Hiking Plans

This week has been quite the baptism into what I have decided to call my "active season."  I am just finishing up a very sedentary season because I have had to commute to where I'm working and haven't even ridden my bike for weeks.  This week I went to Capitol Reef with some awesome friends from school and did stuff like this:

I scrambled up the rocks from the bottom of that ravine to this vantage point (and a little past that).

Then I went backpacking up a pretty strenuous trail to a campground, which was crazy and full of unexpected adventures.

This summer- as it has been many previous summers - it is my goal to hike my favorite peak and the only one I have ever scaled before - Mount Timpanogos.  It's a very high and very popular mountain peak to hike in my area, probably the most popular in Utah.  (Click here for info on the hike.)

It is not just a goal I've had for a while and want to finally check off my list, but I feel it is a metaphor that will be rather fitting as a way to celebrate the completion of my college degree that took me 10 years.  I've done a lot of personal growth (and am still in the middle of doing that), so it will also be a good culmination of that and a way to express my appreciation for all the good things that have happened in my life.  Plus it'll be wicked fun and beautiful!

So, in order to work my way up to that strenuous 15 mile hike, I have plans to do a lot of fun hikes this summer leading up to the Timp hike in August.  Two I for sure want to do that have also been on my list for a while, are Squaw Peak and Big Baldy.  So here, I am going to list information for many local hikes I would like to try some day, and several of which I will do this summer leading up to the Timp hike. I suspect this will be useful information for many people in my area anyway, so here you go.  (Work in progress...I wanted to get this published but I will add more hikes to this in the near future.)

Sites with good info on lots of hikes
Provo Trails on Utah.com - lists 6 easy, 2 moderate, and 2 strenuous hikes in the Provo, Utah area, with info on each hike including pictures, directions, etc.

Salt Lake Trails on Utah.com - lists 5 easy, 9 moderate, and 3 strenuous hikes in the Salt Lake City, Utah area, with info on each hike including pictures, directions, etc.

6 Family Friendly Hikes to Waterfalls - article from KSL

I am going to categorize these hikes to my own specifications of how I will work my way up through them, obviously others will want to do it the way that works well for them.  By "kid friendly" I mean preschool/ school-age kids.  Depending on what your kids are used to, toddlers and infants should probably be in a carrier for most of the kid friendly hikes because I'm not really listing here what I would consider to be strolls rather than hikes.  "Moderately kid friendly" are a bit longer or steeper, so probably wouldn't work for most preschoolers if they've not already been conditioned for that kind of thing.  All the moderate hikes I plan to do without my school-age children.

Easy: Kid Friendly

Devil's Kitchen
Location: Nebo Scenic Loop in Payson Canyon
Distance: 0.5 miles round trip
Info: Sounds like it's a bunch of rock formations! :)
Additional Info and directions to trailhead:  http://www.utah.com/hike/devils-kitchen-trail

Bridal Veil Falls
Location: Provo, Utah
Distance: 0.2 miles round trip
Elevation: 150 ft. gain

Info: This is a short little hike from the pool at the very bottom of the falls to the base of the big waterfall.  Very short and kid friendly, although the trail can be a little narrow/ steep in some spots so you'll need to watch little ones closely or carry them in a pack.

For added exercise or fun, you could hike or bike up the Provo River Trail from wherever- it's a really nice paved trail that is well used.  If you park at Nunn's Park just south of Bridal Veil Park, it would add just 0.8 miles each way.  Going from 800 North in Orem via the Provo River Trail is just 4 miles to Bridal Veil which makes a fun family ride.  The pool at the bottom of Bridal Veil is a fun way to cool off.  If you have good water shoes/ sandals and are adventurous, you can even hike straight from the pool up the waterfall itself rather than taking the 0.2 mile trail.

The pool is just in front of where my son is standing, and those are the rocks you could climb straight up to the waterfall.

