Grandeur Peak, Saturday, June 18, 2011

    The trail started off lovely...a scenic stroll through the woods, the wide path skirting the babbling stream.  Porter skipped along, nose all a-twitter.  He stopped to lap up some cool, clean mountain water. We hiked upwards, shaded by maples, aspen, oaks, and firs. Wildflowers in bloom.
Happy, happy.

Wildflower:  Mule Ears

   The trail climbed up out of the forest and into a whole other clime.  Still it was lovely; the view down the valley lush.

  But with every footstep, the incline continued...it was relentless.  The trail became narrow and rocky and unstable.  The sun beat down on us.  Porter began seeking out shade, and upon finding some, he laid down.  Still, I tugged on his leash and he lumbered up on his paws and toiled on.
  Finally, we reached the summit. 
  3 hours and 3 miles from the trail head.
  Grandeur Peak is aptly named.  The view is 360*, with Salt Lake spread out to the west like a blanket of civilization and snowy mountain peaks in every other direction. 

  Lunch just below the peak: turkey sandwiches and homemade chocolate chip cookies!
  The way down was much faster--1 hr 45 minutes! The adventure down included: hearing, then spotting, a rattlesnake;  concentrating on the narrow trail--mindful of snakes and mindful of my  tired leg muscles on the rocky, narrow trail so I wouldn't fall--either down the mountain or on my tush.