Sunday, June 7, 2015

From the Desert to the Mountains

It was our last day with Sofie. I had told her in advance that she could choose anything she wanted to do and we would do it. She thought about it and said, "Our family is happiest in nature. I want to do a fun hike."  Love that girl!!  She comes from Denmark, a county with no mountains, so I thought we would wow her with the most majestic mountains in the State, also near the airport, Snowbird resort up Little Cottonwood Canyon.
Rewinding just a bit...The night before we visited Grandma and Grandpa--and kicking myself--I didn't get a picture with Sofie and her American grandparents!!  Next time. They treated us to ice cream and we had a nice visit with them.  Then it was off to the canyons.
 
I guess I had been in the desert too long. I thought we could take the tram and hike down but up this high it still looked like winter. Not enough to go skiing but enough to prevent hiking.  We went up Big Cottonwood canyon next and decided to hike one of my old teenage favorites...Donut Falls, about 3 miles total.
 





 To the little guy's dismay there were no donuts available at the end of this hike. The hike gets it's name from the stream that plunges through a hole in the rock and comes back out again. Another day another waterfall.



Nature was on our side this day because driving down the canyon we spotted 2 moose in a meadow. Seeing wildlife makes me feel so lucky. Imagine how I would love an African safari.
 
Also, as I was walking down the trail, I couldn't help but think of my mom, who used to take us up these canyons all the time. Everyone else had run ahead, and I was just taking in the beautiful landscape when a ruby throated hummingbird decided to stop 2 feet in front of me. It stayed there beating its wings, within touching distance, for a couple of seconds--which is a long time in a hummingbird time.  My heart was happy for this little tender mercy.
 

No comments: