Circle All Peak Hike

On July 21, we went hiking in Big Cottonwood Canyon.  My dear friend Brenda and her daughter Aelora were here visiting so they came with us.  We went with my friend Annette and her kids.  We went on the Butler Fork Trail to Circle All Peak.  It's called that because you climb to the peak of the mountain and you can look around and see all these other peaks around you.  (Or at least I assume that is why it is called that.)  It was so beautiful...so many wildflowers.  For the first little while, you are hiking right near a river and there are a couple of small waterfalls.  (Ella had just been to Niagara Falls the week before and she insisted these are NOT waterfalls.  She may not be impressed with small falls for quite some time.)  It's a steep hike but very beautiful...about 5 miles round trip.

I love when they are actually happy about hiking.  It's somewhat rare.

So green and pretty

These two girls were born 8 days apart.  They have known each other their entire lives.  We miss Brenda and Aelora now that they live in Japan. It was wonderful to see these two girls together...and to watch Gabby and Aelora play as well.  

Ella is not quite as happy anymore...but Gabby is.

Gabby loved the wildflowers.  She took my camera from me and asked to take pictures of all the flowers.  As well as pictures of me and anyone else who would let her.

Getting higher...such beautiful views

Annette's family at the top plus a friend

Different view from the top

My girls and I at the top

Michelle is a goofball!  One of the peaks we can see from the top!

At the top, there were a ton of bugs.  So we didn't stay long.  A bug flew into my eye.  A bug flew into Michelle's eye.  Unpleasant.  But so beautiful!!  Aelora's asthma was bothering her, so Brenda and Aelora didn't make it quite to the top (but they made it pretty close).

When we were pretty close to the bottom, the boys said that a mama moose and baby moose had just passed by and headed up a different trail.  We decided to see if we could find them...and we did!  It was so cool!!  There was a lot of vegetation, so the pictures aren't as clear as I would like.  But we had a really good view of them.

The mama moose

Mama and baby

Mama and baby

Mama is eating...and watching us to make sure her baby is safe

Ella is so good with the littles.  And little kids adore her.

Poor Aelora fell at almost the bottom of the hike.  She had a pretty bad gash in her knee and ended up needing stitches.