Posts

April Snow

Image
 A surprise snow storm for our walk on Sand Creek in the afternoon The Big Red Monster lurking in the snow. Biff thinks he deserves a biscuit, of course Biff always thinks that. Looking upstream on Sand Creek. Downstream on Sand Creek. Snow Yucca The perfect naturally flocked Christmas Tree This is how I see myself...

Deer Creek Lake Trail

Image
The Deer Creek Lake Trail starts from Utah Highway 12 on Boulder Mountain on the Boulder side of the summit. The trail is one of my favourites because, although it is enough of a climb to be good exercise, it is never steep enough to hurt the knees. You can make the hike as long as you like by using the Great Western Trail which crosses it. After ascending the initial slope there are great views back over Grand Staircase to the east. The trail crosses a number of meadows between groves of Aspen trees. Janet joined me for the hike and Frikka wanted to show off her new fall fashion jacket just in time for hunting season. We met David and Chantelle from Spanish Forks on their way down from the lake, they had spent some time fishing but without any luck. Biff photo-bombed of course.  The trail monster in the trees... The very first signs of autumn were about here and there. Janet was looking forward to the dogs getting a swim in Deer Creek Lake, but the lake

Sand Creek's Icy Cthulu

Image
After being threatened with 'record shattering' low temperatures it was a balmy 43F in the afternoon for the dog walk on Sand Creek, there was some evidence of colder temperatures though. Cthulu's Cave ( with an acknowledgement to Artemis Asio ) There is still plenty of running water under the the thin ice covering. Just a short hike today

Hiking Spring Creek Canyon - December 2015

Image
Spring Creek Canyon is just south of Kanarraville and just north of Kolob Canyon near I15 in Utah. It's a beautiful canyon in the spring with lots of flowers and a nice little stream, I hadn't been there in the winter before. Quite a lot of snow at the entrance to the canyon but four or five people had hiked it so the path was easy to find, it did make for rather uneven footing though. It's about 1.5 miles from the parking area to the start of the narrow section here. I was surprised at how much water there was in the creek, the temperature was right around freezing, the sun was melting the snow off the walls I suppose. There be gold in that creek! The canyon splits and splits and splits into a maze of small canyons heading up into Zion's high country. Biff has a favourite hole he likes to climb into. The canyon is quite gloomy down in the bottom but the sun lights up the higher walls nicely. The narrowest section I went through is probabl

Before The Storm, Velvet Ridge

Image
Snow is forecast for tomorrow but today is a windless warm day, good day for a longer ride up on the Velvet Ridge above Torrey Thousand Lake Mountain We rode out to the edge of the Velvet Ridge for a look at the Henry Mountains Henry Mountains over Torrey I don't usually use the digital zoom but on the Samsung S6 it seems to do a pretty good job at low magnifications, this is the max 8x zoom, a bit fuzzy but not terrible. I wonder what the scenery will be like tomorrow... This ride brought up 200 miles on my Specialized mountain bike.

Little Wild Horse Canyon

Image
I've been exploring the San Rafael Swell for about 20 years now and lived nearby for the last 11 yet somehow I hadn't previously been in the best known slot canyon. Actually I had attempted twice before but been rebuffed by potential weather problems, it's a high danger area for flash floods. Finally I set out with a brilliant blue sky and no forecast of change, though thin white clouds did appear. Little Wild Horse is a very accessible slot canyon with a paved road leading right to the parking lot so in the spring and summer it is packed with people, it's hot in the summer but the high was only 40F today. As I arrived at the entrance to the canyon a sole hiker was emerging, he had done the complete Wild Horse/Bell Canyon loop and reported that there was no standing water which was great news. After that I had the whole place to myself. The entrance to Little Wild Horse from Bell Canyon, the sign has gone and people miss the turn. The dogs explored every led