
TIME: 2 hr (approx)
DISTANCE:
FLOW:

AMY'S NOTES: This section of the Provo really should be called the bushwack-swift-river-jungle-slalom run. This was the christening run for my new inflatable kayak. Unsure of how wet I would be getting, I opted not to take the camera so there are no pix of the river. But the first section was defined by a swift current moving through a winding landscape with several low bridges and branches for ducking, followed by a slow wide almost swampy section reminiscent of deep south places I've only seen in the movies.

SKYLINE MEANDER

2009-07-21T11:54:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Joane, Devyn, Bella, Sophie, the dogs
WEATHER: 72 F, Sunny

AMY'S NOTES: On top of skyline drive, east of ephraim in the mountains. Little Sophie and Bella weren't too psyched to be in the great outdoors, but Devyn loved it. As did the dogs and joane. It was about 15 degrees cooler and all the flowers were in bloom. Everything smelled great.

ALBION BASIN: LAKE CATHERINE

2009-07-21T11:43:00.006-06:00

DATE: July 19, 2009
HIKERS: Amy & Lin
WEATHER: Sunny, 75 F
DISTANCE: 2.6 miles
SUMMIT TIME: 35 MIN
RT TIME: 1 H 55 MIN
SUMMIT ELEV: 10,000 ft (approx)

AMY'S NOTES: From Alta head up to the Sunnyside chairlift parking lot and take the Catherine Pass trail. A beautiful summer day filled with wildflowers, cool mountain water, pines, and a great escape from the heat in the valley.

BALD MOUNTAIN

2009-07-11T08:06:00.003-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Isa & Hope the dogs
SUMMIT: 20 min 40 sec
RT TIME: 42 min
WEATHER: 63 F, overcast

AMY'S NOTES: Fastest time yet! Ran the last stretch tripping with Hope biting my ankles the whole way. The goal of under 20 minutes is not far away...

BALD MOUNTAIN ON THE 4TH

2009-07-04T08:24:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Samantha, Andrew

SUMMIT: 26 min.

RT TIME: 45 min.

WEATHER: 61 f, cloudy

NOTES: a great way to start our 4th of July! I've never taken my kids on the Bald Mountain hike before. It was fun and it gives them a great appreciation of what I love to do. We had a fun time.

BACKBONE

2009-06-24T08:49:00.005-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Kim, Jamie, Isa, Hope

NOTES: Good hike, beautiful morning. I don't know how excited Hope was to be there. She whined a bit. Maybe it is because we are such amazing hikers that she had a hard time keeping up. Yeah, I'm sure that's it...

NEW CANYON- NEW PUPPY

2009-06-22T08:55:00.003-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Jamie, Amy, Isa, Hope

NOTES: Our first hike with Amy's new puppy, Hope! We were thrilled to have her join us. She is about the cutest thing ever!! She is still learning not to get under our feet, however, and I stepped on her. She seemed to be okay later, so all is well. Good weather for hiking. Beautiful summer, blue skies, lots of greenery, overall, just a great hike.

MAPLE CANYON LOOP

2009-06-19T11:50:00.006-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Jamie, Amy
SUMMIT SNAFU: 1 hour 7 min
SUMMIT: 1 hour 55 min
RT TIME: 2 hours 35 min
ELEVATION: ?
WEATHER: sunny, cool

AMY'S NOTES: Totally missed the loop. Hiked almost to the top of central drainage before realizing our mistake. Doubled down and found the route. Abundant green. An alpine canyon in the desert.

