Cohab Canyon and Cassidy Arch, Capitol Reef NP

I feel that as I get closer to my due date opportunities to escape to Southern Utah to enjoy the springtime weather are dwindling.  This weekend, even though Erik was at Texas Relays and my plans to camp in Moab with the Johnsons fell through; I found a way to get to Capitol Reef.  I went down with Andie and Justine for a girls hiking day. We hiked Cohab Canyon from the Fruita trailhead, linked up with the Frying Pan Trail, that took us to Cassidy Arch and finished through the Grand Wash.  The highlight of the day was we all experienced our first time hitch-hiking.  After hiking 8.5 miles through the Grand Wash we were expecting to walk along the highway the 3 miles back to our car in Friuta, but we were tired so we started throwing the thumb up as cars passed.  Eventually a nice Asian family that didn't speak much English picked us up.  They drove past us at first, but a few minutes later they came back for us.  It was awesome!

 

33 weeks into pregnancy and feeling awesome! I got lots of compliments from fellow hikers, and I am pretty sure that the only reason we got picked up hitch-hiking at the far end of the Grand Wash was because they felt sorry for the prego lady!

Cassidy Arch was so impressive.  I have seen pictures many times, but the real thing was so much better.  You can see how big it was underneath us.  This picture below is my new friend Lola.  She and her hubby Lyle (both 65 years old) were canyoneering through Cassidy Canyon.  We watched her owne this 200 foot rappel.  I can only hope Erik and I are still this cool when we hit our 60's.

The Grand Wash

After our hitch-hiking experience we grabbed the car and headed out to Freemont Falls to cool off swimming.  I have swam/cliff jumped here before, but his time around the water flow was much higher and turbulent.  We were to scared to actually swim this time, but we took naps on the rocks and enjoyed the mist of the falls.  Great day in Capitol Reef, I hope to get down to southern Utah at least one more time before this baby girl comes, but weekends don't look that clear from here on out, so we will see.

Adventure is Growing. . .

Everyday I am growing (literally) closer to our greatest adventure yet.  

28.5 weeks

We are so pumped/scared/excited/terrified/overwhelmed/happy about the upcoming arrival of our baby girl. The first 29 weeks have flown by, if the next 10 go that fast there is no way we will be ready!

Presidents Day: Snowshoe Y Mountain

We celebrated our day off by donning the old snowshoes and trekking to the top of Y mountain.  It was a pretty glorious day. In the morning Erik had track practice and I was had to run the tennis team.  Then after my great weightlifting workout we headed out that afternoon to conquer the mountain. Josh joined us.  It was gorgeous and sunny, but by the time we reached the Y some clouds had rolled in. I thought that at 27 weeks pregnant this day would kill me, but I actually felt awesome the whole hike.  We went a little bit slower than we normally would, be I felt great.  Even super-hiker Erik was dying at times, but I was rolling no problem. We didn't even need the snowshoes until we were almost to the main meadow up Slide Canyon.

 Erik and Mojo at the top of the Y

 View of the valley from the top of the Y

After getting strapped into the snowshoes we started to hustle a little bit. Erik and I had to be back by 6 for a burro night with the Nevitt cousins and we were losing sunlight pretty fast. We followed one other groups tracks, it was nice not having to break trail. The tracks we followed turned off the main trail fairly early and headed up the mountain before the typical trail would.  We decided to follow anyways, since we were short on time and thought this may be a harder route, but would get us to the top faster.  After a nice brutal steep final pitch to the top we enjoyed the view for a brief moment. We just caught the last of the sun's reflection on Utah lake, it was gorgeous.  We weren't quite on the summit, but we had the nice view and little light left so we headed back down.

 Headed up Slide Canyon, my Baby Ras Bump is getting bigger!

 Erik on the back side of Y Mountain, Squaw Peak behind him

 Josh on the summit, Maple Mountain behind him

 Last light on Utah lake

The original steep climb made for an awesome butt slide down in the snow.  We had a blast running down in the deep powder, then after getting some speed jumping to our butts and sliding most of the way.  It was SO FUN and there were only a few scary encounters with trees. By the time we got back to the meadow and took off our snowshoes it was dark, but the snow relfected enough light that we could still see pretty well the rest of the way down.  I was the only sissy one who used a headlamp coming down the Y portion of the trail. My pregnancy balance is pretty bad! It was gorgeous coming down that snowy mountain in the dark with the city lights glittering off of the lake and the mountain.

We were late to the cousin burro party, but since Erik made his awesome mint chocolate cake, they forgave us, I think. Amazing finish to a physically challenging day.  Nothing works up a bean burro appetite like snowshoeing.

If anyone is interested in the details of this hike, and how to find the trailhead, etc, here are some links:


http://www.summitpost.org/y-mountain/224762
http://www.willhiteweb.com/provo_hiking/y_mountain_269.htm