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Markai and I have gotten in to rappelling this year, something new and fun to try. Not sure why, just started looking at new hikes and slowly started to buy some gear. So yesterday we took Ryan out for his first time to see how he liked it. We have gone a bit now to feel good about taking some new poeple with and not killing them. I wonder if they have the same jitters I got my first couple times this year. Never really been scared of hieghts till we went to go the first time, I all most changed my mind. Now I feel fine about getting up high and hanging over the ledge of a cliff, we will see once the cliffs get higher! Someday we will go on a little more extreme hikes with some big rappels, until then we will just keep having some fun on some smaller walls.

Red Ledges

One of Markai and I’s favorite hike is the Zion Narrows. She was wanting to do this hike for her birthday, but we still have over a month to go. I didn’t want to wait and we had the weekend off. So guess where we went!? Unfortuneatly I had to close at work on Friday night so we didn’t leave till about 10pm, and I wanted to get up for the first or second shuttle in the park. We camped in our car, and pulled into a hotel’s parking lot to sleep in. The funny thing is that the car we parked next to also had 2 people sleeping in it… What were the odds of this? Only getting about 3 hrs of sleep it was time to head to the park and hit the shuttle. We missed the first one by a few mins but the sun had not come up yet so we had some time. Even the second one have very little people on it. Most were going to hike Angels Landing, and just a few of us to hit the Narrows. The temp was supposed to be over 110 for the day so we were glad we were there early and were hiking in the water. We went further up then we usually do this time, not going up Orderville Canyon, which we love. Only seeing a few people on the way up, the way down was different for sure! So many people were coming up as we were heading down that it makes it worth getting up just after 5am to do this hike. Later this day when we got to our hotel to catch a nap the temp was about 111 degrees, hot enough I thought my skin would melt off.
Here is the gallery for the pictures.

The next morning we went to try a new hike in the town of Kanarraville. A short hike down a dirt road, then over a stream and through the trees and bushes, till you come to a slot canyon. I have seen shots of this place and been wanting to hike it for a couple years. We started at 9:30am and the temp was a bit warm, but not like the day before. We weren’t sure what this hike would be like and thought about bagging it. But we went for it and we are sure glad we did. We got to the narrow canyon and the colors were awesome! Then came to the first waterfall, but the sun was in the wrong place so we climbed up the log and over this falls and came to a grotto area with some other sweet falls. We were loving this place now and had it all to ourselves! We then waded through the next slot canyon and there was another waterfall, it was and awesome site with the red rock glowing I took so many shots that I have many of the same thing. There was a new ladder someone had built on this falls which I climbed on for some pictures. Man was that water cold when it was soaking you. But view made it worth it. As we hiked out we came across a couple groups of people. Some were sliding down one of the waterfalls in the grotto area, it sure looked fun so next time I will wear my swimsuit. The sun had moved a little on the first falls we came to so we took a few more shots before another big group of people came. Once they were there it was time to leave. We can’t wait to go back and do this again, but next time we will start early and spend most the day.
These pictures are some of my favorites…

I have been on quit a few trips the past few months, and haven’t taken the time to write about them. Now is my time to get caught up!
April did a trip to Lake Powell for a couple days, and this trip was my least favorite ever there…. Fishing was horrible, and the wind would not stop! Did see some new Ruins though and got a few sweet shots, however this trip makes me not want to go back next year. We shall see.
The gallery…..

The day we left Lake Powell we were planning to stay at Calf Creek for 2 nights. The weather was bad and snowed on us driving there and once we got there the place was packed with people. We were tired of driving but decided to head to Zion instead. We got there and setup camp, the weather was good and we were ready for some new hikes. The next couple days we hiked some random canyons that aren’t main attractions to hide from the crowds. But did one that was called Hidden Canyon. It was a steep hike up the trail but well worth the view. To bad the Virgin River was to high and we couldn’t hike the Narrows.
See the pictures.

May we did some traveling up north in Idaho, and Wyoming. We did a quick trip through Yellowstone and the Tetons for a couple days. Saw some great things, but wish we stayed longer. One day we saw 2 wolves, and 7 bears! Didn’t get any awesome shots like I have in years past, but still great to see the animals out and about.

After Yellowstone we headed over to my sisters house and where I went to check out the Sawtooth Mountains. We did an over night 10 mile hike to Hell Roaring Lake. The snow was still a bit deep up there, but at least there were no mosquitos, or other people. It was a nice hike other then having wet feet for 24 hrs. This trip was a test run for a hike we were getting ready for in July.

Now the first week of July and back to Idaho to do our hiking in the Sawtooth Mountains. We had to change the route a little due to to much snow still. We started at Pettit Lake and were still planning a 25 mile hike and we were going to come out at Hell Roaring Lake, the one we did the month before. Untill we started to get eaten alive by mosquitos! The area was very pretty, and yes there was a bit of snow in spots, but not like the month before. We had some great lightening storms at couple nights, but I never got sunrise shot, or good sunset shots cause I didn’t want to get out of the tent sometimes due to the swarm of blood suckers waiting for you. I wish I would have gotten out just for a few mins, but I was going crazy. We ended up cutting the trip a day short and 5 miles shorter too. Markai and I did decide that we like Southern Utah better. But I still love them mountains. We will have to go again when the mosquitos aren’t as bad.
Check the shots from the hike…..