2014-03-02 The Wave Hike

Hiking Photo Link
We were so lucky to win the Wave lottery last December for a group of 6 people. BLM allows only 20 people per day to hike this unique place. The weather has been wet when we arrived at Kanab. However the day of the hike it was sunny and a bit windy at times. The only trail sign is at the beginning by the Coyote Wash (if you miss this sign you will continue to Buckskin Gulch), except signs at the trailhead parking lot. We brought a couple of compasses and printed 3 more copies of the map BLM sent us so that we have more eyes to check for the right path. The map did a great job helping us navigate to the Wave. We've been hiking a lot in Utah so the 400 feet elevation gain wasn't big of a deal for us. Walking on the desert sands did not bother us either. After about 2 hours we reached the entrance of the Wave and enjoyed the most aesthetically beautiful rock formation nature has to offer.

2013-09-01 Brighton Lakes Hike

Hiking Photo Link
We had a very warm summer this year. Labor Day is supposed to signal the end of summer, but the temperature just won't show it though. It was a partly cloudy afternoon, which cooled down the temperature quite a bit. It was a very pleasant hike on the trail. After arriving at Lake Mary the sun came out and we also saw a lone moose by the lake shore on the other side across from our group. After 30 minutes resting and snacking, we continue to hike to Lake Catherine. On the way home, rain started for half of the time.

2013-08-11 Lisa Falls Hike

Hiking Photo Link
This is shortest hike we have ever done hiking the Wasatch Front mountains. I hiked with 3 kids (Aaron, Ivan and Phoebe) and they had a great time playing around the water falls. 

2013-07-28 Cecret Lake Hike

Hiking Photo Link
Though it was a wild weather (cloudy, a bit of rain drops, then sunny sky) hiking the Cecret Lake trail on Sunday afternoon, it was a very blessed hike with friends and families. Once again, the calendar-cover scenery and vibrant wild flowers amaze us and remind us of God's handywork. Parking spaces at Alta at this time of the year when wild flowers are peaking are so hard to find, we had to wait for about 30 minutes before all of us got a spot at the upper parking lot. The parking lot at the Albion Basin campground was way too hard to find. Though we had to walk a half mile more to get to the trailhead, we actually enjoyed such walk because of all the blooming flowers on the road side.

2013-07-24 Catherine Pass Hike

Hiking Photo Link
Interactive Hiking Trail with Photo Link

It was an overcast morning and the parking lot at Alta was always full as wildflower season begins. I was lucky to get a spot at the Sunnyside parking lot. After I reached the pass, I hiked down to Lake Catherine on the Brighton side where I saw a moose family, who later crossed the pass to the Alta side. After hiking back to the pass, I decide to explore the Sunset Peak, which was only about 0.3 mile from the pass. At Sunset Peak you get views of neighboring mountains like Mt. Timpanogos. Wildflowers still dotted the landscape on this trail.

2013-07-14 Cardiff Pass Hike

Hiking Photo Link
Hiking Video Link
Interactive Hiking Trail with Photo Link


Phoebe and I went on a daddy-daughter date by hiking the Cardiff Pass in Alta. The amount of wildflowers were enormous and unbelievable, reminding me of the famous quote from 徐志摩的《日記‧西湖記》『數大便是美』。Ironically we only met a few hikers on the trail (we met Hao Xiang, Xie Jing and Jenny Teng). The reason might be because the trailhead wasn't visibly marked. In fact you have to go through a residential neighborhood and Alta police station. Now is probably the prime time to see these beautiful flowers.

2013-06-30 Willow Lake Hike

Hiking Photo Link
Hiking Video Link
Interactive Hiking Trail with Photo Link

The temperature in Salt Lake valley hit triple digit when we were still in the month of June! Our hiking group went hiking the Willow Heights/Willow Lake trail in Big Cottonwood Canyon. We've hiked this trail several times in the past from the trailhead that begins in the residential area. This time, we started the hike from a different trailhead on the main road. After reaching the lake, we decided to hike down the other trail to make it a loop hike. Wildflowers dotted the landscape along the trail.

