The Manitou Incline

Ummm . . . my last post about hiking had me searching for my post about my last big hike we did in Colorado. The Manitou Incline.

It wasn't there.

I searched and searched and searched.

And finally I realized that I never documented it anywhere else besides Facebook land.

That hike was a crazy hike too. Not as long but just as intense.

For spring break we headed to Denver to recreate another time we had gone when Alex wasn't in the picture. However, this hike was new. Tyler and Alex stayed behind while the rest of us set out to tackle a hard thing.

2744 steps. 2000 foot elevation increase. 1 mile up. 75 minutes. Slow and steady put us on top of the world.

That vacation also took us to a fun park called Bananas,

the Denver Mint,

and the Zoo.

We watched some March Madness,

discovered a cute bookstore to rival Powell's in Portland,

and celebrated Ashlyn's birthday, something that's happened a few times over spring break. We even made sure she had her celebratory ding dong "cake."

I conquered a mountain

For nine years I've looked out my window at those TV towers and put it on my bucket list to hike to them some day.

That day came last Saturday.

It was a chilly 28 degrees when we started our 9.5 mile hike up and back (about 4000 feet elevation gain).

I won't lie. It wasn't an easy hike. I can commiserate with these two after they attempted this hike back in 2012 and didn't quite make it.

My body ached for several days and the recovery was worse than after any of my half marathons.

On the way back down I was comparing it to childbirth to one of my hiking buddies: I was sure I never wanted to do that hike again, but give me some recovery time and I knew I'd be looking out my window wondering when my next chance would come.

Was it worth it?

Salt Lake Valley

My neighborhood

Definitely. Sitting at 9054 gives you a whole different perspective.

The views were amazzzing. I loved being able to stand on the ridge and see the Salt Lake Valley on one side and the Tooele Valley on the other. So, so cool.

Backpacking in the Uintas

On the 4th of July, Tyler and I,

along with Kiersten, Jason,


Natalie, and Kurtis set out on a backpacking trip.


The original plan was to hike to Red Castle, but due to a cool, wet spring, there was still quite a bit of snow in that area. So our last minute change of plans had us hiking a shorter hike.

In hindsight that was a good thing.

With 30 pounds on my back, traversing over logs and rocks and taking "short cuts" (link to article about cutoffs) that might have been quicker but much harder, took a toll on my legs that first day.

Five miles was the limit of what I was willing to do. The next day was a restful day hanging out at camp, reading my book, watching Jason carefully negotiate a log to rescue Tyler's hook,

and experimenting with fish "tacos."

The fishing was great. I can't say I've ever gotten into fishing despite growing up with a dad who loved the sport.

Once we started going to Lake Powell to fish for striped bass, trout fishing just didn't hold any appeal.

Kiersten caught her first fish 


and the scenery was surreal.

We hiked through burnt out forest that I imagined a war zone might feel like.

And our camp was perched on a cliff with a waterfall not more than a 100 yards away.

The only downside to this trip was all the downed timber on the trail we had to negotiate around. Tyler is repeatedly telling the kids on every hiking expedition we go on, "Don't step on what you can step over. Don't step over what you can step around." I didn't pay too much attention to that and on our way out I didn't want to "step around" and I face planted as my foot didn't quite make it over the log. I came home with a nasty bruise on my leg and forehead. I also came home with a numb toe that I think will fix itself eventually.

I haven't been backpacking in a quite a few years and that was just what I needed this summer. I loved getting away, getting some exercise, getting no reception, and hanging with some fun people.

Looking forward to next summer's trip.

You remember him . . . You ALWAYS remember him

Today is Easter. A day of hope.

And General Conference. A day of soul-searching and commitments.

We got home yesterday from a little spring break jaunt to Zion National Park. I can now cross that one off my bucket list. One more to go and we will have been to all five national parks in Utah.

It's been a day of reflection and thinking and pondering and visiting with family. Thoughts about our recent excursion have been tumbling around in my mind and every time I come home from visiting the world, I'm in awe at its beauty. God really outdid himself. What's really sad, though, is my camera and my photo abilities just don't do it any justice. The eye is a marvelous thing in how it can capture the beauty all around.

We had hopped aboard our last bus in Zion and were headed out when our driver alerted us to some rock climbers making their way up the face of Zion's sheer walls. I am no climbing expert and couldn't even venture a guess as to how far up they were. I'll just say there were crazy high.

photo taken from ientours.com

As we watched them slowly navigate, it reminded me of a story my dad has shared from Gerald Lund in one of his books (Jesus Christ, Key to the Plan of Salvation).

[This] is an article from a medical magazine about "belaying" in mountain climbing. The belay system is the way a mountain climber protects himself from falls. Someone climbs up first, get in a firm, secure position, ties the rope tightly around his waist, and calls down to his partner, "You are on belay," which means, "I have you if you fall." The article told about Alan Czenkusch, a man who ran a climbing school in Colorado for physicians:

"Belaying has brought Czenkusch his best and worst moment in climbing. Czenkusch once fell from a high precipice, yanking out three mechanical supports and pulling his belayer off a ledge. He was stopped, upside down, ten feet from the ground when his spread-eagle belayer arrested his fall with the strength of his out-stretched arms.

"Don saved my life," says Czenkusch. "How do you respond to a guy like that? Give him a used climbing rope for Christmas? No, you remember him. You always remember him."

What a profound analogy for us. Like the belayer, the Savior stops our traumatic fall toward spiritual destruction and offers us a safe line back to him. And what can we do to repay him? Always remember him.

On this Easter Sunday, the way I can repay the Savior is to accept what he did and make it a reality in my life. Because of what I have felt and heard today in conference, there are changes that are necessary that will enable me to become the person Jesus Christ would like me to be as I remember him. As I ALWAYS remember him. May I have the guts and determination to think better, to live better, to be better.

* * * * *

A Secure Anchor by Elder Richard G. Scott

Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland