West Butte Sweet Grass Hills Apr 28, 2018

The cooler temperatures this spring have made for less visits to the Rockies.  So today's forecast was to be a beautiful day and there is still a lot of snow pack in the mountains so I decided to go east and south to the Sweet Grass Hills.  I looked at some peoples trips on the internet and decided we could maybe get 3 peaks in one day.  So my boys and I headed out early and headed down the I-15.  We got to the start of the West Butte trail early and got that finished within about 3.5 hours.  It was a great little hike and the only down side was that it wasn't a really clear day.  It would have been pretty to see the snow caped Rockies in the distance.  Maybe another time we'll see that.  I also thought was a great place this would be to watch the sun set!  Quite a different landscape this hike was.  We started out on prairie grass and then had to tackle about half our elevation gain on a grassy slope.  Then about half way up we switched from grass to rock.  This was very large rock and very loose so it was hard to come down.  We saw lots of wild life and the view from the top was great.  The cairn on the top was very cool too, it was probably the most neat and organized cairn I have ever seen.  So once we finished this summit we tried going tot he next.  I had printed off directions from one other persons trip and it was going good until we got to within about 4 miles of the start of the trail head and we had to turn around because the Texas gate crossing was barricaded off.  We turned around and tried going up another road, but were unable to access there either.  We even tried stopping in at the little little town of Whitlash to ask the locals if there were any other way up...but to no success.  So we decided we'd have to come back another time and try them again.  All in all a successful day as we crossed off the highest of the Sweet Grass hills with maybe more to come in the future.

View from the beginning

View of Gold Butte to the East

Bald Prairie looking back as we approached foot of mountain

We went up the left grass slope and angled right

Looking over the praire

High enough to see into Canada/Coutts area

First flowers of 2018

The grass hill we climbed was pretty steep

We weren't alone

Checking out the big pine cones

The start of the big loose rock section

Resting in the shade

Scrambling up the rock section

This looked more like out hiking in the Rockies

There was a myriad of different game trail paths to the top

More game using their trails

Parker getting weary

Almost to the top, you can see the road we started at just left of center of this picture it is an upside down T intersection

We could see the brief outline of the snow capped Rockies in the distance but the haze in the pictures make it too hard to see

At the summit, notice the rocky terrain turned to grass on top

Signing the register.  This was the best Cairn I've ever seen with the best kept register too

Summit Photo

Cairn with Gold Butte on right in back ground and Mt. Brown on far left and Mt. Royal just right of Mt. Brown

Last view of the summit and the view from the top

Back on the rocks going down.  There were lots of paths to choose from to descend

We needed our poles as to not roll any ankles

Almost on flat ground again

Picture taken from the South east looking at the east side of West Butte.  Much steeper and rockier on this side

Little tag along I found on myself once we got home.  I hate the ticks of early season hiking!

Summit Video

Summit Panorama

Track of Hike

Utah Trip April 2018 (Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park)

So we took a little family holiday down to Utah this year.  Planning for this trip started when my LDS mission announced there was going to be a mission reunion.  We also noted that my youngest child would be 8 years old and then we would be able to have us all attend General Conference.  Then we had a passing of our prophet Thomas S. Monson and the calling of a new prophet Russell M. Nelson and so we figured attending conference would be another reason to go down.  Then we realized the kids had their spring break after conference weekend so we figured we'd go down to southern Utah and visit Zion National Park.  It was a spectacular few days and we were able to do a few small family hikes and see some amazing stuff in southern Utah.

Ensign Peak:

This hike I've done a few times before.  The view from here is awesome and here is a little history of this peak, on the top there is a plaque that reads: "ENSIGN PEAK July 26, 1847, two days after the Mormon Pioneers entered this valley Brigham Young and party climbed to this point and with the air of field glasses made a careful survey of the mountains, canyons and streams. In the group were Heber C. Kimball, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith, Ezra T. Benson, Willard Richards, Albert Carrington and William Clayton. Wilford Woodruff, first to ascent the Peak, suggested it as a fitting place to "set up an ensign" (Isaiah 11:12). It was then named Ensign Peak, subsequently the stars and stripes were raised here."

Track of Hike

Photo Sphere from top

Video on Top

Family Shot looking South

Sunset Family Picture

Bryce Canyon (Queens Garden Trail from Sunrise Point):

I was shocked at the elevation of Bryce Canyon, there was still snow in some of the South Hoodoos that were in the shade.  I think the elevation at Sunrise Point is around 8000 feet.  Most mountains in Waterton aren't even that high.  This is a park I'd like to explore more next time. 

Track of Hike

Photo Sphere on hike

Video on Hike

From Sunrise Point

Going down the Queen's Garden Trail

Amazing view of the canyon

Looking down the pinnacles/spires/hoodoos

Amazing views in Bryce, wish we could have stayed longer

Angel's Landing (Zion):

This was probably the busiest hike I've ever done.  We got the first shuttle at 7am and missed the lines.  We were able to summit in good time and as we started coming down the business began.  We figured we'd take the bus back to our vehicle and eat lunch then come back.  Well that didn't happen as the line to get back on the bus at stop number 1 was over 3 hours long.  So we decided to go back to St. George and try our luck earlier in the morning again, and it worked out much better that way.

Track of Hike

Panorama on Top

Video on top

Video coming down

Beginning of our hike

Just before the "sketchy" part

Well worn steps in the sandstone

Not a cliff you want to fall down

Family heading up the spine of Angel's Landing

Near the top looking back

On top looking towards the Narrows

Another shot of the spine and cliffs

Family shot on way down

Hidden Canyon (Zion):

Well it is amazing what 45 minutes can make.  The day before we got to the bus stop by 7am and we were on the first bus.  Today we got there by 7:45 am and we had to wait almost 30 minutes.  We wish we had more time and less crowds at Zion but oh well we had a few couple of great beautiful days and saw some amazing things.  I'd love to go back and hike up the Narrows next time.

Track of Hike

Video coming down

Beginning of trail looking towards Angel's Landing

Looking towards Observation Point

Just about to the Hidden Canyon

Heading back with another view of Observation Point in the distance

Another shot of Angel's Landing on the way down

Riverside Walk (Zion):

Easy little hike to the start of the Narrows.  Paved most of the way.

Track of Hike

As far as we would go without the dry suites 

Beautiful Canyon and steep cliff walls all around

Another shot of the canyon

Big Bend Bus Stop (Zion):

I wanted to get a view looking up at Angel's Landing so I stopped at this bus stop just for a few minutes and took a few pictures.  

Photo Sphere

Video

Looking towards the Narrows

Looking up at Angel's Landing

Photo of snow on drive home:

Started the day in 29 degree weather ended it in snow and -10 degrees

One our trip we decided we would stop at as many LDS temples as we could and get "Family Selfies" in front of these temples.  So these are the first pictures and then the rest are the hikes we went on.

Idaho Falls

Brigham City

Jordan River

Salt Lake City

Draper

St. George

Cedar City

Manti

Payson

Provo City Center