GOURMET Hike Report
12 hikers, 2 mountain bikers and 4 well behaved dogs met at 9AM on Saturday, June 19 for a gourmet hike up Wilson Peak. Perfect weather, hearty appetites and excellent food were all in abundance.

Leaving the trailhead below Guardsman Pass, we meandered up the mountainside chatting, admiring the views of the Uinta and Wasatch Ranges and appreciated balsamroot, Indian paintbrush and larkspur.

We are all very surprised when a 5 foot bull snake tried to join our group on the trail.

Just as tummies started to rumble we arrived at the summit overlooking the Heber Valley.

Everyone brought a delicious dish to share.  Leslie Smoot, Midway resident and health gourmet chef shared and astec quinoa salad laced with seasonal vegetables. Other fresh salads, curried chicken, asparagus, cookies, lettuce wraps and other delicacies rounded out the menu.  After all that eating we were fortunate to retreat downhill to the trailhead.  Special thanks to FOW member Dayna Stern who planned this hike and Mickey Oksner and Leslie Smoot for her assistance.

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                                   Friends Member Dinner

It’s amazing how a few fresh flowers and table clothes can change a rough room into a beautiful dining room.

And, what a great party! Over seventy-five members attended. Due to cold weather we squeezed into the yurt for our social hour and appetizers.  We moved to the Visitor’s Center for our main course; shredded pork from Tommy’s a local restaurant. A wonderful array of side dishes and desserts completed the meal.

As soon as we were all seated with a plateful of goodies, our President, Marianne Wicks lead the program. She introduced FOW member Dayna Stern who invited all to participate in the Gourmet Hike on Saturday, June 19. Board member Don Taylor reported on the new trail at the campground completed on National Trails Day. Park Naturalist Wendy Wilson and Assistant Park Manager Tracy See explained the new trail plan that the park and FOW want to focus on for the next 5 years.

Marianne shared a program for FOW to purchase apple trees that were grafted from the historic apple orchard at Huber Grove and Orchard.

The evening ended with a great opportunity drawing.  Two of our members won very nice wine baskets; others won rounds of golf or bags of candy donated by the park.

We want to extend a very special thank you to our board membership directors Judy Huhn and Carol Link.  They made the event the success that it was.