W E S T E R N S o j o u r n
Utah Arizona Colorado
March thru May 2022
My journey will be a total refresh of all planes of existence; physical, mental, spiritual; an untethered free range voyage with minimal structure & infrastructure; a renewal of the soul.
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Bryce Canyon Nat. Park bowl of spires |
6,080 miles 55 camp nights 248 miles hiked
This is a Photo/Journal presentation using my Canon 90D DSLR and thoughts & experiences from my daily Journal writings
Day 1 March 23: I push out of the Twin Cities with the remnants of winter snapping at my tail on I90. 32° and 40 mph winds and slushy snow buck me into Dakota where I hit the cloud line at Mitchell as the temp rises to 46°. 780 miles later I'm basking in sun and 71 degrees in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
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CAR HENGE - Alliance Nebraska |
Scottsbluff National Monument was the beacon for the hardy souls traveling the Oregon Trail. The wagon wheels wore a rut 10 feet deep here. The Pony Express used the same route through here, stations were 10 miles apart.
It was a 10 day journey from St. Joseph Missouri to Sacramento, CA. The Pony Express operated only a year and a half, being usurped by the disruptive technology of the telegraph.
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Prairie Schooner on the Oregon Trail at Scottsbluff |
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Yampa River through Steamboat Springs, Colorado |
DINOSAUR Nat. Monument
Day 4 high 71° low 37°
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Bull Canyon Wilderness   Pictograph panel |
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Plug Hat Butte |
I ascend a ridge of silence broken only by whispers of wind in the Pinyons and the wings of Hawks on the hunt. The scarcity of rain lays bare the warped colorful geology of the land.
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| hardcore desert with 8" of annual precip massive repository of Dinosaur skeletons & bones |
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Split Mountain & the Green River COLORADO Nat. Monument |
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Douglas Pass - it's winter up here |
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Red Canyon - the silence of eons drifts up & out of the land; reflection & perspective are an easy get |
PHOTOBOMBING A WEDDING: "I drove a scenic loop past a large picnic area. I passed just as a large wedding party was posed and the photographer took the shot. Oops, everyone turned around to look at me passing through the background of their photo.
Several hours later a van with Minnesota plates pulled into my site. A young newly married couple got out of the van and said they noticed my Minnesota plate & wanted to talk a bit. She is a Teacher & he is an engineer, from Eagan - the suburb adjacent to me.
We yakked a bit and they gave me a parting gift of Dots pretzels & some doughnuts. I wonder if they'll notice it was my Minnesota van driving through the background of their wedding party photo."
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hike, look, listen, stop, sit, observe; let natures moving tapestry soak into you. This Desert Bighorn ram is munching on newly emerged spring grasses & Sage. |
'lotta mileage
sculpted Juniper
Sandstone
geo marker
take your cue from the animals as
they take their cue from you
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I sit on cliffs edge, 1,500 feet of silence straight down |
"On my sunset walk I ran into an old raggedly dressed man. He said he kept the grounds for Jack Nicolson's digs in Aspen (which he sold in 2013). The old man was a ski bum, also rode his bike from Washington to Montana.
He said Nicolson would wear an army jacket when skiing so he wouldn't be noticed." I always look to engage with hikers & campers, locals & fellow travelers. It is an interesting & educational endeavor that offers new perspectives.
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Monument Canyon to Grand Junction & the Colorado River & distant Book Cliffs; this is the extreme NE edge of the Colorado Plateau |
CANYONLANDS
Moab, Utah
Day 8 thru 18
Elevation: 5,095'
Highest temp: 81° Lowest 33°
sun sun sun
Island in the Sky district
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| CANYONLANDS National Park: world class other worldly landscape of color, shape, & form carved by the Colorado River, fronting the Chocolate Cliffs & snow capped 13k peaks of the La Sal Mountains |
8 mile wildcat off trail hike into the backcountry wilderness.
Grabens, Needles, La Sal Mtns
Solitude - Silence - Tranquility - Magnificence
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| CANDLESTICK TOWER |
gathered Pinyon & Juniper from BLM land
combustion sequence engaged
Pure joy in trekking across the desert
I take a seat on a sun soaked boulder
Reflect - Ponder - Live in the moment
The Green River carved a half mile deep serpentine canyon through rock to the confluence with the Colorado River a few miles downstream
Potholes carved out of Limestone fill with water providing for wildlife including Desert Bighorns, Coyotes, Lizards & Birds
Colorado River
miles of Mesa top rim hiking
always leads to discoveries & adventure
Landslide slopes, Colorado River, La Sal Mtns
I am based out of what used to be remote BLM wilderness land.
Now I port Sirius to my phone, get NRP, the I-net & the Weather band.
regardless, if you need anything it is a 80 mile round trip to Moab.
