Pine Valley Mountain

The last Saturday in August Sarah had made plans to hang out with her new friend Brooke and Rod was free from his weekend job. The heat was getting to us all so out of self-defense we drove up Pine Valley Mountain to hike. I think the original goal was to hike the Whipple trail but I was in slow motion and we didn’t even make it to the trail head until 12:30. We ended up just winding through the pines trees at leisurely pace and enjoying the cooler temperatures. We found a nice place to eat a snack and simply decided that it was time to turn and go back.  We stopped in Veyo for a late lunch and bought some famous Veyo pies. 

First Day of School

Sarah, Millie, Spencer and ELISA

Can you believe Spencer is in high school? They both started new schools this year. Someone push the pause button. I need sometime to digest the fact that I have two teenagers. 

The Narrows

Jen and Ken

Long before I started my crazy outdoor adventures, long before the notion of living in St. George ever crossed my mind and long before I knew slot canyons existed Jenni asked me if I wanted to do a Narrows trip with her. This was sometime after we moved back from Tennessee but before Kaylee my littlest niece was born.  I think she told me it was a long hike through a canyon down in Zion. At that time I had only been to Zion once when I was about 10. It sounded interesting enough and I agreed to go. Kaylee is now 5, I seem to have some high adventure trip planned once a month, I have been living in Southern Utah a little over a year now, I am addicted to seeing slot canyons, and have bought two annual National Parks passes that have mostly been used to traipse through Zion. 

Allen and Michelle

We started planning this trip back in January. Originally we were going to go in May but this did not work out. This turned out to be a good thing because the spring weather in Zion was extremely wet and the Narrows route was closed anyway. 

Jenni wanted to do an overnight trip meaning this would be my first backpack trip. I have been on one other backpack trip with Erin when we were little girls but we didn’t plan any of it so I count this as my first. I have been working up to a backpack trip for some time now. Buying sleeping bags and camp gear that works for car camping and backpacking. I had all the items but still hesitated to actually plan a trip. 

Spencer, Chere' and Jenni

We did our research and booked camp 4 & 6 for August 19. I learned to pack as light as humanly possible, bought a few more dry bags, dug out the ski poles, and rented Spencer and I 5’10 canyoneering shoes from Zion Adventure Company. 

Chris

Kerry

I love my in-laws dearly but I know them very well. Jenni had a goal of being to the trail head by 7:00 AM  but 18 years of experience has taught me that no matter how hard they try and they do try, I need to be ready on the off chance the day’s events start on time but to factor a cushion into the equation. Don’t ask me how this equation works but I have it roughly figured out in my head and usually have my arrival times synced with the true schedule. I estimated we would be at the trail head by 11:00 AM given the fact we still needed to stop by the back country desk and pick up one of the permits. In actuality we were deposited at the start by 1:30 PM.  

 

Spencer and I ate an early breakfast leaving us very hungry by the time we started the hike. This made for a grumbly tummy as we headed out but I was chomping at the bit to get going. We made it to Behuinin Cabin about 45 minutes later.

Spencer demanded food before we started hiking in the river. I suppose it is not in my best interest to starve a 5’11" 200 lb 15 year old so I gave in. 

Roughly two hours into the trip Ken developed one hell of a blister from his shoes plus his ankle, that was recovering from an injury, rebelled from hiking over the rocks in the river. 

Ken, Me and Jenni 

This slowed our pace down a bit. We made the National Parks boundary by 6:00 PM. Spencer and I both had 3 liter of water in our packs and it was about here that he ran out. I still had plenty but he kept drinking my water. The back country desk told us not to filter water until the confluence of Deep Creek and the North Fork.  This was a much debated topic amongst our group. I chose to listen to the rangers and did not stop to filter water until we reached the confluence at 7:45 PM. 

After 7 hours of hiking we finally made it camp site 4, unsure of how much further it was to Camp site 6 and we made the decision to all camp at site 4 because we were losing daylight fast. 

