westy
Member
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2016
- Messages
- 216
The past 2 years have been rough. Time, money and health all took a lurch and my usual lifestyle of playing outside with every free moment took a nose dive. Time to start making up for missing out on my preternatural obsession. So after more than 2 years of not having felt a pack on my back loaded for more than a day hike, I headed into the Meadow Valley Mountains for a night. Carrying all my water for 2 days kinda sucked, and plenty of "real" food, but pack was no more a burden than it is for up to 10 days in more alpine environs where water is abundant. So I headed for the gap at the north end of what I call The Wall
A 5 mile long undulating craggy ridge, steep faced in one aspect, sloped and incised by many canyons on the other. I arrived at the gap mid day and wandered a little, enjoying a nice sunset, singing birds, and many hares hopping about.
Next morning I strapped on and headed out. Through the gap and up to and along the crest for a bit. picking slowly through rocky slopes, I trekked the crest for a bit enjoying the big views.
After having my fill of the slow but steady constant up and down I made some easier time through a lower valley for a bit
before heading back up gentler slopes to roller coaster the crest, plus and minus, once more.
I found a nice camp, well, a nice place to camp with a nice view. But the ground was not very cooperative with my staking attempts. Much cussing and yelling ensued. As if the earth would then capitulate and be like, "Oh. My bad. Here, let me move these rocks out of the way that are just under the surface so you can get your stakes in all the way." But still it somehow helps. Once I got staked out it was time to ooh and ahh
until crawling in for the night, emerging occasionally to take in the starry night. Next morning
I strapped back on and headed towards Kane bm, Once again riding close to the crest, but cutting off the high points and instead traversing their lower slopes to stay as level as possible from gap to gap. The views from Kane were pretty nice.
Now it was time to head down and out. Day 1 was starting to seem a good deal too casual, I had only covered about .25% of my total distance. But the going would be much easier so I figured I'd cut back on breaks, duration and frequency, and push the pace a little more. So I started down a ridge above Hackberry Canyon
until dropping in and riding the much, much gentler slopes of a broad valley back towards the gap.
With dusk coming on
I was still a couple miles from the truck so pushed the pace to finish the day just as the very last pink glow had faded from the sky. Then a shortish drive back to sinville and a hot soak followed by pad thai. I absolutely love this area, Meadow Valley, Delamar, Sheep and Mormon mountains clustered in. Been in all more than a few times each and will be in each again.
A 5 mile long undulating craggy ridge, steep faced in one aspect, sloped and incised by many canyons on the other. I arrived at the gap mid day and wandered a little, enjoying a nice sunset, singing birds, and many hares hopping about.
Next morning I strapped on and headed out. Through the gap and up to and along the crest for a bit. picking slowly through rocky slopes, I trekked the crest for a bit enjoying the big views.
After having my fill of the slow but steady constant up and down I made some easier time through a lower valley for a bit
before heading back up gentler slopes to roller coaster the crest, plus and minus, once more.
I found a nice camp, well, a nice place to camp with a nice view. But the ground was not very cooperative with my staking attempts. Much cussing and yelling ensued. As if the earth would then capitulate and be like, "Oh. My bad. Here, let me move these rocks out of the way that are just under the surface so you can get your stakes in all the way." But still it somehow helps. Once I got staked out it was time to ooh and ahh
until crawling in for the night, emerging occasionally to take in the starry night. Next morning
I strapped back on and headed towards Kane bm, Once again riding close to the crest, but cutting off the high points and instead traversing their lower slopes to stay as level as possible from gap to gap. The views from Kane were pretty nice.
Now it was time to head down and out. Day 1 was starting to seem a good deal too casual, I had only covered about .25% of my total distance. But the going would be much easier so I figured I'd cut back on breaks, duration and frequency, and push the pace a little more. So I started down a ridge above Hackberry Canyon
until dropping in and riding the much, much gentler slopes of a broad valley back towards the gap.
With dusk coming on
I was still a couple miles from the truck so pushed the pace to finish the day just as the very last pink glow had faded from the sky. Then a shortish drive back to sinville and a hot soak followed by pad thai. I absolutely love this area, Meadow Valley, Delamar, Sheep and Mormon mountains clustered in. Been in all more than a few times each and will be in each again.
