Backyard Blue Sky Days and a Night of Thunder

August 10-11, 2013

Tony Grove Lake to High Creek Lake
Naomi Peak Wilderness, Utah
10 miles out and back
Gallery

Thank goodness, I have always lived near mountains. They surround San Jose and are Santa Cruz's background to the beach. The Sierras are an hour's drive from Sacramento. On a clear day, one can spot Mt. Hood, St. Helens, and Larch Mountain from many a second story window in Portland. They are comfort to me. I remember the first time I visited a place with no mountains, Chicago, and the general uneasiness I felt looking into a horizon which goes on indefinitely. A few months ago, I spoke to a fellow who grew up in Casper, Wyoming, and he loved being able to see for miles in most directions. The prairies and grasslands are his; he finds solace in the expansiveness of it all. He lives in Logan now, and finds the nearly 360 degrees of ranges to be claustrophobic. I am happy to be finding some gems out here, and this past August's trip tops the list as far as my current backdrop, the Bear River Range, is concerned.

The starting point, Tony Grove Lake, is a one hour trip from our house. It has trailheads which skirt the Mt. Naomi Wilderness, an area of about 44,000 acres. The destination, High Creek Lake, is a 5 mile walk. I read some trail reports which stated 10 miles, and I assumed that was a one-way estimate. Good fortune, as Melody and I approached the lake after three hours of hiking. I suppose I might have calculated the mileage on my map beforehand, but the surprisingly short trip was worth the bout of ignorance.

I am still surprised that we had the lake to ourselves that Saturday night, at the height of summer backpacking season. We had seen droves of hikers and equestrians leaving before us. They likely ended up at the more popular and accessible White Pine Lake. What a shocking and pleasant solitude. Green grassy slopes reach down from Cherry Peak to the its base, as seen from the mountain pass separating Smithfield Canyon from High Creek Canyon. High Creek Lake sits upon a rock shelf which looks out over named canyon and its meadows. The lake is surrounded by steep cliffs on its south and east flanks. Even in mid-August, the wildflowers hung on to welcome us, and each one housed its own resident bumble bee. This is my favorite place in the Bear River Range.

  

It's easy to catch a lake newt

Talk of strange textures and salmonella poisoning

Dirty feet make hazy clouds in snow-melt water

Sit on a log and slice hard cheddar

Just sit and stare. And chew.

Lounge about in underwear

The neighbors won't see through our kitchen window.

We slept slowly and woke suddenly, startled by a massive thunderstorm directly on top of us. Lightning going off all around like flash-bulbs, the two of us, famed couple, sleeping soundly, abruptly assaulted by nature's paparazzi. Perhaps it was the weather forecast which had guaranteed the lake to ourselves. We were as safe as could be at 8,700 feet, nestled in our little tent, insulated by sleeping pads, all tucked in amongst a good-sized stand of evergreens. Best seat in the house. Driving out the following day, we would see the smoke from fires ignited by the lightning strikes of our storm. Sadly, they would burn for weeks to come.

The sleep wasn't great, but as is often the case, I awoke feeling more rested than I normally would in a bed. Blue skies, sun peeking over eastern cliffs, as if nothing had happened. There was rain, but in typical Utah fashion, the dirt had already dried. We ate a hot breakfast atop a boulder and I slowly sipped my morning coffee, savoring its familiar taste, luxury in a wild place. We walked away from the water, summitted Naomi Peak, the 9,980 foot range high point, and headed out.

This is fantastic. This is better than I could possibly have imagined. Such proximity to home. We enjoy all this, and solitude. What luck! What a great place to live.

 

My backyard begins at my front step. My feet stand on an inverted mat which reads 'Welcome' to the outside. A stone path surrounded by green grass meets concrete, and there are roads which lead to parks and canyons. My backyard has alpine lakes and near 10,000 foot peaks. There are more than a few trout-filled rivers. Hawks and black bears, elk and marmots... more wildlife than I can name. My backyard has me in it as often as possible.

I am just like the fellow who preferred the flatness of his hometown in Wyoming- we both have something to love. A certain affinity, may it concern geography, color, a particular language, or any number of things. And as I draw into the mountains, I find peace.  

-Grasshopper