This marks the first day of the family visiting me from Atlanta, Georgia. My mother Helen (who has never been out West at all); Darian, age 13, the daughter of my oldest sister Kelly (I am the oldest of three); and Sydney, age 13, the daughter of my youngest sister Ami. Since I moved to Utah I have been desperately wanting to introduce my family to the unbelievable wonders of the Intermountain West, and finally I have the chance! My family will be here for over a week, and I will document each day in photos.
The first day (June 29,2010) my family arrived in the early afternoon. No time for intense hiking, so we stopped by the house, dropped off the bags, and headed out for canyon driving. First to Provo, then up and over the Alpine Loop Road, stopping along the way for views and photos, and exploring the summit. Then down through American Fork Canyon and back up Little Cottonwood Canyon to play in the leftover snow at Alta Ski Resort. All in all a very full afternoon, and it was wonderful to see how my nieces and my Mom responded to their first views of the Wasatch Mountains and its amazing canyons, waterfalls, and forests. And not to mention a wonderful dinner at the Lone Star Taqueria (2265 Fort Union Boulevard, Salt Lake City 84121).
Educational Moment: This 20-mile drive winds through rugged alpine canyons of the Wasatch Range offering stupendous views of Mount Timpanogos and other glacier-carved peaks. The route follows Utah Hwy. 92 up American Fork Canyon and then continues through Uinta National Forest into Provo Canyon on U.S. 189. Timpanogos Cave National Monument and Robert Redford's Sundance Resort are located along the route. Entirely paved, the Alpine Loop is open from approximately late May to late October. Snow closes part of the road the rest of the year. Not recommended for vehicles more than 30 feet long.