PETEY BISHOP'S

2009-06-10T15:35:00.006-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Jamie, Amy, Isa the dog
SUMMIT TIME: 1 hour 2 min
WAY POINTS: Fork 32 min, Flood Zone 42 min
RT TIME: 1 hour 47 min
ELEVATIONS: Summit 7800'
WEATHER: 50 F - 59 F, overcast & rain

AMY'S NOTES: This is Jamie's favorite. Our time is one minute longer than last summer, but interestingly our fork and flood times were also longer (29 & 37 respectively for last year) which means we cruised on the upper stretch this morning. The last section above the flood zone is the steepest. Temperatures were cool with rain on the way down, perfect for the strenuous climb of Petey's. Kim and I hit the Satisfied Ewe afterwards for bacon, sausage, eggs, and a warm up coffee. For comparison see http://hazardstats.blogspot.com/2008/09/petey-bishop-summit-again.html

BACKBONE

2009-06-08T13:41:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Jamie, Amy, Isa the dog
RT TIME: 60 min approx.
WEATHER: 44 F, sunny

AMY'S NOTES: A quick jaunt up and down the backbone. A trail suffering from severe scoliosis. The 9th and 10th vertebrae were in particularly bad shape.

DITTO- NEW CANYON

2009-06-05T12:34:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy

TIME: 6:36 am-

ROUTE: to the irrigation divider

WEATHER: 50 f, cloudy and breezy

KIM'S NOTES: Amy was tired from her Bald Mt summit trip (and I'm always tired), so we did New Canyon again. It was a great morning for hiking. We made some plans and had a great chat. Less mosquitoes today, Yay!

NEW CANYON

2009-06-04T12:26:00.003-06:00

HIKERS: Jamie, Whitney, Kim

TIME: 7:06 am- 7:49 am

ROUTE: to the irrigation divider

KIM'S NOTES: We were still tired from doing Bald summit, so we just did a quick, easy trail this morning. We fought through hoards of mosquitos and got bit lots even with the bug spray Jamie brought. It was fun to have Whitney join us even though she makes fun of our blog.

DITTO - BALD MT SUMMIT

2009-06-03T10:42:00.005-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Isa the dog
SUMMIT TIME: 1 hr 45 min
RT TIME: 3 hr 20 min
ELEVATIONS: 5900 ft - 8464 ft
DISTANCE: 9.2 miles RT
WEATHER: 50 F - 70 F, nice breeze & sunny

AMY'S NOTES: You know you love your dog when you let her drink from the same camelback. Once again a beautiful morning in Sanpete - we seem to have an endless supply and I have yet to tire of them. The flowers were out in abundance this morning and I've decided my favorite part of this hike is near the top when you step out of a steep narrow oak section and walk into the wide expansive view of the rounded sagebrush top. In the early morning the sun lights everything up from behind including the zillions of swarming mosquitoes. (Aside: I was laughing at myself while thinking how much easier this was than the last time I did this in Jan with no snow shoes...)

BALD MOUNTAIN SUMMIT

2009-06-02T10:43:00.008-06:00

HIKERS: Kim & Jamie

WEATHER: 51 f

START: 6:40 am

SUMMIT: 1 hour 42 min.

ELEVATION: 8,464 ft.

RT TIME: 3 hours 50 min.

RT MILES: 9.2 miles

MOSQUITOES: 68 killed (yes, we forgot bug spray)

KIM'S NOTES: Our times are not as fast as last Aug., but that was at the end of our hiking season and this is the beginning, so really think we are doing great. There were swarms of mosquitoes and lots of mud, but we pressed forward and had a great hike. We saw a skunk (probably good Isa wasn't there to chase it) and lots of birds, one of which didn't fly and plumed up it's back feathers as it ran away (I think it was a chukar.) Weather was great, not too hot, and the scenery is beautiful. You can see the scratches on my camera lens from when I fell on top of Notch. Bummer. I really just might have to buy a new one...

AMY'S NOTES: Kim, your summit time is better than last fall which was 1 hour 53 minutes. Celebrate.

BACKBONE

2009-05-27T13:33:00.006-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Jamie, Isa the Dog

RT TIME: 60 min.