At dinner time I half expect a food truck & coffee cart to pull in with a mobile "build a bear" for the kiddos
the Night
the night is a peaceful time to sit by the fire and reflect on the day and log my experiences and thoughts into a journal. It is my time to enjoy the constellations spinning around the North Star of Polaris, view the Planets, be amazed by Meteor Showers & Eclipses.
After Midnight is especially tranquil; winds through the pine needles, abstraction of clouds drift across the sky; creeks and rivers gurgle across the landscape, owls hoot & coyotes and Wolves call.
Before kicking back there are the camp chores; unloading the cooler, get clothing ready for the cool nights, set up the bed, chop wood & set up the fire to cook. On this evening I'm making smoked pork chops and baked potatoes with sour cream and butter
wild Pinyon Pine branch on desert floor
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Indian Paintbrush ARCHES National Park   Courthouse Towers  |
sand piles up against monoliths
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| S k y l i n e A r c h Canyonlands Needles district |
2,000 year old Petroglyph panel at "Newspaper Rock"
glyphs etched by Anasazi, Fremont, & Navajo
Hiking on Mars
squeeze through this crack
8 mile rugged hike starts
with the stairway to pain
between 2 rock towers
I wildcat off trail to this stunning J.R. Tolkien landscape
the cadence of an off trail hike deep into the desert is the
metronome of freedom to the path of wonder & contemplation
it is a journey of discovery with all senses saturated
the silence is timeless
the landscape steadfast
the sun arcs across the sky
Raven wings swoosh overhead
Lizards scurry across the rock
360° blue sky
transformation is complete
I am at peace, in balance, complete
My outdoor style is luxury minimalist. I spend all of my waking time outside. I prefer minimal infrastructure. I can set up base camp or pack up and be on my way in 5 minutes.
"Leaving the people, noise, traffic, chores, tasks, & infrastructure of life is a transitional process much like the ocean tide ebbing in. Slowly, surely, the vestiges of civilization are pushed out by Nature, Wilderness, fire & sky. Now you can reach your Spirit & Soul and get to the root of your humanity."
Utah Hwy 95
The "Bicentennial Highway" completed in 1976 runs north 133 miles from Blanding, Utah to Hanksville through stunning Utah desert Wilderness.
Mind your supply chain criticals: Gas, Ice, Water
Sunday options in a Mormon town:
Prior to leaving Canyonlands Sunday morning I asked a Ranger about restaurant options in the town of Blanding; my critical resupply town.
"Blanding is a Mormon town, not much open Sundays she said. There is a combo bowling alley / gas station / A & W that's open" she flat lined. I said, "Really, that's a thing." It is.
Mormon Temple in Monticello, Utah
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| ABAJO Mountains Driving U.S. route 191 between Moab & Monticello is pure freedom; freedom of mind. I roll the window down and breath the Sage infused air. Nothing but blue sky and blank land horizon to horizon |
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| Devils Canyon N.F. camp |
The Specialness of an Ordinary Night in the ABAJO Mountains
Devils Canyon Nat. Forest camp
Manti-La-Sal Nat. Forest
Elevation 7,000'
Humidity 8%
"the Sun slides beneath the horizon into Civilian Twilight
4 Mule Deer forage through the nearby trees. Their large ears twitching this way & that as they acquire my presence; trotting off shortly after
an Owl calls from a nearby Pinyon as a flock of Turkeys gobble down the mountain behind my site
the patchy darkening sky is silent
a jagged diagonal band of clouds lights up pale yellow and then orange in the dying light. the edge of this cloud band follows the same angular edge of a Pinyon.
the sky gap between is robin egg blue; fading into a gray violet.
the Clouds vanish and this hole in the sky is filled with Orion the Hunter. My Pinyon, Juniper, & Cedar fire is hot & sweet
red & yellow rings form around the 9 day old Moon; the light softened the light softened by the filter of high thin Cirrus clouds
the Moon & Sun are my time pieces. A Moon cycle is 28 & 1/2 days; each quarter Moon is a week. The Suns position and angle in the sky tells me the time. I have no need to track time by any other means. I have a knack of ascertaining the time to within 7 to 11 minutes
after Midnight, the night cools from the days high of 47° to 32°. The fire coals out, radiating red light; Time marches forward to no concern of mine"
NATURAL BRIDGES Nat. Monument
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| Owachomo Bridge |
A natural bridge is carved out by moving water
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Sipapu Bridge  adjusted for +9° magnetic declination for Moab, at night I fine tune the arrow to Polaris. Past experiences provide the base line to Life, which guides us in our future direction |
The Bears Ears - centerpiece of the contentious National Monument of the same name on the SW edge of Cedar Mesa.
