Moab Mountain Biking with Dave Toth (Sep 2007)

My neighbor, Dave Toth, offered to fly me to Moab (only 90 minutes away!) so that we could mountain bike the Porcupine Rim. When we got there, the shuttle driver strongly urged us to try the higher Hazard County trail that eventually connects down to upper Porcupine Rim. We biked continuously for over four hours, starting over 9,000' and dropping a vertical mile in 28 miles. It was grueling and rewarding. The views were outstanding!

Dave Toth and his awesome Cirrus plane. It has autopilot, a parachute for the whole plane, and cruises over 200 mph while getting the same gas mileage as my truck!












The Porcupine Rim (left) extends from the high country down to the Colorado River.















Our starting point--Warner Lake area aspens were peaking, and snow glazed the La Sals above the 10,000' level.













Me taking a break.







Video of Dave Toth landing us back home at dusk without a glitch!

Deer Trap Mtn and Right Fork in Zion (Sep 2007)

Probably the best overall views anywhere in Zion is atop of Deer Trap Mountain. Mike Burkley and I scrambled up a brushy steep chute from the second tunnel in order to top out on the plateau and hike to the viewpoints.



Towards the southwest. West Temple in distance.












Towards the south. East Zion and Parunaweap in the distance.











Interesting sand sculpture in front of Double Falls (a hike one week earlier).















Mountain of the Sun















One of five bighorn sheep we spooked on the hike out. They ran straight up a cliff away from us.

Zion Narrows (Sep 2007)

This was with my fun neighbors--Patty, Mike, and Dave Toth--their first trip up the Narrows. We made it up to Big Springs and back in about 8 hours. (Remember 4:07PM?) The weather and company was perfect!


Mike, Dave Toth, and Patty enjoying the hike up the Narrows.




















Classic photo using Steph's camera from just above Orderville Cyn.














How does that bush grow way up there?












Big Spring Video

Humphreys and Horseshoes (Sep 2007)

Another weekend opportunity arose for me to get up and go to Flagstaff alone, where I climbed Arizona's tallest peak--Mt Humphreys in the afternoon. It tops out above 12,600', and is a 10 mile round-trip hike. After returning to the truck, I drove to the forest outside the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to sleep. The next morning I got up early and dayhiked down the Grandview Trail to Horseshoe Mesa. I walked around the mesa before returning to the rim, and then drove home that night. On the way home I stopped off at another Horseshoe--Horseshoe Bend near Page.





From near the summit of 12,600'.












Horseshoe Bend below Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. I stopped off to see this spot near Page, AZ on the way home.












View of Grand Canyon from Lipan Point.












A shot of smoke across the canyon from Horseshoe Mesa as I was hiking down. Horseshoe Mesa is on the left middle side of the picture, and sits just above the river.

Right Fork fire/flood and Wildcat Canyon (Aug 2007)

A view of lower Right Fork in Zion. Notice the burn on both sides of the creek, which also happened to experience a 100 year flood. This flood altered the creek's course in major ways, and flooded several homes in Virgin.

















A view from above of Wildcat Canyon, the trail down into Right Fork.

Obi Point in Grand Canyon (Aug 2007)

I was craving the canyon and getting out of the dog days heat of summer. I woke up at 4AM and drove out to the North Rim in order to check out some trails and viewpoints on the Wallhalla Plateau, which is due east of the Lodge. The 6 mile hike to Ariel Point allowed me to get some nice shadows in some photos. Then I contoured around to Obi Point. I tried hiking down Obi Canyon a little ways before I ran out of time. I will come back and try to get down to the petroglyphs.



Early morning view from Ariel Point.















A butterfly that was not too shy.














On the way out, I stopped by a viewpoint of Unkar Rapids.

Green River Raft through Lodore Canyon (July 2007)

This was a spur-of-the-moment trip that I came up with when we were home in the middle of hot Southern Utah July temps, and we all wanted to escape the heat. We talked about going to Europe, but just didn't feel right about it. I really wanted to get on the river again, so I researched some river trips, and decided that the Green River through Dinosaur National Monument's Lodore Canyon would be just the ticket. It turned out to be much, much better than any of us dreamed, and we decided it has been one of the best family vacations we have taken ever! The guides, the scenery, the river, the laid-back relaxed pace, the absence of high technology allowed us to disconnect from our 'real' world, and connect with our real, natural world, and with wonderful guides and friends that we made on the river. None of us wanted the trip to end, and were sad to say goodbye to the river and to everyone else.


