A bit more fall, less color

Betty Lake with Standhope Peak and Peak 11887 in the background

Managed to get in another really good hike last weekend. Headed up to Betty Lake in the Pioneers with a good friend and dog. The day was a typical fall day, temp in the 50s, a few clouds floating around and a looming storm that hit right as we were getting back to the truck. We even got to see a couple of moose on the hike up.



On the way up the trail

Moose in Broad Canyon

Top of the world

Shore of Betty

Total mileage hiked round trip, 10 miles, highest elevation reached at Betty Lake, 10,384 feet.

Copper Basin color

The weather has been fabulous lately, albeit a little too warm for me, but the heat is good reason to head into the mountains and hike, hike, hike. Made it up into Copper Basin last weekend and hiked to Bellas with a couple friends. Foliage was fabulous and girl time was fun.

How did it get so late so soon?

How did it get so late so soon?
It’s night before it’s afternoon.
December is here before it’s June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?
~Dr. Seuss

Really.
I can't believe it's already September.
Summer flew by but what a great time it was.
August was a month full of hikes,
my parents came for a visit
and I managed to squeeze in a quick backpack to the Big Horn Crags
(a place that should not be visited quick)
and now,
I'm already into the second week of school.

I can't believe it.

A few photos from August.

Mom and Dad on the way to Boulder Basin

Rafting the Salmon with Mom and Dad

Boulder Basin

A little place I like to call home.
Sun Valley and Ketchum viewed from Ruud Mountain.
Hiked the Proctor and Ruud Mountain loop with Mom and Dad.

Backpacking the Big Horn Crags

And I guess I'll say it again... I can't believe it's already September. Fall is in the air though and thoughts of snow have already come up. More than once. I love the change of seasons.

Idaho summer sweetness!

Bits and pieces of summer so far.

Flowers, flowers, flowers

Copper Basin lupine in full bloom.

Surprise Valley pastels including paintbrush, prairie smoke and cinquefoil.










shooting star

scarlet gilia

edelweiss

Line leaf daisy with buckwheat

High mountain lakes

Moose Lake

Norton Lake

Big Lost Lake

Hell Roaring Lake

hiking, hiking, hiking

Heidelberg

Kane Lake

Big Lost Lake

Trail Creek Summit

PK Pass

and one happy pika!

Summer's here!

Summer's Here

Summer's here and we can hike the peaks again,
have lunch and tea on mountaintops, look down

on the backs of circling hawks and laze away
the afternoon watching blue-hazy, distant hills.

Come on! Give up those winter blues. Let's go!
Grease up those boots, find that walking stick.

Get your lungs and legs in shape. And don't forget
what Yuan Mei, said, two hundred years ago:

If you begrudge your feet some pain
you'll miss ten thousand peaks.

~ David Budbill

This post is credited to my friend Laura who sent me the photo yesterday (gotta love those phone photos) when she was hiking Heidelberg, a local favorite, and today she sent me the poem.

Happy Summer!

Happy Baby!

Nephew Sam!
Fun and love!

The camas are abloom!

Yellow-headed blackbird at rest in a field full

of Indian camas (Camassia quamash)

It's that time of year again and I made it down to the Camas Prairie Centennial Marsh on Thursday to catch them in all their glory. Posting a few photos along with a link to an article I did for a local website all about happenings in and around Sun Valley including information about things to see and do, local history and politics, sustainability, the music scene, photography, restaurants, merchants, and local artists and athletes.














Soldier Mountains reach to the sky

Lone death camas
(Zigadenus venenosus)

Local marsh inhabitants

Article written for Sunlisted.com