Loving Life

Thursday, August 22, 2013

FUNdraising for Sochi 2014

Thank you to everyone who has supported me thus far on my journey. I couldn't do this without you! Here's to Sochi!

Thursday, June 20, 2013

MOAB ADVENTURES- MT. Peale, Westwater, and Moonflower Canyon

Moab is one of the most incredible places in the world. The famous highway 128 that runs through Castle Valley is rated the 2nd most scenic drive in the world by National Geographic Magazine. With two days off from work, we did it again. An early morning, and a short 3 hour drive later we found ourselves in just outside of Moab in the La Sal Mountains.

These peaks contain Mt. Peale which is the highest peak in Utah outside of the Uintas. We set out to summit Mt. Peale, and man was it worth it. The hike itself was a complete scramble up a few thousand feet, through uncharted talus fields, and non existent deer trails. When we reached the peak we were beyond stunned at the sheer magnitude and beauty of what we were looking upon in every direction. With Castle Valley and Moab in one direction, the San Juan Swell in another, and Arizona in another this one of the most epic peaks I have ever summited.

The following day our friend from Park City as well as a couple of other PC friends took us down Westwater on the Colorado River. Jonny, being a guide for Canyon Voyages showed us one of the best times i've had on the river, and a very memorable day in Moab. Thanks friends what an awesome ride!

Talus Fields (the whole peak looked like this too)

Max and Jonny on their way up

This rock was totally water eroded and enormous.

Looking down the chute we climbed up

Still some water running off from the top

Adventures in Zion National Park

Utah is a very special place in the sense that within a 5 hour drive from Salt Lake City, you can go from some of the best skiing in the Wasatch Mountains, to some of the most sought after places in the world further south. With ski resorts like Park City, Canyons, Alta, Snowbird, and national parks such as Zion, Bryce Canyon, Kolob Canyon, and many others, Utah is truly a unique place that enables you to "get away," even if you only have a day or two to do so.

Since I only had 2 days off of work, my boyfriend and I decided Tuesday morning that we would hop in the car and drive down to Zion National Park to hike Angels Landing the following day. Although the campsites in the park were occupied we found a really amazing spot to camp above a little canyon on some BLM land. Early the next morning we woke, antsy to get our hike going, and check out the rest of the park. The initial drive into the park was mind-blowing to say the least. With big sandstone walls lining the road, the Virgin river below, and the greenest trees you have ever seen, the canyon was truly one of the most breathtaking places I have ever been. It was very Yosemite-esque, in that the sheer size of the rock walls you are looking at is quite stupendous, and you have to tilt your head back to see the tops of the walls.

We arrived at the trailhead around 9am after a short bus ride up the canyon. From looking at pictures of the hike we knew we had to be aware, but didn't really know how aware we had to be until we were switchbacking up the sheer rock walls. We summited around 11am after hiking for 2 hours on some of the most intense hiking trails in the continental US. After taking WAY too many photos, we started up the West Rim Trail (An eleven mile round trip hike) just to take a peak before turning around to hike back down to the valley floor. Since the Angels Landing hike took much less time than expected, we had the opportunity to find our way to the Upper and Lower Emerald Pools at the base of one of the tallest rocks in the park. Having accomplished what we came there to do plus more we felt thrilled at our day, and were ready to hop on i15 for the straight shot back to Salt Lake. 4 and 1/2 hours later we were greeted by one of the heaviest rainstorms I personally, have ever seen in Utah- guess we picked the right time to head South!

Scenery along highway 89