A Field Trip to Timp Cave

Two weeks ago, my daughter's class went to Timpanogas Cave National Monument on a field trip. It's a challenging hike to get there and I was a little worried about her making it so I decided to go with her in case she needed help.

But in order to go on the field trip, I had to get fingerprinted! It cost me $55 and about an hour to go to the district office and get this done. I found it very annoying but the district has decided to require all school volunteers to do this so I didn't really have a choice.

We took the bus to the visitors' center in American Fork Canyon and I ended up sitting next to a woman of Armenian heritage. It was cool to talk to her about Armenia with my son being there.

Next we hiked up to the cave. The hike is 1.5 miles with an elevation gain of about 1000 feet. It was a warmish day but we were in the shade for most of the hike so that helped a lot.

As soon as we got there, we started our tour:

This is called a column when a stalactite and a stalagmite have met to make one formation.

Camille and her friend Sarah

This large stalactite is called the Heart of Timpanogas.

In the background you can see two formations that will eventually become a column but it will probably take 100 years to grow the few inches necessary to join together.

It's pretty hard to tell from this picture but the rare formation that makes this cave a National Monument is shown in this picture. They are called helictites and they're little curlicue, spiral stalactites.

In the background you see American Fork Canyon opening into Utah Valley.

This is just part of Camille's class that went on the hike. I think there are 23 kids in her class.

It was a tiring field trip and Camille would have been okay without me but I was glad I could be there.

Comments

Our Cousin Drew

This last week, my brother and his wife lost a very precious son, just 13 years old. He collapsed while running with a cross-country team and passed away before he could be revived. Everyone that knew Drew is broken-hearted at this loss. He was the happiest, most agreeable kid we knew. I remember him being at my house without anyone close to his age to hang out with, so he found our Duplo blocks and started building even though it is a toy that boys his age don't usually enjoy. He was so content. He didn't complain that I ever remember. His mother always called him the perfect child. He will leave a big hole in not only his immediate family but our extended family as well. Here is a poem my aunt shared that seems fitting: Leave Taking How I would have liked to wave goodbye and watch until you turned and smiled and disappeared on the horizon. You who taught me to dance and let me teach you, who laughed at my stories and winked at me when I was sad. I can just see you trav

Remembering Drew

This weekend we celebrated Drew's life. On Thursday night, we gathered as an extended family and had a dinner then sat in a big circle and talked about our memories of him. I took some notes and here is what people said. Grandpa (Gary Hansen): The last time we saw Drew was last week on the 4th. I remember all the cousins on the trampoline, bouncing up and down and playing basketball. Grandma (Susan Hansen): I asked Drew to come over last winter to teach my Activity Day boys how to make origami stars. He was very patient in working with them even though they were pretty clueless. Eventually they all went home happily with their stars. Paula: This last winter we invited Bruce and Michelle over for dinner and we didn't have anyone his age for him to hang out with. I remember that Drew found the Duplo blocks on his own and played with them all by himself, quite cheerfully entertaining himself. I asked him if he wanted to play with a different toy--maybe something more sophistica

Drew's Funeral

Yesterday was the viewing for Drew and then today was the funeral. There were a LOT of people at the viewing. Bruce and Michelle greeted people for almost four hours yesterday and then again this morning before the funeral. Bruce said that if weren't for Drew's death, it would be the best week of his life with so much love being shown to them. Friday actually began with a family run in Drew's honor. We started at a church by the new Lindon temple and ran to Bruce and Michelle's house with breakfast following. Friday night was the viewing. There was a very nice display of all things Drew. This was one of the pictures displayed and I recognized someone I know: We stood in line and the paramedics who worked on Drew stood in line behind us so we got to talk to them. Here's a fun fact: They cover both Orem and Vineyard but Vineyard gets a lot more 911 calls than Orem per capita. It's a younger population and they are quicker to call. They said it's hard when the

Search This Blog