Day 86: Bridal Veil Falls

The last Saturday before Cat started school and before we moved into the house we would be renting for the next 8 months, we did a fun family hike.  Bridal Veil Falls is a beautiful pair of waterfalls in Provo Canyon just about 15 minutes from our apartment.  Ben and I were both excited about it, but Cat did not want to go hiking.  (I think she just had bad memories of "long" hikes in the heat while we were at Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon during the family reunion in July.)  She was complaining before we even left, so I decided we needed an attitude-adjuster.  No, I'm not talking about a rolling pin or a belt.  I'm talking about an incentive.  So as we were loading up the car, I ran back up to our apartment and grabbed a few sweets.  I didn't show anyone, but announced that everyone who had a good attitude for the entire hike up to the falls would get a surprise at the top.

Boy did they have a good attitude!  Nobody whined or complained the whole time, which of course helped everyone have a great time.  The hike consisted of an easy walk on a paved walkway up to the trailhead, then a pretty steep climb, which involved a fair amount of scrambling, up to the lower waterfall.  It was really fun for all of us, but challenging enough for me that I couldn't carry a little kid and hike at the same time.  So Ben ended up carrying Eliza while he had Jack in the backpack.  Maybe it's time to get another backpack!

Walking up the paved path to the trail.

Cat loved getting to push Eliza in the stroller.

As we were walking we saw this lady riding her bike with a small dog behind her.

Notice the dog's pink helmet.

Our first view of the falls.  So pretty!

Ben had Jack in the backpack pretty much the whole time.

Testing out the water.... brrrrr!  SO COLD!

Almost at the base of the lower waterfall, 

after ditching the stroller and scrambling up the mountain.

The view from the base.

We did it!

A few people who had no desire to maintain a normal body temperature waded into the splash zone where the waterfall was coming down.  As for us, we were not tempted to get wet.  At all.

Cat looking at the waterfall as she enjoyed her good attitude reward (a mini fruit roll-up).

Why is it so difficult to take a family picture and have everyone look toward the front?  I'm not even talking about smiling, here.  Just looking at the camera would be nice.  We usually have one hold-out and we never know which child it's going to be.

On the way back to the car, Cat and Jack both wanted to push Eliza in the stroller.

Hiking up to the fall and back didn't take as long as we thought it would so we decided to tack a little geocaching onto the excursion.  There was a cache across the street from the parking lot, so we went straight there and had fun hunting.  We'd been looking in a small forested area for a little while when Cat said, "Mom, look in that tree behind you!" and sure enough, the cache was right there.  Such a smart girl.

Jack looking for "treasure."

The trinket Cat chose to keep from this cache?

A handcuff key.

Eliza was only in it for the apricots.

Final verdict?

A morning well spent.