Everyone started throwing their sleeping gear out on the shore of the river and making dinner. I hate to admit this but I was mildly freaking out every time I saw a spider.  I really hate them, I know that they will not hurt me (for the most part) and I try to reason this out in my head. It just was not working for me. Everywhere I looked or stepped or tried to sit down to cook our mac-n-cheese there were at the very least 6 daddy-long legs. Honest to god I didn’t know how I was going to lay my head down and sleep. It is so irrational and stupid to be afraid of a spider but I can’t help it and the fear is worse when I am tired or stressed.  I managed to get dinner cooked and eaten but as soon as dinner was cleaned up I ran up the trail in the dark to get a break from the spiders. You just don’t see as many in the trees. I know they are there you just don’t see them. I am glad I ran off because I found a much better place to lay my head for the night. The ground was flat instead of slanting towards the river and psychologically I can’t see the spiders there so they don’t exist. Right?

It wasn’t long before the whole crew followed my lead and we were all settled in for the night. My mummy bag was cinched up around my face and I felt semi safe from the eight legged freaks. That was until it became too hot to stay safe.  I finally gave in pulled my arms out and lay awake starring at the night sky.  Lighting? Did I just see lighting? I asked Spencer and he replied rather annoyed “Mom, stop it!” But I know I saw what I saw. I laid there for quite some time watching the dark night through the trees wondering how long it would take for my sleeping back to be soaked through and that I really I didn’t need an epic first backpacking trip. The storm must have been pretty far away as I never heard any thunder and the lighting strikes were pretty far apart. For the record I wasn’t the only one who noticed. At least the worry of getting dumped on took my mind off the spiders because eventually I drifted off to sleep. 

Well we all have to do it unless you are good at holding it for two days.

We woke up at 7:30 and started getting ready for the day. All the morning duties and I do mean ALL  were accomplished.  We started hiking about 8:30 AM. Travel was slow for some in our group do to blisters, previously injured ankles and bad backs. Sounds like a bunch of old people on a hike. Wahahaha!  All laughing aside I did feel for those in pain.   

We made Big Springs by 11:30 AM. Spencer, Jen and I were pretty far ahead of the pack so Spencer and I took a little swim. It was COLD and extremely refreshing.   

Watching the rest of the group walk through the river Spencer and I were glad we had rented our 5’10” shoes and had walking poles. For the most part the shoes keep all the little annoying rocks out, support your ankles and grip the rocks.

Chere', Jen, Jenni

I think we stopped for lunch around 1:00 PM. The last picture I took was at 12:30 I get tired of pulling the camera out. And it was about that time we started running into the droves of people hiking up the canyon.  I also started floating through the river any chance I got to give my tired muscles a break from walking over all the rocks. Spencer followed suit. We had a blast! Later we learned a hole was worn into the dry bag that held his sleeping bag. Good thing they are machine washable. The sleeping bag wasn’t soaked but it wasn’t dry either.

Jen, Spencer and I were the first three out of the canyon around 4:00 PM. Jen and I dropped our packs and left them with Spencer while we hiked back up the river to find the rest of our group.

I was really proud of Spencer. The two of us kept an excellent pace, packed exactly enough food, and created one hell of a mother/son memory.

Looking forward to our next trip!

Wasatch Crest to Mill Creek Canyon

SLC Mountain Bike Meetup

On with the adventure! High on my list of rides I have always wanted to do was Wasatch Crest. Lucky for me while we were camping at Pineview the Salt Lake City Mountain Bike Meetup group had plans to ride from Wasatch Crest to Mill Creek Canyon on Saturday. This is a 13 mile ride starting at Guardsman Pass. From the pass you climb up the infamous Puke Hill or in my case hiked my bike completely out of breath BECAUSE the altitude was kicking my arse!

You know I live at 2,800 ft and the top of Guardsman is 9,900 ft. Plenty of glorious oxygen up there to be had but I simply can’t use it. Yep that is why I hiked, that is what I am blaming it on. Give me a few more weeks and I would rocket up Puke Hill like the rest of the world was standing still. What you don't believe me??


Lucky for me the rest of the group needed a rest as well by the time we reached the top.

Amazing views! To my surprise there was even a little snow left from winter.

From here we followed the trail which runs along the ridge between Big Cottonwood Canyon and Park City.

Desolation Lake

Just above Desolation lake is a rocky little feature called The Spine. Let just say you better know how to handle a bike if you start this one because once you commit you better not quit! I watched several riders pick their line only to be defeated. Leaving little bits of themselves crusted on the rocks to commemorate their passing. It is brutal.

