Ride to the Hills

My hubby and I have a goal to lose 10 pounds by November.  Ambitious you say?  Well, we aren’t so much gym rats (blah! Can you believe people actually enjoying going there?), so we decided to exercise and shed the pounds by doing activities we enjoy.  So this weekend we headed up to the world-renowned Snowbird Resort to see the beautiful fall colors and do some hiking.  I popped a few Akavar 2050 (whatever helps, right?), grabbed a few Clif Bars for lunch (can you say tasty?), and we headed up.  Unfortunately for us, Oktoberfest was going on…so we didn’t get as much hiking done as we would’ve liked and we stuffed our faces with roasted almonds and polish dogs.  Hey, there’s always next week, right?

(We did take some pics..but lo and behold, my camera isn’t working, so enjoy these breathtaking views).

I must admit, I couldn’t be more excited for summer. This winter has seemed long and I really didn’t get out for much cold weather camping. Most of the time I’m either at home reading outdoor/ski/mountain biking magazines or glued to my computer screen trying to make a go of my drop shipping work. August is going to be different however…it’s out of doors and Moab time!

Every year an ever increasing group of friends and friends of friends get together to hit up slickrock, Arches, Canyonlands, etc for a long weekend of crazy fun.

Last time we found an out of the way watering hole big enough for cliff jumping. This year we’re going on a guided river-rafting tour. Every time we go it just gets bigger and better.

Now I just need to figure out how I’m getting my bike down there this year.

Did you know that the beehive state is the most concentrated center for canyoneering in the United States?  Outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world travel to Zion National Park (located in southern Utah) to experience famed Utah Canyoneering.  Zion boasts nearly 50 technical canyons, including the Narrows, a section of canyon on the North Fork of the Virgin River.

This summer I did some pretty fun hikes while I was in Utah…I really think that there are very few places that can beat its natural beauty. If I had to choose a favorite hike however, it would have to have been the Narrows in Zion National Park.

The Narrows is a hike along the riverbed that runs right through the heart of the park. The crazy part is that you’re actually hiking in the river for most of the time. We went about five miles in, and then hiked back out. The steep canyon walls were beautiful, and there were plenty of places to sunbathe and relax along the way (be careful of sunburn though! If you get one, treat it carefully!). It really is a unique hike, and I’d suggest it to anyone who enjoys a somewhat challenging, adventurous hike.

I’ll be honest - when I first moved to Utah I really thought it was boring here and I would get done with school and move somewhere fun

Well, over the past six years or so my plans changed quite a bit when I discovered how much there really is to do here in Utah. Within a pretty short drive here you can find beautiful canyons to hike, great snow (during the winter and early spring), fishing, water sports and just about any other outdoor activity you can think of.

For me the hardest part has been narrowing down my choices - after getting a few questionable referrals from friends (mostly on lodging - my wife prefers hotel rooms to camping in tents) I found a Utah outdoor adventure site that has a comprehensive list of the most popular destinations. They also have a cool section that divides the popular destinations by location in Utah.

Also, keep in mind that the places you always hear about aren’t always the coolest places to visit (mostly because you’re fighting crowds these days) - look around and try to find a diamond in the rough and, of course, come back and share what you find with us here at Ride to the Hills.