100 Hikes in Utah Video Blog

For the past year or so I have wanted to produce a video blog. I wanted do something with an outdoor theme, but in a news-desk-type format. I bought an external mic, I built a homemade tele-prompter, I even shot an episode last winter. But, I could never quite get things together.

I fount this video of Ira Glass that inspired me. He was speaking to me. I have great taste, I have ambitions of creating great videos, but I know I'm in the "gap" he refers to.



So in the spirit of closing the gap, I've produced---and published---my first video podcast. My co-author Steve and I just launched 100hikesinutah.com, a video podcast where we talk about the trails we put in our book, share some of the experiences we had, and show a handful of extra pictures that weren't in the book. Our first episode is about Horseshoe Canyon in Canyonlands National Park.

It hurts just a little to see myself on film, but I'm hoping it helps move me along so I can produce something equal to my taste. You can view the site here:

www.100hikesinutah.com

100 Hikes in Utah Photo - Zions Narrows

Photo by Steve Mann.

The Narrows at Zions National Park are truely amazing. I remember vividly our trip down Orderville Canyon, which empties into the narrows. It was the last weekend in October that permits could be obtained. It was Sunny when we started, but by the time we reached the narrows it was overcast and very cold. The wetsuits helped, but swimming wasn't any fun that day. I remember walking down the narrows with our wetsuits, packs, and ropes and having everyone just kind of stare. I'm sure they were thinking, "what a bunch of nut jobs." However, I saw the climbers on their porta-ledges and was reminded that there will always be someone more nuts than me.

100 Hikes in Utah Photo - Zebra Canyon

Photo by Steve Mann.

This hike can be found on page 197 of 100 Hikes in Utah.

100 Hikes in Utah Photo - Bull Valley Gorge

Photo by Steve Mann.

This photo was actually taken in Willis Creek while hiking the Bull Valley Gorge. (100 Hikes in Utah, pg. 146)

100 Hikes in Utah Photo - Quandary Canyon

Photo by Steve Mann.

Quandary Canyon was one of the hardest hikes we put in our book. I think we prefaced the discription with something to the effect of "if you don't know what you're doing here you may die." This is one of two pictures we took because we were so busy trying to get to the end. We had just put down our packs to get our our climbing shoe. Just out of sight downcanyon was nasty litle ledge we had to scale with no good protection.

100 Hikes in Utah Photo - Bucksking Gulch

Photo by Steve Mann.

When I was 14 my best friend's dad took us on a trip through Buckskin. It was my first real hiking adventure and the start of my love for hiking. The start of the hike through Wire Pass was mind blowing. Squeezing through the canyon, removing our packs in spots to get through, made the hike 100 times more adventurous than anything I had done to that point. Having the energy of 14 year olds, my friends and I hiked ahead of the group and placed rocks in the mud as stepping stones for the rest of the group. Eventually we came to a pool that was too deep for rocks. I'll always remember wading through the cold, stinky water. To me, this hike was epic and will always be on my list of favorite spots in Utah to visit.

100 Hikes in Utah Photo - Kolob Canyon, ZNP

Photo by Steve Mann. A description for this hike can be found on page 132.

100 Hikes in Utah Photo - Kolob Canyon, ZNP

Photo by Steve Mann. A description for this hike can be found on page 132.

Used 100 Hikes

A few weeks back I asked for pictures of 100 Hikes in Utah. My friend Tom and I discussed this on our hike in Chaco Canyon and I thought it would be cool. Tom posted this picture, you can tell the book is well used.

100 Hikes in Utah Photo - Uintas Trek 2

Photo by Steve Mann

Here is another from the High Uintas.

100 Hikes in Utah Photo - Uintas Trek 1

Photo by Steve Mann.

This photo was taken during a trip I was unable to make. I had a finals at school that week and was relagated to dropping them off and picking them up. Steve and a friend hiked the length of the Highline trail in just under 3 days. They were decked out in lightweight, "fast packing" gear.

I believe parts of their hike can be found in the High Uintas Trek description on page 41.

100 Hikes in Utah Photo - Upper Chimney Canyon

Photo by Steve Mann

This was a cool little canyon near the Chute of Muddy Creek. In fact, if I recall correctly, you can descend from Upper Chimney all the way to Muddy Creek if you have enough rope. A hike description can be found on page 164.

100 Hikes in Utah Photo - Dark Canyon

Photo taken by Steve Mann.

This is me taking a dip in a pool toward the bottom of Dark Canyon near Lake Powell. The description for this hike can be found on page 255.

100 Hikes in Utah Photo - Little Hole

When Steve Mann and I turned in the pictures for our book, 100 Hikes in Utah, the publisher was very impressed with the quality of the photos. So much so that they wanted to change the book to be a part of their 100 Classic Hikes series that had all-color photography. However, because the marketing department said Utahans are too cheap to pay for a color book (They're right, we are) we had to go back to black and white.

Most of the photography in the book was done by Steve. I found an old CD that had a bunch of pictures that didn't make the book, so with his permission, I'm going to share them with you.

The Little Hole trail description can be found on page 49. Enjoy.

"100 Hikes" Discounted

I just noticed that "100 Hikes in Utah" is discounted on Amazon.com. If you're looking for a copy, now would be a good time to pick one up. I don't think I can even get them directly from Mountaineers for that price.