Yesterday my search and rescue pager went off for a river rescue at Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon. Information streamed in over the radio as I headed up the canyon as to where the nine-year-old girl could be, and SAR units, together with Sundance and Provo Fire Departments, were deployed along the swift river.

When the girl had slipped into the river near Bridal Veil Falls - where the river is narrow and fast, and the river trail is always full of mothers strolling with young children - her uncles and cousins responded immediately. At least three people went into the river after her, running downstream for an opening in the brush, then jumping in, only to find that the current had already swept her by or barely able to get a hold of her - but not a good enough hold to win the tug of war with 440 cubic feet per second of water - that’s 27,500 pounds per second - rushing past. Continue Reading »

Over the July 4th weekend, I headed up to Logan to ride with my dad and brother and hang with the fam.

As I drove into Cache Valley, I again noticed how much I love it. It’s not just a mental thing due to its beautiful mountains and trees, and it’s more than nostalgia. There’s an actual physical sensation that strikes you as you drop out of the canyon, and you can’t help feeling how open and warm the place is. Sometimes it doesn’t strike me till I walk into a store. Sometimes I watch for it and sometimes it takes me by surprise. It’s nice to know that many other people have the exact same reaction. I’m grateful that I moved there when young and did most of my growing up among the awesome friends I was lucky to grow up with. Continue Reading »

While spending three days in Government Camp and Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood’s southern flanks for the 50th anniversary annual meeting of the Mountain Rescue Association (our SAR team is one of about a hundred teams that belong to the MRA and I’m the Intermountain Region chair) I skipped one morning activity and climbed the volcano instead.

I’m glad I did! I took the ski lift up 2 miles and 2,000 feet, then went another 2 miles and 2,500 feet to the top. There were some semi-steep sections where crampons and axe came in handy, and the views from the top of the surprisingly-steep north side and five or six other volcanoes in the distance were stunning.

< A climber walks along Hogsback Ridge with the lush Oregon forest beyond. Continue Reading »