Mount Naomi

 In just over a month I will be going with a good chunk of the Crane clan on their annual backpacking trip to the White Clouds!  It's been 4 years since Brig and I started dating, and I have never been able to go.  It is one of Brig's favorite places, so this year I decided that I am going to go no matter what.  

I am not a hiker.

I am not outdoorsy.

I don't do this type of thing for what you might call "fun".

But, I'm going!  And I'm sure it will be a great time - as long as the mosquito have died down. That's the one thing I don't think I can take!

Anyway, on to what this post is actually about!

In order to prepare me for the trip, Brig decided that he wanted to get me out on a couple of hikes with him.  The hiking boots that I will be wearing needed to be broken in, and I guess I probably needed to get in better shape.  Who, me?!  No.....  ;)

Summer has been so crazy already.  But we finally found a time where we could set out on our adventure!  We decided to head up to Tony Grove and hike to the peak of Mount Naomi!  The peak is the highest in the Bear River Mountains at 9,979 ft (according to Wikipedia, but what do they know?! ;) )

I will be honest with you... I was not excited.  My boots hurt my feet just wearing them in the car on the ride up and I was tired.  Yes, tired.  I tried my best to keep it all to myself though, and we began our ascent!

 

 Here I am!  Mt. Naomi is one of the peaks close to the tree on the very right of this picture.  The peak toward the middle looks higher, but it's actually just closer.  It all looks FOREVER away, but it is actually only 3.5 miles (7 miles round trip - in case you never went to first grade ;) ).  After awhile I couldn't help but be taken in by the beauty that was around me.  We were the only hikers on the trail, and it was just such a peaceful experience.  I can see why people love nature so much.  I still don't want to actually be IN IT all the time, but I can definitely appreciate it.

 

 My hubby and his sweet hat ;)  I told him that if I had to be seen with him in that, that he had to be seen with my in my bright orange sunglasses that make me look like a 12 year old.  No biggie; he looks like an old man, I look like a teenager; It's fine ;)

 A ways up the mountain we came upon this seasonal lake.  Brig had seen the bowl a couple times when he'd been up here before, but never with any water in it.  He was super pumped!  Haha!  My sweet boy :) I sure do love him.

 It was really pretty.

 The last mile and half or so, we were in and out of snow.  More so the last mile, which was pretty steep.  Eventually we found the trail to be totally covered, so we blazed our own!  It was so cool to see all the little waterfalls created from the runoff.  At one point we could hear the water running under the snow beneath our feet.  That was pretty fascinating to me!  Hiking through snow made us a little slower than we thought, but it just made it that much more of an accomplishment when we made it to the top. 

 We made it!  And WOW was it WINDY!  You can tell by my poofy pants!  Seriously so beautiful though.  I took a bunch of photos and made a 360 degree panoramic, but it was too big to post on here.  Also as you can see, I am now wearing tennis shoes.  About halfway up I could feel blisters, and luckily we were smart enough to bring my tennis shoes for that very reason (and also so that I would actually have something to carry in my little backpack besides water, haha).  So I changed my shoes, and then changed back into the boots for the way down.

 I sure love this boy.  When we were walking through the snow, he went ahead of me, and purposely took smaller steps so that I could follow in his footprints.  Such a gentleman ;)  If he could permanently live in a cabin in the woods he would do it in a heartbeat.  Heck, if he could live in a lean-to made out of leaves and branches in the woods he would do it in a heartbeat!  Hopefully one day (which I'm sure will be far, FAR from now) we'll be in a position where we can have a cabin to take our family to.

 

On the way down.  So pretty.  Didn't have my nice camera on me again.  Too much work :)

I will admit it.  I had a great time.  I really did enjoy myself after about the first half mile.  I love seeing my boy happy, and I know he loved having me there with him to experience one of his favorite things.  Marriage is all about compromises, right? ;)