Additional Info: http://alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/bridal-veil-falls-trail--2

Grotto Falls
Location: Nebo Scenic Loop in Payson Canyon
Distance: 0.6 miles round trip
Info: Sounds short and easy!
Additional Info & Directions: http://www.utah.com/hike/grotto-falls-trail


Battle Creek Falls
Location: Pleasant Grove, Utah
Distance: 1.2 miles round trip

Battle Creek Falls

Info: This is an easy little hike with a pretty waterfall at the end, very kid friendly.  It's a tad steep at the beginning, but nothing unmanageable for kids.  Might take an hour to get to the falls, and it's fun to take a picnic lunch or snack to have at the falls.
Additional Info and directions to Trailhead: http://www.utah.com/hike/battle-creek-falls-trail

Warm Up: Moderately Kid Friendly

Scout Falls
Location: Timpooneke Trailhead, AF Canyon
Distance: 2 miles round trip (or 2.8?  The site was a little confusing)
Elevation: 700 ft gain
Info (from source): When you leave the parking lot, pass the outhouse to pick up the trail, then immediately go to the right. The other trail will require bushwacking to find the right trail again, so you might as well take the right trail to start with. You meander through trees for awhile. At the next junction after 1.4 miles, go left to see Scout Falls or left to continue to the summit. Scout Falls is only 100ft off the main trail.


Timp Falls
Location: Provo Canyon, on the Aspen Grove trail up Mount Timpanogos
Distance: 2 miles round trip

Timp Falls

Info: This is a fun little hike and at the right time of year, you will see a lot of bonus waterfalls from mountain run-off.  It is the kind of hike where you could go as short or as far as you want.  I'm putting it under moderately kid friendly just because it is slightly steep at times, so if you go all the way to the falls, it could be a little harder on little tikes.  You might find for your family that it's actually plenty easy.
Additional Info: http://www.utah.com/hike/timpanogos-falls-trail

Stewart Falls
Location: Aspen Grove in Provo Canyon
Distance: 3.5 miles round trip
Elevation: 100 ft gain
Info:  Beautiful waterfall that is over 200 feet tall!  It's a fairly even up-and-down hike on a slightly narrow trail.  Once you get to the waterfall, you can hike down a pretty steep part to the bottom of the falls and there is a nice area to sit and have a snack, and if it's hot outside, enjoy the spray from the waterfall.  This hike goes off from the same trailhead parking area as Timpanogos Falls, Emerald Lake, and Timp Summit- (Aspen Grove TH).  This has a separate trail to the south of the other.
Additional Info and directions to trailhead: http://www.utah.com/hike/stewart-falls-trail

Fifth Water Waterfalls & Hot Springs
Location: Spanish Fork Canyon
Distance: 4.5 miles round trip
Info: Locally known as the "hot pots", this is a popular destination.  I've heard people tend to hang out in the pools nude, so be prepared for that if you're bringing kids, or try to go at off-peak times.
Additional Info & Directions: http://www.utah.com/hike/fifth-water-waterfalls-and-hot-spring-trail

Timpanogos Cave
Location: American Fork Canyon, Utah
Distance: 1.5 miles, steep
Elevation: 1,092 ft elevation gain, total elevation: 6,730 feet
Info: strenuous, steep, but paved and short.  Smaller children may struggle a bit or take a longer time.  To take the tour of the cave, you have to buy tickets.
Additional info: Cave tour and stuff (National Monument website)


The Y
Location: Terrace Drive in Provo, Utah
Distance: 2.4 miles round-trip, steep
Info: Fun hike for kids cause they get to climb on the Y, and it's fun to eat lunch up there.  The trail is pretty wide and well-maintained, but it's rather steep so beware of that.  Nice views of Utah Valley and Utah Lake from up there.
Additional Info and directions to trailhead: http://www.utah.com/hike/y-on-y-mountain-trail

Moderate: Steepness Practice

Big Baldy

Big Baldy is the large round peak spanning between Battle Creek Canyon and dry Canyon (labeled)