The Buttes are sacred to the Ute & Navajo who still hold spiritual ceremonies, collect Pinyon & Cedar wood, Pinyon nuts, & medicinal and food plants from the Mesa. Pinyon nuts are high energy with 830 calories to a cup.
High density of ancient dwellings, pots, artifacts - highly looted.
This land, like much of the West, was taken over my miners,
oil drill companies, cattlemen, & loggers
Halls Crossing marina on Lake Powell is 46 miles west of Utah 95. Couple trout fisherman, couple marina workers, and several deadly Brown Recluse spiders are all that are hanging around.
Lake Powell has dropped several hundred feet to 24% of capacity; the marina is closed. This massive football field sized steep concrete boat ramp has been added onto several times, again, it no longer reaches the water. The lake came up to about 30 feet down the ramp.
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| Henry Mountains |
the Henry's are the last mountain range mapped in the U.S.
Bison run wild on the flanks of the range
this area of Utah is so rugged & isolated that mail was delivered by mule in nearby Boulder until 1932
this road to Halls Crossing is the route taken by the Mormon party sent by Joseph Smith to settle and create an outpost in S.E. Utah in order to fend off encroachment by Indians, Settlers, Miners, Loggers, & Cattlemen; didn't work of course. They created the towns of Bluff & Blanding.
The party of 235 Mormons with 83 wagons crossed the Colorado River down the steep cliffs of what is known as "Hole in the Rock". They spent 3 weeks in this area building a road.
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| Henry Mountains |
prior to this arch bridge built in 1967, people and goods were ferried across the Colorado River at this point. This marked the upper northern extent of 186 mile long Lake Powell.
At full capacity, Lake Powell pushed 30 miles upstream to Cataract Canyon in Canyonlands Nat. Park. Now the river has reclaimed a channel and the lowering Lake is miles downstream from the bridge.
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| Colorado River & Henry Mountains |
crossing the Dirty Devil river bridge is a highpoint affording 50 mile views
the Colorado River runs in its natural channel below these cliffs
Lake Powell has receded miles downstream
across the channel is the NPS's Hite Marina & launch, now deserted & closed
FACTORY BUTTE, by Hanksville, Utah
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| Capitol Dome in CAPITOL REEF National Park |
Sunglow Nat. Forest camp by Bicknell
elevation: 7,200' low temperature 22° wind 50 mph
5 gallon water container has a lot of ice in the morning;
the melted water at the bottom of the cooler is frozen
yeah, it's a get 'n go morning to
Loa for lattes & breakfast
33 minute time lapse photo,
the sky spinning around the North Star, Polaris, low on the horizon
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| 5 minute time lapse of the constellation Orion (the Hunter) |
GRAND STAIRCASE - ESCALANTE
National Monument
Rugged Wilderness area roughly 10,000 square miles with 10,000 people living here; mind your supply criticals. Portions of the frontiers "Great Western Trail" survive here. This is the last area of the U.S. that was mapped.
CALF CREEK FALLS - base camp
BLM (Bureau of Land Management)
day 23 thru 27 highest temp 81° lowest 38°
elevation 5,500'
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| Calf Creek Falls, 136 foot drop 6 mile hike to this oasis in the desert |
water rolling off the edge of the cliff leaches out minerals creating black streaks of 'desert varnish'
Calf Creek confluences with the Escalante River a mile downstream. Beavers have made their way upstream and put in a dam creating habitat for snake grass, cat tails, Red Wing Blackbirds, Cranes, Ravens
Prickly Pear bloom
many hardcore recreationists out here
these gals are riding 250 miles from Escalante to Blanding through sun, heat, cold, rain, 50 mph winds, sandstorms
highpoint looking S.W across the sandstone wilds of the Grand Staircase - Escalante Wilderness
looking down into Calf Creek Canyon
with the BLM campground in the lower part of the canyon
silhouettes & shadows & sunglow in camp
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| site #10 set against red cliff among a grove of Gambel Oaks with Calf Creek cascading down the canyon The Kiva Coffee House 2 miles up the road is an oasis in the wilderness; latte & raspberry scone $10, luxury isn't cheap in the Wilderness HOLE-in-the-ROCK Trail |
fantastic red & white hoodoos, holes, towers, buttes
Straight Cliffs provide a backdrop
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| Buffaloberry Bush |
Mormon party sent in 1879 to establish outposts in S.E. Utah
BURR TRAIL
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| I'm the only one on this stunningly wonderous road winding through a landscape of a juxtaposition of colors, shape, & line |
Shale base & Limestone cap on this Capitol Dome like feature
in my element; bit early for Rattlers ha
Rattlesnake Ridge
30 mile Burr Trail descends into Cathedral Valleyin Capitol Reef Nat. Park.
