Come Up To The Mountain

I’m blessed to live in the Rockies, and I particularly love living in the shadow of two beautiful mountains. This afternoon Mr. Mo and I set our sights on enjoying one of those mountains for another “training hike”. We ended up having our stamina really tested, but we also enjoyed some stunning vistas, and beautiful surprises on our journey.

It’s been unseasonably warm here in northern Utah, and today was a record-breaker. It’s only February 7, and the temperature reached 70° Fahrenheit this afternoon! Due to so many warm days this past week, the snow and ice has been rapidly melting on the mountain trails and we really lucked out on being able to climb so far and so high today.

We’ve lived in Bountiful for 10 years now, and I’m almost embarrassed to admit we have never hiked the Sessions Mountain Trail (which has its trail-head less than a mile from our house) – until today. (Glad to finally lay that shame to rest!) This is a wickedly steep and pretty difficult trail, especially if you take the road to the right when you reach the fork, about 200 feet from the trail head. (hint: “choose the left” – your calves and glutes will thank you!)

Here is a slide show of some photos from our climb.

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Today we climbed approximately 1800 vertical feet to an elevation of 7,000 feet above sea level. The trail goes on and on for many more miles, but once we reached the snow-pack we decided that was as far as we were going for the day. I took a quick moment to film the incredible vista, which I posted on my Instagram. [hint: click the photo to start the video. Note it keeps looping until you click it again]

When we finally descended, we decided to take a different route – not wanting to attempt the steep grade in reverse – and we enjoyed the chance to overlook the beautiful Bountiful Utah LDS Temple. Interestingly enough, there are 3 solid benches that someone has installed at the overlook point. One of them is dedicated to young woman who died at age 16. We didn’t know her, but we feel sorry for her loss. We really appreciated these benches after our long and arduous climb. Now that we have discovered this lovely site, we will definitely return again very soon!

At the beginning of this post I mentioned that I live in “the shadow of two beautiful mountains.” One of those mountains we physically climbed today where we go to commune with nature, and the other we symbolically recognize as the “Mountain of the Lord” – a holy and beautiful temple dedicated to God, where we go to commune with heaven.

Isaiah saw the mountain of the Lord’s house established in the top of the mountains in the latter days, and he named the latter days, when they would say:

“Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:3)

Here is a song for you to enjoy, inspired by Isaiah’s prophesy, “The Mountain of The Lord”. – MoSop

THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD – Song by Doug Walker, performed by Jenny Jordan Frogley

There is a place on earth where I can touch heaven,
Where I can leave the world, remember who I am.
Where I can stand on holy ground
Where peace and comfort can be found.
A sacred part of truth restored
There at the mountain of the Lord.

Inside His holy house there lies the power to bind
In heaven as on earth, the family of mankind.
God’s work on earth and beyond the grave,
So many souls, He wants to save.
I will be part of these truths restored
There at the mountain of the Lord.

So let us go up and he will teach us his ways.
We will walk in his paths to the end of our days.
There is safety inside and power to spare
That come from the promises we make there.

If hallowed walls could speak that scenes have they beheld.
Angels and heavenly hosts, the Savior, God, himself.
Yet to this place, He lets me go. Commune with Him, and fill my soul.
And something strikes the familiar chord
There at the mountain of the Lord.
“There at the Mountain of the Lord”