Fourth of July Weekend in Pictures

Angel's Landing

Southern Utah is a magical place, it's one of a kind and I'm so lucky to have it right in my backyard. 

Bridal Veil

Today, my Sunday drive took me up to Squaw Peak where I was denied by a forest ranger, they've closed it for the season, then to Vivian Park and South Fork to see the horses and lastly to Bridal Veil Falls at the mouth of the canyon. The sight was breathtaking, or that could have been the frigid wind, and parts of the falls have frozen, leaving gigantic icicles hanging from the cliffs. I sat there a while taking pictures, listening to music and reading a bit, both from the Doctrine and Covenants and from Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. There have been many things that have stuck out to me in both books, but in the last chapter of Siddhartha, there was one particular quote that had significant meaning to me:

"When someone seeks then it happens all too easily that his eyes will see only the thing he is seeking, that he cannot find anything, cannot let anything in, because he is always thinking only of that thing he seeks, because he has a goal, because he is possessed by the goal. Seeking means: having a goal. But finding means: being free, being open, having no goal."

Maybe this time around a goal isn't what I need, what I need is to be more open, willing to let new experiences in and to stop being so stubborn.

Outro

Last Sunday, I grabbed my journal, my scriptures and a hot chocolate and headed for the mountains. The clouds were hanging low that day and being alone I thought it best to stay close so I drove up to the Squaw Peak overlook. Provo canyon is gorgeous anytime, but really outdoes itself in the fall. 

I sat on the little rock wall writing for a while, trying to ignore the anti Mormon radio station blaring from the truck next to me until the rain really started to come down and I was forced to sit in my car. After my hand was too cramped to keep writing I drove up the dirt road toward Hope campground listening to The National and M83 along the way until I made my way back home.

This quick trip was everything I needed and more. I absolutely love the mountains; at times I even crave them. They are my place for solace and peace and I am so grateful to live in a state where I am surrounded by them.

Maple Lake

This weekend my friend Holly and I went for a quick over night trip up Payson Canyon to Maple Lake. After a short hike to The Grotto and having to duct tape our tent poles together, we walked down to the lake and sat on the shore drinking diet cokes, watching the sunset. I love the beginning of the fall season; the leaves are just starting to change and there's just a hint of chill in the air.

We spent the rest of the night around a campfire, making s'mores and biscuits and cursing the rain while trying to act like we weren't scared of the noises surrounding us. I really enjoyed this impromptu trip and I want to make them more often. There's no better feeling than being in the mountains to me. There's a sense of peace and awe that I don't find anywhere else.

July 4th...and after

The 4th of July was done right with a low key, candy filled parade down main street in Mt Pleasant followed by tacos and burgers in the park and finished up with the best fireworks show I've seen in a long time. My favorite holiday has found a new tradition!

The rest of the day/weekend was spent in the pool, playing games, snacking on Red Vines, going on four wheeler rides and lounging around talking and laughing. Just to break things up we had two massive rain storms that almost blew away our camp and tried to flatten my tent, but I loved the thunder and lighting show we got. All in all it was a perfect weekend at Del Boca Vista and the perfect Fourth!

 

Lake Blanche

The original plan was to hike Donut Falls in Big Cottonwood Canyon, but an overheating car and fear of being stranded lead us back down the canyon to the Mill B trail heads and what we thought would be a quick 2.8 mile hike to Lake Blanche. We couldn't have been more wrong! Sure 2.8 isn't that bad, when it's not going completely uphill to the TOP of the mountain! The first pic is when we were only slightly winded and loving the gorgeous scenery, not knowing the hell to come. That was a bit dramatic, but seriously this was the hardest hike I've ever been on. 

 

It was around what seemed like mile fifteen that our new found friend and motivator Brett had to turn back and get home. I'm still sad that he didn't make it and even sadder that we didn't get a picture with him. 

Maddi's expression perfectly sums up how we felt at that point and we still had forty-five minutes to an hour of hiking left!

After three strenuous hours of hiking, climbing and complaining we FINALLY made it to Lake Blanche. The closer we got the more we were told it would all be worth it and they were right. It was so serene and overwhelming.  I have to say we were both feeling proud and accomplished. Our attitudes had completely changed just sitting on the shore and only got better with the thought of walking downhill. About a half hour into the walk back down I did an ankle give out-bounce-slide fall down the side of the trail resulting in the wounds pictured above.  It was more funny than painful and we laughed about it almost the rest of the way down. By the time we reached the paved road I'm sure we looked like we had been stuck in the woods for days on end, but it really was worth the struggle.

Stewart Falls

Yesterday, Drea and I made the short hike to Stewart Falls in Provo Canyon. I haven't been up there in years and I've made a personal goal to get out and be more active this summer and Utah is the perfect place to do just that! The weather was perfect and the mountains were more lush and green than I have ever seen them, lets hope the burning summer temperatures don't change that.

We stayed at the falls for about an hour, taking pictures, eating our picnic snacks, watching all the kids run through the river acting like it wasn't freezing cold and climbing high enough to feel the mist and make a run through the lower level of the waterfall (I screamed through the whole thing both times, SO COLD!) Places like Stewart Falls help me better appreciate the state I was born and raised in and remind me to take advantage of the beauty and opportunities that are literally surrounding me. Next up Battle Creek Canyon!