Better than Christmas...

Wow.  There are very few things better than Autumn in a northern Utah canyon, in morning light, after a fresh rain.  Better than Temple Square at Christmas time.  I took an impromptu drive up Logan Canyon this past Monday morning after witnessing the incredible clouds and colors of the valley on my way to the grocery store.  Luckily I had my camera, though the battery was dead and I had to plug it in to my car charger to get the pictures that I did.  I made it all the way to Tony Grove—which was amazing.  Not so much for the color, as most of the color had faded…but it was under a fresh blanket of snow, and not a soul was about.  For the first time ever, Tony Grove felt truly remote and wild.  There wasn’t a sound—not a bird, or a breeze.  The air was that crisp, cold mountain air, with just a hint of pine, spruce, sage and autumn leaves.

 Occasionally, I am caught off guard—and my heart literally aches with the joy of witnessing such rare and precious moments.  Tony Grove has always been one of my favorite places…nowhere else can one go to see so many wildflowers in bloom at the same time. Tony Grove’s often surreal beauty is no secret, and often draws hoards of people.  It nearly brought tears to my eyes…the feeling of remoteness and untamed beauty.  The pictures I took don’t even come close to a fraction of the wonder of the real thing, but they do remind me of that experience I will never forget.  The spell was broken as a truck pulled into the parking area, making splashy noises on the wet pavement.  I had to try to temper my frustration and sense of invasion.  After all, it was not my wilderness…though that knowledge has never stopped me from feeling rather possessive anyway.  I climbed back into the CRV—my trusty transport to the wilds—and headed back down the canyon and to my grocery shopping.  I rolled down the window and took a few last deep breaths of the crisp, morning mountain air. My heart whispered a prayer of thanks for the wilderness, and its Maker…and for the way its beauty and peace can sooth a tired soul. 

Below: Blacksmith Fork Canyon, blanketed in morning clouds...

 Looking west at the base of the Wellsvilles...it was this view that inspired my jaunt up Logan Canyon...

 Below:  looking south-eastish from the Jardine Juniper trailhead...

The Jardine Juniper trailhead...

cloudy colors...

 looking south-west in Logan Canyon...

 near the turnoff to Tony Grove...

 Tony Grove...

On my way back down the canyon, I stopped at the infamous Logan Cave.  I loved this little spring coming out of the cave...

I have always wondered how some photographers get water to do that cool blurry motion thing...so I experimented and came up with this!  I raised the Fstop as high as it would go (F8) and lowered my shutterspeed lots...and held really still...  Below are the results...kinda fun :)