Mount Princeton

Mount Princeton's summit sits at 14,196'. We set out to hike Mount Princeton thinking it would be relatively easy since you can drive to nearly 11,000'.

The hike kicked our butts though! The dramatic mountain is nearly all rock talus and loose scree fields. There were numerous snow crossings across steep pitches. It took us all day to get up and down this challenging first fourteener of the season. Rio and Loki were hurting from walking on the rocks all day - and they were both happy and relieved to rest in the snow fields and alpine tundra.

San Juan River

A trip down the lower San Juan River began my summer this season. Sitting on a boat under the sun at the bottom of the canyon allows me the time and space I need to reflect and reset after a long school year. This stretch of the San Juan River in particular, offers a sense of being home, to me. I keep reels of red rock walls and sounds of silence in my mind and I go back there, often, when I need to recenter or reconnect.

I drew and watercolored. A couple got engaged at John's Canyon. We sang songs around the campfire. A hand-built dory completed a maiden voyage. Some group members ran Government Rapid on paco-pads. We ate way too much food.

San Rafael Swell

Exploring new places is one of my favorite activities. I love to find hidden gems and magical, new locations. On this trip, we wandered through slot canyons, stood in wonder in front of ancient rock art, and found water in the middle of the desert. I'd say it was quite a successful long weekend.

But, as always, nothing is ever perfect. We did try to take a long "short-cut" that ended in a washed-out, impassable road. We had to turn around and backtrack - so much for the short-cut. And finally, we popped a tire toward the end of the day, ultimately driving home a bit more slowly on a spare. And so it goes.  

Syncline Loop: Canyonlands

In preparing for Spring Break, I was conflicted. I wanted to go to the desert, and I wanted to backpack. In the end, my mother-in-law agreed to backpack the Syncline Loop in Canyonlands. The loop drops down into the bottom of a canyon, circles some interesting geological formations then climbs right back out to the top of the canyon. The trip does require a permit, because it is in the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands. There's reliable water near the campsite, too. 

Yep! My mother-in-law is pretty rad!

Betty Bear (Again)

This winter, our annual 10th Mountain Hut trip was to Betty Bear, again. I decided to be bold and try making the trek into the hut on cross country skis this year. At times I thought it to be a marvelous idea and at times I wondered what the heck I was thinking. In any event, I made it to the hut in decent time.

Hut trips are always special, and this year, fresh snow fell while we were at the hut, bringing even more magic to the trip. Having a variety of gear, skill level and personalities at the hut, some members skied laps on nearby peaks; some members toured around the lakes and toward Hagerman Pass; and still others curled up by the wood stove and drank tea. 

My favorite moment and memory from this trip was drinking coffee and watching the sunrise over a blanket of fresh snow in the early morning while everyone in the hut was still sleeping.