The Burr Trail was a route to move cattle
from their winter to summer grazing ground.
The Circle Cliffs & Tarantula Mesa
front the Henry Mountains.
11,317' Boulder Mountain, in Dixie National Forest, is the highest & easternmost point of the Aquarius Plateau; the
highest forested plateau in North America.
the freeze/thaw cycle cracks this
Limestone Butte near Boulder
BOX - DEATH HOLLOW Wilderness
Hells Backbone N.F. road
Hiking this super rugged Wilderness; follows a stream eroded crack in the rock walls. Soon I am enveloped on all sides by steep towering walls of colorful jagged rock
Sage, Pinyon, striated layered limestone
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| life is tenuous for trees & humans |
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| Manzanita |
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| my vehicle is the only one at the trailhead Basking in the silence & tranquility; the creek provides a soothing sound track to a primal experience |
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| Ponderosa Pine bark smells like butterscotch  |
Easter full Moon incrementally lights up the canyon.
calm night after a full blown sand storm blew in on warm 50 mph winds during the day
BRYCE CANYON
National Park
day 28 thru 33
highest temp 68° lowest 18°
elevation 8,400'
Exalt in the Grandeur, Majesty, Beauty, & Peace of Nature
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| bowl of spires after morning snow |
Bryce is a fav Nat Park of mine
great hiking & camping; easily accessible solitude
Bryce has the luxury items of wood ($8.50), water, ice (cubes)
showers ($3 for 8'), petro ($5.10 a gal), laundromat, store, historic lodge with restaurant. At high points receive Sirius, NPR, i-net, and the weather band
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| Powell Point 10,180' Aquarius Plateau in Dixie National Forest Chiseled strawberry butte atop a deep bowl of eroded gray Shale Badlands named for Civil War vet & explorer John Wesley Powell |
Queens Garden - 7 mile hike on Earth Day through hoodoos, pinnacles, spires, buttes, temples, castles, bridges, & arches
hardcore steep endless switchbacks; hike
800' out of the bowl of spires to the rim.
this may be steeper than the steepest trail I've taken
which is the 20% grade for the last couple mile
climb up the Redwall layer out of the Grand Canyon,
an epic 24 mile hike
edge on view down the eroded spires
of Bryce N.P., carved out of the
Eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau
time lapse photo of Polaris, the North Star
stars spin around Polaris,
past midnight a bird calls all night
time lapse of Ponderosas & Lodgepole Pines lit up by my fire
EARTH's PENUMBRA:
after the last light of the setting
Sun fades from the highest clouds, a fleeting purple
band suddenly appears directly above the Eastern horizon
it is the edge of Earths' shadow being projected
on Earths atmosphere
Bryce N.P. is an internationally designated "Dark Sky" location
I can see the fuzzy patch of light known as M31, we know it as the Andromeda Galaxy, 2.2 million light years distant
To find Andromeda, draw a line from Mizar, the middle star in
the Big Dippers handle, through Polaris, East past the "W" shaped
constellation Cassiopeia, to a fuzzy patch of light.
Wildcat rim hike leads to a point with Strawberry Cliffs beyond
"Sinking Ship" formation beyond the spires
Yovimpa Point 9,100'
this Southern edge of the Plateau affords a 100 mile
view South across the "Grand Staircase", a geological staircase of progressively lower elevation and geologically older rock
Bryce is the highest, youngest rock layer called the Pink Cliffs, then the Gray Cliffs, White Cliffs, and the Vermillion Cliffs meet the Colorado River, Kaibab Plateau & the North
Rim of the Grand Canyon.
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| Ursa Major, the Big Dipper |
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| half hour time lapse looking North Ponderosa Pines lit up by my fire |
historic building in Panguitch, Utah, population 1,700
people use 4 wheelers to get about town and use shipping containers for garages & storage.
the school is small & old with few windows
all town roads are gravel
small rural towns out west don't have
the resources we take for granted in the Midwest.
I like driving through towns to see how people live.
very mediocre pizza but good latte
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| dyno site #243 lot of folk from California, British Columbia, Oregon, Washington & Colorado; not many from out East. I enjoy walking the camp loop at sunset to see the many ways people camp: tent on top of vehicle, pop ups, hammocks, vans, tear drops, tents, trailers, RV's, and increasingly popular camper vans. Lot of Pakistani visitors in Bryce I like laying in some mornings, cranking up a fire, brewing custom grind coffee on the fire, cooking up pancakes, Italian sausage, & fried potatoes & watching the day unfold Nothing finer than rolling out in the morning to Nature with civilization not even visible in the rear view or tickling your consciousness |
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| Horned Lizard |
Ponderosa needles holding some vanishing snow
Bristlecone Pine, soft
uprooted Bristlecone, can live thousands of years
some Bristlecones growing in the White Mountains on the eastern side of the Sierras have been dated to over 5,000 years old using Dendrochronology
(the tree ring science)
another free range hike
exploring, discovering, observing
hiking up a steep loose gray shale slope
to this unique & definitive shot of the cliff faces
thrilled that the hoped for snow would
drop overnight.