2013-06-23 Great Western Trail Hike (#5)

Hiking Photo Link
Hiking Video Link

Praise the Lord for a blessed Sunday afternoon hike of Great Western Trail in East Canyon. Now is the perfect time to see the wildflowers in East Canyon. Most people in our hiking group made it to the top of Big Mountain. By the time I was almost there, our group had started heading down. That was because the trail was full of distractions - the wildflowers. It was a perfect time and day to photograph these flowers due to overcast sky, but it also paradoxically poses some challenges if you include too much sky in the photo (too bright because of the cloud compared to the foreground flowers). None of us was disappointed by the amazing scenery. Every twist and turn of the trail surprised us with magnificent display of nature's best beauty. If you were there, I am sure the song 野地的花 will instantly come to your mind. Thanks for a wonderful fellowship on the trail and thanks for coming to the hike with friends to enjoy God's beautiful creation! I hope that you also snapped some photos along the trail. By the way, my friend Masami (I met her when Phoebe was taking ice-skating lesson at the County Ice Center in Murray) wants me to thank you all for being very kind to her. She had a great time hiking with us. She was also surprised that we have someone (Elsa Liu) in our group can speak fluent Japanese with her.

2013-06-16 Twin Lakes Loop Hike (#4)

Hiking Photo Link
Hiking Video Link

Praise the Lord for a blessed and safe Sunday afternoon hike of Twin Lakes Loop trail in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Before we started the hike, we were joking at the trailhead parking lot that our backyard mountains rival those of Yosemite National Park. In deed we were so pampered with calendar-cover scenery of the Wasatch mountains, we sometimes take that for granted. Thanks God that we had wonderful weather for this hike. The remaining snow on the trail in the higher elevation spots was quite an adventure for kids. The snacks-sampling at Twin Lake Reservoir was a feast to our hungry stomach. Thanks for coming to the hike with friends to enjoy the beautiful creation!

2013-06-15 RidgelineTrail Hike (Emigration Canyon)

Waking up around 6 am and not being able to get back to sleep, so I decided to embark an early morning hike to the Ridgeline Trail in the Emigration Canyon. The timing for spring flower might have passed, but I still found some spots with vivid flowers of Arrowleaf Balsamroot, usually first sign of spring in the Salt Lake valley area. The morning sun was great for photographing these bright yellow flowers. The blue sky adds extra flavor to the landscape photos. It was a wonderful walk (can't be qualified as hike since I had to head back in about an hour.)

2013-06-02 Silver Lake Hike (#3)

Hiking Photo Link
Hiking Video Link

We are so blessed to live in a place where natural beauty abounds. This past Sunday a few friends went to hike a trail in the American Fork Canyon. 3 beautiful lakes (or reservoir) nested in lush Lone Peak Wilderness area. Wild flowers dotted the rolling landscape if you keep your keen eyes open. The drive to the trailhead (Silver Lake Flat Reservoir) parking lot is a bit adventurous though - 4 mile dirt road (passable to car) with small sharp rocks slowing you down almost to a crawl and large rocks creating bumps along the way. But the effort really paid off in the end - a calendar-cover view of Silver Lake Flat Reservoir! The first 2/3 of the trail (total of 2.2 miles one way) was quite pleasant while the last 1/3 was on a constant steep ascent. But again, the reward in the end was another calendar-cover view of an alpine lake - Silver Lake. During the hike, Sichun's father found a field of fresh 厥菜. We were having fun picking up these delicious vegetables. Thanks my friends for such a wonderful hike!

Silver Lake Flat Reservoir

Silver Lake Flat Reservoir

Wild Flower on the trail

Looking at Silver Lake Flat Reservoir from the trail

Silver Lake