Uintas Family Fun & Race

This morning we loaded the family into the van (except my oldest daughter who had to work) and headed to the Uintas.





The first stop was getting Jolene to Wolverine Ridge, the final ICup race of the season. We made it just in time to pick up her packet. I did a final check and quick tune of her bike. We hung out talking with several friends and teammates. I took a few pictures of the start and we stayed until Jolene started (Women 35+ is the last group). Then the kids and I got back in the van for stop #2.



We drove the 10+ miles to the Ruth Lake trailhead. The main parking spaces were full, but we found a place on the side of the road. The weather was getting active, as is usual for this time of year in the Uintas, but made worse with moist air moving in the last few days. Last year we attempted this hike but only made it to this nice pond before we turned around for several reasons (Kara got sick, it started to rain and we needed to get back to see Jolene finish her race). This year we made it to Ruth Lake and, as these things go, it was only a little ways past the pond.


(For Alder)







We played at the edge of the lake for a while then hiked on around when we heard there was a moose on the other side. Sure enough, a nice bull moose. We kept our distance and didn't stay long.



Then we ran into a patch of wildflowers. Surprising to see them so late in the year, but probably not unusual for the Uintas at that altitude.



As we hiked back it started to rain a little. We had been hearing thunder for quite a while. We even got some hail.



Back at the van we drove up to Pass Lake and had lunch. I made sandwiches and we sat in the van and ate them since it was raining.

After lunch we drove to the trailhead for Fehr Lake and stayed in the car while the rain poured. We drove across the road to Moosehorn campground just as some hail came down heavy. After it subsided we used the bathroom then went back to the trailhead. It finally let up and Kade and I went for the short 1/2 mile hike to Fehr Lake (the girls didn't want to go). Kade and I had a nice hike. The scenery along the trail was nice and the lake was lovely. We walked a little ways along the edge of the lake then hiked back to the van.



As we left the trailhead the lightning and thunder were going and the rain started coming down heavy again, and even more hail. I pulled off at Bald Mountain Pass and we watched some lightning then hit the road again.

The next stop was Provo River Falls. I had seen the signs many times driving the Mirror Lake Highway, but never stopped. But today was the day. On the way down we were seeing patches of hail on the side of the road and in one spot the road was covered with a 1/2" of hail - in August!



The falls were worth the stop. Not tall, but still a healthy cascade. I'm guessing the rain had increased the river flow so we got a good show today.



After the Falls we drove home and I watched the temperature change from a low of 52 in the higher altitudes of the Uintas up to 92 back down in Utah Valley. There was some sort of accident in the canyon and we got stuck in barely moving traffic from Nun's Park down to Timpanogos Park.

I talked with Jolene a few times via cell phone, but it was so noisy at the awards in Evanston we didn't talk much. I later learned she took 1st place in the race and with double points that moved her into 3rd place overall for the season.



Yeah, it was a pretty good Saturday.
And just before I started to write this I watched Michael Phelps win his 1st gold medal at the Olympics in the 400 meter individual medley. He also broke his old record to set a new world record in the event. I haven't really caught the Olympics bug this time around, but it was fun to watch him win.