Grandeur Peak Wasatch Mountains Utah

Another perfect day for a hike and I was interested in finding a new trail.  One of the more popular canyons in the area is Millcreek Canyon and I started to Google around, looking for a new trail.  I discovered Grandeur Peak Trail.

The parking lot for this trail is located at about 2945 S Wasatch Blvd at the junction of the 215 and highway 80.  There is limited parking here but I was lucky and nailed a spot.

This trail, from a technical standpoint is easy.  Endurance-wise - not so much.  In about 2.75 miles you will climb 3300 feet.  There isn't a lick of shade on the trail either, so bring plenty of water.  You will be sucking wind as well as water nearly from the get-go (there is a working drinking fountain in the parking lot).

What you are rewarded with are beautiful views of the entire Salt Lake Valley.  Within a short while you can easily see Antelope Island, Stansbury Island, downtown Salt Lake, the University of Utah, and all the suburbs of Salt Lake County.  Absolutely stunning.

Also, you will be able to make out all the freeways, including looking at the tiny-looking semi's that climb I-80 out of town.

This trail seemed to be filled with hikers included several ultra marathoners who were using it as a training ground.  The trail is mostly dirt with loose rocks and it is run-able but I would advice against running downhill.  It is just way too steep.  I know I had to "butt-slide" down sections of it and I ate it once and got thrown head first into a pile of bramble.

Again, bring walking sticks, shoes that have some grip and plenty of water.  Also there are two ways from the parking lot to the top of the peak.  The lesser known trail is definitely easier.  I took that one up and you just have one hard climb and the rest of it is mild.  The other trail is probably slightly shorter, but it is has no respite whatsoever.  The easier trail hugs the gully to the left while the right one hugs the ridge going straight up.  They both lead to the same place though.

Enjoy the photos:

Clean up after your dog!

Getting higher...

Looking down on I-80.

Looking down on I-80.

South Salt Lake Valley

North Salt Lake Valley

Grandeur Peak is the peak on the right

Getting higher

Looking at downtown Salt Lake

Life at about 7500 feet

You can just see Mountain Dell Reservoir in the background

Mining operations along the i-80

View of the mountains in Big Cottonwood

Even higher

Yup, I started at the base

Rocks with lichen

Tough going down

I was up on the peak in the distance, far left.

Quick West Wendover Trip for 5/17/2014

Arguably, it is getting harder and harder to justify trips to Wendover - especially with the weather warming up and the canyon trails getting ready to hike upon.  However, I was looking for something to do and the 6x comps (along with a free buffet) was calling my name, so Shari and I decided to load up the car and head out for a day trip.

The plan was to get there for the breakfast / brunch buffet, have a meal, do some gambling and if luck would have it, have dinner and be home by 9pm-ish.

After a largely uneventful trip there (we left around 9:30) when we got there I was shocked to see that for the most part Wendover was ghost town.  With the 6x comps, I figured everyone would be there but Montego Bay was largely empty.  The usually long lines to swipe your card to activate the comps multiplier were only 1 or 2 deep (normally it is 10 people deep).

I had left over comps from last time I was there so I ate for free.  Shari got a discount and we had a nice lunch for the two of us for under $20.

After eating we decided to try our luck at Montego Bay.  Shari had a budget of $60 and by the time we left, she had blown through all of it, despite being up $72 at one point on Bally's new Phoenix game (Bally's has really stepped up their machines, they are truly works of art).  I tried my luck on a few machines and didn't get much action on any of them.  I would get a bonus round, but only get $15 on it.

We headed on over to the Rainbow, where I had had some luck in the past.  It was still fairly empty. Since the two of us hadn't had any luck I was beginning to have my doubts as to whether to continue to play the slots.  I heard over the intercom the poker room trying to start a limit $2-$10 poker game.  I was itching to play but unfortunately the 6X comps don't apply to poker playing (maybe next time I'll play).  I had some decent runs on the new Bally machines.

We took off for one final run at the Peppermill and while we saw a lot of people winning, luck continued to evade us.  Our budget was pretty much wiped out by 4pm and we talked about loafing around until we got hungry for dinner but as anyone who has been to Wendover knows: the party stops when your budget is gone.  There is nothing worse than the long drive home from Wendover after a sour gaming experience.  It would've been nice to have had a room though to go and recover in and sit in the Jacuzzi, but being it was Saturday we didn't have any freebies coming our way.

We wound up taking off soon after that.  While we got some nice comps for next time (we have close to two free meals), we were disappointed that there really wasn't anything terribly exciting to report on this trip.

Arriving at Montego Bay

Can't get enough of the blintzes

View of the dessert counter

Little Cottonwood Trail Hike, Alta, Utah Part 2

Today afforded the opportunity to go for another awesome hike.

With the mountains still under quite a bit of snow, I decided to hit up Little Cottonwood Canyon trail again and go a bit further than what Shari and I had explored a few weeks ago.

I parked in the same spot and decided to wade through the bone chilling water.  I had hoped to find a different and more sane place to cross but I did exactly what I did last week.  The water seemed colder and deeper than a few weeks ago, but I made it across, dried off and proceeded to go north.

I can really haul up this trail.  It is wide, easy to navigate and the inclines aren't that bad.  Within short order, I had made it to the first mill where Shari had backed off 2 weeks ago.  I jumped over a stream and kept climbing.

The trail at times got spotty as it led through a copse of pine trees.  The smell was incredible and what was even cooler was the Little Cottonwood Creek was constantly by my side (so no chance of getting lost).  I managed to find a secluded spot and just sat in solitude appreciating the babbling creek.  I'd love to bring a picnic lunch up here or a book.  The weather was absolutely perfect too: sunny and in the low 70's with a slight breeze.

