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Hiking Timp

Memories of Timp Hikes Past

Picture courtesy of: Mount Timpanogos Facebook page

As a teenager, I recall many hikes up Timpanogos Mountain ( Timp ).  Only one of these hikes occurred during the day.  Many hikers like to make this hike on a full moon.  We try to time things just right so we can be sitting on the summit and watch the sunrise.  Having lived my whole life under the shadow of this mountain, sunrises weren’t nearly as spectacular as sunsets for me.  It would often be full daylight before sunlight ever reached my yard.  But then I watched my first sunrise from the top of this majestic mountain.  It is quite the thing to witness.

Photo by Dwight Prince on Facebook

Like I said, I made this hike a number of times as a teenager.  Every year with our youth group, once with family, and a number of times with different groups of friends.  One time I hiked to the top from the Aspen Grove trail, but all of the other times we took the Timpooneke trail.  There were times that we stopped at the “saddle,” but most often I made it to the summit.  Many people slide down the glacier from the summit but I never took that venture.  We often met and were scared by the “resident moose.”  Once we stopped and played around Emerald Lake.  I don’t remember any “bad” trips up the mountain.  We had aches and pains, but I don’t recall serious injuries.  It was a fun hike which I anticipated every year.

Passing on my passion

And so I decided to try and share these memories with my children.  Caitlin (15), Josh (13), and Kristie (11), each decided they wanted to try hiking Timp with me.  I invited Charlee (9), but she said she doesn’t like the dark or heights so she was happy to stay at home.  I invited my sister, Jenni, and she was as giddy as I was.  She brought along her oldest boy, Jake.

I watched the full moon schedule, tracked the snow melt, watched the weather and waited for the right time to hike.  We tried to go up in early August, but our adventure was thwarted by thunderstorms.  (My dad took scouts up there once and got caught in lightening…Yeah, not something I wanted to do with my kids.)  And so we set the date for Labor Day.  I was so excited.  My kids…not so much.  They haven’t really done any hiking and didn’t know what to expect or anticipate.

Packing

I packed up apples, 2 different kinds of trail mix, 3 large Poweraides, 3 water bottles, and 2 camelbacks.  We had 2 head lamps, 1 mag-light, 2 other flashlights, extra batteries, a pair of hand held radios, a first aid kit, and some random survival supplies. There were 2 backpacks with 3 poweraide/water bottles each, for the kids to trade off carrying along with one camelback.  I carried the rest.  (Yes, I am a mother who packs WAY too much for her brood, but I was able to heft the heaviest pack so…)

Labor Day Morning:  12:30 AM

I slept through my alarm so Jenni woke me up at 12:30 AM.  It’s a good thing she was driving, I would have missed it.  We stopped at Walmart for some snacks: bananas, grapes, pop tarts, jolly ranchers, and chewy sprees.  (Most of which I hauled but we didn’t eat.)  Then we headed up American Fork Canyon to the Timpooneke trailhead.  The parking lot was nearly full when we arrived at 1:30am.  (Hiking Timp is very popular) We took some pictures and were off!

Altitude Sickness or Sleepy Sickness

We hiked through the dark for about an hour at a nice slow pace.  A number of groups passed us (mostly college kids), but we weren’t worried.  Slow and steady wins the race, right?!?

Everything was just fine until Jake started getting sick.  His stomach hurt and our breaks became more regular and lasted longer with each one.  Thinking it might be dehydration, Jenni and I encouraged him to keep drinking water.  It is amazing what water, and lack thereof, will do to your body.  But things continued to get worse.  We made it to the meadow above scout falls when Jake really started feeling poor.  We had already seen 2 sets of hikers headed down.  Both stated they had a sick hiker.  I turned to Jake and told him, “Look!  Even big college kids sometime have to turn around.  We will stop if you need us to.”

