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Capital Reef National Park – Day 4

September 11, 2009 / frankclimbs

Today was more relaxing, than the other days. We headed back into the park for the day. We visited some of the old structures of Capital Reef. The old Gifford Homestead has a little gift shop. We bought some salsa there that was really good. It was a fun little walk around there. The park has some fields with fruit trees where you can go pick fruit and then buy it. If you go down at the right time it is a great time to get some fresh fruit. You will also see deer. I have been here before and I remember seeing deer then and there was deer all over the place today as well.

We then headed on the scenic drive and that was awesome. We were going to go hiking down to what the call the tanks, but our boy really didn’t want to go hiking. Instead we just took pictures from the car and enjoyed the scenery that way for a bit. We did walk down a board walk that has some rock art. This is right off the road and worth the stop. img_5380_1

At dinner time we found ourselves trying to find somewhere new to eat. At the Rim Rock Inn they also have a restaurant called the Patio that makes great pizza. It was some of the best pizza I have had in a while. The atmosphere was nice. They have horse shoes off the patio as well as a Frisbee golf course. It is a nice little place to take the family to after a long day hiking.

Capital Reef National Park (Calf Creek Falls) – Day 3

September 10, 2009 / frankclimbs

One reason we chose to Capital Reef was because of its location to Calf Creek Falls. I was talking one day with a co-worker of mine who asked if I had ever been to Calf Creek Falls. I hadn’t, so he told me a little bit about it and told me that I should go there the next time I had a chance to get out for a bit. It was worth the visit. There is a informational guide that you can pickup in the parking lot that will point out some key features or points along the trail. There are Indian granaries that can bee seen from the trail, as well as pre-historic rock art.

The trail is just over 5 1/2 miles round trip. So we loaded the kids up into packs and off we went. My boy did get down after a bit and want to walk about a half mile on his own. Then back in the pack and away we went. The falls were beautiful. We didn’t swim in the pool below, but others were. I imagine on a hot day after the hike, it would feel nice to take a swim. The trail was sand for most of the way and it does go up and down a lot. It was moderate hike that I think most people could do if they take it slow. Take water and sunscreen for sure. It can get really hot during the summer months. Luckily for us they did have a place at the trail head where you can fill up water bottles. We stopped to help a couple whose car was overheating and was out of coolant. We poured all of our water into their radiator, so they could get to Boulder, and get their car looked at.

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Calf Creek is about an hour from Torrey, Utah so we had to drive there and back. Boulder or Escalante are both closer if you would like not to have to drive as far.

We got back into Torrey for dinner and stopped by Slacker’s Burger Joint. I highly recommend going here. We stopped here because they had a playground that our boy could play on. I love coke and it was also really good. We found out the Torrey’s water is super pure and that is why the coke was so good.

Capital Reef National Park – Day 2

September 9, 2009 / frankclimbs

Woke up after a rough nights sleep. My boy was kicking and moving all night long. Oh well. The complimentary breakfast that I mentioned was only toast, mini donuts, friut and coffee or tea. If you are looking for more than just a quick bite to eat you might need to look somewhere else. The bread they have for toast was excellent though.

After we eat and got the kids dressed off we headed to Capital Reef National Park. We stopped by the Visitor center to find out if there were any great hikes we should do with the kids. As we pulled in to the parking lot, we came acrossed a very cool ride. They had converted an old bus into a great traveling rig.

After talking with some rangers, they recommended that we try the Grand Wash. So that is where we went. As we started to hike we ran into the Wilhelm family from Switzerland. The had two kids as well that were about the same age. We hiked with them the whole time. One of the great things about the outdoors, is the opportunity to meet other people. It was also a great place for the kids to get their hands dirty.

After the hike we needed some food. We headed back into Torrey to find something to eat. We came across the Chuckwagon General Store. They have groceries if you need them, but that is not why we stopped there. They have a deli as well as some Mexican food. I had the chicken burrito and my wife had a club sandwich. The food there was good.

After a little rest we headed back into the park looking for another hike. Earlier a ranger suggested hiking up Sulfur Creek to a little water fall. This was one of the best hikes I have been on with my little boy. He loved it. The trail is for the most part just walking in the creek. It was almost a mile up the creek to the falls, and he walked to the falls and back all by himself. Anyone with kids should try this little hike. I think both kids and parents will have a good time hiking through the water. My only caution is to watch for flash flood warning or during high flow. img_5366_1

For dinner we went to the Capital Reef Inn and Cafe. The food was good and the server was friendly.

