Mule Hollow

     I had an unexpected couple of hours available today, so of course my trekking poles and I took off for  a quick hike up Big Cottonwood Canyon.  This is a 1.2 mile hike (2.4 miles round trip) up to what used to be a miner's cabin.  There is still plenty of mine stuff around, like rails from the ore cars, etc. The hike is pretty scenic, but the real scenery is behind you as you are  ascending the gulch;  across Big Cottonwood Canyon is an incredible view of  Stairs Gulch, the steepest longest avalanche pass in the Wasatch Range!  It has a 5000 feet vertical drop, which you  can't see well from the road, but have to hike up this trail for a good view. At the top is a virtual geocache, that gives some good info: http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GCJJJW_deadly-monster-view?Submit6=Go
     To get to the trailhead, drive 3 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon.  If you have teenagers along, they may tell you that you have just passed through "Silent Rock," and it is bad luck if you are not silent when passing through here. It is an area where the road goes through a spot where there is rock on each side right next to the road. I am sure that ski bus drivers made that up to get a few precious moments of peace!  At the end of a new large concrete bridge, you  immediately turn left into a small parking lot. There is no sign, but this is the trailhead.  Head north up the trail, ignoring the many steep side trails you see, as these are accesses to the cliffs for rock climbers. The trail you want stays near the creek bed, and often is the creek bed. Today the bed was completely dry most of the way.  At about 1/2 mile, you will see a rock cairn with the best-looking trail going sharply up to the left. Do not take this sharp left, as it is another rock climber trail.  The trail is overgrown at times, but don't worry, you can't get lost, and when you get to the mine area it is extremely obvious; you can't miss it!  On the way down, if the going gets difficult, you may be in the stream bed, when the actual trail is to your right about 20 feet. (You can figure out how I know this!)

Looks like some old bunk bed frames

Looking south toward twin peaks
and Stairs Gulch

Tiny old rails

Jenny Lake to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point

This Hike is in Grand Teton National Park.  We made a quick trip up there, leaving Salt Lake on Friday morning, and returning Sunday afternoon.  Friday we went horseback riding at Teton Village, and Saturday we went whitewater rafting and did this Jenny Lake hike.  One reason I wanted to do this, is that this gave me the opportunity to check out the beginning and end of a hike that I plan to do within the next year or two: Take the tram at Teton Village, then backpack along the Teton Crest trail, for about 30 miles, camping two or three nights, and then descend to Jenny Lake and take the ferry across to the Jenny Lake Visitors center.  Anyone want to join me?
     The word that comes to mind for Jenny Lake is PRISTINE!  As beautiful as photos are, they don't come anywhere near doing it justice.  The water is crystal clear, the giant pines are as aromatic as they are beautiful, and you have an incredible view of  the Teton peaks for much of the hike.
     When you get to the Jackson area, stop at the most amazing visitors center I have ever been to. They will give you all kinds of maps and directions for this hike.   From there, you drive about 45 minutes to the Jenny Lake visitors center.  The drive was beautiful, and we saw several moose along the way. You have to pay $25 for a seven day pass into the park, even if you are just spending the day.  From the Jenny Lake visitors center, we took the ferry ($7 one way or $12 round trip) across the lake.  It leaves every 15 minutes, and gives you a beautiful view of the area during the 1.5 mile trip. The hike up to Hidden Falls is just .6 miles, and it really is hidden! We missed the 100 foot detour the first time, and continued another .4 miles up to Inspiration Point, catching Hidden Falls on our way down.  We could have taken the ferry back, but opted to hike around the lake. The views are nothing short of  breathtaking!  The lower trail is closed for revegetation and repair, so we were directed to the upper trail, which was still very easy and probably much more scenic than the lower trail would have been. So taking the ferry one way,  our total hike was 4.75 miles.  If you have time, take the trail a little farther into Cascade Canyon for more beauty!

Jenny Lake from the ferry

The final ascent to Inspiration Point

Incredible Tetons

200 foot Hidden Falls cascade

View of Jenny Lake on return trail.

Willow Lake

This is a short, easy hike that I previously overlooked in the book, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Salt Lake City.  It is beautiful, and you have an excellent chance of seeing moose, especially at dawn and dusk. There are some nice areas to backpack into for a short getaway, or maybe to test out some new backpacking gear, etc. Drive 11.2 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon. You can park just past Silver Fork Lodge where the road curves. There is a large rock that marks the Trailhead, but no actual parking area. A short distance past the large rock, you see a large trail sign. maybe 5 minutes from this sign you will come to a wooden bridge. At this point you have the option of two trails to Willow lake. One way is to not cross the bridge and take the trail to the right. A second option is to cross the bridge and take that trail. They are about the same distance and level of difficulty. the trail across the bridge gets you away from road noise more quickly. I like to take this way up, and take the other trail back, as that way you hit a beautiful aspen grove on the way back down. The hike through aspens and pines is beautiful. In summer, wild flowers are abundant, and I am looking forward to going there in the fall for the yellow aspens, and in winter for snowshoeing!   At .8 miles, you step across the small Willow Creek, and soon come to a large meadow.  I expected to see the lake here, but it is a little farther ahead. As you approach the willows, take the trail fork to the left for the quickest view of the lake. This lake is unusual for this area, because the willows hide the lake until you are right at the lake, or looking down upon it.  The topo map on my gps just calls it, "small lake." The book, The Lady in the Ore Bucket,  calls it Willow Lake, and says the area was originally known as Willow Patch Fork, around 1888, and later as Willow Heights.  I did two of 3 geocaches in the area: You light up my life http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=b52cab02-1a97-4d6a-aca9-6d8909f0452a and Sugar and Spice; http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=1faa0b8f-331a-4731-bd9f-1f58763d5f8a.

Some of the brightest colors I have seen

Willow Lake

Pretty fancy carvings, some from the 1940's

An enticing trail.

The trailhead