Friday, August 15, 2008

Timpanogos Cave

For our last summer hoorah we went on a hike with my mom, Lindsey, my brother-in-law Slade and all of our kids. My mom is an avid hiker and loves to include the kids... I'm ashamed to say that although I've lived in Utah for 20 years (and at the base of American Fork Canyon for over 7!) that I had never been to Timpanogos Cave. We'd been told it was a steep but do-able hike, so we thought we'd give it a go.
Lindsey and Jonah, my rock-star mom, Olivia, Evan, Coleman, Tayden, Brady, and Slade at the car before we started our ascent.
Almost half way up... we are still smiling. The kids were champs... hardly a complaint the whole way up.
Here's my mom with all the kids... I'm so glad we did this with her. We are really lucky that she's so active and loves to do things with her grandkids. Thanks mom!
We made it!!! We got to the top in about an hour, which was surprising. To be honest, with some of the switch-backs I was a little surprised I made it at all!

We had a great ranger (Ranger Royce) who was so cute with all of the kids that were a little nervous about being in the caves. Everything inside was so interesting... it kinda makes me want to take a geology class or something. The kids liked it too--although near the end I think they were feeling a bit claustrophobic and cold. By the time we ended, a couple of them had to go to the bathroom so we high-tailed it down the trail.

Overall, our hike was a great success! The kids consumed many, many packages of fruit snacks and granola bars and Clementine oranges, fruit leathers, and a soft-serve vanilla cone at the end (thanks to Grandma!). I think we might have to make the hike to Timanogos Cave a yearly tradition!

**Have you been to Timpanogos Cave?
**What are you doing for your last hurrah this summer?

9 comments:

Jenny said...

Don't feel bad about never going to the cave...I haven't! And I would consider myself pretty outdoorsy. Looks like a lot of fun though. Maybe we'll make it our loast hurrah too for the summer. I'm going to miss it! :(

Unknown said...

I went to the Caves back when I was a Beehive for an activity. I weighed over 100 pounds less so going up might just kill me but it sounds like fun. I am in denial about what time of year we are in so I don't talk about it. Down with the cold and brown world of winter. Yucky.

Katie M. said...

What a good looking crowd.. Timp cave is a fabulous thing, if I may say so. I am a fan. You guys are troopers!

Jill said...

Wow!! Olivia and Coleman must be such troopers. I wouldn't even think of trying to take my girls up that climb.

We took them to Minetonka Cave at Bear Lake, which has no hike at all, and we got nothing but complaints from them the entire time!!

Jill

Shirlene said...

Yeah... didn't you love the hike!!! I think it's a blast....and the cave makes it worth it. Lauren was freezing inside the cave, but I didn't even put my sweatshirt on....the 40 degrees felt so good after the hike. I can't wait for Micaela and AJ to be old enough to do it by themselves so they can join Lauren and I on our newly started tradition as of last year of hiking to Timp.
Enjoy the start of a new school year! You'll be great on the PTA board. Olivia is so beautiful. She looks so old with her missing teeth. I took Lauren to school today and was teasing her that she shouldn't cry, I knew she'd miss me though. She did cry last year....but this year was a different story! They're so grown up now as school aged kids. I love to see the pics of JD and Addie. I miss seeing you guys all the time!

Cheri said...

TOTALLY struggled with that hike back in June. I'd done it twice before and it was much easier (well, I guess I did it NOT 5 months pregnant the other two times). But it's so worth it to see what's inside at the top! I'm so glad you finally made it! You guys are troopers.

Sally said...

Our last hurrah would not and could not ever be a hike. I hate hiking far too much to do it unless I was on a Death March. Points to you, though, because it is such a healthy hobby. When my body has rotted due to no hiking exercise, I will come live in yours and haunt it. :) With affectionate words, of course, that encourage you to sit still, eat chocolate, and not climb mountains.
Our last hurrah was to Liberty Park, and then gelato at Harmons. Predictable, yes, except for the lesbian couple and some girls running around with their shirts off in the fountains. (They were little girls, but still.)

Anonymous said...

We went to the caves last summer, when we came down to look for a house. My husband and the kids had been, but I never had. It was cooler than I thought it would be. We didn't do much for our last hurrah... just relaxed. I have to say I'm glad school is back in session.

Janene said...

oh, you have all been having way too much fun! I love this time of year, when summer winds down and school is back in. Good luck with your commitments! :o)