Alpine Reflections

We Be settled into site # 13 in Deer Creek State Park, at almost 6,000 feet at the base of the Wasatch Mountains, near Heber City, Utah. Mount Timpanogos, an 11,000 ft. ridge of limestone and granite, looms above us on the west; Deer Creek Reservoir, going down daily, sparkles clean and blue just below us. (One would hope it sparkles clean and blue, as it is referred to as “culinary water.”)

We’re not mapping the park we’re staying in, we’re mapping the larger, more popular Wasatch Mountain State Park, 15 miles away. The sites at Wasatch are smaller and tucked in the trees (no phone or computer service), so they put us up at Deer Creek. It doesn’t make much difference in driving time to Heber City, pop. about 7,000, to do our job.

Heber City is a typical little Mormon town, clean, with wide streets & brick buildings. Friday afternoon we stood on the sidewalk and watched the homecoming parade for the local Wasatch Wasps (bzz-boom-bah!). The Wasatch homecoming queen led the parade in an open convertible, albeit with an umbrella. The opposing teams royalty were rather rudely stuffed into the trunk of a hatchback near mid parade, six legs poking out of pouffy skirts. The band was pretty good and we were impressed by a scooter brigade, plus a classy team of girls on unicycles (black velvet pants and gold lame tops -bzzz). We loved it.

Heber City retains its swiss heritage. The sheep dog championship is held on Labor Day, in conjunction with Swiss Days. Midway, a very small town on the way to Wasatch Mountain S.P., is even more alpine looking. some buildings have a cupola with little dancing figures coming out ala cuckoo clocks. Midway also has an influx of money showing up in huge, chalet style home, plus multiple surrounding enclaves of smaller chalet style homes.

This is very interesting country, geologically. Much younger than the Wasatch Mountains, the high hills leading up the mountains appear to me to be very organic. Rounded, with no trees, the humps resemble knees and hips. Come around a corner and . . . oops, the two hips are sandy breasts. Vine maple and a little dark green scrub oak cover some of the hills and the colors are the beautiful gummy-bear colors of fall.

A rump and two knees away is Park City, a compact little community tucked in a Wasatch crack. Park City oozes money. Sun Valley looks shabby in comparison. The luxury homes are built on hills and very in-your-face rich, perhaps because the geography makes them very obvious.

Evidence of the 2002 Olympics is everywhere. Soldier Hollow, venue for the cross country and biathlon events is near where we are staying. Posters and photos are all over in stores and restaurants.

The valley and the surrounding mountains are very beautiful. Dave took a bike ride to the hamlet of Wallsburg today (where they put luminaries on all the graves at Christmas), and I walked to Sailboat Beach, a long finger of Deer Creek Reservoir. Surrounded by the beauty of a bluebird day, warm enough for a t shirt, I was reminded of the importance of taking the time to smell the roses, or the sage, and just enjoy the beauty. I read something recently that pointed out how we tend to measure everything, find our happiness in terms of accomplishment, the doing of our lives. Beauty is good for our souls, because it just is.

“We have the capacity to feel wonderful and expansive, not because we have met our goals for the month or because we have accomplished something big, but just because we are alive. Beauty reminds us of that”

Love to all,

Sam