"Y" Adventure (?)

I wrote this post a couple weekds ago while sitting on the Blue Line somewhere south of downtown in Salt Lake City. I was in Utah solo, while M was out of town for a few days. The trip was a chance to see a friend who left recently for school down here, see some family (Happy Birthday, M2!), go to a symposium where I nerded out for a couple days, and take a hike on one of the famously rugged trails in the Wasatch range. 

Rock Canyon trail

The route I selected was a little arbitrary. I had been looking at Provo on Google Earth, because M talks about his hikes up “the Y” with his roommates when he was at school there. The spot overlooking Provo and Utah Lake seemed to be a catalyst for some of the existential conversations that crystallized him his rejection of his family’s religion. For me, I saw that there was a squarish series of trails going around “the Y,” and I was intrigued. So I planned to hike it. 

Ford and bridge

I got a later start on Thursday morning than I had hoped. I didn’t roll through Orem until 10am, finally passing the bowling trophy (Provo temple) and parking at Rock Canyon Trailhead. A friendly packer told me that I was on the right track. The stream that I was supposed to be following was completely dry, but he assured me that there would be water at “higher elevations.” The trail looked pretty gradual, so I was skeptical about how much elevation there was to be gained… and how wrong I was! 

Artesian water fountain

The dry streambed was lined with trees and a cool breeze blew through it. I passed a few groups of BYU-logo’d climbers and a couple of hiking buddies clicking along with their poles. Otherwise, it was quiet aside from the rustle of leaves. For the most part, I cruised along in quiet. There were two artesian fountains that were cool rest stops on the way up. Each was surrounded by a hum of flying insects and fed by the steel water line that occasionally peaked through the trail. Just over a mile in, sure enough, the streambed was wet with flowing water. After crossing a final bridge, I took a right-hand turn up “First fork” towards the backside of Y mountain’s square base. Where the trail was broad, fairly smooth, and gently inclined along the creek, First Fork trail was steep and overgrown. A few feet walking through the thigh-high grass convinced me that it was going to be a problem with my low shoes and hiking shorts. So, I got creative. I’d packed my green travel towel in my bag for my shower later and shade hiking if needed. If there’s one thing that Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy makes a case for, it’s that all explorers need a towel. In this case, I tucked my rectangle of green fabric into my backpack straps and left it hanging like an apron down to my ankles. It was wide enough to wrap around my legs and deflect the worst of the shrubs, milkweed, wild rose, and other plants that my legs would rather not be abused by. In this funny getup, I trudged my way the 1.9mi up the back side of Y mountain. Along the way I didn’t see another person. Just orange and yellow butterflies pollenating the remnants of the summer wildflowers, the wind in birch trees, and the reassuring footprints of horses. A few hand-sawn trees near the trail were reassurance that the horses and trail were accompanied by humans. After M’s warnings of it being “cougar country,” I was happy for the signs of human presence.

In some places, this was the trail! Green apron much needed. 

When I finally rounded the south-east nob that juts out from Y Mountain’s ziggurat base, I really had no idea of how far I’d climbed. There was a gorgeous meadow, a trail sign at the fork, and the remains of a few campfires… but the fact that the sign directed me downhill was a little confusing. Nevertheless, I continued on. The shrubs became thinner, the land became dryer, and it was obvious that I was dropping quickly. In a short mile I was at the “peak trail” on the south side of Y mountain. The trail was marked by a carving in a birch tree, and other carvings in the trees evidenced BYU students frequenting the route. From that point on, I dropped quickly. The canyon was steep, and I was surprised when suddenly the valley opened below me; the heat from the valley hit me at the same time, a reminder that I was in a desert where a stream-cooled valley was the exception rather than the rule.

20 minutes of rocky descent later, I came to the top of the Y. A couple of pre-teens sat on the benches at the top, hardly paying attention to the dirty, sweaty, towel-toting girl who dropped down on them to reapply her sunscreen and pound some snacks before trudging off down the hill. From the top of the Y to the parking lot, every switchback was numbered with a sign. I dropped from over 6000’ to just under 5200’ in those 1.1 miles, and was grateful for the water refill at the bottom. Just over a half hour in the sun was enough to leave me with empty water containers and a pounding headache. The final mile and a half along old Lake Bonneville was surprisingly difficult. The sun was behind me and my water bottle refilled, but every little uphill climb over a mountain toe made me stop for a breather. The heat was getting to me! I finally rolled back to the car 3 hours and 45 minutes after leaving. That’s well below my average hiking pace (see the Mt Baker hike from last week, which took about the same time!), but it was worth the slog. I’d gone out looking for adventure, and an adventure I got!

The view of Provo from half way down the valley

If you ever find yourself in Provo and in need of a cool drink, I highly recommend Peace on Earth Cafe. They make a mean cold brew, have house kombucha, and a few brews on tap... as well as add-ons if you like your coffee dirty. Who knew I'd find a great work/study space in Provo with both caffeine and booze!