Mount Nebo

Last fall, we discovered a little camping spot on the Nebo Loop. It isn't an official camp location, so the place isn't surrounded by dozens of other people in RVs and tents. It's a simple clearing with a fire pit and it is perfect :) Except that you have to off road through a stream and occasional piles of cow poop. Those are minor setbacks though, the place really is perfect.

Camping at our spot with the Kraus fam last year!

We went camping there a couple times last fall, and of course we had to go again! We made the plan to go camping the first weekend after school started and hike the next day. After a few people flaked out, we ended up just going with Dustan's sister Taylor and his old roommate Bryson. But it was a blast!

We made delicious hobo foil dinners (and hot dogs because Dustan loves them), ate too many s'mores, and attempted to roast licorice. And because we camped on a Sunday, we had a short devotional and musical fireside. Taylor and Bryson are both ridiculously musical (fiddle and guitar respectively) so that was one of our favorite parts of the evening. Afterward, we did some stargazing then played all ten rounds of Phase Ten until the wee hours of the night.

After waking up on Monday, we continued driving up the Loop toward Nebo Mountain. Nebo Mountain is the highest peak in the Wasatch Mountain Range and up there for highest in Utah altogether, even a little higher than the more famous Mount Timpanogos. It is 11,928 feet high. And guess what? We hiked to the very top!

One of the views on the way up. That's the peak in the top left of the picture. So far away!!

Looking at the mountain to conquer...

And we made it to the top!!

It was definitely one of the harder hikes I have been on. It was about 9 miles round trip with 3,800 feet in elevation gain. And the trail wasn't like a typical hike that just went up then back down after the peak. It was hilly up and down for a large amount of the hike, which only made the elevation gain at the end more steep. But we made it! It was a beautiful hike and the last half a mile or so was nearly like rock climbing as we scrambled over chunks of shale (this was not enjoyable on the way back down). The view at the top was stellar, we could see everything.

Getting down was a little sketchy...

Bryson and Taylor

Even though the way back down wasn't terribly enjoyable because of twisted and bad ankles, it was worth it. Thank goodness for husbands who carry all the water/food and even hold your hand through the hard parts! And looking at the silver lining on it taking me forever to get back down, we got to see a beautiful sunset!

We hope we can fit a couple more hikes in before the snow starts coming this year!!