We finally went to Timpanogos caves. The hike is a healthy 1.5 miles that climbs over 1000 feet. We were so proud of both Jarom and Bella--they did it by themselves, with no shoulder rides or help other than a little handholding. Orion took a free ride in a backpack, sleeping most of the way. The weather was nice and perfect for a short hike, but the cave itself was quite cold.
It was awesome inside. There's so much to learn: a lot of history behind the three caves, interesting geologic information and other fascinating tidbits. Our guide was Ranger Sue. I could say a lot, but this time around I'll let the pictures do the talking.
I put a pretty good sampling of photos here, but I also uploaded all of them to Flickr, right here.
Starting off
This map is interesting
Up the trail
The first tunnel, right under a faultline
Happy
It really was this steep
Flowstone
In front of Middle Cave Lake
The passageway was extremely narrow at times
Smiley
Orion is a stalactite
The great heart of Timpanogos--the caves' most famous feature
The rarest formations here, known as helictites
This is a drapery, I think, with more helictites
Flowstone Jabba the Hut (he's a boy)
At the exit
Precariously perched, looking at a wind tracker
Beautiful everywhere I look, everything I look at
Crossing rattlesnake habitat
Cool kids, cool rocks
At the bottom again
7 comments:
OK everybody. Go back to the pic with Bella in the front with her pink backpack, and Amy holding Orion in the background in the darkness....
Click on that for the closeup. Then zero in on Orion's face.
I died.
Again.
Matt, these photos are fantastic. The formations in the caves. Bella and Jarom in the one pic with the hole in the rock behind them. I love it! Every single picture. Your descriptions...Yikes. Seriously, suddenly I am HANKERING to have a family. Oh well, 3 years to go... unless of course, ... planning doesn't work out. Love you.
me too, addie ME TOO! i noticed orion's face in that one picture. every single picture i have to close up and look at every tiny detail. i love bella's face in the one under the arch. the caves are amazing matt and i want to learn more about all those weird formations.
this is especially fun to look at on the day i got a bunch of cards/stickers in the mail from the kids and bella drew pictures of caves with tons of tiny bats! so adorable! me and darin loved our cards so much. thanks to the kids for all their work and care. jarom's lettering is so very tediously studied and perfect. it makes my heart break.
addie let's both start a family now! okay, if i get pregnant after so much work and struggle i think you have to just go ahead and try. you want to, i know it! let's take the kids on the road and do shows and be pregnant mamas and be a big wild jiggity giggly family!
I'm gonna tell art you said the word "jiggity" heather... I know what he'll say.
"say it again and I'll kill you."
HOw did I marry someone who's personality oft reminds me of our younger brother so much? Luckily Joey also likes daydreaming alone in nature... (not an Art quality)
yay jiggity giggly familys
(shits and giggles)
my least favorite phrase ever in the world
i really meant to write "jiggity giggity" which is even better but you know how you automatically type other words sometimes? i saw that i was typing giggly and even though that was far more dorky, i had to roll with it! cause that's just how i roll...dorky as ever...dorks forever! i was just looking at real young kids' myspaces so i feel like i am writing in a highschool year book right now. plus i had this weird dream about natalia being in love with a high school boy who played violin and anyway i just feel about sixteen right now. woo hoo.
Kind of like someone a little loony, I keep clicking on the close-up of Orion's face in a few pictures. He just so adorable and kind of spaced out. Just kicking it. I can't believe how much it just kills me. Jarom and Bella are adorable too, but they actually look AT the camera. I love how Orion's just along for the ride, and has no idea what's going on around him, and doesn't seem to really even care too much.
Hey I want to go there, dang. It looks really interesting and beautiful. I know I could make the hike. Guess what, I'm getting my knee amputated tomorrow--I mean X-rayed. (maybe it will have to be amputated-but I'll still be able to crawl). Thanks for the lovely pictures Matt. Orion is getting bigger fast. I miss you guys. Dad
man, so awesome, such ferocious sweetness. the smiley picture is the damned most beautiful thing ive ever seen. and the falic formation rules.
dude you guys are amazing. i miss ya'll. i had a super emotional dream the other nite. you was involved, primarily. made me so sad, but joyously so, at the existence of such pure beings. ROCK ON with your brilliant lives. and i will sulk behind.
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