the snow contrasted nicely with the bowl of
orange spires & green pines in a
creative, visual, & photographic dreamscape
my signature rock or pine cone compass arrow
"all creative platforms offer a new view and interpretation of self and the world" mf
Lyrid Meteors streaked across the sky
"Time in the wild allows for introspection and deep thought leading to perspective & insights which can turn down a bumpy road of honest self reflection and self awareness." mf
Z I O N
National Park
the Virgin river flowing 3,000 feet below
the 7,157' tower named the Sentinel
Virgin River & Watchman Tower
Zion is the colorized version of Yosemite
the Beehive
this cat is off for some Bouldering action
Yucca
Indian Paintbrush
Sandstone sculpted by wind & water
the Streaked Wall
the East Temple, Twin Brothers, & Mountain of the Sun
tower above the Virgin River
Desert Globe Mallow
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| Tower of the Virgin |
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| KOLOB ARCH - 6th largest arch in the world at 287' |
this is a window allowing sunlight into the 1 mile long road tunnel dug through the rock wall in 1930
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| Towers of the Virgin |
Checkerboard Mesa
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the "White Cliffs" layer of the Grand Staircase |
Paria Canyon / Vermillion Cliffs
Wilderness
elevation 4,306'
the Paria River carves an ever deepening and
higher & narrower canyon through the rock
to the confluence of the Colorado
River 30 miles downstream
remote BLM campground near the Arizona & Utah border
78 degrees, 40 miles S.E. of major resupply town of Kanab, Utah
Lizard tracks
A sign at the trailhead warns Hikers to be
alert to snakes & scorpions. It is the end
of April, bit early & cool for the critters
this hike requires many many river crossings
Condors fly this Wilderness
best place to see them is Navajo Bridge
700 mile trail created as a trade route from
Santa Fe to L.A. using mule trains (not wagons).
Trail improved for multi use by
hikers, bikers, 4 wheelers, jeeps
LAKE POWELL
Glen Canyon dam
Day 36 high 83° low 45°
Lake Powell has dropped 200'
the lake level was to the top of the red rocks on the butte across the river
Glen Canyon dam
710' high 300' wide at the base
construction began in 1956 & opened in 1966
Lake Powell is 186' long with 1,960' of shoreline,
more than the entire west coast of the U.S.
took 17 years to 1980 to fill with water which is
560' deep at the dam
max workforce was 2,500 workers; 18 died
hydropower from the dam serves 5 million people in 6 states
1,271' long & 700' above the river
the bridge & Utah road 95 was built just below the dam to
haul construction materials and equipment
to the other side of the river
previously a 125 mile trip
construction of the dam
Wahweep Marina
the boat ramp has been extended several times
Lake Powell did reach up to the orange cone
the Arizona/Utah border runs down the middle of the ramp
Monument Valley
Goosenecks of the San Juan
Moki Dugway
iconic Monument Valley on the Navajo reservation in Arizona
bridge crossing San Juan river at Mexican Hat
hat topped hoodoo giving the town of Mexican Hat, Utah its name
triple meander of the San Juan river
Goosenecks of the San Juan river
an imbedded meander of the river
rare sunset on my voyage
you need clouds for a sunset
wall to wall sun - no complaints
I awoke at 4:45 at the end of Astronomical Twilight, a very thin band of crimson/orange lined the horizon line as far as I could see in both directions.
Venus & Jupiter are a finger apart low in the S.E. sky;
Venus bright white & Jupiter a muddy red, larger but not as bright. A razor thin deeply curved crescent gray/white Moon hung just above the planets
These are the moments and places you never forget;
beholding the power & majesty of nature.
I sit on a boulder on the rim of the canyon in silence and awe and watch the Sun take control of the skies.
wildcard camping, I set up shop on the rim
Goosenecks State Park
Muley Point
the Moki Dugway road climbs a 1,000'
to the top of Cedar Mesa for long views
Moki Dugway
is a 1 lane twisty narrow harrowing gravel road
that climbs up to the top of Cedar Mesa,
this was originally a trail chiseled out of the
Mesa by hand to haul Uranium to a smelter
the 'Garden of the Gods' BLM scenic
road starts at the start of the Moki
C O L O R A D O
MESA VERDE
National Park
day 37 thru 40 April 29
highest temp 73° lowest 33° elevation 7,810'
"We look around in wonder
At the work that has been done,
By the vision of our father,
Touched by his loving son"
. . . Moody Blues
Far View Ruins
the Anasazi thrived on these Mesa tops
from A.D. 550 to A.D. 1300.
