Souvenirs From The Road: First Time Tent Camping Since 1980!

I remember it like it was just yesterday. I was 6 months pregnant. We pitched a tent close to my Aunt Ruby and Uncle Earl at Lake Somerville. We had a great time fishing, but I was just coming off of 5 months of morning sickness carrying Liz. I coveted the a/c in Aunt Ruby's trailer. But I survived. Vowing to never tent camp again.

So why are we tent camping when we have a really awesome home in a really nice fifth wheel? Well, there are tons of places to explore around our "new home" and most of these places won't allow, nor do we want to even try, pulling our fifth wheel. So the easy solution is to pitch a tent somewhere cooler, meaning higher elevation, maybe on Boulder Mountain or in the Henry Mountains. For our first time, getting back in the groove, we chose Boulder Mountain. Now the problem is there are so many places to choose from...... By the way, Boulder Mountain is the only mountain in the lower 48 completed covered with timber.

Tucked the tent away in the pines the first night.

We decided to head to Lower Bowns Reservoir. Highly recommended from our new ranger friends for fishing. We found a spot in a dispersed campsite (means no charge) and set the tent up in (believe it or not) a rain shower. Go figure. But we have an awesome tent so no worries. We walk to the lake, talk to folks fishing for the good scoop on how to fish here and then head back to camp to wait for it to cool off. In the meantime here come the Boy Scouts......need I say more? We didn't catch any fish but everyone around us sure did. We learned. And totally had a blast watch the scout masters flip their canoe over!

Lower Bowns Reservoir

Sunset over Boulder Mtn.

Lots of geese here

Good fishing spot!

So during the night we figured out the air mattress has a leak. Not so good. And it was hot when we got up, even though we are 8000' feet. So decided to pack it up and head for the other side of the mountain. OMG!!!

The CCC, created by FDR, built a road now known as Hells Backbone to connect the towns of Boulder and Escalante here in Utah. Now these guys had some balls, pardon my expression. One of the prettiest drives we have ever been on. Now they built this bridge, named Hell's Backbone Bridge. The CCC felled two tall, straight pines. After leveling them off topside they placed them across this backbone of rock and secured them in place. When the bulldozer and compressor were needed on the south side of the chasm, a local man, Lorrel "Sixty" McInelly, agreed to drive the bulldozer, pulling the coompressor across the backbone on the two pine logs. With a safety rope tied around his mid-section, Sixty slowly inched the dozer out onto the logs and across the backbone while onlookers held their breath and silently prayed. The pictures don't really show the depth (and beauty) here.

Looking off the bridge that was built in 1933.

Another view from the bridge

The bridge was rebuilt in the 60s when it got too rickety.

Looking down.....

Score! We found what we call a perfect spot to pitch a tent. A forestry service campground called Blue Spruce. Our site backs up to Pine Creek. Beautiful noise, and a fresh pine tree smell. Cozy campfire and a great happy hour! Of course, elevation is high so we might be breathing a little harder! We are living the dream for sure! (Not to mention taking showers out in the wide open campground....).