Now that I am back home in Hurricane for a few weeks, I have been in need of something to do. I spend my time helping out around the house with yard work, reading some interesting books, preparing for the GRE, volunteering with the Forest Service and Division of Wildlife Resources, and going on more adventures. A life-long friend from next door invited me on a backpacking trip with him and his cousin. Starting at the Oak Grove Campground on Pine Valley Mountain, we made the long climb up into the wilderness area. We arrived late that evening and set up camp along the upper ridge. It was a colder night than expected, however the stars above and city lights below were magnificent. That morning we experienced one of the most spectacular wake up views in all of Southern Utah. The first image was taken while I was still in my sleeping bag trying to stay warm. After getting up and moving, we did a little more hiking around on top and somehow missed the trail up to Signal Peak, which is the highest point in Washington County. It was surprising to me how many mushrooms we passed along the trails and in the meadows. I must have seen a dozen different kinds. Unfortunately, I do not know enough about mushroom taxonomy to identify the various species. It was an fun trip and I am glad that I was able to go and see new places.
The land around us has many unique and wonderful components, like pieces that fit together and form the incredible world around us. I am excited to travel to Costa Rica this winter and take part in saving a piece of this planet. Sea Turtles are in dire need of help and I am able to contribute in a big way to their conservation. That is the next step in my journey as a biologist and it begins on October 1st.
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