They grew corn, squash, & beans.
They hunted turkeys, deer, rabbit, squirrel
Collared Lizard
immense towering 600 year old Pinyon Pine tree
its sculpted shape reminds me of a Redwood
Mesa top dwelling
Navajo Canyon
view at the end of Petroglyph trail hike through
a magical 600 year old Pinyon & Juniper forest
view across 8,500' mesa to the
southern end of the San Juan range, north of Durango.
Gambel Oak, Mountain Mahogany, & Utah Serviceberry
grow here with a PJ (Pinyon-Juniper) forest higher up
Utah Serviceberry
WIND
Did the Association blow into town sans my awareness, 'cause it sure has been Windy.
I haven't had a fire or the stove out for 5 days due to travels and wind. The Desert is windy in spring, redonkulously windy this spring - even the locals noted it.
I'm talking 40 to 50 mph winds, sometimes full blown sand storms.
mesa top Kiva & remnant observation tower
the Kiva was a ceremonial room
it had a small hole in the floor called
a Sipapu-the symbolic entrance to the underworld
this is a water retention structure
Anasazi fashioned tools out of stone, bone, & wood
these were stone age people without
the wheel or beasts of burden
(or Union Masons)
Limestone cap on entrance butte to Mesa Verde
Mesa Verde is a luxury National Park with a gas station, store, cafeteria,
laundry, free showers, lodge & dining room,
This was the first day the park was open, 267 sites, some of which met my minimal standard but not my world class standard.
Million Dollar Highway
Durango to Ridgeway
It's roll day. Resupply, poke around, and hang in nearby Cortez. Swing through heavily Spanish town of Mancos, a huge logging operation in town as kids scurry to school.
Roll into Durango
relax and sip on a $7.15 latte. Stunning 80' drive
up the Million Dollar Hwy, U.S. 550, which hangs
precariously off the mountainside without guardrails
between Silverton & Ouray
May 2nd, Aspens sprouting some leaves
The Animas River cut the canyon
the Animas is one of the last free flowing rivers in the West
The steep jagged peaks of the San Juan's are known as the Switzerland of America. Fresh snow dropped the day before & I'm treated to a calm blue sky day.
Molas Pass 10,910'
the San Juan's were created by the collision of continental plates. the volcanic activity created rich mineral veins.
this is the Westernmost extent of the Continental Divide
in Colorado
Funky town of Ouray
1888 courthouse
hot springs, great vibe
Cascade Waterfall tumbles down granite cliffs in Ouray
Descending from Ouray along the Uncompahgre River this 5th generation ranch flew this 60' x 40' flag in their pasture backed by Mt. Sneffels in the San Juan mountains in honor of the family patriarch who recently passed
BLACK CANYON of the Gunnison
National Park
May 2: Day 41 thru 47
highest temp 83° lowest 28°
the Black Canyon of the Gunnison is the
deepest, steepest, narrowest
canyon in North America
South Rim
elevation: 8,340'
Painted Wall
this 2,250' cliff is the tallest in Colorado if not the U.S. - taller than the Willis Tower in Chicago
the Gunnison River flows a half mile below
Mountain Cottontail
Blue Gentian
about the thinnest crescent Moon visible
it is 19 hours past New Moon
& about 2 1/2% visible
morning surprise
Abraham Lincoln Fellows
is a 2nd cousin and the primary
engineer & mover of Gunnison River projects
I have a knack of finding these U.S. Geo markers on my hikes
I was grappling with the graupel
fresh coat of snow on the West Elk Mtns
Feldspar Quartz Mica
the Gunnison chiseled the steep canyon
out of Gneiss & Granite
600 to 800 year old Rocky Mountain Junipers
Saskatoon Serviceberries are a common shrub also
I dig learning about the trees, shrubs, & plants growing in different climates, elevations, and biomes
North Rim
elevation: 7,770'
the Gunnison makes a 90 degree turn here affording a long view of the Painted Wall
Roll day is exciting as I'm on the move to a new landscape to
hike & photograph & study. It's a 110 miles from the South
Rim to the North Rim.
I resupply in Montrose (pop. 20k); gas, wood, 2 blocks of ice, KOA for an $8 shower; a fast food fix, City Market is the go to resupply grocer out West.
Montrose has recorded only .79" of precip so far this year; Colorado only 80% of normal snowpack
Onto hwy 50 to Delta (pop. 9k), nice town, well kept houses & lawns. Drive into the deep country, through Crawford for
a latte at a funky old coffee shop.
