Ain't No Mountain High Enough

I love to hike, as does my son and dog. 

I grew up hiking in the canyons surrounding Salt Lake City and its turned into a lifelong obsession. 

I never pass up a chance to hit the trail, no matter how damaging it could be to my ego. Visiting Utah, I decided it would be fun to take my boys up into the canyons surrounding the city.

We went into Big Cottonwood Canyon, which is one of my top 10 places to go. 

There are a variety of hiking opportunities from beginning to expert level challenges.

 My son is a Cub Scout, and he is quite motivated to get both his hiking belt loop and pin. 

We spent time in the canyon, exploring nature and learning new skills like compass and map reading. 

We saw some pretty amazing things

A fresh mountain streams

Clean air

Great trails

Pride at finishing the hike! 

Check out that view!

Beautiful wild flowers

I think even the Big Man had a legitimately good time!

It wouldn't be a hike without snacks, either. You need to stay well hydrated, which is most important. Also a high power snack helps! I love making my own trail mix to snack on while I'm hiking and it's super easy to whip up.

1 c granola 

1 c raisins

1 c mixed nuts

1 c dried fruit

1/2 c banana chips

Mix everything together and store in an airtight container. Hit the trail and munch!