Dylan Jones Photography
New friends–furry and otherwise–on one of the most iconic hikes of Utah Valley
Juneau, AK 2024
​
I spent this last week in on Áak'w Kwáan lands (Juneau) for the Just Transition Summit. Despite this being the so-called capitol, it was my first time visiting. The mountains pictured are framed by the banks of the Douglas Channel facing Southeast from Douglas Island. The building pictured to the right sits along the Southern river bank surveying the ravens picking at each other in the shallows out of frame.
Hiking Mt. Timpanogos
Mount Timpanogos, otherwise called 'Timp' towers on the eastern horizon as you drive South along I-15 through Provo. It resembles a Dorito chip in shape but instead of cheesy goodness, these slopes are populated with elk and mountain goat. Timp has been on my mountain to-hike list since I started going to school in Salt Lake. I decided to stay overnight at Emerald lake near the summit trail even though most people would make this a day hike at ≈14 miles roundtrip. Backpacking usually gives me a richer experience as you’ll soon see. There’s a feeling all at once strange and intimate that comes with waking up to an empty mountain landscape; it is as if the mountain has some secrets to finally share with you, now that you’re alone.
​
I set out from the Timpooneke trailhead around 2:30pm and crested the final rise to Emerald lake at 6pm. 15 minutes later, as my hope of finding a flat spot to set up camp began to whither, a man named Luke waved me down to show me the last tentable patch of dirt around. I jet boiled a hearty dinner of Mountain House stroganoff and Backpacker's Pantry mango sticky rice. As I ate, a group of nanny goats and baby goats wandered toward me, stopping just a few feet from me to nibble some thorny brush.
​
One nanny and her baby woke me up at 8am the next morning as they searched for breakfast bushes. I followed suite with some instant oatmeal and coffee, leaving camp at 9:45am for the summit trail. An hour and a half and 1 bag of trailmix later, I sat in the observatory structure atop Mt. Timp, overlooking Provo to the West and Heber City to the East with endless peaks to the North and South. I would highly recommend this trail to anyone who loves a long day’s mountain journey or overnight backpacking trip. I’ll be back again soon to visit my goat friends.
