Timpanogos - Rock Written

Once a year, for the last 10 years, I've made an annual pilgrimage to the top of Mount Timpanogos in Provo, Utah. Having grown up in the shadow of this towering mountain, it's always held a place in my heart. Somehow, it has represented comfort, strength, and beauty ever since I first saw it in 1966 when my family moved Wisconsin. Every time I return from a trip, I smile inside as this towering giant greets me as I swirl around her snow-capped crown in a jet or approach her green velvet robes in my car.

I even met my wife, Petrina, many years ago on the backside of Timpanogos at the artist resort, Sundance where she worked. I've skied there, studied film composing there, picnicked there, and hiked there. So deep is my emotion for this mountain that I composed a classical tone poem with a libretto I commissioned environmental author Terry Tempest Williams to write. It was recorded by the Utah Symphony Orchestra and Choir and premiered back in 1999.

Joining me on this year's pilgrimage was "victim" Michael Yei. Having climbed Kilimanjaro with him, I knew he was up to the task. The route I take is not for the faint of heart - especially the first couple of hours where we climbed straight up 6000 feet through thick scrub oak and loose rock skree with no visible path but only the North Peak of Timp as our guide.

We began with head lamps illuminating out way at @6:30 a.m. If all wend well we would arrive at the first summit at 9:00 a.m. Both of us are in good climbing shape and arrived even earlier at 8:30. Michael has a bit of vertigo - surprising for an active mountain climber - so we didn't tarry long, but continued to climb one peak after the next.

Along the way we encountered the "old men" of the mountain - the Rocky Mountain sheep. I almost bumped into one as I rounded a peak along the way. They usually don't get too concerned because they've never been hunted by man. So he just watched me cautiously as I quietly passed by him.

The wind was whipping us ragged with the wind chill at about 40 degrees, so we decided to make our stay on top short and quickly get to the east side of the mountain where we'd be sheltered. Of course - that also meant that we'd run into a host of other climbers ascended the more usual Timpanooke route. However - seeing the stunningly beautiful autum foliage and meeting a couple of gracious fans made the crowded trail more palatable.

I'll never tire of this hike and plan on repeating it once a year until I "climb it one way" some year.

"My highest thoughts - rock written" Terry Tempest Williams
(from my orchestral tone poem Timpanogos: A Prayer for Mountain Grace)

[If you'd like to buy a copy of Timpanogos: A Prayer for Mountain Grace]



Meeting a young fan, Josh, on the way down