Monday, August 25, 2008

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!

5 comments:

Ellenamo said...

So awesome! I'm DEFINITELY not ready to hike Timp. I've never even hiked the Y! Sad, I know.

Ben and Bethany said...

Way to go! I'm not sure I'll ever be ready to hike that mtn.

Tara H. said...

Yeah!!! Way to conquer the mountain!!! I have only hiked it once, and it was amazing!!
Love you

Jon said...

Having hiked it many a time I can say that you have accomplished one of the "must-do" things in Utah Couny. Did you slide down the glacier? You haven't lived (or died I guess) until you do that!

-Jon, BriAnne and fam

We can do hard things! said...

Wow...Clint looks so different from the last time I saw him. I almost didn't recognize him. So glad I found your blog! I am loving being able to "see" all of you guys!