(Other) August Hiking

August has been a beautiful hiking month - the wildflowers in the high country have been spectacular!  We've hiked at Tony Grove, Snowbasin Ridge, Monte Cristo, and High Creek Lake (all shared elsewhere), plus a few fun Tyke Hikes and a Monday Night Hike to boot (shared here).

7 August 2019: Moose Loop Trail at Snowbasin

We met up with the Tyke Hikers (plus Grandma Elwood, Meggy and KyKy) for a quick little hike on the Inner Moose Loop Trail, located across the street from the playground at the base area of Snowbasin Resort.  There are two options for the loop: The Outer Loop, which is 1 mile, and which I hadn't ever hiked before so I dragged the kids up early so we could preview it before the rest of the tykes arrived, in case we decided to hike that one so I'd know what was what.  And the Inner Loop, which is like the inside of the donut, and is only a half mile around.  We hiked on this one for the first time on Saturday during our Snowbasin gondola adventure day, and immediately decided that it would be perfect for the tykes.  When everyone arrived we "voted" on which trail to take, and it was pretty unanimous for the short one.  The kids were dying to play on the playground after (and my kids were already tired since we had hiked the mile version before everyone got there).  This one probably ranks up there as the shortest hike of the year, but it was beautiful and shady and we had the perfect overcast weather.  Happy kids = happy hikers.  And we had both!

The highlight of the Outer Loop - a giant spool of lift cable.

We tried a new "rule" this time, too - nobody could
go in front of me (we've had a couple of runaway
kids who didn't take the right turn or did take a wrong
turn on previous hikes and I didn't want that to happen
again).  These boys were glued to by heels, but they did
pretty well at obeying my request to follow me.

Lots of asters on this trail.

Group shot!  A little on the smaller side, but you'd never really
think that by seeing this pic, would you?  It was fun to have
not only my mom here, but also Lupita's mom, visiting from
Mexico.  Plus Ky and Mugs.  Plus a new mom, Flo, and her two
kids.  Good group of "regular" moms, too: Lupita, Chrissy, Erin,
Holly, Annalissa, Kelsey and me.

12 August 2019: Pioneer Trail from North Ogden Divide toward Liberty

This was a new trail for us on a Monday Night Hike.  We've got every other direction (at least a little ways) from the top of the Divide, so it was high time that we tried out this one - to the East and down toward Liberty.  It was just under a mile to the Stoney Point Overlook that we had hiked to a couple of years ago (see June 12th hike on that post) (that time we started down in the Valley and hiked up).  It's always fun to try a new trail, even if it does end up at somewhere we've been before.

Callie organized this and the following couple
of shots with the view of Eden below/behind.

Somewhat sunny (and funny) group shot sequence to come.

The treed section was my favorite part of the trail.

And back into the grass - this part was sunny
but we all survived.

I love those sunny sunflowers on the side of the road.

14 August 2019: Mule Shoe Trail

Our 8th Tyke Hike of the season and it was a great one.  We hiked on the Mule Shoe trail from our usual U-shaped parking lot starting spot.  Every year we've done Tyke Hikes we've hiked this one and every year we have had only one other family show up.  This time was different!  (This whole season has been different!)  We had a great group of hikers in various stages of excitement to be there.  I had to laugh at the end when some of the moms said, "Can we do this again next week, but just a Hike and leave the Tykes at home?"  haha.  It must be time for back to school in everyone's houses!

The new rule of everyone has to stay behind me
is not everyone's favorite, but it makes me feel a
lot better about things.

Picking and tasting "wild raspberries" which
I actually just learned are called Thimbleberries.

Group shot at our turn around spot - the furthest we've ever gone
on this trail yet! (Moms this time were Sadie, Annalissa, Chrissy's
friend that I forgot her first name, Shea, Chrissy, Ashley and Me.)

21 August 2019: Wolf Canyon Trail
Our last tyke hike of the season!  We didn't have the school-going kids with us this time (so weird!), but we did have Melia and Cohen, so I had plenty of people to keep track of anyway.  We had a great season of hiking, with record turnouts each week - I'm glad it's become such a fun tradition for us and for so many other families in the valley (and beyond).  :)

Can you even with these sunflowers?!  They are EVERYWHERE
right now and I love them so!

This whole "Kim is the leader and no one can
hike in front of her" thing is working out pretty
well.

Group shot at the conveyor belt thing at the "end".
New friend Teresa, Alicia, Megan, Kelsey, Annaliss and Me
as far as the moms go.  I think this might be our smallest group
yet?