I kept climbing after this and the trail got dicey.  There were several spots were a wrong step could send you plunging into the icy waters below (but you'd survive).  After a bit though the trail dumps you into what looked like another tributary stream and my pace slacked off.  I hadn't seen anyone in a while and I wasn't wearing hiking boots.  The fact that I was climbing up rocks with a stream below me didn't sit well with me and I wasn't even sure I was on the trail anymore.

I decided I had had enough and turned around.

Instead of crossing the stream to get back to my car I decided to go further down the canyon.  I had seen a service road (private property) link up with the trail and figured I'd come to that and then go and walk up the main road.  However, I did cross a bridge and climb up an embankment on a well-marked trail and it popped me up right at the mile 5 marker on Little Cottonwood Road.  A quarter mile walk later I was back at my car, dry and basking in a glow of a nice hike.

Enjoy the photos:

I sat about 30 minutes here enjoying the view

Old mill

Still snow on the mountains

Running Updates for May 2014

This morning, I was all set to do the North Ogden Half Marathon, but I talked myself out of it.  One, I wanted to register but was too late for it (so no t-shirt) and two, I really wanted to see where I was at for marathon training.

I ran 15 miles in the rain last weekend with a raging migraine and sadly I was walking after mile 13 and miserable for most of it.  It was like all the marathon training I had done up to that point had been officially lost (and it didn't help to have the rare headache) and I was ready to write off my spring training.

Sadly, I missed out on the Salt Lake City marathon (and $120) after getting what I think was a calf strain.  So I still have over 4 months of marathon training that I'd like to capitalize on.  I am still studying the Casper Wyoming marathon and have my eyes set on that.  If I survive next week's long run, I suspect I'll plunk down the money and make the reservations.

The last two weeks I've hit a solid 40+ miles and I am feeling absolutely nothing wrong with my calf or any other body part for that matter.  I would've run more this week but I was on the fence for the half marathon and wanted to taper a bit for it.

I nailed an 18.5 mile run this morning with a solid showing and I am shooting for 19 - 20 next weekend before starting a taper again.

The bike trail is getting more active again with morning runners but as the temperatures climb and the summer approaches, I suspect I'll see less and less of the regulars.  In short, though, I am thrilled to be living so close to the bike trail: it is flat, I don't have to worry about cars (except one road), and the drinking fountains are back on.

Update for Sunday 5/4/2014

This morning I was looking to do maybe 3 miles, but instead the day was so nice, I decided to do 7.  I wasn't in any hurry today and saw an observation point along the Jordan River.  I had often passed by this point, but never stopped in.  I decided to and was surprised to find a neat little garden and a view of the Jordan River and a walking trail.  There was also some informational signs as well.

Enjoy the photos:

Still some pelicans hanging out...

Quick West Wendover Trip for 4/30/2014

This past Sunday I decided to head out to West Wendover.  My plan was pretty simple:  wake up early, book a Sunday night room, drive out, get a buffet, gamble for a few hours and enjoy the 5x comps, go for a run in the desert, sit in the jacuzzi for a bit, eat another buffet, gamble (if I had any money left), crash and then drive to work Monday morning from the hotel.

I told Shari that was the plan and if she wanted to come she could.  I don't think she believed me until she saw me throwing a bag together Sunday morning just before 8AM.  Groggily she asked, "You are seriously going?"

"Yup -- if you can be ready in 20 minutes you are welcome to go too".

She hastily got ready and while she was getting ready I gassed up the car and got money from the bank for her bankroll and we headed out by 9:30.

We made it there just after 11AM and hit up the buffet.  I had a free pass for a meal, so we took advantage of that and I inhaled my usual 3 plates, plus one fruit plate, plus a dessert.

We gambled at a bit at Montego Bay.  I got a bit of play on a WMS Spartacus machine and Shari donated a $20 to their cause.  Neither of us were getting much action though and while they had upgraded a few of their machines, they were all in use.

We headed over to the Peppermill and both of our luck continued to not be good.  I tried a variety of machines and got some play but certainly nothing to write home about.

Finally, we headed over to the Rainbow.  Normally my luck stinks here, but I Shari talked me into playing one of those new fangled slot machines with the torqued / concave screen.  When we sat down, the guy next to us told us the machines had been "hot" all day.

Suffice to say I had my doubts.

Sure enough a few spins in the machine rumbles a bit and I get what appears to be a free spin.  It goes through its motions and I thought I needed three symbols to get a bonus round.  Instead I got 2.

"Figures," I thought.

Then all of the sudden it started paying me money.  I guess I had hit a jackpot of sorts.  It was at $124 and my .38 cent bet paid off.  I still don't know how I got it, but I wasn't complaining.

Suddenly I was back to even again.

Shari had several mini hits, including a 30 free spin on her now favorite machine Black Orchid (video of her free spins).

We had a room and I wanted to spend the night, but Shari needed to get up for work.  I did get in some jacuzzi time but the run I had to forego.  Shari watched her TV show and we debated on using our comps for a free dinner buffet, but the 100 minute drive detoured us.  Sadly we never got to really use our room.

The drive home was relatively peaceful with the exception of some really heavy rains just outside of Grantsville.

Overall this was a good trip.  Shari came home with a few extra bucks and I came back down a few.  We got some free play, enough comps for a free buffet (and then some) and got away for an afternoon.

Me posing with my big win

Plate #1

A little dessert

Somehow this result paid in $124