hiking2christ

I pulled into the parking lot around 4:15 pm MST on 9/14/2011. Like the day before it started raining as soon as I stepped out of my car. Once again I was not deterred. I threw on my pack and my poncho and headed for the trail. I knew I would not have enough time to make the summit, but I would get as far as I could in about 2 and half hours. The trail starts from the parking lot and passes a shed. The shed is where the Timpanogos rescue team is located. It was vacant when I passed it. There had been some damage to the trail and a new bridge had been built to cross where the run-off flows in the summer.

I had hiked around 200 yards when the dirt path turned into pavement. This is something I considered very unusual, but I knew this trail is extremely popular. The run-off from the rain was flowing down the paved trail making it slippery. I had gone maybe another 100 yards on the trail when I looked to my left and standing about 50 feet from me in a meadow was a beautiful moose. I was able to get a few pictures before a family came by and the moose walked into the bushes. I was very excited to see a moose. It was only the third moose I have seen in my life. One in Montana 17 years ago when I was 18, and one last year in the Never Summer Wilderness of Colorado.

After the excitement of the moose I continued on the trail. The trail started to elevate quickly and I could start to get a glimpse at the mountains and the valley behind me.

Just like the Stevens Cascades trail that I hiked the day before, there were beautiful plants and flowers lining the whole trail. I had to take refuge underneath a rather large shrub when the rain really picked up to avoid my camera getting wet. I was however able to take this picture of a purple flower whose name I do not know.

The trail again turned to dirt and I was able to make better time. There are two waterfalls on this trail. The first one is around 60-70 feet high and the second one is about 20 feet less than the first.

As the trail continued to climb and the rain started letting up a bit I could start to see the summit of Timpanogos. It was a long ways off. The rain had put a damper 🙂 on my pace at the beginning. I could see the trail would cross a boulder field that would put me into a bowl in the shadow of the summit. There was also a snow field that was fairly large. This was going to be my goal to reach by 6:30 pm. That would give me enough time to get back down before dark.

All around me where I sat by the snowfield were a variety of flowers of all different colors shapes and sizes.

I sat for a few minutes and soaked it all in. This was an absolute beautiful hike with different scenery, weather, and wildlife. I took one last snapshot of a view that I could see for hundreds of miles. I was truly thankful for this hike.