Mountain Adventures (Part 3)

A quick climb after a snow storm in February on Spanish Fork Peak, snow shoes required:


A view looking towards Provo and Alpine.


Lots of fluffy snow to walk through, it was a killer workout.


The peak is up in those clouds somewhere. It was very windy for part of the day.


This part of the hike was the highlight -- large cornices, and great views.


Another view of the surrounding mountains while hiking.


A view of the peak and triangulation tower.


A view from the top.


We dug down many feet into the snow and found the log book and signed our names. We were the first to climb this peak this year.

Post-Surgery Update

For my mom, who is only allowed to read this post if she promises not to call me up and tell me to take it easy or even stop running.

I went to the podiatrist on Thursday. He is pleased that the swelling is down but a little concerned about the "tenderness at the tendon junction." My next appointment is the week before the Wasatch Back at which time, if the tenderness is still there, he will shoot a steroid into my foot to convert the fibrin (scar tissue) into elastin. It doesn't sound pleasant but I know it will help, if I need it. In the meantime, the pain I feel is bearable and I won't do any damage by continuing to run on it, so run run run I will!

New Favorite Cookie

Here is a link to the recipe for my new favorite cookie -- and it's not even a cookie!

If you like Thin Mints (the Girl Scout cookie) you will love these! It is so easy and so so yummy. The blog it's from is my friend's sister's-in-law and it's a great resource for all things food storage.

Annette, this is mostly for you to repay you for the cinnamon toast recipe. I can't thank you enough for introducing that bit of yumminess into my life!

Mountain Adventures (Part 2)

Mount Nebo the highest peak in the Wasatch mountain range:



Hiking up the mountain looking for a good spot for base camp.


The view of Nebo peak from base camp.


My tent, axe, rope, shovel and poles.


View of the peak as the sun starts to come up.


Me at sunrise.


This cornice is about ready to fall off the other side.


Climbing up to the peak, only a little more to go.


A view from my right shoulder as I am climbing.


One of the views from the top.


At the top, just a little shy of 12,000'.


Going home.

Mountain Adventures (Part 1)

Some of my winter mountaineering adventures in preparation for Mt. Rainier:

This is the Everest Ridge route, I have always wanted to climb the face of Timpanogos in the winter... this year I did. Here are some pictures:


Getting ready to go.


This is a sign on the trail hiking up Dry Canyon almost all covered in snow.


A makeshift snow tripod and some headlamp trickery and voila! a blurry image of the city below @ roughly 9000'.


The ridge at 2:30am.


A view from my left shoulder, this wasn't a good place to slip and fall.


Here comes the sun.


Now comes the traverse over to the true summit.


Here I am on top of the highest peak of Mt. Timpanogos.


A view from the top.




Heading back.

Happy Mother's Day, Mommer!

Take a look at this sassy beautiful woman:


Whatever happened to her? She had three kids and grew up to be an even more beautiful grandma:


Thanks, Mom, for giving your life for us. We love you!

Just a Warning...

I have binge-posted. Enjoy.

Dry Canyon

The weekend after we came home from Spring Break in Moab, J climbed Everest Ridge on the face of Mt. Timpanogos. I'm leaving that blog post up to him. A few weekends later he took us on a hike to show us the route he took. We started in Dry Canyon...

Thanks to my parents, my kids have to have their trekking poles and hats that shade their necks. It was totally their decision to dress like ninjas:


I wonder what we were looking at:


Yes, that's a profile of Joseph Smith, Jr. graffitied on that concrete thing:


H enjoying the ride. Ventilated enough there, little one?


J used to wander around Dry Canyon a lot when he was growing up, but it was my first time hiking there. It will definitely figure in our summer hiking/camping plans. I don't ever foresee us hiking up the face of Timp, but I can handle camping out in the saddle!

Jumpin' Jacks

S had a blast at his first ever "friend party" for his 8th birthday. This is seriously the only good picture we have of him playing at Jumpin' Jacks -- in the rest he's just a blur.


My two little adrenaline junkies:


Click on this one. J's hair is great and H's face is priceless. Don't be fooled by the apparent look of terror. H climbed up this one again and again. The crazier and more wild he slid down, the better!


This is J's sister after she made her way down that same 30' slide:


O too was a blur. He didn't have a favorite huge inflatable thing -- he just ran around to all of them, giving each one equal time:


S with the cake I thought would be too small, so I bought 20 extra cupcakes at WalMart. Turns out it was perfect and we were inundated with sugar for the next two days. Good times...


J's mom on the left, his sister on the right. And yes, that threadless shirt does say, "I listen to bands that don't even exist yet."


Happy Birthday, Dear S!

Moab, Part the Last

On Sunday after breakfast, we bid farewell to Mom & Dad Kim and headed out of Moab. Our plan was to drive straight home, but we decided to go to Arches one last time. We are glad we did. We hiked the Delicate Arch Overlook trail. The day was beautiful and perfect!







On our way out of Arches, we took this little dirt road. After all, we couldn't take the FJ to Moab and not take a dirt road! That would be shameful!




Going to Moab was a great way to spend Spring Break. We'll definitely go back for more.