Location: Orem/ Pleasant Grove, Utah
Distance: about 5 miles round trip
Elevation: 3200 ft elevation gain
Info: This can be hiked from either the Dry Canyon trailhead in Orem, or the Battle Creek trailhead in Pleasant Grove.  When I do it, I'd like to start at one and end at the other to get the full range of scenery.
Additional information:  On Summitpost.org


Y Mountain
Location: Terrace Drive in Provo, Utah
Distance: 6 miles round trip
Elevation: 3346 ft gain, 8,522 total
Info: The hike to the Y can be extended to go to the summit of the mountain.  The trail sounds a little complicated, so be sure to look at the directions and maybe see if you can find a good map.
Additional Info & directions: http://www.trails360.com/hikes/view/y_mountain

Mount Olympus Summit
Location: Wasatch Blvd, Salt Lake City (about 4500 S)
Distance: 7.5 miles round trip
Elevation: 4100 ft gain
Info: Beautiful hike, very steep
Additional Info & Directions: http://www.utah.com/hike/mount-olympus-summit-trail

Moderate: Distance Practice

Squaw Peak
Location: Provo, Utah
Distance: 7 miles
Elevation: 2709 ft elevation gain, 7876 total peak elevation
Info: This hike heads up the popular and beautiful Rock Canyon in Provo, Utah, and then goes around the back side of this peak until it comes to the front and heads to the peak.  I have gotten about 3/4 of the way up this when we ran out of water, so make sure you take plenty of water!  I'll be taking my 3 L Camelbak and maybe a bit more.  (I drink a lot of water!)
Additional Info: Directions and trail info at rockcanyonutah.

Squaw Peak is the jutting point to the left of Rock Canyon, right about the middle of the picture

Emerald Lake
Location: Aspen Grove Trailhead, Provo Canyon
Distance: 9.6 round trip
Elevation: 3500 ft gain
Info:  This is going up the Mount Timpanogos trail but ending before heading to the summit.  (Only 2 more miles/ 1100 ft elevation gain from here to the summit of the mountain.)  It is a pretty area, a great "practice run" for the real thing.
Additional Info: This link has great details on the hike to timp, including a bunch of stops on the way.  http://www.wasatchhiker.com/home/wasatch-trails/timpanogos-aspengrove/

Strenuous: The Goal

Mount Timpanogos Summit
Location: Aspen Grove Trailhead in Provo Canyon, or Timpooneke Trailhead in American Fork Canyon
Distance: 15 mile round trip, Timpooneke
Elevation: 11,700 total, 4,800 ft gain

Mount Timpanogos

Info: I plan to take the Timpooneke trailhead.  The difference from what I understand is that the Timpooneke is 1 mile longer each way but less steep than Aspen Grove.  That is one reason I will take the other trail, but also because I plan to take a separate hike to Emerald Lake via the Aspen Grove trailhead earlier in the season, so this way I will get to see pretty much all the scenery both trails have to offer.
Apparently I only have pictures of Timp with snow on it!  I look forward to getting some new pictures when I go. :)

Timp in the early winter- view from Alpine Loop

Additional Info: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/regions/intermountain/MtTimpanogos/index.shtml
Timpooneke trailhead: http://www.utah.com/hike/mt-timpanogos-summit-via-timpooneke-trail
http://www.wasatchhiker.com/home/wasatch-trails/timpanogos-timpooneke/
Aspen Grove trailhead:  http://www.wasatchhiker.com/home/wasatch-trails/timpanogos-aspengrove/

Feelin' Fit

The human body is amazing, y'all.  Mine astounds me.  The fact that I can bust up my toe, get a nasty fracture, and just a couple weeks later it has fully healed itself, is so awesome.

And with a little help from some asthma medicine, my muscles are able to get the oxygen they need and I can do so much more than I can without it.  Even after cycling all over town and dragging a trailer full of heavy groceries up the hill (again), swimming a half mile today was a breeze, and I would have done more if my kids hadn't wanted to leave.  I wish I'd had an inhaler in High School when I was on the swim team, I could have done so much better.

