AlpineVistas Community Blog

The Weber River Parkway in October

I was in Ogden for an appointment right before lunch.  Thinking ahead I put my bike on the car, hoping the weather would cooperate.  Most of my bike time is spent on the country roads that wind through the Ogden and Morgan Valley’s so I’m not very familiar with the biking options in the lower valley.  I decided to take a spin along the Weber River Parkway that winds through Riverdale City.  What a grand surprise!

With the exception of a few groves of aspen the mountains have shed their color, but to my delight the parkway was enchanting.  The cottonwood trees are still awash with the yellow shades of autumn, just now beginning to shed their leaves.  The path hugs the river for several miles and you would never know that a bustling city was next door.

While cruising the trail I discovered a small BMX park next to the Riverdale City Complex.  A Frisbee golf course was busy with lots of play.  There are several trailheads that access the parkway and each is well maintained with nice restroom facilities.  The paved surface is in excellent condition with a few sections of brand new trail.

So how was this biking experience like hiking?  First, the trail is bordered on both sides by towering trees and the river, reminding me of the Indian Trail.  Second, in several places the leaves had piled up, completely covering the hard surface.  As I rode through these sections I heard that crisp crunch I love under the tires of my bike.  It was a wonderful way to spend a lunch hour.

Get there quick as the weather experts are predicting a taste of winter by Tuesday!  You can find more details about this at www.weberpathways.org.

The peaks of Snowbasin outlined by mountain maples.

I was pleasantly surprised when the storm clouds departed this morning after spreading a rich frosting of mountaintop snow.  The mountains were awash with the Crayola colors of my youth.  Atomic Tangerine, Burnt Orange, Mahogany, and Neon Carrot, have been joined by Mango Tango, Maize, Raw Sienna, Blue Gray and Asparagus.   The sky was a perfect Blizzard Blue (although I have just discovered this color was recently retired by Crayola).

The colors are more soothing and less dramatic than last week.  The maples remain red, the oaks are a wide range of orange and bronze, the aspens are golden in one pod and green in another, and the grasses have a metallic hue.

The weather forecast is encouraging with sunny or partly cloudy skies for the next few days and temperatures in the 50’s.  Make sure to visit your favorite trail this week.

Check out www.utahfallcolors for some more great photos.

Mountain maples frame Snowbasin

Mike and Draba stroll along the Green Pond trail, surrounded by mountain maples that are showing the first signs of fall color.

The warmth of summer is fading away, quickly replaced  by the crisp, cool air of fall.  The days are growing shorter but there’s still lots of time for great outdoor recreation.  The best part of living along Utah’s Wasatch Back is the variety of recreation available year-round.  This weekend cycling and hiking were our sports of choice.  Of course Draba prefers hiking to biking!

Biking with friends in the Ogden Valley.

Spots of mountain maple red dot the landscape below the peaks of Snowbasin

We ususally get monsoon rains in August but this year they came in July, and August was very dry.  Now it’s September and as we close in on autumn the monsoons have arrived - at least for a few days.  The storm offered up some great clouds, a rainbow here and there (check out www.utahfallcolors.com for a great rainbos photo on the Leaf Peeper blog), and much needed rain. 

Autumn in northern Utah and the Wasatch Back can be amazing.  You have to stay alert because the changing colors can be long lasting or gone in a few days.  The mountain maples are the first to go and they are starting their annual change right now.  Stay tuned for more autumn news.

Hiking through a sea of wildflowers at their peak is a lot like being the first person to get fresh powder turns on a blue sky day with 3 feet of feathers at your feet! It’s somewhat rare.

That’s what we found Sunday on the Cuttler Basin trail to Ben Lomond Peak. The trail is somewhat difficult at first with few switchbacks to break up the steep slope, lots of vertical, and rocks strewn here and there just to make it interesting, but it was well worth the effort once we hit the open meadows. The hillsides were awash with brillant yellow, green, red, purple, pink, white, orange…….it was like mother nature had injected the mountain with steroids. It’s not every year you get so many flowers peaking at the same time with such vibrant colors.

This same trail will offer up brilliant hues once again as summer creeps away and fall settles in. I’ll be back to check it out so stay tuned.

After an endless winter of terrific powder turns I was excited to pull the bike off the trainer and take a tour of the Morgan Valley.  The snowcapped mountains with a hint of green on the valley floor, mixed with the first scents of spring blooms really awaken the senses. Spinning along the rural roads reminded me of the importance of good bicycle safety and how more and more we all have to “share the road”.  Early spring riding presents its share of challenges since winter takes a big toll on our roads.  Chuck holes, sand and gravel, along with general litter make it difficult at times to ride on or near the road shoulder.

