Last year Steph directed me to a trail that I really liked but I couldn't remember how to get to the trail head. She couldn't remember which canyon I was talking about, so she directed me to the trail heads for Waterfall and Taylor canyon. (Looking at the map at the trail head it was Beus Canyon that I had been trying to find.)
I decided that I wanted to hike up Waterfall Canyon, but since I had never been there before and the trails weren't clearly marked, I ended up in Taylor Canyon. That was fine with me. Back in the horse and buggy days there had been a hotel at the top of Malan peak. It burned down years ago but apparently the boiler still sits in the clearing, so that seemed like a good thing for me to explore.
The sky was still overcast in Ogden when I started out on the trail, but it didn't look too threatening. I had been hiking for about 20 minutes when I noticed that the clouds above me had become quite black and threatening. I decided to keep going.
It sprinkled lightly for the next 20 or 30 minutes, but it wasn't anything too bad. Then it started to hail. It hailed really hard and although the hail stones weren't big they really stung. After pushing through that for about 10 more minutes I decided that the smart thing to do would be to turn around.
After a few more minutes the hail stopped and it began to rain quite steadily. I was about 20 minutes from my car when a bolt of lightning hit nearby. I don't think it hit the ground, but the lightning and the thunder were simultaneous, so it must have been quite close. I had my headphones on at the time and when the lightning hit I got a deafening hiss of static through my headphones.
At that point it really started to rain hard, and by the time I reached my car I was completely drenched and my hands were numb with cold. As I sit here typing this about 2 hours later, the sky is completely clear and bright blue. Steph and I might head up to Snow Basin for a hike next weekend, so I will let you know how hike #3 goes.
9 comments:
Please tell me you atleast hike with your cell phone so you can call someone if something happens. You really make me nervous gal!!! Two words: MESA VERDE.
I will say the pictures are beautiful, between you and aunt Julie I can hardly wait for our leaves to start turning.
Yes, I do hike with my cell phone. Do I get service in the canyons? Well, sometimes. The difference between here and Mesa Verde is that here the trails are all well travelled. There were plenty of other idiots out on the trail today.
Well, that is what you get for not sitting on the couch and listening (or falling asleep) to conference! LOL
I am certainly glad that you made it out alive with no visible burn marks from the lightening.
It certainly looks like a beautiful canyon, and I hope the color holds up for another week so you get some more pictures. I should blog our cottonwood tree turning yellow. I am never sure whether it is just having it's 'fall' or maybe dying.
What a scary time! But it does look beautiful. So glad you made it back safe. I drove to Duchesne today to visit Darrell and the canyons were simply divine. I took a few pictures but I used my old camera as I wanted to finish the roll we took at Christmas! And I only had 6 pictures left. I wish I had taken the Digital one also. I was so glad the weather changed around noon when I left.
I still can't believe how many of the leaves have already changed in Utah. I drove to Buffalo last week and there were very few trees that have changed color.
Liv and I went to the lake yesterday and it was very "green" as well. I am really jealous!!! Looking at your temperature gauge, it looks like you guys have cooled down pretty fast. Our high today is 68, so Fall should be arriving soon.
I also remember MESA VERDE, but that was in the PRE-BLOGGING days, and things have definitely changed. I will not give you any words of caution. I will only say, "keep getting us good pictures at ANY COST"!!!!
AH HA HA! I swear you have worse luck than me. If it can happen it will...to you! I am pissed I did not get an invite and I am unable to go next weekend.
Sorry about not inviting you, Denise. It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment decision.
I will continue to take pictures at any cost!
Great pictures Jen, I love all the pinks this year, the most I have ever seen. Glad you made in back in one piece, albeit a frozen one!
We are heading up to the "Heritage" on Friday. I am expecting it to be a beatiful drive. I guess we will find out. By the way I am glad you take your cell phone with you, but it sure wouldn't hurt you to make a quick phone call to someone and tell them where you are going. Love the pics!
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