Indian Summer in the Wasatch

Canadian Geese at Sugarhouse Park

After a taste of winter in mid October, we have enjoyed several weeks of mild and sunny weather.  We have been raking leaves and working on our end of season check list; which is way too long.   We found time to enjoy the Sandra Bullock film “Gravity” (in 3D no less) along with some biking and hiking.

Porter Rockwell Trail - Draper

Bonneville Shoreline Trail - Sandy

We added a new website gallery:

>Outings>Photo Field Trips>2013 Autumn Teton Trip

We hope you enjoy some late September photos of Jackson Hole along with the Jackson Lake Lodge and the Wort Hotel – some of our favorite hide-outs.

Oxbow Bend - Grand Teton National Park

The Wort Hotel - Jackson

New galleries: Outings>Jeep Trips>2013 Telluride & 1968 Telluride

LuJean and I decided to escape the August heat in the cool, thin air of one of our favorite spots- Telluride, Colorado.  Our trip followed the route my friend Tom and I used on our first jeep trip to the San Juan's back in 1968.  These two galleries show the contrasts and many of the surprising similarities 45 years later.  We also have included several video clips just for the fun of it.  We hope you enjoy our images of trails, streams and afternoon showers.

A Saturday night concert on Main Street with great folk and pop from the 60’s and 70’s along with some fresh snow on the peaks brings back the magic and the memories.   

For this trip, it was all about enjoying the roads.  There are some rough roads but no bad roads in the San Juan’s…

Summer is going way to fast…

At the end of June we escaped the heat and spent a few days in the Tetons.  Along with some nice hikes we enjoyed breakfast with Pat and Rick in Jackson

No July is complete without a trip to Albion Basin and a hike to Kathryn Pass.  Meanwhile Julie and her family headed to Disneyland and Newport.

In late July, Christy and little Ruby flew in for a brief and   fun visit.

New Galleries >Outings>Photo Field Trips

 A note from Rob:

We have added three new galleries, two from a recent trip to Antelope Canyon in Northern Arizona and a 2010 trip to Moab.  Photo shoots are the antithesis of a wilderness experience even though you are working in remote and very beautiful settings.  In both Page and Moab we were surrounded by folks from every corner of the world in search of the ‘magic light” that apparently only exists in the canyons of the southwest.  It’s actually fun, but you have to have a sense of humor and a Disneyland mind set.

For this Upper Antelope “chamber” shot we used our Pentax K10 at 1/20 F3.5  Generally, we set the ISO at 200 and the white balance to “shade” and used a tripod with a cable release where feasible.

This Lower Antelope image was captured at 1/10 F3.5 with the camera in “point & shoot” auto mode.  With excellent mid-day light, I noticed that some of the folks were getting great pictures with their iPad’s and iPod”s (go figure) so I decided there’s no reason to make things more complicated than they need to be.  

After an early dinner LuJean and I hiked out to Horseshoe Bend, south of Page thinking we might spend some quite time on the cliffs.  Again, the desert is a busy place these days, nothing like the 70’s.  Speaking of the 70’s, it was nice taking a ride down “memory lane;” that is U.S. 89.  Central Utah is one place where much remains the same.

LuJean loves the fresh air and sunshine and is always eager for a hike - within reason.  She’s a great sport and is confident that if we try The Wave on-line lottery a few times we will eventually end up out at Coyote Buttes.  With only 20 people per day I’m not sure I could handle the solitude…

Keep the ear muffs ready - it’s springtime in the Wasatch!

A note from Rob:


It was snowing hard on Parley’s Summit this morning but spring is apparently trying to come to the Wasatch.  It’s a welcome transition but it can be quick.  One of these days it will suddenly be in the 80’s and we’ll be saying “so, I guess that must have been spring.”

In the meantime, it rained worms a few days ago.  Worms everywhere, but the flowers are great and the grass is looking exceptionally good; I assume due to all the dead worms.  

Good Times in the Windrivers and Tetons

Cliff, near the base of Fremont Peak - 1972

A note from Rob:

We finally got around to adding some galleries to the Summit section of the website.  Fremont Peak in 1972 and East Temple in 1976 standout as exceptionally fine trips in the beautiful Windriver Range.  For me, another excellent adventure was a 1966 “miss-adventure” in the Tetons when we unexpectedly ended up climbing the South and Middle Tetons.

Dave, near the saddle between the South & Middle Tetons - 1966

Rim to Rim Adventures at the Grand Canyon

In what could be a PR photo for the TV show The Amazing Race; we have L/R:  Barbara, Carolyn P, Art, Art's friend, Carolyn D, Cliff, Nancy, Nancy's sidekick & Rob S.

A note from Rob:

I love this 1971 photo!  The juxtaposition of elegant Barbara in her shinny black shoes and red dress along with  Art in his spiffy blue socks and plaid shorts; as they remain unfazed while Nancy appears to be having a major meltdown on the tarmac of the Kanab Airport.  The unnamed side-kicks of both Art and Nancy seem to register mild concern for Nancy’s situation as Carolyn D and Cliff assume stand-by mode and Rob S blissfully smiles.  Carolyn P is just happy to be out on another lark in the fresh air and sun.

In the photo below, the trans-canyon backpack team has made the 70 mile drive to Page, Arizona.  No small accomplishment with eight people and equipment in a seven passenger VW bus – 135 miles to go.  Meanwhile, the Carolyn’s and Barbara drove to the North Rim Lodge for a relaxing Labor Day weekend among the ponderosas’.

After a long slow climb from Cameron to the South Rim, it appears to be time to consult the map in search of the South Kaibab Trailhead.

As noted in the Quill Traders Gallery, a stop at the permit office yielded the backcountry permits only after everyone had a hat; a problem Nancy quickly resolved by fashioning hats out of discarded newspapers.  

Early Monday the hikers emerged triumphant from the canyon tired and very thirsty.  As I recall, we all united in the lodge dining room for a joyful breakfast that consisted mostly of pitchers cold Roaring Springs water.  As was generally the case, the restaurant staff was sad to see us go - or was that glad?