Both Jenni and I were torn.  We didn’t want to separate, but the looks on the faces of the kids at the thought of turning around was heartbreaking.  Caitlin, Josh, and Kristie were pretty disappointed at the prospect, but they weren’t excited about the thought of leaving Jake either.  Jake couldn’t fathom hiking another 3+ hours to the top, but didn’t want to be the reason we all turned around.  Finally, Jenni suggested I take the older three while she and Jake tried to sleep for a bit and we would keep in touch via radio.  We split up…and around 4:00 AM, Jenni radioed to let us know that they were headed back down the mountain.  On the way to the parking lot, Jake threw up (that probably helped the most).  By the time he got home, he was feeling great.

Going on alone

My kids were still determined to reach the saddle, but their energy level plummeted after leaving their cousin behind.  Instead of joking and singing, there was silence.  Breaks were still fairly regular as our altitude increased rapidly.  Just a little perspective, the hike to the basin (or what we always called the meadow) is about 5 miles and rises over 3,000 ft in altitude.  We made it to the meadow around 5:45 am (a little over 4 hours of hiking).  We were only about 2 miles from the summit but the kids were beat.  They wanted to rest for a minute.  I knew if they stopped they would never go again, but I also didn’t want to make their first hike a miserable one.

I went off in the trees to use the bathroom and by the time I got back, the kids were snoring.  Seriously, they huddled up together against the cold and fell asleep and started to snore.  I knew we were done but I wasn’t too disappointed.  They had done a really hard thing and it was pretty amazing.

This is a picture of our “camping” spot that I took when the sun came up.  Below is a picture that Caitlin took when I was trying to rouse my minions in hopes of climbing higher.  They weren’t too keen on the idea.

Rescue Chopper

While listening to the sonorous sounds of snoring…I heard a rescue helicopter coming near.  It came up over the saddle and circled for a  solid 20 minutes.  I had never seen rescue people up on Timp before and hoped that they were just checking the area since it was a holiday and there were so many hikers.  But that wasn’t so…

As the sun rose and the kids and I were traipsing  about the meadow, the chopper came back and landed.  We watched them pull out a gurney and some of their supplies.  There were no hikers in the area of their landing (we knew cause we had been all over that area messing around).  So they were going to have to hike to the injured party and then carry them back to the chopper.  So we decided to begin our decent.

view from the basin

As I said before, the meadow is less than 2 miles from the summit but more than 1500 ft higher in elevation.  Here are a couple of pictures that I took to show the kids where we were trying to reach in the dark.  The first picture shows the summit (even if it is a little out of focus).  For their first hike I really only expected us to get to the saddle (picture #2).  Alas, after listening to rescue choppers, I was satisfied with our hike and extremely grateful for our safety.

Enjoying the scenery on the way down

One good thing about hiking in the dark is that you don’t see how far you still have to go.  It is easier to get into a rhythmic routine of “just keep hiking, just keep hiking, hiking, hiking…All you have to do is HIKE…HIKE.”  (Thanks Dory for the theme song)  It is also cooler.  As the sun hits the trail it can get unbearably hot…fast.  I ache for the people just starting their accent as we reach the bottom.  Along with the heat of the sun, we have the light to show us the beauties and perils we crossed in the dark.  The kids looked around, amazed by the beautiful meadows, and foliage, the treacherous shale crossings, and the awesome views of the canyon below.

We even saw two moose eating just off the trail.  They are hard to see in the picture but I assure you, I didn’t really want to get much closer.  When they brought up their heads and looked directly at me…I froze…hoping they wouldn’t spook and charge.  Thankfully they went right on grazing.

The Down Beat

The hike down was always the worst for me as a youth.  And 8 kids later was no exception.  One of the ligaments in my hip hurt so bad I could hardly lift my leg.  My knees didn’t really appreciate all of the pounding. And Kristie complained of tired feet as we reached the parking lot.

But 5 days later as I right this post I have almost forgotten the pain and really do want to go at it again.  Next time (next year) we will make it to the summit of Timp!

 

 

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Life in Bluffdale

Week two

Well we have been in Bluffdale two weeks now and I guess its about time I let me fans (I use the term loosely) know that I am alive and well.  It has been a bit crazy trying to settle into a good routine for the family but I think we are just about there.  I am grateful the kids got into the local charter school but man…I broke my budget this month.  Completely annihilated it.  Uniforms for 6 rugrats and school supplies to boot…I’m ready to just hide until October.

A Typical Day

Although nothing for me is typical, here is what a typical/ideal day looks like.  We wake up at 6:30 and spend the next hour … getting dressed, changing diapers, eating breakfast, brushing hair/teeth, doing dishes, family prayer, individual scripture reading.  Whew…did we get it all?

The older kids head to school while the younger 3 and I do chores, stories, and play time.  This is the time for me and the three boys.  Jax is having a hard time getting me to slow down and enjoy life.  I see too many projects all around me, too many things that need to be cleaned, organized, finished, etc.  I need to improve these 3 hours and focus on the needs of the ones at my feet.

Lunchtime comes all too soon and Andrew heads to school.  The 2 boys left at home take their naps while mom gets to do some serious work.  I’ve got 3 hours to tackle any project I choose.  But don’t get too involved because from 3-4:30 it’s a rat race trying to pickup kids from 3 different campuses (thankfully all here in Bluffdale) while getting two of them to and from cross country practice.

Let me tell you, ironing out the wrinkles in our pick-up routine was rough.  The first day, Caitlin waited for over an hour at the high school, because I had to pick up Kristie and get her to the Jr High and I was sure it would be faster than the shuttle.  The next day we tried the shuttle, but that meant the little kids waited 30+ minutes for Caitlin and we still had to head over to the Jr High.  It took some playing around but I think we are finally all satisfied with the pickup routine.

Evenings are nice, dinner, more playing together and enjoying family time.  The kids are always wanting to play with friends but I’ve missed them all day and I don’t like to share much.

Reality

Alright, so I mentioned that was an ideal routine.  In reality there have been a lot more projects to make this move comfortable.  I have made endless trips to the store for clothes, school supplies, groceries, etc.  (And I mean endless both in the quantity and length.  Truly it is ridiculous.)  There have been multiple trips to PG to get beds, furniture, food, etc.  It took me an entire day to set up bunk beds, the daybed, and the crib.  Not to mention having to run to the store for a new bolt for the trundle bed.  Jax and I spent an entire day cleaning up the driveway area to make room to park.  I had to re-caulk the bathtub before bath night.  We blew in the insulation at night but painted the whole addition in a 24 hour period.

Thankfully the library isn’t too far away (Riverton – Why doesn’t Bluffdale have one?) because I think I have been there 10 times in the last 2 weeks.  I am extremely grateful that we have internet up and running here now and I really feel that things can simmer down from this rolling boil to a gentle rhythm.  I still can’t sit still, I am going crazy sitting at the computer instead of wiring outlets.  But things improve each and every day.

I choose to enjoy this adventure called life…It’s a journey worth taking.

Jensen Family minus Jax (taking the pic)
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Changing Schools – Again!

One of my favorite persons that I’ve met since coming back to Utah has got to be Les Hamilton.  We were in the same ward for a few months before a split, and have only talked a dozen or so times.   But every time I talk to him I like him even more than before.  He happens to be the AD at Summit Academy High School.

Good To Know

A few weeks ago I wrote about how we had gotten the kids all ready for school.  Well, last week Les shared a post on Facebook that Summit Academy High School was still accepting applications.   I had known that Summit was the closest school to my parents house, but I thought there was no way we could afford it.

When Les shared his post, I contacted him and told him I would like to consider it but that I was worried about cost since I’m a disabled vet who just lost everything.

Turns out I’m an idiot (no shock to the rest of you, I know).   Summit isn’t a private school…  it is a charter school.   No tuition!!  There is no reason my kids couldn’t attend.