Last year two of my friends were forced off the road.  One escaped unharmed, the other was nearly run over and ended up in the emergency room.  Luckily her injuries were minor and her bike repairable.  Residents enjoy the scenic roadways of our rural communities and they are also a draw for visitors from throughout the Wasatch.  Cyclists, runners, and motor bikes share the roads with a myriad of vehicles throughout the warm weather months.  It’s critical that each user respect each other in order to keep everyone safe and injury free. 

Here are a few very important considerations:  

Cyclists:                Obey traffic laws.  Always ride with traffic, remember that stop means STOP (even in a pace line), and although two abreast is legal where lane width allows, single file is safer and much more courteous to vehicles trying to pass.  Ride as close to the road shoulder as possible. Use hand signals when turning right, left or changing lanes; never pass on the right; and always wear a helmet and bright colored clothing.

Walkers and       Run facing traffic (left side of the road) and wear bright colored reflective

Runners:              clothing.  Always yield the right-of-way to vehicles at unmarked intersections.  Use sidewalks and trails where they are available.

Motorcycles:      Avoid accelerating when a motorist is passing, use caution near driveways; be watchful of road hazards; ride in single file in the center of your lane.

Cars and trucks:                The law requires a minimum of three feet when passing a cyclist. If you are pulling a trailer or have mirrors that extend from your vehicle make sure you consider this when passing.  If you are driving a diesel truck try and avoid quick accelerations when passing a pedestrian or cyclist as the escaping exhaust creates a health and safety hazard.  Honking as a warning will startle a rider, reducing speed is a better option.

Something that shouldn’t share the road – LITTER!  Deposit all trash in proper receptacles – no

exceptions.

Mule Ear wildflowers with Ben Lomond peak in the background.

It has been a crazy spring so far with lots of rain.  It’s unusual for the Wasatch to get daily monsoon rains in May and August, that’s activity usually reserved for August.  It’s starting to interfer with my recreation! 

The good part about the rain is it makes pulling all those nasty yard weeds very easy. 

I did manage a hike yesterday and got some good pictures from the ridgeline of the south Skyline Trail, hopefully you will enjoy them.

Snowbasin from Trappers Loop summit.

Sad news - all the Ogden Valley ski areas are closed for the season.  Happy news - there’s still lots of snow on the runs so with any luck we’ll have the right weather to develop some good corn snow that we can hike for.  So far Mom Nature has not been too cooperative with a few days of sun and melt and then another storm front.

If we don’t get the corn at least we’ve got the bike and some perfect temperatures for cycling.  Remember to Share the Road.  Here’s an article I wrote for the Mountain Echo - enjoy.

Share the Road

After an endless winter of terrific powder turns I was excited to pull the bike off the trainer and take a tour of the Morgan Valley.  The snowcapped mountains with a hint of green on the valley floor, mixed with the first scents of spring blooms really awaken the senses. Spinning along the rural roads reminded me of the importance of good bicycle safety and how more and more we all have to “share the road”.  Early spring riding presents its share of challenges since winter takes a big toll on our roads.  Chuck holes, sand and gravel, along with general litter make it difficult at times to ride on or near the road shoulder.

Last year two of my friends were forced off the road.  One escaped unharmed, the other was nearly run over and ended up in the emergency room.  Luckily her injuries were minor and her bike repairable.  Residents enjoy the scenic roadways of our rural communities and they are also a draw for visitors from throughout the Wasatch.  Cyclists, runners, and motor bikes share the roads with a myriad of vehicles throughout the warm weather months.  It’s critical that each user respect each other in order to keep everyone safe and injury free. 

Here are a few very important considerations:  

Cyclists:          Obey traffic laws.  Always ride with traffic, remember that stop means STOP (even in a pace line), and although two abreast is legal where lane width allows, single file is safer and much more courteous to vehicles trying to pass.  Ride as close to the road shoulder as possible. Use hand signals when turning right, left or changing lanes; never pass on the right; and always wear a helmet and bright colored clothing.

Walkers and    Run facing traffic (left side of the road) and wear bright colored reflective

Runners:          clothing.  Always yield the right-of-way to vehicles at unmarked intersections.  Use sidewalks and trails where they are available.

Motorcycles:   Avoid accelerating when a motorist is passing, use caution near driveways; be watchful of road hazards; ride in single file in the center of your lane.

Cars and trucks:The law requires a minimum of three feet when passing a cyclist. If you are pulling a trailer or have mirrors that extend from your vehicle make sure you consider this when passing.  If you are driving a diesel truck try and avoid quick accelerations when passing a pedestrian or cyclist as the escaping exhaust creates a health and safety hazard.  Honking as a warning will startle a rider, reducing speed is a better option.

Something that shouldn’t share the road – LITTER!  Deposit all trash in proper receptacles – no

exceptions.

Barbara McConvill

April 2009