July 20, 2009

• 20 miler - Rattlesnake Loop

  This weekend the scouts completed the last remaining requirement for the hiking merit badge, a 20 mile hike, all in one day.  The unfortunate thing is that an extremely strenuous hike was selected, the Rattlesnake Loop trail in the mountains west of Cedar.  We camped atop Brian Head Peak at 11,300 feet which gave us a beautiful view for miles and miles around, started hiking just after 8am and finished at 6pm.  Elevation at the end was about 7,000ish feet, but we descended and ascended through three different valley systems, virtually no flat hiking at all.  Brutal! I've never done such a difficult one-day hike.  I was focused on survival more than photography, but here are a few pictures that I did take:

  
  

  
  

  A beautiful sunset, my digital camera doesn't do it justice.
   

  Sunrise the next morning.  
  
   

  At the trailhead, little did we know what lay ahead...
   

  This is foot-traffic-only country and nobody seems to want to hoof it with a chain-saw in tow.  This is a picture of a tree that had fallen across the trail.  A very common occurence.
   

  Adrian, our scoutmaster, hiked nearly the first half with this watermelon in his pack so we could enjoy it for lunch.  It was still ice cold - and delicious!
   

  Joseph soaks his head at lunch time.
   

  Another can't-do-it-justice.  This is looking from afar, down into Ashdown Gorge at the infamous arch that we didn't make it to when I took the kids on that hike a summer or so ago.  The gorge was spectacular.  I can't wait to make a second try with the kids.
   

  Crossing the gorge.  The first of the several valleys we descended up and over into.  The pastel colors were amazing!
   

  We actually caught this little guy running through the brush, then let him go.  Tongue in cheek, I asked the other dad on the hike, a hunter former marine, "is all hunting this easy?"  He said no.
  

  Not quite done, another mile or so to go, but dead tired.  This is the Crystal Springs trailhead where we came out of the wilderness.  Another mile to the rendezvous point.

  
  

  All the deacons looked especially solemn and reverent today passing the sacrament. The high councilman even remarked about it in his talk.  Little did he know, the slow deliberate walking of the aisles and solemn visages were due more to stiff bodies and pain than exemplary, mature deaconhood.

  • 12:19 am
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