Hiking Timpanogos...

My cute little friend Lisa decided a while back that she wanted to do something pretty cool to ring in 07/07/07...so we decided on a hike (because that's what we do). However...to make it special, we hiked all through the night so we could watch the sunrise. And that's what we did. We (Lisa, Brookey and I) went to Brigham City so we could chow down on some excellent grub at Maddox (Lisa's fav restaurant). After dinner, it was only 10pm, so we went to my folks' place to chill for a bit. Then we made our way down to Utah Valley and searched for the Timpooneke Trail Head. -This took a while, since it was well past dark when we got to Alpine Loop...and we weren't exactly sure where we were going. We didn't start our hike until 2:30am on 7/7/07. Lemme just tell you, I was tired and a little...ah...snooty when we started the hike. This hike was probably the most mentally difficult I've ever been on, and here's why: my brain knew that it was 2 in the morning and that I ought to be in bed. Also, my body really wanted to be in bed. This is why I started out a bit ornery. (I'm not gonna lie--there was much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. From me). Anyways, we started off dressed in layers, but had to strip down pretty quick 'cause the night was hot. YUCK. So...off we went, hiking into the night. I'm thinking that it's probably good that my tired eyes couldn't see how steep it sometimes got, 'cause most likely that wouldn't have improved my bad attitude. -As we hiked, hoped to wake up a bit, but I think it was too warm for that. I hiked ahead of Lisa and Brookey a little bit, and near 5:00 I found a nice rock to sit on and eat something to keep from passing out. This is really when I noticed my attitude improving. (I'm pretty sure it had something to do with sustenance.) -I could keep going, but I think the pics will tell the story better...

MT. TIMPANOGOS

This pic was taken in the dark at the trail head.
The flash nearly burned our eyes out of their sockets.

This was right around 5am when we had our 1st breakfast.
I'm not lying to the camera; I wanted to be asleep!

And here we have Lisa being honest as well...

And Brookey...
She kinda looks dead; YIKES!

And here are some pics of the beautiful sunrise...

As sleepy as I was, the sunrise was definitely worth it!

There were so many pretty flowers along the way...
which I could actually appreciate once the sun was up!

And here we are at the top...or at least near it.
That's Utah (or "Happy") Valley behind us.

And here we have a silly picture.
It's called, "How I Really Feel"
(After Hiking a Strenuous Hike on NO Sleep).

And this one's called "What I wish I was Doing Right Now!"
(I've gotten pretty good at the self portrait thing.)

We took this picture because I can't resist
this stance when I'm up so high...

This is what they call "the saddle" that we hiked
before we got to Timpanogos Summit...

Beautiful nature along the way...

...because I love waterfalls...

We actually arrived at the top at 7:00am on 07/07/07. No lie; it's for real. Kinda cool timing, eh? So...the trip up ended up taking us 4.5 hours (including the 30 min break we took to watch the sunrise). At the top we had our 2nd breakfast and stayed there for about 30 minutes. The trip down took us 2.5 hours, and I kinda got grumpy again 'cause my body was so tired that I kept tripping. Woops. We got back to the car around 10am and I had Brooke drive for a bit while I slept in the back. Overall, a great trip! I'm not real keen on hiking all night on no sleep any time soon, but the view atop was gorgeous, and it was a fun "bonding trip" with the roommates...

A slumbering ginabean in her own backseat...

And now...a poem on the experience:

HIKING IN THE NIGHT

-by Gina Orgill

Three cute girls (crazy were they!) decided to hike all night

To the peak of Timpanogos, guided by the moonlight.

These ladies had driven all night long from South-East Idaho

To Timpooneke Trail Head in Utah Valley, don't you know?

These loony girls started their sojourn up the hill at 2:30am--

A magical quest up this large mountain was awaiting them.

The seventh day of the seventh month in the year 2007--

The tallest of these three ladies thought sleep sounded just like heaven!

But too bad for her; sleep was still several hours away...

The goal was to conquer the mountain before the break of day.

These girls that I'm speaking of are good friends and roommates;

Brooke and Lisa, Gina too--all born in different states.

But anyway...back to the hike--the dark and steep-ish one...

It sure was hot in the dark, even without the sun!

These girls thought at first it might be nippy, but it wasn't so-

The earth was hot and slightly muggy--it made the girls say, "Whoah!"

The littlest gal of the three let her eyes adjust to the dark;

She rarely used her flashlight and did well to stay on mark.

Several times near the beginning of this nature walk

They stepped across small streams, and at five sat on a rock.

Yes, at 5:00 they stopped to eat their breakfast number one--

After the tallest ate some food, her experience became more fun.

Upward these gals continued, one step at a time--

They stopped to watch the sunrise while Lisa continued to climb.

(Yep, she got stuck for a little while, hoping for a shortcut...

At first the trail seemed easy, but then it wasn't. WHAT?!)

But Lisa found her way up to where her two friends sat...

They took some pictures and then hiked to the peak--stat!

7:00 was when they reached the "top"--good timing, if you ask me.

Their second breakfast was enjoyed above Utah Valley.

Lisa called her mom to say, "Happy 7th of July!"

According to these lovely girls, it was cold and windy up so high.

They stuck around for half an hour to take pictures and eat...

The one called Gina wasn't ready to get back on her feet.

The descent down this large mountain was prettier by day...

The gorgeous flowers and waterfalls were visible--HOORAY!

And if these three chickadees were warm the night before,

They were in for a sick surprise--the hotness increased more!

The lack of sleep was getting to these girls--it's really true.

Hallucinations were surfacing--but just a few.

Gina stumbled and nearly fell a few times down the hill--

She caught herself just in time...her prayers were fulfilled!

The girls that I'm speaking of made good time on the way down;

Two-and-a-half hours later they were driving through a town!

Their sleeping schedules now are out of whack; it screwed them up a bit--

It took a while for them to want to do more than just sit.

These gals had guts and gumption too-but were they lacking brains?

If you ask any of the three, they'll say it was worth the pain!