Summit # 7 Pfiefferhorn - 9/8/12

Just a good old Saturday Morning Hike. My alarm was set for 5:30 am.  Went off, I rolled out of bed at 7:30, jumped in the car and was at the White Pine trail head by 8:30.  2 hours behind schedule.  Off I went.  The goal was and hour to Red Pine lake and another hour to the summit.  Back from summit to car in 1:30.  Reaching but reasonable. 9 miles round trip. 3622 feet elevation gain.

Heading up the trail through the aspens.

1.5 miles in looking down valley at the LCC road.

Red pine lake.  Time 58 minutes.  Goal met.

Looking down canyon across the lake. 

So I realized that I didn't take any photos after this of the head wall.  It is very steep and I went off in the wrong direction.  Had to traverse across a bolder field to get back on the right trail and back to the ridge.  Bummer.  Cost me 20 minutes. 

Top of the ridge looking toward Pfieff.

Looking east, back toward the head wall.  I didn't come up that section.  But you get the idea.

  

A little sketchy section of the ridge.  There were a couple of scout groups that I passed.  I tell ya, Heavenly Father loves scouts and I am pretty sure just reaches down and holds each one by the nape of the neck across some of this stuff. 

Looking up the final pitch to the summit. 

I wish photos could show scale better.  This is at the base of the last pitch.  I actually took this on the way down.  You can see the scouts on the way up. 

Summit.  2:20.  20 minutes over goal.  4.5 miles ( I probably went 5)

Crazy hair close up. 

Lone Peak.  Looking to the east from summit.  Could be next.  Or at least before the snow comes. 

Timp.

American Twins.  Two highest summits in the Wasatch.

Looking to Hidden Peak and top of Snowbird tram.  Mount Baldy to left of tram.

Twin Peaks.  Looking north across canyon.

Cool summit shot.

Self portrait. 

Total time car to car 3:49.  Sore quads the following day.  It was a great run down.  Made me conflicted.  Need some more warm and dry to pick off a few more summits in Summitember.  But, I could feel some nice carved turns as I was coming down.

Gotta love fall in Utah!

Summit #6 - Hidden Peak 9/3/12 - Labor Day

Let's just start with this. I love Snowbird.  When I started to ski in the 5th grade, my parents put me in lessons at Brighton.  Not a bad thing, as you know I actually love Brighton too.  But....., my goal in the early years was to get good enough to be able to ski the Bird.  My junior year in high school I bought 20 tickets and have rolled them over every year since 1988. 

I was married September 1, 1994.  Melissa and I have made it a tradition to go to Snowbird for our anniversary.  We have gone 4-5 times int he past 18 years.  Always a great retreat.  Thanks to Cathy for spotting the bill for us on our 1st year anniversary.  On my list of "favorite places."  Melissa and I actually went to celebrate our anniversary on the 2nd and stayed until Monday, Labor day the 3rd.  Kids and church and trying to maintain a semblance of adult responsibility kept us from stretching the trip a little longer.    

I love Melissa with all my heart.  It amazes me every day that she puts up with me.  A nice evening stroll.  The sounds of Octoberfest polka wafting through the air. 

Well we are in the mountains after all.  Let's knock off a summit.  It was tempting to just ride the tram up and call it good.  But, Melissa and I hiked up Peruvian Gulch to the top of Hidden Peak. 

While none of it was "unscenic" (Don't think that is a word).  I was happy to get off the service road and onto the single track.  Heading toward the cirque. 

Looking up the cirque.  Every time I go to a ski resort I am familiar with I always can't believe that we will ski this stuff. 

Right below Tower 3.

So here is the goal.  Duplicate this picture with snow billowing over my head.  If you can't tell I am carving a turn here.  Yes, I am a nerd.

Pfiefferhorn.  Next on the summit list.

Up the cirque ridge to the summit.

From the summit looking west.  Down into Gad Valley and the Little Cloud lift.

One of the American Fork Twins and Pfieff in the back ground

Cool view of Lighting Ridge.

Proof.

Happy Anniversary Melissa!

We did take the tram down.  We were a tourist spectacle.  People couldn't believe that we hiked up. 

Kings Peak Day #4 7/28/12

4th and final day - Heading home. While we were having fun, it was time to go home.  We had 13 miles from camp to the trail head.  It was down hill and oxygenated.  We felt good.

Sunrise.

If you enlarge this picture, it was our breakfast entertainment.  A herd of mountain goat moving up these cliffs.  It was amazing.  I was glad I took my binoculars. 

Heading off.  Right at the tree line.  11,200ft.

Pretty picture.

Dropping back down to the meadow.

Andrew and John have always been great friends.  Thought this photo encompasses a lifetime of friendship.

No it is not a swan in the wilderness.  But if i were writing some kind of mystery it would be a place marker.  "The Swan and the Stones. 

Shadow Man.  Also a character in the mystery.

Crossing the river.  We look very adventurous, don't we?

Eddie.

Rob.

Johnny.

Chad.

Geoff.

Shawn.

Chad impersonating a turtle.  I mean doing some yoga to flush out the toxins. 

Beautiful skies.

River.  2 miles from the car.

Moose.  In full disclosure.  I didn't even see this wild beast.  Photo credit to either Chad or Geoff.

We made it.  40 miles.  4 days.  Feeling very smug.

John is always very polite.  Raising his hand to ask if we could stop and get milkshakes.  Andrew, has never lost his inner 12 year old. 

Rob, thinking of french fries.

Chad only nearly killed us twice on the ride home.  Pretty good for him. 

I think this sums it up.  We were ready to be home. 

I hope a dude adventure becomes an annual tradition.  Up next, Wind Rivers?  Moab?  Grand Canyon?  The committee is open for discussion.  Thanks to my friends that helped me celebrate at my birthday party.  It was awesome.