I'm really grateful that I have the strong body I do.  I'm not the most fit, but I know a lot of people of all different sizes who are much more limited in their abilities.  Size does NOT equal fitness or lack thereof.  I'm happy to be able to do most of the stuff I love- hike, bike, swim, garden, backpack, roller blade, explore, and play!

Here's what it looks like to be fairly fit AND fairly fat.  Yeah, it happens, and it's dang fun, so don't be hatin. ;)

Biking uphill...

Biking downhill! Wheee!!!

Weeding my new garden

My first harvest :)

Swimming with the kiddos

Smash the Scale- New Year's Confessions

Tomorrow is New Year's Day.  For a good portion of my 33 years, I wasted that day writing long lists of "resolutions" (aka unreasonable-and-unreachable-goals-disguising-themselves-as-healthy-lifestyle-changes), complete with calendars, benchmark goals, accountability measures, etc. only to have the goals eventually fail, usually by about February or March. Then, as an all-or-nothing perfectionist, I immediately labelled myself as a hopeless loser, and gave up on my "healthy lifestyle", crashing and burning with flair and Oreos.

But here's the weird thing.  The reality is, that's what I wanted.  I wanted the failure as much as I wanted the Oreos, in fact probably more.  Oreos are a nice calming, happy-inducing, non-judging friend.  But failure is even better.  You see, there is a certain safety in being a fat failure.  It took me a long time to realize it, but I have a suit of armor I carry around with me at all times.  It protects me from having to let people see the real me.  If anyone rejects me, I have an instant scapegoat- it's the armor they're rejecting instead of myself, those shallow jerks.  I get to look noble in comparison to their prejudice, and I also can wallow in self-pity.  It's a win-win.

Several years ago, I stopped making resolutions to magically transform my body and my life, mostly because it always turned out badly and emotionally devastating, and I decided to be kind to myself and no longer put myself through that abuse.  I occasionally still make goals of things I plan to accomplish that year anyway, like paying off my car, taking lots of hikes, or doing a summer internship.  This year is no different.  No body transformation goals.  Instead, this:

I'll get to the "because" in just a moment.  But first, smashing the scale (ie with a sledge hammer) is an interesting notion for me, because I have already weened myself off the scale.  I actually don't own a scale anymore, and I have only a rough idea of what I weigh.  It's nice living without a scale, and I highly recommend it.  (So if you haven't yet, go smash yours!)  No person actually NEEDS to know their exact weight every day or even every week.  The only time I ever have to know my weight is for filling out my driver's license application, and filling out medical forms.  I find out my weight a couple times a year when I happen to get sick enough to go to the doctor.  Being mostly in the dark about the number on the scale is just fine with me.  Instead of a number dictating how I'm going to feel about myself on any given day, how I FEEL dictates how I feel.  (Imagine that.)

Beautiful, even sans makeup

So since I have no scale to smash, I will have to smash other modes of hiding and protecting myself.  Giving my body fat status as protective armor ensures that I both love and hate it and subsequently love and hate myself.  I want to remove that status and give myself permission to love myself (including the fat), while also letting my true self shine through.  That won't be as instant as smashing a scale with a hammer.  And I have to be careful to avoid thinking my true self I've been hiding is a skinny hottie that has to be let out of the fat suit.  I already am the hottie, and the armor is actually in my head.  My physical appearance probably won't actually change all that much as I disrobe and let people see the real me.

A few things I have already started to do this past year, and plan to continue.

