Alpine Loop & Cascade Springs

Last week was, well, let's just say... stressful. I was in the final preparation for the Primary Sacrament Meeting presentation (which I'm in charge of), did Grammie-duties three times, bottled spaghetti sauce, forgot and, fortunately remembered, that I needed to come up with the printed program for Sunday's meeting, remembered in the nick of time that I was also getting the popcorn treat for Sunday's reward sharing time, planning and having 3rd Sunday Grammie Dinner, plus lots of other things I'm forgetting like walking, mowing, etc.

So when Monday morning dawned I was READY for a little R and R! I suggested that Gordon and I make the annual Alpine Loop drive (that my Dee-Lor-EE-Ous and I used to make) in his 1990 Reatta convertible... the best way to enjoy that drive!

As we were leaving Gordon hinted that perhaps we should bring Harley, who heretofore has been banned from a ride in the classic car! He was DE-lighted to be included and behaved himself like a very responsible doggy-boy in Poppa's special car.

There are so many happy memories on this drive... most of them with DeLoris, but also a fair-few with Gordon. It is just one of those drives that makes my heart happy.

This was always our first photo-op, looking back down at Sundance.

The colors are more muted this year. Perhaps we were a little too early. Maybe we will have to go again.

Gordon asked if I'd like to take the detour down to Cascade Springs. I always love this sweet place.  The first time I remember visiting here was in August 1981 with Gordon.

As I walked the trail that loops around the three different areas of Cascade Springs I was taken aback by a memory...

This beautiful trail...

used to look like...

This!

PHOTO TAKEN 21 OCTOBER 2005

"On Sept. 23, 2003, a prescribed burn to treat 600 acres of oak woodland near Cascade Springs on the Uinta National Forest went out of control, resulting in a 7,828-acre wildfire that sent smoke into the Salt Lake City-Provo area for a week."

2005 was the year that DeLoris and I started our annual tradition of driving the Alpine Loop together. I loved that first trip so well that Gordon, Buddi and I  repeated it a few days later and revisited Cascade Springs. I was grateful, this year, when I realized that the forest had regrown!

The upper springs always amaze me... all of this water just appears out of nowhere!

As I was looking at the comparison photos I recognized that I had this same shot now, looking down into Cascade Springs...

and 10 years ago.

If you'd like to read more of my adventures from this annual tradition, just click on the Cascade Springs tag below the post.

Mountain-Goat Grammie

Earlier this week a friend posted a photo of her and her walking buddy, Cooper, on the trail that runs above our houses- the Bonneville Shoreline trail. It looked so glorious that it tempted me right out of the house and up onto the mountain.

I grew up right at the base of the mountains in our little town in the Indian Valley, California. I used to take off and explore all over the mountains. It always refreshes and rejuvenates me to take a hike (which is different than a walk!)

Harley could hardly believe his good luck! I never let him off the leash when we go on walks. But since this was a hike and we were up the mountain I told him he needed to stay where I could see him or he'd have to go back on the leash. (Yes, I talk to him like he's a person... a little person in a hairy-suit!) He understood and was quite obedient to my conditions; well, most of the time.

We hadn't gone far when the view opened up across the valley to Utah Lake with the cerulean sky overhead.

At this point I couldn't tell where the trail went next... silly me, I should have just looked on Google Maps on my iPhone which clearly shows the trail. So I doubled back and headed up the side of the mountain on a mountain goat deer trail.

I wanted to get up to the power lines and survey the fire damage (which is almost imperceptible after the wet September we had). I quickly realized that this mountain goat trail went up and down each of the gullies that one almost doesn't perceive when looking up on the mountain. After one such gully I was seriously doubting the wisdom of where I was (what if I tumbled down the mountain and had to call for a rescue? Now that would be embarrassing!) and decided that I needed to just start down hill until I hit the real trail again.

There is a lovely rock that was just right for resting on. I spied out my house. It was easy since my other neighbor has a wonderful bright red tree in her yard.

