The Wellsvilles: Mountains Best Hiked in Pants

So August hasn't been all that productive for me. Currently I'm waiting for my professor to acknowledge my existence and email me back (I really do like her, it's just frustrating how busy she always is). However, August has also been quite enjoyable. First, my Lizzy and my girlies came up to visit me, which was wonderful. We went to get ice cream and to the zoo. Plus we also got fast food. Awesome.
It was kind of difficult to fit the four of us sisters in the same picture, but we managed it getting ice cream (doesn't Courtney look cute, I never look that cute eating), and then found an easier way outside the Eccles Conference Center (I often check myself out in these mirrors, but I always look wind blown when I do because I keep moving to make it look like I'm not checking myself out. Anyways). I was really excited to show my family the zoo, because I like it so much. Everyone was quite entertained by the monkeys, even Tyler. I'm glad we have one photo of him enjoying animals, because it seems he's kind of scared of them in general (really Liz, you thought he would enjoy a house full of chickens. No one likes to be in a chicken coop).

Once I gave up on being productive I started a new go hiking whenever I feel like it tradition. First I hiked the Crimson Trail up Logan Canyon on a particularly blah Monday. It wasn't a really difficult hike, but it was a good opportunity to test out my new tripod (which is bendy and tons of fun), and the hike runs along the China Wall (a really cool looking bit of cliff that runs through a good portion of the canyon). I also ran into some vegetation that reminded me of being a hobbit, because the leaves were so big (I am such a dork, it never ever stops. I get around big plants and automatically think: Gee, this is like being in the Shire.)

This last week I finally made it to the Wellsvilles. They're the mountains between Logan and Brigham City. Every time I drive through the canyon I think that I should hike them, so I actually did accomplish something last week. The Wellsvilles are pretty steep mountains, and it was quite an ordeal getting to the top. However, the views from up there were absolutely phenomenal. I could see the entire Cache Valley and most of the northern end of the Salt Lake Valley. Plus, the Wellsvilles are important bird observation areas. I saw a Broad Tailed Hummingbird and a Sharp-Shinned Hawk without the aid of binoculars. Awesome. Before I left for my hike I had read in two different places that the trail began in lush vegetation. In my mind lush vegetation is soft and inviting. However, in the Wellsvilles, lush just means big and impeading. I spend 1 1/2 hours hiking through vegetation up to my shoulders full of plants that were itchy and painful. Today was the first day I was able to shave my legs because they were full of those tiny scratches that shaving totally exacerbates. I should have worn pants. However, it was absolutely worth it, and I got down before the wind storm that came through that night really got started.
This is what I anticipated when I heard about the lush vegetation (by the way, does anyone know if this vine is invasive, because it is pretty intense here).
This is what lush vegetation looks like in real life.
And here's tree I really likes. I just think that trees that can grow on the top of windy mountains are interesting. Plus they're always really old. Cool.

So, that's how I've spent my month. I'll have to tell y'all later about my mink exploits (just so you know, mink are evil, and I do not like them).