• Play more!  I have actually had times where I would exercise at home so I could get myself looking presentable enough to work out in public.  Now I don't care what people think when they see this fat girl hiking, backpacking, and river rafting.  I just do it, cause I enjoy it.
• Smile at myself in the mirror.  Instead of focusing in on little parts of my appearance to see if they look okay, just smile at beautiful me.
• STOP making shaming comments about myself.  Making negative comments about my appearance teaches the wrong things to my sons and anyone else who hears me.  Only positive comments, and try to avoid comments focused only on appearance.
• Avoid commenting on others' appearance.  Compliment their character, their hard work, their health, their joy.
• Lose the makeup.  I do this not because I think makeup is evil, but because my natural "me" is without makeup.  I only started wearing it when I was 19 when a guy indoctrinated me with the idea that I should wear makeup.  I eventually convinced myself I needed it in order to be acceptable or presentable.  That belief is not me, and I'm getting rid of it.
• Hug people more.  (This is a newer one.) I like to hug but I hold back in case it will make someone else feel weird or uncomfortable because they don't like me enough to hug me.  But in the process I end up making the situation feel really awkward and it's just dumb.
• Be myself.  I will only attract awesome friends if they can see my awesomeness. 

  
So, that is how I will "Smash the Scale".  Now for the "because".

Because I'm a human being.  Because I deserve to see my body as a means rather than an end.  Because I'm a complex person and my worth is not dependent on how I look or what others think of me.  What matters is what I think.  Because my body is a tool to do awesomeness.  Because my sons will learn much from me about the worth of women and how to treat them, and how they should treat themselves.  Because I am happier when I just live.  And I don't need anyone's permission to do so.

What about you?  Are you ready to smash the scale?  What's your "because"?  Please comment!

Smash the Scale is a body love movement put on by The Militant Baker and her Body Love Conference.  (Read about Smash the Scale at her blog, and visit the FB page for the conference.)  Thanks for the inspiration, Jes.

Using F-words to describe myself

Hello, I'm fat.  I'm also fun.  And relatively fit.  And lots of other F-words.  Some people will scream at me something like, "YOU CAN'T BE FAT AND FIT AT THE SAME TIME!!!"  I will just respond: please kindly remove your caps lock, you're scaring the normals.  Also, you're wrong.  There are many different levels of fitness, and "fat" or "skinny" are not a prerequisite, requirement, or even sure evidence that one is in fact "fit".  I'll address that issue another time.

That aside, I find it interesting that I'm allowing myself to be identified by this adjective.  The 3-letter adjective that I hate.  The 3-letter adjective that was altered and used by a certain boy to taunt me in 4th grade and destroy my life. A word which I will always scold my children for using if I catch them judging someone with it.

I think the real reason I've decided to use it, is that I've been deciding to embrace my fatness.  I don't care if I'm "fat" according to you, or him, or those chicks.  Everyone has a different opinion of what is fat, and I've realized that even at my ideal healthy weight, some would still consider me to be fat (even if I were no longer obese).  What matters is what I think, and how I feel.

Fat is supposed to be a description word, not a judgment word anyway.  Like saying someone is slender, tall, short, fair-skinned, black-haired, blue-eyed, etc.  Words to describe a person's general appearance, like the introduction of a new character in a book.  But our society has turned these words into things that are permanently sealed to judgments of "bad" or "good".  Fat is bad, skinny is good.  Actually, neither of them are bad or good, they just are.

Fat is the first adjective, but notice there are a bunch of others.  I'm a complex person with a lot of passions.  I am a total science geek.  (I maintain another blog for that passion of mine.)  I'm a feminist.  I'm a mom.  I'm a daughter.  I'm a mormon.  I love food.  I love fun.  I love the earth.  I love exploring said earth.  I love learning.  I'm a little bit crazy, but usually in a good way.

I've decided to open this new blog as an outlet to share research, information, and my own thoughts and ideas about various topics that I care about.  Quite often these will include "fat" issues, and women issues (since women are the ones most subjected to fat-shaming, among other things), as well as issues in the media, politics, and the environment.  Just basically anything I am passionate about that may not be on-topic for an educational science blog.

I did do one very interesting blog post on my science blog that melds many of my passions, that anyone interested in this blog would enjoy.  It's quite an interesting read, do check it out.

Women, Girls, Society, and Science

Until next time.

Be curious, be strong, be kind, and above all: be yourself.