We head out this morning to explore
. We start with Valley of the Gods, a smaller scale Monument Valley. 17 miles of narrow gravel road wind through a field of redrock formations. Shadows and colors are beautiful in the morning light.
Then Kent gets some really “fun” driving. We head up Moki Dugway, a steep switchback-rich climb up onto Cedar Mesa. We made this drive years ago but it is still exciting. The road is steep and hangs on the edge of the cliffs but is in pretty good shape and the traffic is light. Views are fantastic. Once up on the plateau we head for Muley Point for even more amazing vistas. To the south we see as far as Monument Valley. To the North are the snow-capped La Sal mountains over 70 miles distant. Just below us is a bird’s eye view of Valley of the Gods and the longest entrenched meander in North America. The San Juan River moves less than 2 miles toward the Colorado in 6 miles of twists and turns in a canyon over 1000 feet deep.
We make a quick stop at the Bears Ears Educational Center for local recommendations on drives, trails, and interesting sites. Armed with marked up maps we are set for the next several days of exploring.
Utah starts off through a wide valley of rolling desert scrub. By mid-way through the trip, red sandstone formations begin to appear on the landscape. As we move on, gigantic monoliths and delicate spires become more and more common. Soon we find ourselves in the middle of Monument Valley. It is awesome. We have to stop at Forest Gump Point for a quick selfie of course then its on to Hat Rock near the town of Mexican Hat and finally our new home. We are at Cottonwood RV in Bluff for next few days.
bed of Wahweap Creek is a collection of cool looking, odd shaped, gravity defying towers. Dakota Sandstone caps sit atop towers of Entrada Sandstone that the powers of wind and water have carved free from surrounding cliffs. Around the spires are mounds that resemble melted candles and recesses filled with intricate shapes and curtains created as waters recede and evaporate redepositing rock. At our feet in the flow channels of the creek-bed, the last vestiges of floodwaters have carved what looks like miniature versions of the canyon features all around us.
It has been on Kent’s bucket list a few years now to see Antelope Canyon. We have seen some spectacular pictures and want to see the real thing. The slot canyon is on Navajo land and access is by guided tour only, not our typical way to see great works of nature. Today is the day. Step one, load up onto bench seats in the back of a pickup and bounce along a dry wash for 15 minutes or soIt is early so still cool and we are a smallish group, 10 total, rather than the 14 in many of the trucks. Not a bad ride, then here we are. There are rows of tour trucks and vans. How on earth do they manage this many people through this little canyon? Our guide, Craig gathers us together and
chats ‘til our turn to enter. From the outside the canyon is really not very impressive, just a dark, narrow-topped opening in a dull brown rock face. Just a couple feet in and we are surrounded by multicolored, swirling patterns in smooth stone. I took a ton of pictures. None do it justice. With each step the view changes with more or less light and wider or narrower pathways. We didn’t get the noon time tour that is known for its spectacular sunlight beam down through the chamber but our guide did great pointing out cool views and perspectives and taking pics for us all. Go if you can. It is a unique and wonderous experience. They really handled the multitudes very well.
canyon cascade from cliffs high above the canyon floor. Airy, windblown falls pool on rock benches along the rock walls creating cool oases for wildlife and hiker. Today we check out the three emerald pools across from Zion Lodge. There are lots of steps and some steep ramp sections but this is a cake walk of a hike compared to West rim out of the canyon. We see up close the huge impact of water on this whole ecosystem, enjoy great canyon views, and even find a bench to sit and watch some climbers.
were advised to check at Big Bend along the shuttle route for a possible sighting. Good advice. We spot a pair roosting on a cliff ledge then effortlessly riding the thermals to high above the canyon walls. Hooray!
waterfall cascades off the high pour-off adding to the usual dripping spring in the alcove. It is a spectacular addition.
above the canyon floor. Black, crumbly ‘A’a lava, spewed intermittently from long silenced volcanoes, caps some cliffs and litters the canyon beneath. It has affected erosion of the softer stone beneath it creating unexpected shapes. It’s sharp, loose-underfoot debris makes walking a challenge where ever it collects. We check out The Pioneers Names cliff…dates written in an alcove of the cliff with what they believe is axel grease date back to the 1870s. Must have been quite the journey through here back then. We hike about 3 ½ miles getting close up looks of formations and great overlook views of the entire canyon.
from these enormous formations are the tiny crater-like shapes in the dust at our feet. Equally awesome! This is where it sprinkled rain last night.
Now for the truck hookup: there is lots of double checking and we even have the owners’ manual out. We got it. 10:30 AM and we are on our way.
When we arrived at Tindi we traded our lower 48 winter gear for the real thing. Seems part of the “wilderness float(ski) plane” rules require everyone to be in Survival gear and here that means -35F. Our plane for the trip was a historic/legendary twin Otter. Before we boarded the aft of the plane was loaded with food and supplies for the lodge including fuel for the generator and snowmobiles.
Each year volunteers construct an ice castle and figures on the lake. The only non-ice items I saw were a couple of wooden doors. The Castle is open for the month of March then demolished and left to melt back into the lake during the spring thaw. An amazing community event.
The burros are here snacking on hay pellets now instead of carrots and decidedly less pushy than I recall. 