Hikes and Bikes

backpacking in the San Rafael Swell

We went backpacking this weekend in Utah's San Rafael Swell.  We started at the Buckhorn Draw Road bridge over the San Rafael River and hiked upstream to Virgin Springs Canyon.  It's a georgous but alien landscape. 

Pictures forthcoming.

Touristy Lake Louise / Banff pics

Lake Louise.  None of our pics here turned out quite right.  Probably cause I was annoyed at the tourons.

Unknown, from the Icefields Parkway.

Banff area pics

A few pictures from the area around Banff, Alberta.  Mostly from Kootenay NP and Kananaskis Country.  All pics were taken in early July 06.

Heading towards the Rockwall.

Looking back a couple miles later.

Unknown mountain.  Somebody probably knows, but I don't.

Avalanche debris.  In July.  Travelling down that canyon, we passed over several debris fields that were still more than 10 feet deep.  Everything's bigger in Canada, eh?

Looking across from Mt Baldy, Kananaskis.  We found this hike by my tried-n-true method of asking around in the local bar.  Worked all summer.

quickies

My advisor is trying to convince me to apply to the University of Alberta, in Edmonton.  I think it's too cold there for a guy from the South.  He says he regrets considering weather when he looked at grad schools.  I know he went to Stanford.  Hm.

Speaking of cold, overnight lows are in the 30's, my apartment is currently unheated, and my window leaks cold air.  Last night I pulled my dog into bed under the covers to keep warm.  I was warm, but may have created a monster. 

Shingle Creek lakes

I went on a short hike today up to one of the lakes that feeds into Shingle Creek in the Uinta Mountains.  I'd only been there once before, en route to a downhill bike trail last summer.  The trail too the lakes was even shorter than I remembered, but still really rocky.  Fine for hiking, but rough if you're having an off day on the bike.  The lake has filled in a good bit since last season but was still quite nice for a quick dip.

The road up does require high clearance, but given that is quite driveable.  The last 2.5 miles have a bunch of rock gardens which can be treated like rock gardens on a freeride bike - keep a reasonable line, keep applying power, keep a reasonable speed, and cross your fingers.  Metaphorically speaking, of course, really your fingers are busy holding on for dear life.

raindrops keep falling on my head

Went for a short hike last night from the house up and over towards Emigration Oaks.  We could see a rainstorm hitting the valley, but figured we had plenty of time as the rain was 10-12 miles off.  Well, we didn't.  And all my rain gear is packed.  It's been a while since I've gotten soaked because I was unprepared.

Mormon Pioneer Trail hike

Last Sunday a friend and I went for a hike up the Mormon Pioneer Trail with Belle.  I've biked this trail half a dozen times over the past few summers and it's always been a blast - it goes right along and up a dry creekbed, the vegetation is lush (by Utah standards, at least), there are a handful of small beaver-dammed ponds, it's just lovely.

The problem was that I'd never been there in late spring / early summer.  Unsurprisingly, the dry creekbed isn't dry.  In fact, the snowmelt is calf deep and really freakin cold.  Not only that, but a trail that takes an hour on a bike takes a lot of hours on foot.  All in all, not my best planning ever.