Timp Hike!

Mount Timpanogos, elevation 11,749, is one of the biggest mountains that overlooks the Utah and Heber valleys, second only to Mount Nebo.
For as long as I can remember I have wanted to conquer this geological monster that has silently stared at me my whole life. My brother Clint has hiked it several times, and each time he tries to get me to go, but I just didn't feel ready. I've always been scared of starting it and then freaking out and not being able to finish it. I know most people from the Utah Valley area have climbed Timp.. and since I think of it as a sort of rite of passage, I knew I had to eventually conquer the mountain (and my fears and hangups about it!)
Finally I felt ready, and this time I asked Clint to hike it with ME! We recruited two other guys, Adam and Spencer, to hike it with us and we set out about 1:30 am on Friday night/Saturday morning. It took us just under 5 hours to get to the top (all the way to the top mind you, not just the saddle!) and it was incredible! We got there just in time to watch the sunrise, and it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life!
This was probably the hardest hike I've ever done, coming out at just about 19 miles round trip, but it was SO worth it (despite the last two hours of the way up being loose shale switchbacks!). Once we were on the top, I was pretty scared. There are 1,000 foot drop offs up there! One wrong step and you're dead! -and it is pretty easy to step incorrectly when you are really really tired like that!
We were all fine though, and I really enjoyed the hike. It was a perfect day and the company was awesome! I am so proud to say I finally made peace with the giant relic that watched me grow up in it's big 'ol shadow :) I took some pictures to prove it, so here you go!















P.s. I finally got some email from Samoa today... at last!