Stephanie, Brooke, and Sasha entering the Gates of Lodore on the upper Green River in Dinosaur Natl Monument. We took turns switching with six different guides, and 3 duckies.














Lodore Canyon was full of interesting geology and faults like this.










Our second camp from up above.











Our last camp spot at Jones Hole.



















"Chuck-a-deuce" Dewey and Caylin were two of our favorite guides.














Sasha getting poured on at waterfall near Jones Hole. People could sit in the chute above and dam the water for a short time, thus creating this deluge.


















Our guides: Alison, Dewey, Caylin, Erica, Randy, and Greg, from Dinosaur Rafting Co.









Beautiful white sandy beach lunch spot in the middle of the canyon near where a proposed dam was fortunately shot down back in the 60s. The lake would have flooded the Green and Yampa Rivers.










Girls posing at Steamboat Rock, just downstream from the confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers.














Stephanie and Brooke borrowing Cristoff's tandem kayak.

Lake Powell Family Trip (Jun 2007)

Five short, wonderful summer solstice days were spent with our family and the Perry family at Lake Powell. We enjoyed great meals, company, games, jet skis, tubing, kayaking, swimming, and laughing. The lake is only half full, but there is still plenty of water and beach areas.



Early sunrise coming up over the water.















Kids on the tube being pulled by the jet ski.














Kim paddling out on a quiet pre-dawn morning.













Kim practicing yoga on our favorite little rock island. Notice the kayak drifting away.












The kids and the dogs pose in front of Tower Butte. Jordan and Matt Perry in front.

Zion Narrows with Sasha (June 8, 2007)

I tried to get the whole family to go, but only Sasha wanted to do the Narrows with me. So we spent an entire day hiking all the way up to Big Spring and back. Sasha was extremely cold up to Orderville Canyon, and I thought we would turn around and go back, but she wanted to try going further. Soon thereafter, the air and water and Sasha warmed up, and she and I were the only ones up at Big Spring.



Sasha taking photos everywhere with her mind.
















A cold break next to Orderville Canyon.












Classic rock blocking the river.











Sasha next to Big Spring.













Me up Orderville Canyon at the first waterfall.














Classic Narrows shot.

Old Bright Angel Trail (May 2007)

I got up at 4AM to drive to the North Rim and begin a 17 mile loop hike (with 4400' vertical down and up) across the Ken Patrick Trail 4 miles, down the Old Bright Angel Trail 6 miles, and 7 miles up the North Kaibab Trail back to the truck. This took me 8 hours total, including all breaks. The temp at the rim was 50'ish, and down at Bruce's house it was 90. It was a hot hike out!

From the rim looking down the Old Bright Angel Trail, which is not maintained at all. It was brushy, steep, and ledgey in many places.


















Near the bottom, I walked on ledges above many pools and waterfalls.

















I came 18 inches from stepping on this aggressive pink rattler! I was on a narrow ledge and almost slipped off of it into the above photo's pools.

Rainbow Rim (May 2007)

After the long day on the Old Bright Angel trail, I drove out to Fire Point to spend the night. The next morning I rode my bike along the Rainbow Rim Trail, doing a 9 mile loop of Timp and North Timp points.




I slept in the bed of the truck on a quilt, and this was my view of the sun setting over the western Grand Canyon! I was all alone out on this point too!













From Fire Point, you can look off to the south and see Muav Saddle, the Bass Trail, and Powell Plateau.















A view from my mountain bike. Notice the little white vertical line and green speck in the middle--that's Thunder River!

Wildcat Canyon Connector Trail in Zion (May 2007)

Typical view along the Wildcat Canyon connector trail from Hop Valley to upper Subway. The West Temple in the distance.

Awesome Chasm Overlook (May 2007)

Kim and I hiked up to a spot overlooking Red Mountain and Snow Canyon.



Sun Salutation yoga pose.































At the toll booth, a local guy showed us the gila monster he caught on his back porch.