Rock Canyon: Hiking in the Snow

     Sometimes I hear people say they dislike or hate the cold. I often reply with the question, "Do you really hate the cold weather, or do you just hate being cold?" I don't like the cold either when my toes, fingers, or ears are frozen. Just put on a couple extra layers. What I'm getting at is we shouldn't let the cold stop us from enjoying the outdoors - most of the time. This afternoon, while it was 25 degrees, I hiked Rock Canyon with my cousin and really enjoyed it a lot (I wasn't cold). As you can see, I enjoyed taking pictures along the way too.

Click to enlarge photos.

 

      It's hard to tell from these pictures but I was surprised to see the amount of foot traffic there was on the trail. A lot of people have gone on this hike since the last snow.

 

      The rock on the picture above looks pretty cool, but it's even more awesome when you're there.

 

 

Go straight at the turn in the road:

     I took the picture below while standing in the intersection on the Northeast corner of the LDS Provo Temple. The street you can see is E 2300 North, or North Temple Dr. The trail head is just a few hundred yards from where I'm standing. Just keep going straight and you'll be on the path.

 

     Please feel free to comment or ask any questions you may have.

The Nature Effect

I was thinking about how much I really like doing things outdoors the other day and I wondered if there were studies on the way nature affects us. It turns out that there's actually a lot out there, some of it being very interesting. Here are some quotes from just a couple of articles that I found. I'll probably post again about this as there seemed to be a lot about nature actually improving health, which really intrigues me. Anyway, I've always felt that being outdoors and in nature has lifted my mood and given me energy. It's neat to see that it's actually pretty universal...

The Moral Call of the Wild

A study suggests that spending time in nature changes our values

P. Wesley Schultz, Scientific American

“In a series of studies, Netta Weinstein, Andrew Przybylski, and Richard Ryan, University of Rochester, show that exposure to nature can affect our priorities and alter what we think is important in life. In short, we become less self-focused and more other-focused. Our value priorities shift from personal gain, to a broader focus on community and connection with others.”

“Psychological research has shown that natural experiences help to reduce stress, improve mood, and promote an overall increase in physical and psychological well-being”

P. Wesley Schultz (2009, December 1). The Moral Call of the Wild. Scientific American

Spending Time in Nature Makes People Feel More Alive, Study Shows

Science Daily, June 2010. Journal of Environmental Psychology

"Often when we feel depleted we reach for a cup of coffee, but research suggests a better way to get energized is to connect with nature" – Richard Ryan, lead author and a professor of psychology at the University of Rochester

“Studies suggest that the very presence of nature helps to ward off feelings of exhaustion and that 90 percent of people report increased energy when placed in outdoor activities”


University of Rochester (2010, June 4). Spending time in nature makes people feel more alive, study shows. ScienceDaily. 

Best of BYU Part 2

      This trail is not only a beautiful place to go for a walk but also to have a picnic. There are multiple picnic tables along the path as well as some grassy areas.

     Coming from the East end of the trail, below is the first of five waterfalls.

     Below are the second, third, and fourth waterfalls along the trail.

 (Click to enlarge pictures)

Below is the fifth and last waterfall.

      I never thought I would see a place like 300 North as intriguing. This angle of the street, however, turns something ordinary, the same, and maybe even boring, into a really great view. I'm not sure that these pictures really do this path justice. You would really need to go there to fully appreciate it. As you can see, it's not far from the road. Parallel to the path below is 800 North, perpendicular is 300 East...

The Best of BYU

     This is actually new so most people haven't been to this path yet. This trail is on the South/ South-East Corner of campus, just north of 800 North in Provo. It is 0.9 miles long and has six picnic tables and ten benches AND it is awesome! Tomorrow I'll post more pictures and more information about it. I took these pictures just a few weeks ago...

     This project was just completed. It took about eight months to complete and was started around March of this year. Before this stream, there was an old irrigation ditch and an existing path - nothing like this though.

(Remember: Click on pictures to enlarge)

 

     If I honestly had to pick a favorite spot in Provo to go for a walk or a picnic, this would be it.

 

     The picture below is one of my favorites of the pictures that I took. It is the fourth of five waterfalls.