WEATHER: sunny, 42 f

KIM'S NOTES: This is our newest hike and it is a good one. The hills are not quite as intense as Bald Mt. so I feel like I am more consistent with my pace on this one. After a weekend of BBQ's and relaxation it was time to get moving again and it felt great!

THE GULCH

2009-05-26T17:04:00.010-06:00

Waterpocket Fold

DATE: 5/22-5/25
HIKERS: Amy, Lin, Tim, Anne, Alexia, Anna, Penelope, Sophia, Christopher
LOCATION: Escalante Grand Staircase Monument, Waterpocket Fold
WEATHER: Rain and more rain

AMY'S NOTES: An amazing desert weekend in the rain: waterfalls, ponds, mating frogs, ribbons of water flowing down the seams of mountains splitting apart, black boulders in what seem to be impossible places, thunderheads, virga, a few hours spent bathing on a rock in the passing sun... Camped the first night near Dear Creek Campground in heavy rain and headed up The Gulch the next morning where the primary pursuit was ironically water. Every adventure needs a purpose. On the way out, Lin and I drove the Burr Trail through the Waterpocket Fold and Nottam Rd (I think) through Capitol Reef with a few stops along the way. And in case anyone was wondering, you can take a Saab on this route!

SAN PITCH RIVER

2009-05-26T16:47:00.007-06:00

"San Pitch Gothic" ©Jason Stevens

KAYAKERS: Noah, Cory, Kristi, Little Kate, Emma, Kim, Virg, Jake, Amy, Jason
DATE: Thursday, 5/21, evening
LOCATION: San Pitch River, west of Manti
WEATHER: 70 F, Sunny

AMY'S NOTES: An exquisite golden sunset evening on a slow meandering river though green saturated meadows against the backdrop of the snow peaked Central Wasatch. Good people, great conversation, and much laughter. We lingered. Doesn't get much better.

NOTCH PEAK

2009-05-16T09:10:00.008-06:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

HIKERS: Kim, Sam, Joe, Hilary, Amy
START: 7:15 am
RT TIME: 6 hrs, 15 min
SUMMIT: 2 hr 15 min to saddle, 3 hr to peak
ELEVATION: 9655 ft
WEATHER: 40 F night, 70 F day, sunny

DIRECTIONS: (More reliable than those I found on the internet). West out of Delta on Hwy. 50/6. Near milepost 46, turn north (right) on a graded dirt road. After 4 miles turn left (west) onto another graded road marked "Miller Canyon." After 5.2 miles, turn left (at the bathroom/atv trailhead) onto a lesser-used dirt road that snakes off to the southwest. Pass the Behunin Cabin and camp in lower Sawtooth Canyon.

AMY'S NOTES: A great adrenaline rush to be standing inches away from a one mile vertical drop. We almost lost Kim. At the summit she tripped over a root and literally fell, completely sprawled, only a foot away from the edge. We all looked on in horror. Though afterwards it was rather comic, minus the damage done permanently to her camera and temporarily to her ego :-)

KIM'S NOTES: This was a great hike. We camped over the night before and got an early start the next morning (7 am). The summit view was a wonderful reward. It was really fun to have Sam along. This was our first mother/daughter hike.

NEW CANYON

2009-05-15T09:29:00.005-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Jamie, Kim, Isa the dog
SUMMIT: Water diversion slab
RT TIME: 1 hr approx.
WEATHER: 45 F, sunny
A's PACK: 10 lb

AMY'S NOTES: A few moments of interest today: we ran into 2 runners, 3 dogs, and one mountain biker. OH the crowds! That is the busiest I've ever seen it. And for the record there is only one spot where you can get cell phone reception in New Canyon. Jamie can tell you exactly where that is...

BALD MOUNTAIN: SHADE TREE+

2009-05-13T08:26:00.002-06:00

KIM'S NOTES: not much new to say except that I 'forgot' my pack this morning and let me tell you- I felt like I had wings! It was a good morning for me today. I haven't said that in a while either, so I am happy.

