BASE OF BALD

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HIKERS: Kim & JamieWEATHER: 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

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

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

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

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.