Busy or just "busy"...

I started this blog in hopes to record and share my adventures and memories with others. I feel like at first I was not writing for who I am and was reaching to far. Then I was complaining about how things were "busy". The only thing that really matters about being busy is that you do not give all of yourself to the chaos. In the crazy hustle that is always going on I have to find that true balance in work, play and life. Now as I have started to write more freely for a friend I find it fun to write and I am beginning to see my own voice with out the fluff, and I like it more. I hope that as this new winter season approaches I can and will document all my adventures and fond memories here. Here are a few things I have written lately and just not posted. 

Fall in my back yard

Every year I find myself amazed by the beauty of the fall colors. I love the pumpkin spiced eggnogs and hot apple cider on those refreshingly cool nights. Buckets full of halloween candy, and bags full of leaves. Fall always goes hand in hand with beautifully brisk weather, sweaters, sunny bright skies and even brighter maple leaves. In the battle against all the seasonal treats it is also my favorite time for hiking in the Wasatch. The cool weather makes for pleasant hiking any time of day and there is just something “else” about the views this time of year. The Wasatch from Provo to Ogden the mountains boast seemingly endless hiking opportunities and even more incredible views. It doesn't matter if you are a expert hiker or haven't been on a hike for years, now is one of the best times to get out and experience all that fall has to offer. These past few weeks I find myself running to the mountains in hopes of catching the last of these amazing views and to get my fix for the outdoors.

It seems with limited time off work a quick overnight outing has been the trick. Leaving after work sleeping in the back of my old Chevy Tahoe and getting up with the sunrise is a great way to escape. I love the canyon roads that take you to all these amazing hiking areas. The drive always gets me excited for adventure that awaits on the trail. Don't wait to start your own adventures, get out and enjoy your backyard that is the Wasatch mountains. Until next time...

Wasatch Nomad

10/30/13 Alpenglow

With the death of the fall leaves comes the birth of my favorite season, winter. As the beauty of fall fades away sights like this one all fade to the dull gray before snow.

 So as tradition, I find my self praying more than normal. Praying for snow! A few early winter storms did grace the Wasatch but none with enough snow to get out into the backcountry and tour around. Seems sad, as in years past I can remember skiing in the backcountry several times in October, and many times in November waiting until the resorts opening days.

So with a storm lasting a few days dropping around 10-15 inches in the mountains I decided I could not wait any longer. I dug out my skins, pack, beacon, and trusty ol' splitboard and decided the next day would be the first day of the season. My buddy had to be back for work by 11:00am making this a good old fashion dawn patrol. Woke up at 3:30am loaded the car and headed for Little Cottonwood. Skinning by headlamp in very minimal snow coverage was interesting to say the least. Grass snakes and snow sharks lined the mountain like landmines. All hopes of getting even just a couple turns in were disappearing quickly, with the now all too obvious lack of snow. I was staring to feel slightly foolish, sleep deprived, out of skinning shape, and a little bummed out we made the trip “for nothing”. We reached the ridge line and decided to take a coffee break. As we rested on the ridge in the darkness we talked about how even though we did not get to ski the trip was a good work out at the very least. Our spirits lifted a little and we headed towards the car wishing the snow that was now lightly falling would have showed up earlier. We came out of the trees to the alpenglow of morning as it crept slowly up the mountains.

As if being slapped in the face by the sunrise I remembered, it is not always about the adventure on the way down. Sometimes it is all about the adventure as a whole. Just getting up in the Wasatch mountains was perfect. As we left the parking lot around 9:30 it was snowing, really snowing. Until next time...

Wasatch Nomad