THE "S" or LORD OF THE FLIES

2009-05-12T12:12:00.005-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Shauna, 7 cub scouts
WEATHER: 79 F
SUMMIT: 23 min

AMY'S NOTES: I have a whole new perspective on the cub scouts - it's called sympathy for the leaders. I never knew that keeping 7 boys together and preventing them from torturing small wild animals and each other could be so difficult. Golding knew exactly what he was talking about. (Uh, I'm sure they're all good kids I just have zero experience with 10 yr old boys). We started at the water station and the way was basically straight up - particularly towards the top.

BALD MOUNTAIN- SCREEN

2009-05-08T08:10:00.006-06:00

HIKERS: Becky!, Amy, Jamie, Kim, Isa the dog

TIMES: Jamie- 22.5 min, Amy- 23 min, Kim- 24 min.

RT TIME: 44 min.

WEATHER: 41 f, sunny

AMY'S PACK: 10 lbs.

KIM'S NOTES: Just a quicky this morning. This was Becky's first trek with us, so we want to welcome her. I was "suckin' air" again (as Jamie would say), but Jamie, again, kicked a - - . We decided she needs to have a handicap on Monday- probably 20 lbs. would do it. These are actually our fastest times to the screen we've done, so we are lookin' good!

NEW CANYON

2009-05-07T10:20:00.003-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Kim, Isa the dog
RT TIME: 65 min
WEATHER: 48 - 58 F, sunny

AMY'S NOTES: Cold canyon breeze this morning. Still packing water.

BALD MOUNTAIN: SHADE TREE+

2009-05-06T10:57:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Jamie, Amy, Isa the dog, Kim

TIME: 34 min.

RT TIME: 63 min.

WEATHER: 39 f, sunny

KIM'S NOTES: I have decided to give Jamie the Energizer Bunny Award this morning. She just kept going and going and going.... and I just couldn't keep up. Amy did, but not me. I definitely came in last. I never knew shaving 2 minutes off our time could be so painful...

BALD MOUNTAIN: SHADE TREE +

2009-05-05T09:03:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Isa the dog
SUMMIT: 36 min, hill above shade tree
RT TIME: 1 hour 5 min
WEATHER: 44 F - 54 F, overcast
A's PACK: 10 lbs.

AMY'S NOTES: All the humans were packing water this morning - backpacks aboard. The road up was relatively dry despite all the rain over the weekend and a good time was had by all. Though we need Jamie back to help keep up the pace. I think we'll be in stellar shape by the time we start doing our more strenuous climbs mid-summer.

CANYON ROAD- ALL BY MYSELF...

2009-05-04T08:21:00.006-06:00

HIKER: Kim

TIME: 55 min.

WEATHER: 38 f, sunny

KIM'S NOTES: It was too muddy from all the rain over the weekend to head off the beaten path, so I stayed on the main canyon road. It was a gorgeous spring morning and I was all alone- but not lonely. I listened to some rockin' tunes on my ipod to keep my pace up and had a great work out.

BONNEVILLE SHORELINE TRAIL

2009-05-04T07:17:00.004-06:00

View of SLC just before storm

Ancient Lake Bonneville

HIKERS: Amy, Lin
DATE: Sunday, 5/3/09, evening
RT TIME: 1 hour
WEATHER: Squall - rain, winds, pelting hail

AMY'S NOTES: We began at a trailhead located near the entrance to Red Butte Gardens and headed up under a heavily clouded sky. The ground was wet from a weekend of spring rain and a deep rich scent of sage and dirt permeated the air. Within minutes of reaching Emigration Canyon we were getting whipped around by high winds, bellowing thunder, lighting, and hail that must have been leaving small dents in my forehead. It's amazing how much raw power there is in a storm. Pretty exhilarating to be in the middle of it.