I'm always surprised at how a camera diminishes distance. This photo doesn't reflect how far this Grammie had hiked!

I've often thought I'd like to hike to the top of this mountain... but not this day!

We got back home just as the light was turning all golden and lovely.  We'd had a happy outing on this golden, stolen November day!

MY SITTING ROCK.

I know that all too soon we will have snow and it will be months before this kind of hike will be possible.

An Autumnal Explore

Our sweet Kevin (Camille's-kind-of-Kevin) told us he would be working up at the Timber Wolf today and asked if we'd like to come up for lunch. YES! We always love it when Kevin cooks! We dined out on the deck with this beautiful view and the warm September sun adding to our enjoyment.

As we were leaving Gordon asked if I was up for a drive up the canyon. This time we decided to take Right Fork instead of Left Fork. Right Fork almost immediately turns into National Forest land. It was a perfect fall day for a drive!

The aspens have started changing... this isn't the best specimen but beautiful nonetheless.

One of the things that I like best about this drive is all the free-range cattle. The *alpine air* must agree with them because many of them are enormous! Not fat... just BIG! I convinced Gordon to stop and let me take a photo of this cute mama and baby.

However about fifteen minutes later we came upon the KING OF THE MOUNTAIN! Holy-freakin'-cow-BULL! This dude started giving us the stink-eye as soon a we rounded the curve in the road and we didn't even think once about stopping to ask HIM if we could capture his likeness! He will have to remain in my mental photo album.

I had no idea that bovines could give the stink-eye!

317- Autumn in Reflection

Why is it that autumn colors are more than doubled when they are reflected? I don't know... but I love it.


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300- Autumn's Glory

I've mentioned before that fall/autumn is my favorite season. For the last several years I've boycotted Halloween but have fully embraced the pumpkin... sounds silly, I know.

I love collecting pumpkins and gourds to display on my front porch. They just make me happy! I may have to follow the example of my friend, Sheri, and plant some pumpkins next year and grow my own!

275- Autumn Color

I've been waiting patiently for this day! I love the autumn colors. I caught Buckley Mountain at just the right time. (As viewed from East Bay in Provo)

247- Fall Already?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. But look what I found when I was outside this evening (during the BYU vs Wash football game) taking photos of another beautiful sunset.



A couple of nights ago the weather man on KSL showed a chart of average and actual number of days over 100 degrees for Salt Lake City and other western cities. It went something like this (I wish I could find it online)-

• Death Valley 108
  
• Phoenix 90 something
• Vegas 80 something
• Salt Lake 5 (but we only had 2 this year)
  

Yes, that is why I like to live here... in the cool...

322- Watercolor Leaves

When I see colors like this I just want to lick them! What delicious colors! And, do you see the little fly hangin' on the main leaf?

312- Fall's Glory

The older I get the more I love fall. The weather seems to be more stable than spring with temperate days and cold nights. I love the shortening (bwahahaha) days and the tang of leaves in the wind; but most of all I love the vibrant, bold colors that nature exhibits.

I mentioned yesterday that we've been blessed with a week of beautiful unseasonably warm days. I've been outside all day working in the yard and enjoying the beauty that is all around. I love the way the light dances through the leaves.



But then I take a closer look and it is amazing... the detail is exquisite.



Yes, I do love fall...

306- Nature's Decorations

I know that there are many people who get cross about how *retail* rushes Christmas merchandise.

But, see here... they are just imitating nature.


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305- Old Pilings

Years ago there used to be a tram from the base of Bridal Veil Falls (in Provo Canyon) up to a restaurant at the top. Now all that is left is some old worn pilings, rusted metal, deteriorating concrete... AND I have one more photo of one more thing at the old tram base, but you will have to wait for tomorrow for that.

302- Snow on Alpine Loop

301- Pumpkin Glow

More of that wonderful golden evening light that I just love. I took some great shots this morning of snow on my pumpkin... but this one beats it out! But I'll show you both anyway!