Back at the room we turned on the computer and let the little one watch Toy Story. He was a little hiker today. img_5415r

Capital Reef National Park – Day 1

September 8, 2009 / frankclimbs

Well it was about time for my family and I to get out of town for more than a day. With work and other obligations it can be hard to make time to go out and play. I took time off over a month ago, and started to think of places we could go. We thought of San Diego, Yosemite, Devils Tower, Denver and so many more. But we couldn’t pick a place. Each day would pass and my wife and I would ask each other, “have you figured out where we are going?’ It came down to the night before we left that we figured we would head down to Capital Reef National Park. We thought this would be close enough that the two kids wouldn’t die in the car ride.

Day 1 was a pretty boring day. we loaded up the car and headed to the park. After a four hour drive we were checking in to our hotel. We stayed at the Rim Rock Inn, in Torrey, UT. This was right outside of the park and made a great basecamp for our adventures for the week. The view from our room was amazing. We also chose the Inn because it does offer a complimentary breakfast. After unpacking, we headed into town to get us some dinner and went to a place called Chillzz Malt Shoppe. The food was good and the owners were super friendly. They have burgers and pizza. They do have a pool table and some arcades to play while you there.

After some food we headed back to get some rest for the coming day.

A Quick Get Away!

September 1, 2009 / frankclimbs

This past weekend the I was ready to leave town. I needed something different. I had the climbing itch and I needed to find somewhere that could scratch it for me. I called my wife while at work and told her that I think we should head out of town when I get off work that night. I started to think where we could go and have the itch scratched. I live in Salt Lake City and have two young kids so I needed something relatively easy and close but still out of town. I thought a bit and then decided Pocatello, Idaho was the spot for me. I told my wife and ask my brother if he and his girlfriend would like to go with (It is always nice to have a couple of extra hands when going climbing with a 2 year old). We packed our bags, booked a hotel for the night, and headed out the door.

Pocatello is about 150 miles north of Salt Lake City and just over two hours driving. This makes it a quick get away for those who live in Salt Lake and surrounding areas. Pocatello is a well kept secret in Idaho. More than 1000 miles of groomed trails for mountain bikes are within the public lands of Southeast Idaho. Many more miles of trails for hiking, backpacking and riding horses area available in the area. Camping is also available. But there is some great climbing as well and that is why I went there this past weekend.

There is plenty of climbing in Pocatello and if you are up for a little drive even more stuff is available to you. One area that I love is the Ross Park Areas. Most of this climbing is top roped only climbing. But it is a great place to take the family and enjoy a day of climbing. There is a sunny side and a shady side with over a 120 climbs between the two. The local climbers in the area have made this a nice place to climb and enjoy. You can find free guides and information about this area on Idaho State University website. Another great site for up to date information is the http://www.seiclimbing.com/.

Children Need the Outdoors!

June 20, 2009 / frankclimbs

This morning I woke up thinking, “what should I do today.” The first thing that I thought of was to go up climbing, so we gathered the gear and headed out. As we headed across town I saw the dark clouds forming directly over the mountains we were heading towards, but we continued towards the blackening sky. As we came to the bottom of the canyon it was drizzling rain. As we continued up the canyon it just got worse. We decided to try a new route that we had never been to and, knowing that we might not get to climb, we thought at least we could go and check out the route. We threw on our rain jackets and headed up the trail. This is where my son comes into the picture.

He is just over two years old and loves (love being an understatement) the outdoors. The rain and water did not slow him down a bit. The only thing that was bothering him on the trail was the hood on his jacket. Once I removed that he was just fine, his hat was soaked, but at least he was happy.

After looking for the route we came back to the car with feet and pants soaked. I have always understood the importance of performance gear for myself but it can be hard to find good gear for children. The market is growing and I am happy to see this growth as I have two kids and plan on taking them outside as often as I can. This morning though as I was dressing my boy for today’s adventure I put on some socks we got a couple of years ago from a starter company. The companies name is Roonwear. They make clothing for active children and their tag line is “…because kids sweat too.” He has worn these socks before and I really didn’t think much about the socks when I put them on him this morning, they just matched. But I was very impressed when we got home and his feet were dry. Pants sopping wet but socks and feet dry. I know now each time we go out hiking the first pair of socks that I will put on him, are the socks from Roonwear.

I know there are other companies that make clothing and gear for kids who love the outdoors and I encourage anyone who has children to find and support some of these companies. As I said in the title “children need the outdoors” and to make them happier and in turn us parents happier, we need people making performance gear for children. Please comment if you know of any other companies who make great gear and clothing for children.

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