The trail follows the eastern shoreline of ancient Lake Bonneville. Lake Bonneville filled the Great Basin which covers much of the western United States. The lake existed in the late pleisteine period when Utah was a much wetter place and glaciers sat nestled in the peaks of the Wasatch Range. The Lake created a series of benches as it slowly receded into the desert over thousands of years. Many of Utah’s cities are built on the lower benches and the Bonneville Shoreline trail follows the upper benches. (www.bonnevilleshorelinetrail.org)

CANYON ROAD IN THE RAIN

2009-05-02T08:13:00.001-06:00

HIKERS: Kim & Tonia

TIME: 30 min.

WEATHER: consistent rain

KIM'S NOTES: We started out trying to do New Canyon, but it was just too muddy and we were wearing mud-caked, 'high-heels' after 5 steps. So we just did the canyon road up to the hair-pin turn with the cabin. It was a short hike, but we were soaked to the skin and ready to be done.

PETEY BISHOP'S & WATER

2009-05-01T10:00:00.005-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Isa the dog
WEATHER: 35 F, clear
SUMMIT: 30 min, Fork
ELEVATIONS: 5935' - 6981' Creek to Fork
RT TIME: 50 min

AMY'S NOTES: Today I carried water. 8 pounds of water. And in my search for an impressive water carrying image I came across millions of images of women carrying water. All over the world women carry water. Apparently, I am not the only one trying to get a good workout. Next week I will graduate to sticks. After that I'm considering hay, pipes, grain, and a very large fish.

BACKDOOR

2009-04-30T08:09:00.005-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Isa the dog

SUMMIT TIME: 40 min, base of screen

RT TIME: 60 min.

WEATHER: 42-55 f, sunny

KIM'S NOTES: This was a new hike for us. We started at the bottom of Bald Mountain, but took a different ridge up. There were quite a few challenging places- long grinds that reminded us of climbing Nebo, steep ravines, places where we were following elk and deer trails and blazing our own as well. Over all, a definite keeper!

AMY'S NOTES: Loved this! Parked at the base of Bald but took the left atv trail. At the top of the first rise go right and follow the ridge up (no trail). There is a steep gully/ravine between the ridge you are on and the next over which is home to the screen. We followed the ridge south east and eventually traversed the gully coming out on the flat just north of the screen.

NEW CANYON

2009-04-29T09:10:00.003-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Isa the dog
SUMMIT: 32 min
RT TIME: 60 min
WEATHER: 34 F

AMY'S NOTES: A quick hike up and back to the concrete slab (don't know the technical name for this) in the creek. We took the traditional upper route of New Canyon today. The sun joins us earlier and earlier every morning. It is an absolute pleasure to feel the sun on my back and watch the long shadows of walking figures in front of me.

The image is of Lei Wang training for 7 summits and 2 poles. I think Kim and I could knock those off the list no problem. Must find some tires first... anyone willing to donate? For more info on Lei goto her blog: www.thegoldenpig.org

BALD MOUNTAIN- SHADE TREE+ (PLUS)

2009-04-28T15:58:00.008-06:00

Here's Amy in this year's new hiking gear. What do you think? I personally think the faux lederhosen look great!

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Isa the dog

SUMMIT TIME: 35 min.

RT TIME: 65 min.

WEATHER: 34 f, sunny

KIM'S NOTES: This morning was a gorgeous, spring morning full of sunshine. We hiked well and even went farther than we have for a while. I am reluctant to say it and jinx us, but I think we are seeing (and feeling) some progress.

CANYON ROAD

2009-04-27T15:58:00.004-06:00

Taylor's Flat

HIKERS: Amy, Kim, Jamie, Isa the dog
WEATHER: 24 F, windy
SUMMIT: Taylor's Flat, 27 min
RT TIME: 55 min

AMY'S NOTES: We started at Red Knoll Rd. Most of our mountains and trails were mired in mud from the heavy rain and snow over the weekend. We opted to skip the slog and go for the somewhat drier road base. A cold windy morning.

