Timpanogos Birthday

Like it or not, my birthday always pops up right after Eli's. Jason was super sweet and surprised me with tickets to a fantastic production of The Secret Garden at the Hale Center Theater. I didn't take any photos then, but I do have this picture taken up Millcreek canyon. Instead of a big birthday dinner, I requested that we roast hot dogs. Lucky for me, Ruby, Brianna, and Justin joined us as well.

My sweet family even made me an angel food cake--my favorite.  Maybe the name will rub off and encourage better behavior. I kind of doubt it though.  I've eaten a lot of angel food cake in the past and it hasn't worked so far.  Perhaps the trick is to consume it all in one sitting.  I likely could pull that off, but sinful gluttony dictates that I ought not.  Sigh.

Instead of devouring a cake all by myself, I indulged in a different way for my birthday.  I played hooky from school and hiked Mount Timpanogos.  I wouldn't have minded sunnier weather, but the clouds are beautiful in their own mystic way.  I likewise would have enjoyed some company, but the truth is that we are all super busy.  Coordinating schedules can be nearly impossible.  I've learned that if an experience is important to you, sometimes you have to be seize the moment and be comfortable with yourself as company.

It's such a small window of time when the leaves are changing in the mountains.  When fall comes, those golden leaves call to me the way the fresh powder calls to Jason in ski season.

I didn't see much wildlife on the way up, but there was this quirky quail that insisted on trotting along the path ahead of me for a full quarter mile.  Instead of flying off to the side, it kept on running ahead, looking back occasionally as if offended that I was still following it.

The clouds really are far more intriguing than blue skies.

About four miles in, the autumn vistas began to shift towards winter.  I had looked ahead at the forecast and was prepared for snow, but passed other hikers in t-shirts and shorts who were caught off guard.

In an effort to be extra cautious while solo-hiking, I took a long detour to the saddle that didn't require tramping across a gigantic snow-covered rock field.  On the way back, I realized that the crunchy snow provided some good traction and followed the cairns through the rocks after all.

A peak through the clouds from the saddle, then into the unknown. 

My only proof that I made it to the top.  There were several people hanging out in the shelter, so I didn't go in to sign the log.

Back down the mountain and into the golden light.

The only scary moment of my trip happened right here.  The dark spot right in the center of the photograph is actually a moose.  There were two of them fairly close to the trail--a bull and a cow.  They were so close that I could see whether the hair on their backs was standing up.  Definitely not the moment to stop and take a picture.  They didn't seem very interested in me and the trail was the best path away from them, so I tried to make plenty of noise as I slipped on past.  I don't know a lot about moose, but I know they can be dangerous, particularly if startled.  Well, I suspect the man downtrail from me could tell you more.   The next group of hikers related how he had been running down the trail and caught the moose off guard as he rounded a corner.  Good thing he was a fast runner because he got chased.  That's an experience I never want to have!

While I had not wanted to see moose on Timp, I had secretly wanted to see a few of the fluffy white mountain goats.  If they were there, my guess is they were camouflaged in the snow.  Amazingly, God still granted my wish.  While driving away from the trailhead, I ran into these cowboys trying to keep their herd of goats from crossing the road.  The goats simply plowed right through the orange netting and continued their stampede down the mountain.  While it must have been frustrating for the ranch hands, it was pretty entertaining to watch them come barreling past.  It was a great finale to a beautiful day.  Glad I got out there, clouds and all.