Dog Lake, Mill D North, Big Cottonwood Canyon- 6.9.16

I decided to head up Mill D North to see how green everything is and to get out for one of my favorite trails. Pushed a pretty good pace up to the stream, then moved up to the Dog Lake/Desolation Lake junction. I was pretty surprised at how fast I was able to make it up there. From there I pushed up to the lake. It is looking pretty low this year, hope it sticks around all summer. I hiked around the lake and headed up to the watershed sign to sit in the aspens and cool off. I spent quite a bit of time studying the lines on Reynolds Peak for next season. After a while, I decided to make the hike back to the car. It was a fun but fast descent with more flowers blooming while I was up at the lake. A blend of blue, white and yellow captured my eye all the way down. Great day to be in the mountains! Weather was perfect, snow is gone, and the forest is so green this year. I took full advantage for sure. Enjoy the pics, more adventures to come!

Circle All Peak, Big Cottonwood Canyon- 6.5.2016

Summer in the high terrain is here! I decided to head up to Circle All Peak. I have not been up there in years, and felt a need to return there. I started at the Butler Fork trail head and made my way up the short, but steep section that takes you to the first meadow. I reached the wilderness boundary sign, then continued up. A short distance after that I reached the Mill A Basin/Dog Lake junction. I headed up Mill A Basin which was so green and lush. I had imagined with how slow our snow was coming off that this was yet to have awakened from its winter sleep. It was so green with Mountian Clematis and Bluebells in full bloom. The aspens were awake as well which made the climb very nice with the shade they provided.

I worked my way up the switchbacks and around the basin. I eventually ended up on the saddle and headed south on the ridge for the peak. Arriving at the top I was greeted with an amazing view of Big Cottonwood Canyon. This peak has great energy and the view you get of all the peaks in the canyon is stunning to say the least. I spent a bit of time up there, drying out from the climb, and taking in the view. It was so quiet and I had the peak all to myself the whole time I was there. The hike out was a quad workout which I loved for this gets the legs prepped for the multiday adventures. Very glad I returned to this peak for a visit and will go back in the fall. Enjoy the pics, more adventures in the mountains to come!

Willow Heights, Big Cottonwood Canyon- 5.30.2016

Our snow pack is finally melting off. We have been on the cool side for the whole month, and our snow has stuck around. But things are starting to open up in the high terrain. I made my way up to Willow Heights on Memorial Day to check things out. The trail is melted off and things are greening up. Even some bluebells were blooming in the lower part of the trail. The lower aspens have dropped their leaves, but once you get up to the lake, there is still some of the forest that has not woken up yet. It was a really nice day up there and nice to be back on the dirt path. Let the summer adventures begin! More to come......

Not Quite Corn- Apex Tour- 5.1.2016

Since the lower elevation trail heads were full as I predicted they would be, and we are still snowed in at high elevation, I decided to go on a corn hunt. Got to Solitude just before 10 AM and the snow was just starting to break. As we climbed it got warmer and softer. Once we got to the top of Apex it clouded over, and the temps dropped a few degrees. This set up the already softened snow pack. The sun came back out and we dropped in to ride home. We picked a line that was really smooth and fast. Still some gnar chunks in the tracks where the cat had driven across the snow. You had to be deliberate in your turn choice around those. It is supposed to warm up substantially this week, putting the upper elevations in full melt off. This may have been it for the season unless we have another storm. I'll keep the splitboard handy just in case we get a late season surprise. Good times getting after it one more time! Enjoy the video. More good times to be had!

Apex Tour- 5.1.2016 from Christian Paul on Vimeo.

Fun in the Sunshine Bowl, Big Cottonwood Canyon- 4.28.2016

What do you know? We got some more snow overnight. This cycle we are in is just awesome! I made my way up to Solitude today and toured on the splitboard up to to the Eagle Ridge to ride the Sunshine Bowl. I had a great time on the skin track, and the workout was perfect. On my way up, I checked out the whole mountain on the front side, and Sunshine Bowl had zero tracks. I only saw a couple of people descending Apex, and a couple of skiers up on Powderhorn where I toured on Sunday. Once at the top, I took a few minutes to soak in the view, then switched it all over and got ready to drop in. The snow was so good on the Sunshine Bowl today, as good as I have had it all season. I savored every turn on the way down. The ride out was pretty fun, even though the snow was a bit heavier on the way to the base than it was up top. The Wasatch is the gift that keeps on giving! Enjoy the pics and video edit. More adventures to come!

Sunshine Bowl Tour 4.28.16 from Christian Paul on Vimeo.

Powderhorn Tour, Big Cottonwood Canyon- April 2016

With most of the resorts now closed, it is open season on their terrain. With most places still holding a 80-90" base, it is hard to pass up. We got a nice quick hitting storm on Saturday which put down 6-8" of really heavy snow. We made an early departure and headed up. We arrived to see a couple of other people with the same idea but that was it. We started in and were at mid mountain pretty quickly. Then we skinned up to the Eagle Ridge, and up the ridge to Powderhorn. It was nice up top, and we took it all in for a bit. After our break, we decided to change it over into ride mode and drop in for a run. We both dropped at the same time and got some really nice turns. As we got to the bottom of the run, we stopped to figure out what we wanted to do next.

We decided it was a very short boot pack up to Apex, so we unstrapped and booted up. The sun came a out blazing as we climbed, making it a warm one indeed. We took a moment to collect ourselves, and to see the tracks we had just put down on the hill. It was a nice line choice. Finally it was time to head to the bottom. The snow off Apex to the base was fast but thick, so in spots you just wanted to point it, steeps you could slash away. We ended the run with a cold one to celebrate being in the mountains once more. Seems like April is going out with one last winter blast. Enjoy the video from the day. More adventures to come!

Powderhorn Tour- 4.24.2016 from Christian Paul on Vimeo.

Spring Transition- April 2016

This is the time of year where I am wrapping up snowboarding and splitboarding. This is also the time of year for hiking the foothills of the Wasatch. Pleasant temps and not too many snakes. Spring has a way of being a double edge sword here as well. Just as you think summer is here, in comes winter with one more blast. So you have to kind of straddle the line because you never know what nature is gonna bring you here in Utah.

I got my first hike in for the year earlier this month up Bells Canyon. It was a very nice day, low crowds, and nice to be back walking in the symphony of silence. I made a loop up above the lake to the bridge that takes you to the falls, then looped off trail back down to the lake to try my hand at some fly fishing. I need some gear maintenance, but over all it was nice to be casting a line once more. The lake is full and the fish are active.

Thursday the 14th, we had a really soggy storm. This system came in wet, and then turned cold and dumped some really good snow. The lifts got put on a lighting hold, then reopened after it had put down 4-5" of really fun snow. Everyone left, minus a few of us die hards, and we had the mountain untracked from 2 PM till last chair. April 15th was my last day on the lift chairs for the season at Solitude.

Yesterday I got another great loop hike in Bells Canyon and took a different variant. Things are greening up with these warm temps we have been having. Looks like a couple of more days of warm weather, then we move into a wet cycle to finish the month out. Maybe one or two more days touring on the splitboard, and this winter party comes to a close. Spring is here in the Wasatch. It can be a mixed bag, so you have to be prepared for anything at a moments notice. Its been a great year on the snowboard. Touring was amazing as well. But as one season closes, another one begins. We are just about a month out from being able to get out backpacking. So for now, I just get the legs ready for the long walkabout which is just around the corner. Enjoy the photos from this month. More adventures to come!