Category: nature

Breaking The Streak (Mostly)

Karen

We didn’t have a lot of luck with our trips to the Uintas last year (almost getting lost, getting rained out) so we adjusted our expectations for this year’s trip: We were going to do a quick hike to a lake or a river we knew and just enjoy the water and the sun.

Well, it was cloudy and threatening (but it never actually rained) so we ended up at an established picnic area instead. It was called Beaver Creek and there was indeed evidence of beavers:

Plus some wildflowers in a meadow and some aspens and the sound of running water. All in all, a good trip.

Colder Than It Looks

Karen

We had planned to go to the pool yesterday in the late afternoon but I found myself longing for the apocalypse so we went swimming in NATURE instead.
A white woman in a baseball hat lies down in a stream. There is a small waterfall behind her. I may look like I’m lounging languidly here but I think I lasted maybe 30 seconds. That water was COLDDDD (but it worked to get me out of my head).

This was in Millcreek Canyon, where our usual stream spots are under construction. We had the idea to see what access we could get from a picnic area (which are usually mobbed on the weekends) and there were all sorts of delightful spots.

a shallow stream sparkles in the sun. There are trees on both banks and a mountain in the distance.

So Green!

Karen

Very specific fact: The most intense green in the world is fresh leaves on trees on a mountainside at the beginning of summer, before everything gets dry and dusty.

Back In The Canyon

Karen

It took us three months but we made it back to Millcreek on Sunday. While we were gone, the canyon went from off-season diehard visitors to full-on Summer Amateur Hour–and the construction started below the winter gate, too.

But nature is nature, and it was so nice to be back. And we can still get to the stream so the summer of wading is still on.

Sun! Sticks! MUD!

Karen

We got some midweek snow which had melted but not dried on the lower trails, which led to MUD (and everyone coming down warning us, “It’s muddy!” Yes, we’re aware).

But the sun was out and I took off my shirt again and even if I was tired and crabby from the time change, it was good to be on the trail.

False Spring/Stick Season

Karen

We had above-average temps over the weekend ahead of a storm and wow, did that sun feel like spring. Of course, the sun also made it sloppy and muddy and all the trees and hillsides will be bare sticks for another couple months, but even false spring is better than no spring.

You know what else was bare? THESE GUNS. I got too hot in my black fleece (!) and told Matt, “Take a picture of my arms!” and he did.

Pretty!

Karen

Well, just a week after the gloomy hike, we got a sunny and gorgeous day. We could probably draw a metaphor for life from this, but just enjoy all the different blues instead:

Gloomy!

Karen

You know things are dire when even a hike can’t help you entirely shake the existential dread. We never regret getting out, but there were very few moments where we stopped to enjoy the beauty and a lot more moments of wading through slush and post-holing into the snow.

But the air was clean and the forest smelled good, even if it was gray. And we weren’t on the internet for a couple hours!

Ice Palaces

Karen

There hasn’t been been fresh snow in the mountains for a week or so but it’s been cold enough that the old snow has stayed on branches and collected frost, making some extraordinary crystals. I kept expecting the see the White Witch come around the corner in her sledge.