Monday, August 16, 2010

Climbing Timpanogos

WE DID IT!!!!!
We climbed Timp. For those that don't know Mount Timpanogos is the second highest mountain in Utah's Wasatch Range with an elevation of 11,749 feet.
This is a photo I took from the car driving past Timp on our way to Salt Lake City.
My brother Steve has always been really good at hiking and has recently gotten back into it. About a month ago he mentioned hiking Timp in August. It didn't take long for us to decide we should do it as a group. Steve and Miki, Liz and Gary and Dewey and I. Hailey and Dan were able to watch the boys. (they are way to young to hike that far but way to heavy to carry) Hailey happens to be one of their very favorite cousins so they didn't mind in the least staying behind.
We "woke" up at 12:45 on Sunday morning, Everyone met at Liz and Gary's at 1:30. We were on the mountain and hiking by 2:30 a.m.
It was an amazing thing hiking by flashlight. I think it was a really good thing that I couldn't see how far it was to the top. It was just "concentrate on the trail and put one foot in front of the other".
We made it to the top meadow just as the sun was coming up......a breathtaking sight.

Its so hard to describe the beauty of this mountain it honestly takes your breath away.
I LOVE this pic of Dewey with the sun just over the mountain.

Our group on the last push to the "saddle" (the top of the mountain)

Looking towards Provo, Orem and Utah Lake, stunning.
Funny what reaching the top does, you can't even tell we have been up all night hiking.

Looking to the North from the Summit.

A group shot that turned out great. I feel so lucky to be able to have done this hike with my family. To have us all on the top at the same time is something I will forever remember and always cherish.

Once you get to the saddle you can continue on tot he very top or the summit. Its another hour or so hike to the very very top. Its not for those that have a problem with heights, the trail gets a little narrow in places. (SCARY) A few of us decided to give it a try. Here I am at 11,749 feet.


From this little shack you can literally almost see forever from every direction, Utah county, Salt lake county and Wasatch county.
The part that looks like a saddle on the left is where the rest of the group is sitting. As were were hiking down we noticed mountain goats above us. Dewey and Miki (and beautiful flowers) looking up at the goats
I know this picture in no way does justice to the beauty but come on have you seen such colors?

My pics of the goats didn't really turn out but Steve was able to get this one.


In total we hiked 12 hours we were down the mountain and in the car by 2.30 p.m.
I'm not going to say that every part of my body from my pinkie toe to my head doesn't hurt right now. But I would not trade the experience for anything. Thank you Steve for planning and leading the expedition, an amazing time. Yea us for being able to do it!!!













3 comments:

Anna said...

Stacey that is an amazing achievement!! Good on you for getting to the top!!
Those photos are spectacular and well worth the hard work to get there by the looks of it!
You must be very fit Stacey to be able to do that.

Take care,
Anna

Wilcox Family said...

Great job! We have talked about doing it someday. Now we know were to find a guide :)

Wilcox Family said...

Stacey! These are great photos and brought back so many memories. I think I literally crawled my 12 year old buns to the very top LOL. Great job! - Jana