Welcome to Cache Valley - a special guest post by Scot Weaver

One of the fun things about the Internet is how small the world has become. Photographers from all over the world share their passion for their surroundings every day in cyberspace.  One of those "space" travelers is Scot Weaver.

I often post in the Cache Valley forum on Facebook, introduced to me by my long time buddy, Levi Sim. This is a wonderfully creative group of artists, most of whom live in one of the most beautiful areas of the United States. Well, after a comment on a blog post one day by Scot, I contacted him and made a special request asking him to share images and some of the history of Cache Valley.

I love the way he's shared the story of this area of Utah. To enjoy more of his images, visit his website. You'll also find him on Instagram as "scotweaver" and Twitter, "scotdweaver". Scot shared a short bio on his travels with a camera in his hand and I love what he wrote about his passion for his family and running.

For more than 20 years I have enjoyed making pictures. My travels around the world have inspired World Photo Creations. I’ve been fortunate to travel to Zanzibar, Australia, Kazakhstan, Tanzania, Germany, Dominican Republic, Czech Republic, England, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Singapore, Hong Kong, Egypt, Jordan, and more. Now residing in Cache Valley’s Wellsville, I've lived in Utah most of my life with brief stints in North Carolina, Texas, Switzerland, and Israel.
 
Besides travel and photography, my passion is running. I have run over 15 marathons and a handful of ultramarathons. Whether photographing or running, there’s nothing better than watching the sun rise from the top of a mountain. I also like to camp and hike and bike and cook. I am grateful to my wife, Lisa, and six children who support me in pursuing my passions.

I don't know about you guys, but Cache Valley is now at the top of my bucket list for 2016.  I spent a lot of time in Utah over the years hanging out with Don and Gary Blair, but never got to Cache Valley.  A BIG thanks to Scot for taking the time to give us a quick tour of his backyard.

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by Scot D. Weaver

​Whether under a blanket of fresh winter snow, green from the spring rains, or showing off the earthy colors of fall, northern Utah’s Cache Valley is a mecca for the outdoor enthusiast and photographer. Settled in 1855 by Mormon pioneers, Cache Valley is made up of largely agricultural small towns surrounding Logan, home of Utah State University—and its famous Aggie ice cream. But for many people including myself, the biggest draw to this mountain valley is the easy access to incredible mountains, trails, and scenery in almost any direction.

Main Street - Downtown Logan, Utah

Full Moon over Old Main, Utah State University, Logan, Utah

To the west of Cache Valley—and in my backyard—are the Wellsville mountains, widely reputed as the steepest mountains in the world. Originally known as Maughan’s Fort, Wellsville was the first settlement in Cache Valley, founded in 1856. Nestled in the far southwest corner of the valley, Wellsville is home the Rattlesnake trailhead, one of the few trails that lead to Box Elder Peak, the highest point in the narrow mountain range which is known as a popular site for monitoring raptors that migrate along the Wasatch Range in Utah.

Morning sun lights the Wellsville Mountains during fall

Storm clouds over the Wellsville Mountains

The Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest to the east of Cache Valley is the home of Logan Canyon, Green Canyon, Smithfield Canyon, Blacksmith Fork Canyon and more…a seemingly endless continuum of rivers, trails, and peaks. The aquamarine waters of Bear Lake—straddling the Utah-Idaho border—are one of the crown jewels of northern Utah and are just an hour’s drive up Logan Canyon.

Fall colors along the Blacksmith Fork River east of Hyrum, Utah

Whether your interests are hiking, camping, mountain biking, fishing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, or skiing, there are activities for every age and interest. The Limber Pine trail is a kid-friendly 1.3-mile loop with minimal elevation gain that takes you into a fantastic area of the forest with views of Bear Lake.

Afternoon stroll on the Logan River Trail

​If you’re looking to push your limits just a little more, the hike to Naomi Peak—the highest point in the mountains surrounding Cache Valley is only 3.3 miles from Tony Grove and the Crimson Trail climbs over 1,000 feet in just one mile. Both are worthy hikes but the views are stunning and well worth the effort.

The sun breaks in Blacksmith Fork canyon on a foggy winter morning

Sunrise Silhouette

The full moon sparkles in the snow above Cache Valley from Sardine Canyon

I’ve been fortunate enough to call Cache Valley home for nearly 20 years and don’t have any intention to change that anytime soon. For me, it is paradise—literally and figuratively. There is almost no end to the trails to the adventure accessible less than one hour from my front doorstep.

Falls on the Logan River

Images copyright Scot D. Weaver. All rights reserved.