The Spine

However, Marty from our crew successfully navigated this bad boy!

photo by Mike Bisignani

I have ridden part of this the trail once before with the Bogley boys and was really looking forward to flying down it this trip as my skills have greatly improved. Sadly I took a left when I should have gone right and missed the best part of the downhill. No worries I still had a blast! All I can say is this was on the list and it is STILL on the list. I think this ride will have to be a permanent must do each year or at least anytime I am in Northern Utah and the trail is rideable.

Pineview Dam

Once each summer the Braunberger’s get together and go boating at Pineview and we tag along. We all scrunch into one campsite at Anderson Cove and work on our sunburns playing in the water and lying on the beach. I really like the camp spot we had this year which was right next to the lake.

The kids had fun with their cousins and extended family being pulled behind the boat in the water tube. On the other hand I never stepped foot on the boat this year. I like boating and water skiing sort of; I just had a different agenda then everyone else. While the kids played I rode my bikes to my heart’s content.

Tuesday I buzzed up to Green River, WY to check out the trails Wade is always bragging about and the bike park they built up there. I really enjoyed riding but I will tell ya the higher altitude was kicking my tail end! Before I left I enjoyed a nice lunch with Wade and his lovely wife Carolyn.



Thursday I pedaled my rode bike around Pineview and then for kicks and giggles up to the top of Trappers just so I could come screaming back down that hill. I pushed past my previous speed record of like 38 mph to 42.5 mph. I think I am content with that speed and most likely won’t push that fast again. Visions of bike malfunctions at that rate of acceleration kept flashing through my head.


On Friday Spencer, Keenan and I piled our bikes into the back of Kerry’s truck, dropped my car off at the bottom of Wheeler’s. Kerry took us to the overflow parking at Snowbasin and dropped us off. This was Keenan’s first mountain bike ride and my only opportunity to ride one of my favorite Northern Utah trails this summer. The plan was to ride up to Cold Water Canyon Overlook, back down through Ice Box Canyon, to the bottom of Wheeler Canyon.

After saying good-bye to Kerry we headed out of the parking lot towards Maples campground. Before the gate Keenan asked me if pedaling the bike should be impossible. His rear brake was pinching the rim so hard he could hardly pedal. A bolt was missing and the cables were not properly adjusted. Try as hard as I could there was no fixing the bike with what I had on hand.

We called Kerry and made him bring up Sarah’s bike.
It took a while for Kerry to make it back, needless to say we were very THANKFUL he brought the bike to us. I had so much fun with those boys. It was slow going up but I promised Keenan the view was worth the effort.

Keenan celebrated conquering the mountain and we all ate a small lunch at the top before starting back down.

Now I have skied with both these boys many a times and they are little speed demons. In fact the last time I was with them I struggled to keep up and I am no slow poke on skis. I just knew this was going to be a great downhill ride. Spencer took off like a bolt of lightning. Keenan, well….. hmmm….. his speed was that of a Sunday stroll through frozen molasses. I am pretty sure I could have beaten him down the hill running. LOL!!! He had no interest in speed on the mountain bike and I had no intention of leaving him behind. So we meandered like a lazy stream with nothing better to do but bubble and gurgle along in the summer sun.

(Disclaimer this is awful video but kinda funny! I was riding one handed trying to film)

He was very apprehensive of the rock gardens, Spencer and I showed him many times how you pick your line and roll through them. He watched, smiled and walked. Before we hit the top of Ice Box he asked. How much longer is this? You could tell he was tired, but ever the good sport! It took us quite a while to make it all the way down.

I stayed with my nephew the entire way. Sometimes I would wait a bit while he rode a head and then catch up as fast as I could or occasionally ride up ahead of him so I could turn around and get a picture of him coming down. Just like I use to do when all the kids were little and we skied together. I didn’t think much of what I was doing because that is what I have always done with the kids. When the ride was over and I was loading the bikes back on the car. Keenan came up to me and said thank you that was fun. I smiled back at him, then next words out of his mouth, “I watch you Aunt Chere’… you are a strong women.”, made me stop. He said this at the exact moment I was lifting a bike on to the rack. My reply was “oh these bikes aren’t that heavy.” “No, when you ride your bike. What you do. You’re a strong women.” What do you say to that?

I smiled and said thanks and hold those words dear to my heart.