Timpanogos CAVE

We were looking forward to hiking up to Timp. Cave this year, so, we were thrilled when the Ball's told us they had plans to hike it as well!!! AND Emily and her crew wanted to join us as well....so it looked like it was going to be a great event...Now we just need tickets! To get as many tickets as we needed was going to be an issue. They were sold out of the reserved tickets (some people are better at planning ahead), so, our only choice was for one of us to be there at 7am when they open to get the 15 tickets we needed! I bravely volunteered (since I have sleeping issues anyway why not...) I was the first one in when they opened their doors and was able to get all the tickets were after (whew!).
So, we got our tickets and we were off!All the kids were fresh and ready for the 1.5 mile hike (with a 1,160 feet elevation gain...piece of cake)! Note: At an elevation of 11,750 ft, Mt. Timpanogos is the 2nd highest mountain in Utah’s Wasatch Range. The word Timpanogos (tim´p? no´gas) comes from the Timpanogots Ute tribe who lived in the surrounding valleys from A.D. 1400. The name translates as rock (tumpi-), and water mouth or canyon (panogos).
It was a beautiful day and the kids all had a lot of energy. They kept rushing ahead of all the ADULT supervisors on this dangerous paved trail despite our constant yelling telling them to "wait up" and "slow down"!!! At one point found themselves in "trail jail" as a park ranger was coming down the hill and found a herd of unsupervised kids making their way up the hill. He graciously held the pack in "trail jail" until us slower adults made it to him...thanks mr. park ranger "officer". When we made it to the top, Steve (shirtless man) was sooooo sweaty he took his shirt off to dry...much to the surprise of the other tourists (I think they must have assumed he was European...who else would "disrobe" in public?

Steve and I catching our breath with a "breathtaking" view behind us! Wow! American Fork Canyon is one of the most beautiful!

CUTE BALL FAMILY at the top! Hey, when did they all grow up? It just seems like yesterday......




The Browns at the top...the hike was an easy one - probably due to the fact we live at 5680 feet (and I think the elevation of the hike is about the same). Fun to be with family!

The whole group just before going into the cave!

Inside the cave, the cousins pose for a photo op! What a great group of kids! LUV em!

Chandler and Parker "recrafting" the sign to make more sense to their age group!

We've been to lots and lots of caves through our travels and THIS cave continues to be THE best (according to me!). It's my favorite and I can't wait to do it again!