High Points

Emerald Lake, July 11, 2009:

Emerald Lake, July 24, 2009:

It was a family affair once again on Timpanogos. This time my dad, my two sisters and one of my brothers (my other brother was busy ironing his jeans, or something) all climbed to the summit. My youngest sister reaching the summit meant that now, everyone in my immediate family has reached that high point. Including my mom. I felt like hurrying up the hill Friday, so I gave everyone (other than my brother) a 90 minute head start. I caught them at Emerald Lake, right where I had hoped to close the gap. I was able to go from the Aspen Grove pavement to the summit in just over 3 hours. It got me thinking…I wonder how fast I could do that?

And speaking of Emerald Lake, that snow-fed water tastes superb. It is as cold as it could possibly be, before it would be considered ice, and crystal clear. Everything a high mountain lake ought to be. And on the 24th the lake was significantly larger than it was just 13 days prior. Summer is doing its best to melt away the winter snow pack. I think that just as that job is finished, the new snows of autumn and winter will start to fill the cirque once again. Life at 10,300 feet is short lived for a glacier-fed lake.

And now, I am focusing once again, and for the final time in 2009 on the Intermountain Cup. The series finale is Saturday at the Canyons Resort in Park City. I am hoping that I can take all the bottled up ambitions that have festered and fermented over the last several weeks and dump them out on the trail in an unfettered explosion of fitness and speed. And if not, well I’d be satisfied with just starting the race. Even finishing it would be a small victory, considering my recent track record of illness and broken chains (twice in 2 days!).

However, all things considered, this has been a good summer. One I will not soon forget.

But I am not quite ready for it to end. Not yet.