Howells Outdoors
Adventure is my middle name...actually it's Keith.
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2012
- Messages
- 444
From mountain-dude.blogspot.com
I attend Southern Utah University.
I'm a T-Bird.
Best university? I believe so (Read this op-ed).
So, here is the history of the university and of Old Sorrel.
"On January 5, 1898, a group of men, the first of a long line of townsmen to face the bitter winter weather of the mountains, left Cedar City. Their task was to cut logs necessary to supply the wood for the new building. They waded through snow that often was shoulder deep, pushing and tramping their way up the mountains, sleeping in holes scraped out of the snow and covered with mattresses of hay. It took them four days just to reach the saw mills, located near the present day ski resort, Brian Head. Once they got there they realized they had to go back to Cedar City again. The wagons they brought with them could not carry logs through the heavy snows, and it was determined that sleighs were needed to do the task.
The way back was just as arduous as the trip up. The snow had obliterated the trail they had originally blazed and the snow was even deeper. The wagons could not make it and were abandoned at a clearing. It was in this phase of their march that an old sorrel horse proved so valuable. Placed out at the front of the party, the horse, strong and quiet, would walk steadily into the drifts, pushing and straining against the snow, throwing himself into the drifts again and again until they gave way. Then he would pause for a rest, sitting down on his haunches the way a dog does, heave a big sigh, then get up and start all over again. "Old Sorrel" was credited with being the savior of the expedition."
So my boss and I went out to hike a portion of the trail for a Founder's Week trip we are leading with the new SUU President.
It was awesome. We drove up to the Sugar Loaf Mountain RD to get a snowshoe hike in.
The trail we wandered was up Navajo Point (the backside of Brian Head Ski Resort). We made our to an area off trail, away from the resort...backcountry-ish.
Next time I plan to go on XC skis to cover more ground and get into the Twisted Forest area.
Here's the remaining photos from the trip. We probably covered about 4 miles.
Peering down into Ashdown Gorge from Bear Flat.
After making it up Navajo Point we wandered through this nice forest of small trees. This was the deepest the snow got; some places it was about 3 feet deep.
After hiking around Navajo Point we cut down hill to the snowmobile trails and hiked back up to Bear Flat.
At the end of Bear Flat is a trail taking off to the east called Marathon. Turns out there are tons of trails up here! Gotta buy me some XC Skis and get out there.
Fun trip through the history of Southern Utah University.
Featured image for home page:
I attend Southern Utah University.
I'm a T-Bird.
Best university? I believe so (Read this op-ed).
So, here is the history of the university and of Old Sorrel.
"On January 5, 1898, a group of men, the first of a long line of townsmen to face the bitter winter weather of the mountains, left Cedar City. Their task was to cut logs necessary to supply the wood for the new building. They waded through snow that often was shoulder deep, pushing and tramping their way up the mountains, sleeping in holes scraped out of the snow and covered with mattresses of hay. It took them four days just to reach the saw mills, located near the present day ski resort, Brian Head. Once they got there they realized they had to go back to Cedar City again. The wagons they brought with them could not carry logs through the heavy snows, and it was determined that sleighs were needed to do the task.
The way back was just as arduous as the trip up. The snow had obliterated the trail they had originally blazed and the snow was even deeper. The wagons could not make it and were abandoned at a clearing. It was in this phase of their march that an old sorrel horse proved so valuable. Placed out at the front of the party, the horse, strong and quiet, would walk steadily into the drifts, pushing and straining against the snow, throwing himself into the drifts again and again until they gave way. Then he would pause for a rest, sitting down on his haunches the way a dog does, heave a big sigh, then get up and start all over again. "Old Sorrel" was credited with being the savior of the expedition."
So my boss and I went out to hike a portion of the trail for a Founder's Week trip we are leading with the new SUU President.
It was awesome. We drove up to the Sugar Loaf Mountain RD to get a snowshoe hike in.
The trail we wandered was up Navajo Point (the backside of Brian Head Ski Resort). We made our to an area off trail, away from the resort...backcountry-ish.
Next time I plan to go on XC skis to cover more ground and get into the Twisted Forest area.
Here's the remaining photos from the trip. We probably covered about 4 miles.
Peering down into Ashdown Gorge from Bear Flat.
After making it up Navajo Point we wandered through this nice forest of small trees. This was the deepest the snow got; some places it was about 3 feet deep.
After hiking around Navajo Point we cut down hill to the snowmobile trails and hiked back up to Bear Flat.
At the end of Bear Flat is a trail taking off to the east called Marathon. Turns out there are tons of trails up here! Gotta buy me some XC Skis and get out there.
Fun trip through the history of Southern Utah University.
Featured image for home page:
