Snowshoeing Boulder Mountain in south-central Utah is always a thrill. Scenic Highway 24 climbs the Boulders, reaches 9600 feet in elevation, and offers numerous plowed pull-outs near the summit. From there, uphill treks to snow-covered mountain meadows provide views into Capitol Reef National Park and beyond.
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| Tim pauses to take in the view of Capitol Reef National Park and the snow-capped Henry Mountains. |
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| Slightly higher on the mountain (and a year earlier) than the above photo, Rita is walking in a winter wonderland. |
Boulder Mountain rises to 11000 feet and is the place to find snow, even in years when snowfall totals are lean elsewhere in southern Utah. Every winter we make an effort to snowshoe the Boulders. These pictures are some of our favorites from outings over the past four years.
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| Surveying my universe through a stand of aspens. |
One year we emerged from an aspen thicket into a clearing to find four trees apart from the grove. These specimens were enormous—among the biggest, and probably the oldest, aspens I’ve ever seen. The photos below show the grandeur of the "four ancients".
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| Tim stands dwarfed by the four giant aspens. |
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| The old aspen raises its branches into Utah's sunny skies. |
Snowshoeing is a fantastic winter activity that most anyone can enjoy. Readers, do you have a favorite place to snowshoe? How about somewhere you've always wanted to snowshoe but never had the chance? For me, that would be Yosemite National Park. Maybe someday...
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| Our day of snowshoeing has come to an end. Tim glides downhill to our waiting vehicle. |
To read about another snowshoeing adventure click here: Snowshoeing in Bryce Canyon National Park
Rita, upon reading this report I didn't know whether to broadly smile, or shed a tear! The broad smile would be for my many fond memories of snowshoe and XC adventures. The tear would be for the lack of significant snow we've had in NH this past winter (and this winter as well, so far).
ReplyDeleteRegarding those giant aspens, what magnificent specimens! It's wonderful that you and Tim take note of all the beauty that Mother Nature provides. When I'm hiking, I'm constantly enthralled by the variety of shapes, textures, colors, etc in nature. I don't know the names of many of the plants/animals that I see, but perhaps what matters most is simply the recognition.
Thank you for posting another very enjoyable report.
John
Hi John,
ReplyDeleteI own guidebooks for plants, animals, tracks, etc. but those books don't always make it into my pack. Nevertheless it's fun to both find and recognize all the wonders of the natural world. In the case of those giant aspens—they were unmistakable!
Thanks for commenting.
Here's to another winter filled with adventure. Think snow!
You've certainly had crystal-clear weather on your trips to Boulder Mountain. Looks like fantastic snowshoeing weather. Despite all my years in NH, I don't think I've ever actually gone snowshoeing. But, then, I cower in Los Angeles, away from New England winters on purpose. Winter's nice to look at in photos, I always feel.
ReplyDeleteAmongst a bevy of beautiful vistas, that image of the ancient aspen reaching to the sky is one of the most stunning I've ever seen! When do you debut your photo-calendar?? I would love a year-long collection of these images!
Hi Vickie,
ReplyDeleteWinter IS great for photos, and we enjoy getting out into the snow too!
Thanks for your comments about the aspen photo—that's another one of Tim's shots.
You asked about a calendar... every year we make a calendar with our pictures, using the iphoto program. At this point it's just for our personal use but who knows, maybe we could produce them for public consumption as well!