Photo Journal Archives - Page 7 of 14

National Park Week 2016

I’m so excited to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service this year! In case you missed my previous post, our Mountain Fam is planning a reenactment of the National Park to Park Highway Tour to celebrate the centennial.

It’ll be a 7 week National Park adventure visiting some amazing sights along the way. We’ll be posting about the history of the National Park to Park Highway as well as cool stuff to do in each of the 15 parks and 3 National Monuments we visit. So stay tuned over the next few months.

But before we get to that summertime adventure we’ve got to celebrate this week’s beauty. This week is National Park Week, in case you didn’t know. From April 16-24, 2016 every National Park and Monument offers free admittance. FREE! So how will you enjoy your National Treasures?

For a little inspiration I thought I’d repost some of our National Park Photos from years past. Take a moment to #FindYourPark.

Arches

Bryce Canyon

Canyonlands

Capital Reef

Colorado National Monument

Craters of the Moon National Monument

Denali

Dinosaur National Monument

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Kenai Fjords

Redwoods

Yellowstone

Yosemite

Zion

I Believe in God

This post might not be popular. It may be quickly deleted from your feed. You may not open it at all. But I’m still going to write it.

I believe in God.

When I view the beauty of the mountains, feel the wind on my face and breath in all that fresh air I experience the divine. There is glory in the outdoors, in the trees, trails, and animals. There is joy in sliding down a mountain on my snowboard, wonder at the growth of delicate flowers, fascination at the small and large. I believe in God.

For me the outdoors is a testament to the Divine. Being in the outdoors is healing for my soul, makes me more grateful for my blessings and helps me be a better human being.

I know the topic of God causes a lot of conflict in the world. I find this ironic since God is supposed to be Love. A lot of violence is justified in the name of religion, but I would like to invite anyone reading this to see the good in belief. Faith breeds humility. A higher power offers hope in an often dreary world.

The popular view in the world is that there is no Divinity. We’re the result of millions of years of evolutionary reiterations. But I think that sells us all short. The peaceful moments in life when I gaze at my baby, or hear my kids laughing have supernatural power. The beauty of a sunset or the lull of ocean waves on the shore, are those not Divine?

Truth comes in many forms. If the only sources of truth in the world are those you can quantify and have been approved by scientists I feel we miss out on the spectrum of human emotion and experience. Does a poet who can move you with words NOT speak truth? The sources of truth in the world are great and grand. The awe I feel when in the outdoors reminds me that there is a greater power at play.

Talking about a Divine Creator in this age of technological innovation may seem archaic or uneducated. But the truth is the outdoors helps me appreciate the beauty of creation. Being outdoors makes me pause in wonder and awe. The feeling of amazement that I can be part of this whole beautiful earth and share even a small part of it reaffirms that there is a God.

When I see the mountains I see God’s glory. When I see my happy family I feel God’s Love. I believe in God. Please, look for the higher power in your life. Let there be Peace on Earth and Goodwill to All.

Camp, Kayak and Hike in Logan Canyon, Utah

This summer we had some fun adventures that I never got to share with all of you. Here’s my chance!

When I look back at the photos from this camping adventure in Logan Canyon, Utah I can’t believe how warm we all look. The weather now has turned chilly and the thought of tubing the Logan River now sends shivers down my spine, but in the heat of the summer sun it was a welcome respite.

The family camped at Preston Valley Campground, a small 9-site spot right off the main drag. All the campgrounds in Logan Canyon are right off the main road which leads to a lot of road noise at night, but the benefit is that it’s also right by the river which allowed us some short fun kayaking runs. With our young children kayaking or tubing can be tough so we took turns on the water with the other parent watching Baby L.

In addition to kayaking the Logan River we took a hike around Tony Grove Lake. The tots and I hiked there before and really enjoyed it, so now it was Mountain Dad’s turn.

A high altitude lake, Tony Grove has some of the best wildflowers I’ve ever seen. Many people camp at the nearby Tony Grove Campground and bring their canoes and fishing poles to play with on the lake. It can get busy in the summer, especially on the weekends because it’s such a beautiful place to be. There’s a day use fee of $6.00 for Tony Grove but it’s worth it. It’s a beautiful place.

Logan Canyon National Scenic Byway connects the city of Logan with Bear Lake on the Utah/Idaho border. It’s a beautiful drive of about an hour with no stops, however there’s so much to stop and look at I would suggest not rushing through. There are 31 destinations on the route from Logan to Bear Lake. Caves, hiking trails, overlooks and campgrounds are all marked and worth exploring. Check out www.logancanyon.com for a more detailed guide.

The camp out in Logan Canyon, Utah was a great adventure this summer, and Baby L did great (so much better than her first camping trip).

Directions to Logan Canyon:

From Salt Lake City Drive North on I-15 to Box Elder County. Take exit 362 toward US-91/US-89, Follow signs for Brigham City/Logan. Continue approximately 30 miles on US – 91/ US-89. The road becomes Main Street in Logan. Turn Right on 400 North in Logan to continue on US-89. This road goes up the canyon.

Enjoy these photos of Tony Grove and Logan Canyon.

Fall Photo Essay

I know some of you don’t get to experience the beauty of fall colors right outside your window. This time of year I feel sorry for you southern California-ites and Floridians (talk about role reversal).

There’s something magical about autumn. The leaves put on their kaleidoscope display, the air is crisp and the smell of nature is all around.

Several times in the past month I have looked around with awe at the beauty around me. I want to share some of that beauty with you through this photo essay. Enjoy.