A Timpanogos Anniversary

Since I organized last year's anniversary celebration, Mary was in charge this year. She thought that a nice hike up Mt Timpanogos might be just the thing and, as is generally the case, she was right.

Here we are getting ready to set out from

the Timpanooke trailhead.

Lone Peak Wilderness and the back of Snowbird

and Alta from the trail.

Crossing the last shale section before coming into

the upper meadows.

Mary contemplates the wildflowers that were in

full bloom at the higher elevations.

For example.

A view toward the summit and the Emerald Lake basin.

Mary follows the trail through the flowers.

A look back.

The shale field on the way to Emerald Lake.

As we came over the hill and looked down toward the

Quonset hut we noticed 5 members of Timpanogos'

mountain goat community milling around. As we

walked down to the hut 3 more came up the trail from

the lake to join their fellows.

They didn't seem too bothered by us.

We went into the hut to see if we could get

closer to them from there.

Turns out we could.

After spending a little time with the goats, we ate

lunch at the lake and headed for the summit.

Approaching the summit and its shack, the west side

of which has fairly recent coating of pink spray paint.

Mary looks east from inside the shack.

As we got ready to head back storm clouds were

gathering, this one went north of us...

while others drenched Payson and parts south.

Things stayed pretty nice for us as we headed

down through more flowers.

Of course it wouldn't be a proper trip for the two of us without some weather to report (see this or this). As we worked our way down, it sprinkled a little, just enough to cool things off. Then the sky got a little darker, the thunder got a little closer and the sprinkling got a bit more insistent. I stopped to put on my jacket and got out the camera just as things got interesting. It's hard to separate the rain from the hail in the YouTube video and don't blink or you'll miss a lightning flash at about 1:25, but hopefully this gives you a sense:

Soon we were back at the trailhead, ready to head home and extend our 12 year streak of marital bliss.