Quarry.
Little Cottonwood is a shorter wider canyon than Big Cottonwood. The differences are visible right away as the granite cliffs tower over the road as soon as you enter the Little Cottonwood.
At the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon is the little known Temple Quarry Nature Hike. Here you see Smith and Camille checking out the two large stones left by the quarrymen of the 1850s. This Quarry site is where granite stones were harvested for the Salt Lake Temple and the Utah State Capital. The stone is actually Quartz monzonite which is very similar to granite but has a different ratio of Quartz to feldspar minerals (granite contains more Quartz). The quarried stone on the right shows the layers of Quartz clearly visible between the outer smooth surfaces. Scroll to the bottom of this site to see a good picture of the Quarry in action. The picture below shows finger size holes along the edge of a stone where the quarrymen drilled in metal shafts along a natural crack. The shafts would act as wedges so that when the stone was hit with a sledge hammer it would cleave along that line. (This is a bit of an oversimplification but you get the idea, right?)
The nature trail is a short hike, but it's mostly shaded and runs along a dry creek bed that is still full of glacial stones. After spending too much time looking for the trail we found it right where we started...to the right off the parking lot. (Don't ask.) But, it was a nice day to be outdoors and we had had a hearty breakfast at the Fork Lift Restaurant in Snowbird beforehand. My Trekking Sock came along on the journey and I even found time for some extreme knitting.
Today is Susan’s birthday. She's away for a family vacation, but you could still leave her a Happy Birthday comment.
excellent Q.
Posted by: maryse | August 21, 2006 at 05:27 AM
Excellent indeed! Love the tree pic too.
Posted by: Lucia | August 21, 2006 at 06:04 AM
the pic of you in the cottonwood is wonderful, both long limbed.
Posted by: Judy | August 21, 2006 at 06:14 AM
Geesh, would you look at those gams?
Posted by: Kathleen | August 21, 2006 at 06:34 AM
I love the tree picture. I used to love to climb trees andread there. Now I see that they are the perfect setting for knitting as well.
Posted by: hillary | August 21, 2006 at 06:38 AM
One Question....when is the Quiz?
Posted by: Marcia | August 21, 2006 at 07:21 AM
This post is Quintessential Margene!
; )
Posted by: Vicki | August 21, 2006 at 07:44 AM
You have the best weekends!
I'm picturing one of the boyz at the bottom of the tree, barking. ;-)
Posted by: Beth S. | August 21, 2006 at 08:17 AM
Thanks for the heads up about Susan. I swear, it seems like you plan some of your trips around the abc along. And why not? Perfect Q.
Posted by: julia fc | August 21, 2006 at 08:30 AM
You come up with the BEST ideas!
Posted by: Norma | August 21, 2006 at 08:37 AM
Man, it must be so nice to live so close to so many beautiful places to visit!
Posted by: Jenny | August 21, 2006 at 08:53 AM
Beautiful Qs, as usual, Margene! Thank you!
Posted by: Kristi aka Fiber Fool | August 21, 2006 at 09:00 AM
Due to M's recent illness, we weren't able to get over to Marble to the quarry there. I am glad someone had a Quarry for Q!
Posted by: Cathy | August 21, 2006 at 09:18 AM
Lovely! makes me homesick for the canyon...
Posted by: caroline | August 21, 2006 at 09:26 AM
I always learn something from your blog, Margene. What a great story for "Q"! Knitting up in a tree - that is a new one!
Posted by: peg | August 21, 2006 at 09:29 AM
Awesome quarry pictures, you tree climber, you!
Posted by: Carole | August 21, 2006 at 09:33 AM
Bautiful Q! That extreme knitting looks dangerous.
Posted by: Karen | August 21, 2006 at 09:58 AM
I've always been fascinated with the process the used to build the temple (I heard once that there is no mortar, but it's held together by the weight of the stones--crazy, huh?). It would be fun to see the quarry where it all started! Glad you got some good trekking in!
Posted by: Kim | August 21, 2006 at 10:12 AM
Good Q's.........
Hope you didn't fall out of that tree!
Posted by: christine | August 21, 2006 at 10:43 AM
What an educational Q! I love the tree pose.
Posted by: Birdsong | August 21, 2006 at 10:51 AM
Margene, you are all leg! I'd LOVE to have your height! And I always like hearing about your hikes - you guys get around a lot. :)
Posted by: Patti | August 21, 2006 at 11:13 AM
Oh how fun! I know you must have been thinking of this as your Q post all year! I really need to do the ABC'along next year so I can plan ahead for day trips around our area!
Even though I got my yarn too late for the knitalong I'm going to be Trekking myself soon and using Mim's great Trekking sock pattern.
Your yarn and spindle and roving in the upper right photo are BEAUTIFUL Margene!!
Posted by: Laura | August 21, 2006 at 11:31 AM
I love that last picture!!!
Posted by: Scout | August 21, 2006 at 03:08 PM
How do you always get such wonderful picturess? It must come from living in a part of the country that is breathtaking. The midwest is nice, but we just don't have much breathtaking, although I do love my nearly daily any more cross across the Mississippi River.
Posted by: Rebekah | August 21, 2006 at 03:34 PM
What a great "Q," and it looks like you had a great trek :)
Posted by: lisa Co. Springs | August 21, 2006 at 05:16 PM