Joe Cocker retired here, opened a restaurant. Mellow drive into the North Rim, no traffic, past a reservoir, orchards, sheep, goats, cows, and irrigated fields.
Exclamation Point hike !
The sound of the churning rapids of the river lift out of the Canyon. Pine scent is strong.
Great place to sit for contemplation & appreciation.
wildfire smoke from AZ wafted across the landscape
the hike to Exclamation Point was through an old growth forest
of 600 year old Pinyons & Junipers
Primo site #1
camp visitors
My site on the rim is where a climbing route
exited the canyon, I had 10 climbing pairs wander through my site. Also had turkeys & rabbits.
A pair of Ravens float on the thermals, do a barrel roll & dive to tree top level with a couple of loud cackles. Small
Sparrows with black stripes work the Juniper branches for bugs.
A Mountain Bluebird rests briefly on a Pinyon
branch. A large pair of Pinyon Jays fly from Pinyon to Pinyon. Yellow & purple flowers bloom as many forms of Cirrus clouds float over.
sunset, warmest night of the trip, 55 degrees
waxing Moon & clouds (solarize & comic filters)
Wildcat (off trail) hike into the Wilderness on a steep
talus slope, sun & 73° . 5 Ravens soar on the thermals.
I sit on the rim of a side canyon
and watch the sun light up the spires, steps, ledges, alcoves, cracks and blocks of the canyon walls. A
Pinyon Jay stops by for a visit.
I hear someone shout "belay" as it echoes and bounces off the canyon walls; I finally spot climbers on the opposite wall.
warm mellow morning among the Junipers that were seedlings in 1200 A.D. I enjoy the Canyon come to life
strike up a fire for coffee, pancake, ham-olive-onion-cheese omelette and hash browns and watch the Hummingbird work the mini feeder I bring.
Most days I'm off to the trailhead at sunrise and eat dried fruit & nuts & water.
I have a left brain/right brain interface with all things
in life including photography. It is a creative-mathematical;
logical-yin-yang approach.
Nature is abstract & free form but also lines, angles, pattern, color & texture which can be interpreted & expressed creatively and mathematically. It is one of multiple filters I
use to arrive at the final composition.
I can immediately see the best perspective, lighting, & composition. I work it as a sublayer as I survey and
assimilate the overall Landscape.
ARKANSAS RIVER
Buena Vista - Salida - Browns Canyon
National Monument
May 9: Day 49 thru 53
highest temp 76° lowest 40°
Monarch Pass
It's a get 'n go day, 180 miles over the divide to Buena Vista & Browns Canyon Nat. Monument. Interesting, fun, great
travel day as they usually are. Roll pre-sunrise along the
West Elk Mtns with 50 mph winds.
Blue Mesa reservoir is very low; it has been drawn down to help fill Lake Powell. Into Gunnison (Sunny Gunny with 270 sunny days a year) for resupply. It's a gritty town but covers all the essentials. Get intel on the major fire in New Mexico throwing smoke into Southern Colorado.
Up & over the divide at Monarch Pass and down into the growing Salida. Visit the Pinyon Lady for a load of kiln dried Walnut, Hickory, & Oak from Missouri.
Lay into Salida & visit my favorites: Red Hen Bakery for shortbread cookies, scones, & wood fired baked bread;
Brown Dog custom roast coffee, Amicus wood fired pizza and microbrew.
nothing but green Spruce & blue sky over the Divide
sun pokes over the volcanic West Elk mountains
morning hike into Browns Canyon Nat. Monument
Great view of the fourteeners of the Sawatch Range
Mt. Antero 14,269'
this is the backbone of the Rockies with the highest peaks of the entire range here
Rocky Mountain Bighorns
Mountain Bluebird
Swallows dart about over the Arkansas River eating insects
world class site #1103 at Ruby Mtn
elevation 7,377'
Moonlit stone steps up to firepit & table
can see well, light is similar to late Nautical Twilight
5 hour burn, spotting Denub, Altair, & Vega,
the stars of the Summer Triangle
sunrise lights up the Divide
I'm the only one up, tranquility
my fire warms my front, the sun my back - about equal heat
Arkansas River cascades past Treasure Mtn.
I look, listen & assess the volume, depth, & frequency of the water to assess whether the flow of the river is higher or lower than the previous day; sounds like about 700 cfs
Roll into nearby Buena Vista for latte & carrot cake
at Brown Dog coffee, City Market & then
roll up along Mt. Princeton 14,269' to Cottonwood
Hot Springs for a soak, Cottonwood Pass is closed
nothing finer than a long soak in the
105° natural hot springs
the Salida - Buena Vista corridor has a great vibe
hiking, camping, rafting, hot springs
biking, jeeping, skiing, 4 wheeling
the highest concentration of Mountain Lions in Colorado
are in the Arkansas River corridor.
