Hansens at Timp 2021

10 Jul
John Mark, Julie, Marcus, Me (and Skeeter), Blueberry Pie

In 2020, we were supposed to have a family reunion, but we had to postpone it due to covid restrictions. This year, when it was decided to postpone a second time, my dad reacted a huge group site at Aspen Grove so that any cousins who wanted to see each other and hike up Timp mountain could do so.

Matt and Pete

We had such a great time camping and hiking and visiting.

Mom and Marcus
Marcus and Lukey
Dad, Uncle Verne, and Aunt Christie
Cegan, Verna, John Mark
Sammy, Lukey, Kimberly, Jimmy
John Mark’s girls

I took the four littlest kids up to the waterfalls.

I almost took them up the wrong trail.
Here we are at the correct trailhead. John Darrell and Matt made it up to Emerald Lake.

The 4 little kids and I made it to the second waterfall (which, I believe, is 2 miles, but felt much longer.)

Zeke took baby penguin steps all the way up, so it was 2 hours up, and we only made it because I bribed him and Skeeter with fruit snacks most of the way.

Banana Cream Pie and Apple Pie ended up hiking ahead with cousins because the twins and I were so slow.

Zeke kept asking me if I would carry him, and I kept saying “no.”

Here is a very hot and tired Zeke at the waterfall
The water was ice cold and refreshing.

Skeeter had a lot more trail left in his legs. When we got to the waterfall, he asked “Where is everybody?” I told him, “all the little kids have gone back down ahead of us. The big kids are going to the top.”
“I want to go to the top,” says he.
“It’s 5 more miles,” says me.
Raising both fists in the air, he announced “I can do it!” (I considered it for about 2 seconds before I came to my senses and we headed back down to camp.

About 2/3 of the way back down, Zeke stopped a total stranger on the trail and asked super pitifully, “Would you carry me?”

I could tell that good-hearted guy was considering it 😂 😬 😬😬😬😬

I assured him we were fine and continued shepherding my boys down.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell on a hike if your 5 year old is actually tired or just bored. I think Zeke was actually tired.

Smiles at the Trailhead

The summit hikers’ report from the resident Captain

Great climb with the kiddos up Mt. Timpanogos, Utah elevation 11,752 ft. above sea level. This was a deceptively difficult climb, but we made it safely. The views were spectacular, and this ranks as the most scenic climb I have done. We hiked about 16 miles round trip and it took us about 14 hours.

First waterfall
We stopped at Emerald Lake where Pumpkin Pie and Peach Pie decided to stay at the lake while we continued.
After looking up at what was still left to climb, I didn’t blame them. This mountain teases and tricks you. If you look at the top center, you can see a small white speck which is the shed at the summit.
4 made it to the summit

This was the most difficult climb and tallest mountain that Cherry Pie and Key Lime Pie had attempted. Both of them did great.

Key Lime Pie was an amazing climber. She kept up with her uncles and made it all the way to the top. “I guess I inherited your climbing ability, Dad.”
Cherry Pie adds her name to the list of summit champions.
Going back down what is left of the glacier.

We decided to glissade down the snow field instead of hiking back down the trail. You can see the scale of the mountain by how small we look.

Leave a comment