The Wasatch Mountains offer a wide array of outdoor activities year round, from skiing and snowshoeing to hiking to rock climbing and mountain biking. These peaks have challenged me, encouraged me to rise up and conquer my fears. They have taught me how to trust my body and my abilities, how to be present and soak in a good view, and how to connect with nature in a deep, soulful way. They are rugged and beautiful, and house so many hidden treasures.
This winter, Whit and I have snowshoed more than ever. We have embraced the mountains in winter as more than just ski hills, and reclaimed some trails for ourselves. Hiking in the winter finds a certain kind of solitude, peaceful climbs with no one around rather than a cacophony of people hitting the slopes. I find myself meditating more while hiking than anywhere else, a needed reprieve from my own mind. Below are some pictures from various snowshoe hikes this winter.
Big Cottonwood Canyon: Donut Falls
Millcreek Canyon: Rattlesnake Gulch to Pipeline Trail
Big Cottonwood Canyon: Millcreek North
Big Cottonwood Canyon: Willow Heights
Millcreek Canyon: Porter Fork Road
Little Cottonwood Canyon: Albion Basin Summer Road
“Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread. A civilization which destroys what little remains of the wild, the spare, the original, is cutting itself off from its origins and betraying the principle of civilization itself.” – Edward Abbey