There was a little fresh snow from Saturday on the trail and it made everything look like it got dusted with powdered sugar. (Or maybe I’m just feeling like doing some holiday baking.) Either way, it was pretty.
Category: nature
Snowliage
I posted this first pic on Instagram and a friend from Vermont commented, “Snowliage!” A beautiful day AND I learned a new word? Win-win.
Goodbye For Now, Upper Canyon
It was a cloudy day and the leaves were almost all off the trees, so maybe I can think of the canyon as sleeping for the next two years instead of inaccessible and about to be fundamentally changed?
I’m going to miss that stream at the top, but I have to remember the same water will be at the bottom, too.
Almost The Last Of The Upper Canyon
Millcreek Canyon’s upper gate closes for the winter on November 1, but this time it’s going to stay closed for two years while the road gets widened. (I felt a little better about such a big construction project after I read the environmental assessment, but there’s no way around them taking out trees.)
Anyway, we’re trying to enjoy the last couple weekends at the top. It was a brisk 45 degrees up there yesterday but still so nice to be out.
Recommendation: Playing Hooky
If you’re between projects and have a lot of sick time that doesn’t roll over and your partner has a bonus day off, might I recommend calling out and heading to the mountains?
You can go to the trails that are packed on the weekends and only see a handful of people and just generally enjoy the trees and the clouds and the play of light and shadow. 10/10, strongly recommend.
Sunny Days
Dr. Toby was on the case Saturday while I recovered from my covid/flu shots (get vaccinated, y’all!) but I was all better Sunday and we went out to 70-degree temps and peak fall colors.
I’m not sure who left two jack-o-lanterns at the trailhead (probably a group getting pictures?) but I can only hope some little creature recreates Mousekin’s Golden House.
And Now It’s Fall
We did another Friday afternoon hike and that golden light sure is something.
The colors are starting, too!
It’s That Time Again
We did our Millcreek hike on Friday about 4:00 this week–but the light was already looking like evening, not afternoon.
And THEN on Sunday, look what was outside Trader Joes:
It’s Decorative Gourd Season again.
Sew – Stream – Forest – Rest
What a nice pattern of little adventures: an evening in (literally) Millcreek, a hike up Big Cottonwood to test out the pack I finished Friday (more pics tomorrow!), and time with Toby in between.
We Went Back Outside
Maybe we weren’t too scarred from our big hike last week, maybe I just can’t resist a chance to Get In The Water–but we were out Friday night and most of Sunday (and it was fine!).
Friday, we went up to the top of kindly Millcreek Canyon at golden hour and splashed around:
(If you don’t get all the way in the stream, you miss the bluebells growing out of mossy rocks!)
And Sunday we took nephew and sister-in-law and a visiting aunt and uncle tubing on the Provo River. It was about a thousand times busier than the stretch of the Bear we did at the beginning of the month and was a LOT colder, too–but I had fun the whole way (I was In The Water!!) and I think the group had an overall enjoyable experience.
It sure is a pretty canyon and river. There were people who used the tube rental place like us and also people out in their own kayaks and SUPs. I think it’s just a matter of time before I convince Doc that we need our own watercraft.