There No Business Like Snow Business

I posted quite a bit last year about my snowshoeing adventures.  Snowshoeing was a blessing for me last year because even though I couldn't run in the first part of 2011, for some reason, snowshoeing didn't aggravate my injury at all.  It helped keep my level of fitness up and it was a lot of fun as well.   My son and my brother also enjoyed getting out as well.

This year has been a different story.  I have been training for a marathon and it has been a lean snow year so far.  If I hadn't gone winter camping in the snow with the Scouts a few weeks back, I would have had doubts about there being enough snow to go to our usual spots.  Snowshoeing had dropped off my radar for some reason.

But as my wife and I were driving around, she mentioned something about snowshoeing and it hit me that in spite my good intentions, I hadn't been out this year.  I knew that I could probably do my long run on Friday since it was shorter week this week.  Things worked out, I got the long run in as planned and lined up Corey and Gordon and off we went to a familiar place up American Fork Canyon.

It was a great day to snowshoe!

Gordon ready to get after it.

We kept up a good pace from Tibble Fork up to Granite Flats campground.   Once in the campground, there was a trail head to Box Elder Peak.  We decided to go up just a little ways and then we cut over to another trail and dropped back down into the campground.

Gordon and Corey

Me and my "little boy."

Cutting across to the other trail.

Nice views heading back down to the campground.

Box Elder Creek

Snow on the Pines

As we went down through the campground, the Scoutmaster in me couldn't help but think that the picnic tables would make a nice single snow cave that wouldn't have much of a chance of collapsing.  If I could talk the scouts into the mile hike up, I think they would have a blast.

Picnic Table Covered with Snow

We headed to the bottom of the campground and then followed a trail down that followed the creek all the way back down the the parking lot.  We hadn't been this way before and we all really enjoyed it.

Almost to the parking lot.

It was fun to get out and do something that was not only a great workout, but full of fun for all of us as well. I hope this isn't the one and only trip of the season.

A big payoff was yesterday when my son and I were sitting at the table and he said that he noticed a big difference this year.  He has been working out on the treadmill quite faithfully and he said that it made the trip much more enjoyable!

Hang in there and I will too!