Being a business student I am required to subscribe to the Wall Street Journal. One of the April 7th stories in the journal reads “Discovery’s Streaming Video Comes to Google Earth - Users of Google Inc.’s popular satellite-mapping software can now view streaming video clips pegged to popular landmarks and destinations, courtesy of Discovery Communications Inc….The feature, which marks the first time that Google has promoted video content on Google Earth, was launched yesterday with clips tied to 10 U.S. national parks like Yellowstone and Dinosaur National Monument.” (more…)
April 8th, 2006
Summit
Bonneville Shoreline Trail – The Northeast Part, Salt Lake Valley
The Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST) is a series of trails where the old shoreline of Lake Bonneville used to be many years ago! Parts of the trail run from Ogden to Payson. We recently hiked the BST that runs along the northeast area of the Salt Lake valley.
One of the most famous landmarks on the trail is the “U” on the mountain. You can have fun climbing all around the big letter on the mountain then stop and check out breathtaking views of the entire Salt Lake valley. Near by you’ll see the University of Utah, University Hospital, Jewish Community Center, Huntsman Cancer Institute and several other businesses and residential homes. In the distant background are striking views of the Oquirrh and Wasatch Mountains. We hiked what is known as the “foothills” of the Salt Lake valley. Pay attention to the Dog Signs. Some areas of the BST allow dogs and some do not.
In addition to hiking, the BST is a popular place for mountain bikers and runners. If you get far enough from civilization and lose yourself in the foothills, you’ll see deer, wild life and wrecked, rusted out old cars. Why they are there I don’t know but they are there. This was a particularly great Saturday morning hike since we got lucky and captured some amazing photos of spring storms rolling across the valley. The BST is relatively easy and there are plenty of places to get on and off of this trail.
Access this part of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail by going to Virginia Street (1250 East) and Popperton Parkway (360 North) in Salt Lake City where you will see a public park and Shriner’s Hospital. Popperton Street is on the north side of Shriner’s. Turn east on Popperton Parkway and drive to the end of the road (about ¼ of a mile). Park and you’ll see the trailhead next to a gated residential community. NOTE: You can take 1300 East all the way to South Temple, go ½ block NORTH to turn on Virginia Street.
April 6th, 2006
Crazy Sheryl
It was winter, the beginning 2001. My second semester at Brigham Young University was underway. One Saturday evening I came home from a long day at the library, followed by an even longer night at the testing center. That whole week had been stressful. I had studied a lot and taken several tests. As the week drew to an end, my friend Bryan felt the same way I did. As we sat in our dorm room cerebrating on our despondently miserable study-holic lifestyle, we decided to do something outrageous…
We realized that we had to go to church the next day, yet, we reasoned, our little overnight excursion would not infringe on our ability to keep the Sabbath day holy. It would be over in the morning. We hastily outlined our late night plans. We hopped in my car, drove to the store and bought some firewood. We then began the several hour drive to the High Uinta mountains of Northern Utah. There we had a secret bounty awaiting us. There we would fire up our two beautiful all terrain vehicles (ATV’s) which roared in that wilderness with such power as to make the weak at heart shrivel before our terrible thunder.
We would make the all too familiar five mile ascent to the summit and camp for the night. In the morning we would watch that stunning sun rise over the lofty grandeur of those snowy peaks. As they always are at this time of year, the mountains and valleys were covered in feet of snow. Yet we were not deterred. Our transports were no ordinary vehicles. We strapped our sleeping bags, wood, tent, and other supplies to our quads and took off. Flying over mounds of snow illuminated only by the high beams on our ATV’s was exhilarating. (more…)
April 5th, 2006
glemmon
Well, mid-week and last-minute don’t make for a lot of company on a trip, but Zion was beautiful last week. I caught a window of sunshine in an otherwise cold and rainy week and enjoyed a lot of beautiful scenery. Here are just a few of my favorite photos to share. (more…)
April 5th, 2006
cas254
My senior year of high school, during February break, my Dad and I decided to cross-country ski the thirty-mile length of popular Lake George, near my house in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate NY. A somewhat spontaneous trip, we arrived at the lake early in the morning, parked near the shore, and headed out.
Lake George is very popular for ice fisherman, and so as we began our ski trip, we asked a few near the shore how thick the ice was. They informed us that it was many feet thick, and we took notice of the trucks parked out on the ice as far as the eye could see.
It was cold and windy, about ten degrees, and after skiing for about twenty minutes, we approached a large “mountain range” of ice, that appeared to stretch across the ice. We later found out that when the ice freezes, it expands and pushes up, forming large piles of ice several feet high that stretch across the width of the entire lake, about a half mile.
My Dad approached this ice crack of ice chunks and noticed that there was water on top of the ice. Unsure what to do, we skied along the length of the crack until we reached the tracks of a snowmobile that had crossed the crack at that spot. My Dad turned to me for my opinion, and we both agreed that if a snowmobile could do it, surely a skier could, right? (more…)
April 4th, 2006
lcrapo
I went on a week-long trip last fall. It was both the worst and best trip that I’ve ever been on for many reasons. But since this is a worst trip ever competition I’ll focus on one of the “worst trip” moments.
A friend and I drove to Yosemite National Park in September. For any of your familiar with Yosemite, you’ll know that due to local black bear populations all visitors are required to store food and scented items in metal “bear boxes” which lock out bears, and reduce human to bear contact. Since wilderness campers and backpackers can’t be expected to haul 30 pound metal boxes in their packs, an ingenious item called the “bear canister” was created. Backpackers are required to store any of their food in these thick plastic, black, airtight canisters that lock out bears as well air, and lock in the scent.
My friend and I decided that it would be fun to go wilderness camping for a night. Following protocol we checked out a bear canister, stuck our food and chap stick in the canister, stuck the canister in my backpack, and continued on our merry way. Now some may say that I have strange taste for camping food, but I’ll admit I find hot dogs, cheese, and hard boiled eggs to be excellent and tasty sources of protein during a long hike. With these food items in mind, I’d like to remind you that said canister is thick, black, and airtight. I’d also like to remind you that the name of this story is “smelly old food.” (more…)
April 4th, 2006
chelle2
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