Hop Valley in Zion

Howells Outdoors

Adventure is my middle name...actually it's Keith.
Joined
Sep 26, 2012
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All the photos from the trip are on my blog, but I'll spare you and give you just the ones I like the most.

The first few miles of Hop Valley are a sandy, sagebrush flat. I personally find it gorgeous, but I like the small details of the Silvery Lupine and the few strong Ponderosa Pines and the chunks of land covered in Gamble Oak (I'm weird I guess). Look at it:

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The purpose of the trip was to train the next batch of Adventure Orientation Leaders at SUU. We wanted to train these students to be comfortable taking a group of 10 incoming students out on a 4 day adventure in southern Utah. They all passed.

We covered quite a few topics: map and compass, Leave No Trace, clothing/equipment and weather, injury and emergencies, and to have fun in the backcountry.

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It was a really fun trip. I love taking new people out and helping them understand the impacts that they make and the great places they could get. The three that were brand spanking new to The Great Outdoors got a great appreciation of Leave No Trace.

We saw this guy pass us -- when we were mending the "broken" ankle -- who was carrying a gallon jug of water in his hand as he hiked. Later we found the gallon jug discarded on the the trailside. Now, I understand that sometimes you drop things, but a gallon jug that you have been carrying in your hand through the hike...

Can't win em all. But here are a few more people who have a great training in Leave No Trace. And Briget, the director of the SUU Outdoor Engagement Center, is a superior LNT person.

I love Hop Valley. I think it is so gorgeous, but I have only been there during the spring before the cattle go to the pasture.

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We spent the first night at campsite A in Hop Valley. It's a nice Ponderosa grove next to the creek. You get a wide variety of vegetation in Hop Valley and I love it.

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We explored the small drainage by the camp as the sun was beginning to set.

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Then night came. I captured this photo that night.

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Then the next morning we took off for our campsite in La Verkin Creek. The overlook into La Verkin is one of my favorites. Remember that this was a training for these students and it was simply a short walk down the trail. There are a lot of gorgeous flowers out right now. Then we explored up Kolob Arch.

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After that myself and the other two trainers took off back for campsite A and up to the vans in the morning to pick up the future trainers at Lee's Pass.

It was such a great trip. I'm happy that it is in SUU's backyard and that I get to help train people in the greatest classroom.

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Awesome trip and great pics. Thanks for all you do to educate the next generation and protect these amazing lands.
 
Last march i hiked just about the whole way across the park, and Hop Valley was the best thing i saw the whole way. Wish i'd've been camped there for two nights. I also wondered if spring's the best time to see it. We were there march 28 i guess.
 
I need to get into to Hop Valley. That is beautiful.
 
Last march i hiked just about the whole way across the park, and Hop Valley was the best thing i saw the whole way. Wish i'd've been camped there for two nights. I also wondered if spring's the best time to see it. We were there march 28 i guess.
I think spring is the best time. Fall might AMAZING, if the cows haven't left their mark everywhere.
I need to get into to Hop Valley. That is beautiful.
Yes you do!
 
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