..October 11th SEARCH FOR LAUNCH SITE….. PIONEER TIMBER SLIDES….UP AGAIN WHERE EAGLES & OTHERS DARE!

REPORT ON RECENT —Friday Oct. 3 EXPLORATION ON SLIDE MT. …SOON!

NEW POST:  September 23, 2014
NOT THROUGH YET……
For nearly the last two months I’ve been going through another topical chemo skin cancer treatment……which I survived again, and with just a simple touch-up on a couple of small areas, I’LL BE A NEW MAN…as you see me  below, and by the way,
 RARING TO GET DONE  NEXT SUMMER–IN MY 80th YEAR–THE HIGH UINTAS PROJECT BACKPACKING… 
…..ready & excited to  “Not give in….easily” …
……by the way “80th” has a much better ring to it than 79th….so…..
…….“80th” will be the big year for me! 

With  Guatemalan friend Miguel, at the BYU vs. Houston game, invited by son David

Friday, Sept. 26th….STUNNING UPDATE AT END OF THIS POST:.

So on Wednesday, September 24-25 I will take advantage of a couple of good weather days and once again be  UP WHERE EAGLES DARE  to finish my exploration of the pioneer timber slides that helped create Provo, Utah
 
This time I’ll take with Google Earth & SPOT Tracker print-outs,  and my own photographs to see where I’ve been, and exactly where I have to go to do a better job exploring  and  then  make a final report on this:

Fascinating and heroic pioneer endeavor–
TIMBER SLIDES DOWN SLIDE MT. 
critical to the building of Provo. 

This time I intend to camp-out Wednesday night right at the site where the timber slide down “Slide Mountain” began, and be able to check out nearby where the one started that went down “Slide Canyon.”  

 I hope to find actual artifacts, and other features besides just a “scar” and “pathways”  on the mountain. Using my cell phone I’ll actually send a message from up there along with a photo or two..
Then from the top I’ll follow the pathway down to the foothills….and report.

I of course will use my SPOT Tracker, programmed so any interested can follow me, clicking on: 
 Find Me at SPOT 

Fall is pretty well here as the Gray Rabbit Brush is in full bloom.  Looking up at my objective…the top of Slide Mt. where I hoped to camp….But I noticed that there was still too much foliage…..a problem to be able to find what I’m looking for.


My intention was to take this double deal, with my ticket from the BYU vs Houston game, up the mountain and have like a picnic rather than “lightweight backpacking”  food  but I had to take a gallon and  a half of water as I ran short on previous trips and the pack weight was just too much…..so it started being a bit tough!

At the 1st turn on the Y-Trail we look across at the timber slide pathway coming down Slide Canyon 

There were a few hikers….all leaving me in their dust! 
Of course I focused on the beautiful flowers as I struggled up to the 6th switchback.

NOTICE:  “EATING CROW….AGAIN!” 
 My hike up the mountain today (Wednesday, Sept. 24th)  will have to be considered  a warm-up as I found that my month and a half layoff for the chemo treatment  on my entire upper body–chest, back & upper arms,  effected me more than expected and wisdom had me coming back down the mountain.. So……EATING A LITTLE “CROW”..again…..to continue to work on getting back in shape and do the exploration  in a  week ….hoping for two days of good weather next week and giving  the leaves a little more time to drop  to make finding remnants of the timber slide easier–All before elk hunting when I head for Mt. Nebo on October 3rd (Friday)… 

UPDATE:  The weather report has everything trending down, maybe this exploration will have to be done later after getting my elk…quickly  (I’m being optimistic …of course) and before I head for Idaho & Wyoming mid-month, , or even until next Spring. 

 Hope you’re having a good laugh at this old geezer eating crow again.…but you can count on me not giving in easily.…but doing my darndest to achieve my goals…no matter what my age! 
 HOW SWEET IT WILL BE TO HOPEFULLY….GET THE LAST LAUGH!

I have a hard time getting used to being an old guy….and forced to work harder at getting and keeping in shape to be able to do this sort of thing….but it will be done …..just give me a little time and I WILL YET BE UP THERE WHERE EAGLES DARE!

Friday, Sept. 26th UPDATE:
So I’m back to training with 35 lb. pack on my back in the mountains near American Fork….the couple of following pictures taken during my workout on Thursday, Sept. 25th…...

.Then TODAY the 26th…..doubling my workout from yesterday, going up Grove Canyon until the trail swichbacks up high towards the front of the mountain  as seen below..

High up center is the summit of Mt. Timpanogaos

GOOD WORKOUT...
..now two days of rest and hopefully ……. Monday & Tuesday back up on Slide Mountain.

The weather moving in this afternoon (Friday), by tomorrow with a 25 degree drop in temperature, rain, and snow above 8,000 ft., but hopefully Monday & Tuesday improved when I will attempt my last exploration on SLIDE MOUNTAIN…..if the weather works out…I’ll continue my SPOT Tracks from Switchback 6, then at the Y and up the mountain, but with lighter load:  No .45 Colt Defender, no heavy professional photo equip…just point-and-shoot camera and cell, less water, light weight food, etc.
  I’ll cross my fingers…and do my darndest!.

NOW..Sunday night…looks like maybe a day hike on Thursday, Oct. 2nd?  Then elk hunting from Oct. 3rd on.
 Find Me at SPOT 
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Remember a lot of OK Spots are alright as I often use the tracker to pinpoint certain areas critical in the exploration
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