MILLCREEK CANYON

2009-04-27T15:46:00.004-06:00

DATE: Saturday, April 25
HIKERS: Amy, James, Kuma the dog
RT TIME: 1 hr approx.

AMY'S NOTES: I finally now know what people are talking about when they say Millcreek is a favorite hotspot. A beautiful canyon minutes away from SLC proper. (Head East on 3800 South and you are in Millcreek). The road is closed off about half the year and becomes exclusively available to hikers, skiers, dogs, etc. Saturday was very rainy, cold, and windy, and the snow in the canyon was rapidly melting. The creeks were bulging with water. This weekend was originally scheduled for Notch Peak but we backed out due to predicted storms. Climbing Notch in the cold windy rain on an exposed face, would have frankly been miserable. Glad we postponed. Despite the beauty of Millcreek, the photo is pretty bad. A quick shot while trying to keep the camera dry.

NEW CANYON: RIVERSIDE ROUTE

2009-04-24T13:34:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Jamie, Amy, Isa the dog
SUMMIT: Take out, 33 min
RT TIME: 63 min
WEATHER: 54 F

AMY'S NOTES: Today was the warmest morning of the year, or at least the warmest that I've taken note of. This is a new route for us. The New Canyon road forks after about 1.25 miles and we follow the right fork along the river to the take out where the road ends. This second half is a nice consistent climb that mimes the turns and drops in the river. The photo is taken looking east, upriver, while standing on top of the take out.

NEW CANYON: RIVERSIDE ROUTE

2009-04-23T09:47:00.006-06:00

HIKERS: Amy, Kim, Isa

TIME: 30 min.

RT TIME: 60 min.

WEATHER: a beautiful spring morning (about 42 f)

KIM'S NOTES: This was first accent of this trail for us. It was actually a good one. Quite a climb once you got into it. We weren't in top form, but it felt good anyway. All in all, I believe this is one is a keeper.

BALD MOUNTAIN STANDBY

2009-04-22T08:03:00.004-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Jamie, Isa the dog
RT TIME: 45 min
WEATHER: 46 F, Sunny

AMY'S NOTES: Bald Mountain the old standby. Accessible, steep, and totally doable in our short amount of morning time. We came down pretty fast this morning, which if we continue to do should give us 5-10 minutes more of going up. We need more up.

NEW CANYON: LONE PINE HILL

2009-04-21T09:31:00.009-06:00

HIKERS: Kim, Amy, Isa
TIME: 25 minutes up to Lone Pine Hill summit
RT TIME: 54 minutes.
WEATHER: Clear, sunny, beautiful (approx. 38 f)
PHOTO CREDIT: to Amy. (The only person I know that could make 2 rocks on a gravel road look aesthetically pleasing!)

KIM'S NOTES: This hike used to kick our butts, but not anymore. We came, we hiked, we conquered. This is the first morning we started lifting 'weights.' Our trips to the bottom occasionally feel a bit too easy, so we grabbed some rocks and started lifting. It was actually a great upper body work out, and up our canyons there are plenty of 'weights' around. I personally hope to be sore tomorrow.

Kim at the top of Lone Pine Hill.

Amy and Isa with Lone Pine.

MAPLE CANYON LOOP

2009-04-20T13:40:00.006-06:00

DATE: April 19, 2009
RT TIME: 3.5 hours
CONDITIONS: snow in the canyons, sunny
HIKERS: Amy, James

AMY'S NOTES: A beautiful Sunday afternoon hike! We started from the mouth of the canyon where we parked the car, walked up the road, and began the loop at the upper trailhead. A few firsts on this one - first time actually completing the entire loop, first time in winter, and first time in the lower canyon. There is still a lot of snow in Maple Canyon. After some bushwacking, traversing, route finding, and general meandering we returned with soaked shoes and pants. Why do I never put on gaiters? I am now an official 4 season Maple Canyon fan. (See other Maple Canyon posts for more info/pics.)