Mt. Lions have been my irrational fear the past few years,
replacing Grizzley Bears and prior to that Western Diamondbacks.
In researching multiple sources there are few documented deaths due to grizzlies (most in Alaska), fewer by Black Bears and Mt. Lions (encounters in populated areas of foothills of L.A. and Denver most common, ie. when people are running, hiking, biking)
Mt. Elbert 14,439'
2nd highest peak in the lower 48
Mt. Massive 14,429'
by Leadville
Leadville to Idaho Springs
How I roll
This is a 'no reservations' trip
I do extensive pre trip map intel & research with primary & backup itinerary options for lodging, camping, hiking, & town explorations.
I adjust on the fly dependent on weather,
the people factor, and what I feel like doing.
Mt. Massive East Face
Headwaters East Fork of the Arkansas River
Mt. Democrat 14,155'
Climax Mine at Fremont Pass
largest producer of Molybdenum in the world
Argo gold mine & mill in Idaho Springs
Argo Inn Room #211
older motel with walkway & balcony
overlooking Soda Creek with
Bighorn Sheep climbing the
hills beyond the creek
ROCKY MOUNTAIN N.P.
May 15: Day 54 thru 60
highest temp 75° lowest 42°
about my 50th trip to RMNP
sunny & 72 - diggin' the dug
Longs Peak 14,259'
the sentinel of RMNP
northernmost & easternmost fourteener in the Rocky Mountain chain
Magpie
view up Sheep Lakes Meadow to snow cappers
of the Mummy Range
PASQUE Flower
cow Elk graze in lower elevation meadows
Where's Darla ? reclining on the Divide
Glacier Creek
Sprague Lake & Divide Peaks
Otis - Hallett - Flattop
dropped my pack for water and this Moose strolled by
dyno site #213
Rufous Hummer
Hallett Peak 12,713'
Goose & Moose at Sprague Lake
Fern Falls Hike
on the Fern Falls hike this Moose eyed me up but was focused on grazing new greenery
and was cool with me hiking by
Fern Creek flows through the burnt forest of
the Dec 2021 East Troublesome fire
Sundance Mountain
transition to Alpine Tundra
 |
| hitting tree line & snow signaling the end of this hike below Sundance Mountain |
Big Thompson River flows through
Moraine Park at dusk
Hedgehog Cactus
Alberta Falls
Normally I would dig it, but looked to be a prolonged situation and Mountain weather is hard to predict & can get brutal, so I hit the bail button.
Sometimes you just have to adjust your expectations - in all things in life.
After the Eclipse I hear munching, a rhythmic tearing sound. It is the sound of grass being torn out of the ground. The sound gets louder & closer.
morning light on Longs
Moonrise at the start of the Eclipse
Total Lunar Eclipse
Blood Moon - Super Moon
May 15 ECLIPSE: Start 7:57 Apex 10:11 End 12:50
I crank up a massive fire in my site with a clear
view of the 5 hour Eclipse; I take a photograph every 15 minutes. These photos below are about a half hour apart.
A spot of white light poked over the top of the mountain.
The Moon soon cleared the mountain revealing a bite out of the lower
left side. It was a half a coffee cup sized shadow on a disc the size of
a saucer. The Earth's shadow moves up and over and consumes
the entirety of the Moon.
Just before totality the Moon turns medium to light orange. The receding Moon lit face shrinks to a pin sized perfectly round dot of
white light and then vanishes.
The orange color ebbs out of the Moon. I can still see a light gray ghost of the face of the Moon. After totality a fuzzy night light patch of light appears on the top outside edge of the Moon and slides down to the bottom outside, a tinge of orange above it.
Sunlight moves up the face of the Moon overwriting Earth's shadow.
The shadow slides off the top of the Moon & the full lit Moon returns.
I realize it is the sound of an Elk tearing
grass out of the ground. I turn from the
fire & see a huge Bull Elk with a massive rack 20 yards away looking at me. It moved into the moonlit meadow just as the Eclipse ended.
A deep spiritual primal experience tonight
H A P P Y T R A I L S
Redonkulous List:
Quart of Milk $4.19 in Panguitch
$10 gallon for gas at Canyonlands Resort
4 sticks of wood for $8 at Canyonlands Resort
$7.15 latte in Durango
$7.50 thermos of coffee in Bluff
Trip Trivia:
25.0 MPG
saved $842 with Interagency Pass
petro cost $1,096
"I've been thru the desert on 300 horses with a name of Honda, it would be good to see some rain, it's a good way to see America."
wilderness hiking & photography
micro brews, coffee, bakeries, museums, pizza, local restaurants, talk to locals & fellow travelers