Changing Again!

So I got online ASAP and put in applications for all of my kiddos.  They had room for all of them but Andrew, the one going into kindergarten.  They were reasonable enough to tell me that if I registered the others that they would “make room” for him.

So now the kids are all changing schools again.   It’s been a pain in the “lower torso” to take care of the withdrawals, fees, new schedules, and uniforms.   But I think the change will be a good one.   My kids are now attending Summit Academy schools in Bluffdale.

First Day

And this morning, despite the headaches and current life turmoil, we were able to successfully get the children off to school.  I think they were all even wearing clean clothes!

Nikki was nervous about the new school.  She really thrived at Central Elementary in PG.  She’s a bright little girl and I’m sure she’ll thrive here too.   Josh wasn’t interested in classes but more excited about Cross Country and Volleyball that both start after school today.

Caitlin just wants to find people she knows.  Kris and Charlee and excited to find friends too.  They all are looking forward to a great school year!

And so are we!!

Funny side note.   I called and withdrew the kids from the public schools.  The people who answered were all nice and polite and said it was no problem.

They all said they needed to note where the kids would be attending.  When I told them Summit, they ALL became much less polite, and borderline rude.   One of them asked the new school, and when I replied with “Summit Academy” I got back, “Summit?!  OK, got it” and she hung up on me.

I know there is political tension between public school advocates and advocates of other options.  But this was my first taste of it on a personal level.  I was a bit surprised at first.

I understand that public schools don’t want to lose the money that comes with each kid, but apparently they don’t understand that they are also losing the COST of the kid and the needed effort/energy to care for him/her.   But since they (and almost everyone else) focus on money…

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Update After My Hiatus

I’ve been on a hiatus and think I should give an update on life.  With nothing really going on I just haven’t found anything to write about.   Of course things have happened, but they all seem so small and insignificant at the time that they don’t seem worth mentioning.  It is only in the accumulation of seemingly insignificant changes that the scope of the change becomes apparent.

HOUSE PROJECT UPDATE

Things aren’t moving as quickly as I’d like, but they are moving about as quickly as they could possibly move.  We finished the wiring/plumbing/etc last week; HVAC was installed last week, and the sheetrock was hung this week.  The sheetrock mudders will be in on Monday.   By the end of the week we should be able to paint.

While the sheetrock was going up this week we were working on the deck that is going out the south side of the great room (going to have to stop calling it that because now it is a collection of small rooms that are no greater than any other rooms).   We have the supports up and joists up.  We don’t have any decking or railing on yet.  That might happen this week while the mudders have us out of the place again this week.

As soon as we can get back in we will paint just as quickly as possible and then get to finishing the bathroom and working on flooring.

I will try to get some video edited of what the space looks like out to you soon!

MISSOURI/FINANCES UPDATE

We have accepted (grudgingly) that we won’t be moving back to MO anytime soon.  This is sad.  We don’t want to lose the property though just in case we ever do find a way to get back there.

Even though we are way under water on the mortgage for a house that no longer exists, we have still been making the payments.   I’ve tried reaching the bank to see if we can work something out but they refuse to speak to me.  If nothing else I’d like to get approval to lower my payments since there is no insurance on the property (why would there be?) and the taxes are going to be MUCH lower now with no home.

We have sold our cattle.  They have been at a neighbors house since the fire and he took care of them over the winter.  I had him haul them to auction this week and should get a check for them soon.  That will help out a lot of things!

We haven’t decided how/when we are going to collect the rest of our things.  I think it is feasible to have everything loaded into my storage unit and then ship the entire thing here to Utah, but I don’t have a good way of getting it all loaded.  I could ask friends/neighbors to do it for me, but that seems like a big ask.   Maybe my Dad goes back and does it with help.  May I have to do it?  Still undecided.