Just to show the difference that light makes both of these photos are SOOC!

281- Bridal Veil Falls

So how many Bridal Veil Falls do you think there are in the United States? A quick Google search brought up: Utah, Colorado, Yosemite (CA), North Carolina, and Oregon... and that was just the suggested searches... I didn't even look at any of the 255,ooo hits!



But this is Utah's Bridal Veil Falls. Since we've had early rain and snow the falls are flowing quite fast for October! I felt the water and it was icy cold. You know, I always want to drink water like that! Giardia be dammed (get that pun? giardia comes from beavers! bwahahahaha) But seeing as how I have had Giardia... I do heed the warning not to drink stream water... but it always makes me so sad. I can just taste it: cold, sweet, bubbly, refreshing... oh how I miss that.

280- Which One?

I can't remember which Disney movie it is... perhaps Emperor's New Grove... but the quote is, "Which one, which one!"

So that is my question to you today. Which one? I took a bunch of photos last Thursday of the autumn colors in Provo canyon. Which photo do you like the best?

#1


#2


#3


Let the voting begin!

278- Alpine Loop... Again

I love the yearly tradition that my friend, De-LOR-ee-us, and I have of driving the Alpine Loop each fall. This is our 5th year! When I first moved here I was assigned as a visiting teacher to DeLoris and two other elderly ladies. As we all know, there are always changes in visiting teaching assignments so I don't *visit* her anymore but that hasn't changed the friendship that DeLoris and I have. (I've written about DeLoris before you can go here or click on the DeLoris label to read more.)

Last year I had to spring DeLoris from rehab to make this trip! We decided today that it never looks the same. Each drive is new and unique in the vistas that are offered. We were quite surprised to find that yesterday's rain here brought snow to the mountains (again, we had snow in the mountains last Wed.) Since fall blew in, literally over night last week, most of the aspen tree are still green but now have snow on them. The good news is that there wasn't enough snow to cause damage to the trees.

277- Utah Valley

I love the view of Utah Valley (& Utah Lake) from the mountains. What a beautiful sight... add some beautiful fall colors... Mmmmm... it doesn't get much better than this.

276- UT or VT?

I don't thing that Vermont has anything on Utah this year by way of beautiful colors...

275- The Birds and the Bees

Whoa! Look out of the way! No, wait... come back... it's not that talk!

We harvested the last of our fruit for the season. Our poor apple tree didn't get sprayed enough this year so our yield wasn't as good as I'd hoped. We only got 6 scant boxes as compared to last years 14 boxes!

I was amused as I was picking to see that my little friends have been enjoying *Joanie's Bountiful Harvest* as well. A clever bird ate his fill on this apple. I wonder if he did it all in one sitting; if so, how could he fly away! He ate all the way down to the skin and only left one little slice behind the core... clever bird!



I've never minded sharing the plenty of my yard with my little feather and/or winged friends. But I have to tell you that this one surprised me! Doesn't this look like a shark has taken a bite out of this pear? But, sorry, no land sharks in Springville this year. It is only bees gorging themselves on this soft, ripe pear. Who would have thought it!

274- *H.O.T.Y.

*H.O.T.Y. = Happy October to You... compliments of Gordon.

Yesterday one of my friends at the Temple commented that the view in Provo Canyon was SPECTACULAR! She wasn't kidding.

Gordon and I took a little road-trip explore. First we headed up to the Squaw Peak trail head... so many photo ops! Then we headed up Provo Canyon... but let's be clear on this point... the really spectacular view is headed down Provo Canyon! Oh my, I have fodder for a whole week's worth of posts!

Today we get to see Cascade Mountain with her party dress on! (Don't you just love her flouncy skirt?)


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** So... are you still wondering about yesterday's title (probably not! bwahahahaha)?

Camille, of course, knew the answer... 273-6864 was our phone number in Palmdale. I had that phone number longer than any other in my life. I STILL have to think several seconds to come up with my current phone number. ;)