FAMILY UPDATE

Everyone is fine.  Caitlin (15) and Joshua (13) had birthdays.  Everyone is healthy and enjoying the summer.  They’d like to not be working at my parents so much, but it hasn’t been bad.  With frequent (near daily) trips to the pool or the new splash pad in Bluffdale they are all getting out a lot.  They’ve done some hiking and sports too.

I think everyone is apprehensive about the move.  We know my parents place won’t be done.  We only have 2 weeks from today, so I don’t even know what state of cleanliness it will be in.   But school is starting, so we will move in regardless and make the best of it.   Maybe with school starting it will help make things easier for Julie and I to get things into a more livable condition.

VA/MENTAL HEALTH UPDATE

I’m surviving.  I’m still going to all my regular appointments (several a week) and getting by.

I have started and completed the beginners portion of Canines with a Cause.  I still don’t have my own dog but have been working with their dogs.  The first part of the intermediate class that begins in a few weeks will be looking for my own dog.  The timing is working out fine since I couldn’t have my own here at the Penrod’s, but can have one as soon as we move.   This will go a LONG way to helping my anxiety and will hopefully be beneficial in dealing with nightmares too.

Julie is still crazy!

EXERCISE/HEALTH UPDATE

You haven’t seen any running logs since the pool opened because we stopped running.  We have instead been swimming.  I have the kids do laps each time we show up to keep them doing some cardio, then they are free to go play (which rarely includes actual swimming).

My exercise has been fine, but hasn’t resulted in any weight loss.  I think it has trimmed up my waist a little bit (several people have mentioned it), but my actual weight hasn’t gone down.  Perhaps with time.

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Health Update

I thought since I’ve posted quite a few times about health issues that I should give an update.

Weight Loss Attempt

The goal continues.   Since we started really working on my parents place we stopped the morning veggie drink in the interest of time; and I’ve only been mediocre on the self control after 8pm.

As such, I haven’t lost a ton of weight.  But I have lost some.  Depending on how I stand on a notoriously unreliable scale it is possible that I’m under 300lbs.  Lean a little one way and I’m under, lean a little the other and I’m not.  But I think I am down at least a few pounds from the 310 I was a few months ago.

I think that loss is almost exclusively to the pool time almost every afternoon AND spending 4-6 hours a day in a 100F room building walls and such.  Together the sweat box and the swimming hole have done me a little good!

Numb Hand

The numbness in my hand is still there unfortunately.  The medical info that I read about says it should take a few weeks to go away if I take care of it.  And since I still spend too much time at the computer (the activity I think is responsible because of how I rest my arm on the edge of the desk) I’m not sure when it will go away.

The numbness is one of the reasons I haven’t been posting as much lately.  I’ve been trying to not sit here too often.

Mental Health

I’m still a nutcase!  That might always be true, but I’m trying to deal with it better than I have in the past.  I’m still going to my weekly VA appointments and meeting with the counsellor.

I’ve also started the Canines With A Cause classes.  Those are once a week and in the primary stage that I’m in now it is mostly learning how to train your dog; basic canine psychology and such.  They will hopefully be able to find me a good dog to adopt.  If not then I’ll have to find one myself at some point.  (If any of you would like to donate a dog to me, I’d be thrilled and highly appreciative!).

Back/Headaches

I hurt like crazy all the time.  I’m sure I’m taking more Ibuprofren than is good for me, but since I need a home to live in permanently I need to keep going.  There have been a few mornings where the headaches were so bad that I was vomiting, but only a few.

My back is holding out okay.  It hurts, and I’m only able to do about 30 minutes of real labor each day.  Thankfully I’m able to use Julie, Caitlin, and Joshua to largely do the things that need to be done by just being near by and directing them.   There aren’t really too many things that need someone big and strong to do.  So it’s slow, but it’s coming along.  And my back does what it must in order to keep going.

Hopefully we can get through this without a complete physical (or mental) breakdown again.