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 Utah's canyon trekking,deck chair packing desert explorer who dreams of visiting Canada someday
3988 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 12:13 PM
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What a beautiful morning! Got back from Vegas at 1 am and there was NO way I was getting up at 5 am to start my full day hike. I made it to the TH at 10:15 and headed up the dusty, rocky, sandy trail to the West rim overlook of Snow Canyon. Several of you from CT have been there either with me or others. A great destination. Now, the BLM (Bureau of Land Management has taken full stewardship of the area and made a swell trail!! Did ya like that work swell? hehe reverting back to the sixties.... gee, swell.....
This is where most of the hikes end. Thousands of footprints and horse hooves to the overlooks. Beautiful.
       
This should have looked familiar to some of you who gave me the pleasure of your company on a hike or two in my backyard/candystore hehe... I thought of all everyone on this trip. I could see us on the rocks, or stopping to check out the juniper berries and such. Local natives make jewelry out of the shiny inner stones found in the berries. way cool!!!
OK, gotta stop or I'll spin into some Paiute and Navajo stories....
Now, where most hikes end, I am now going to explore and recon the fall overnight hike some more. I have the south, west, east ends all hemmed in and know it like the back of my hand. I have been up down, and all over this land in the past 6 years. Now, to find the easy, scenic doable link...hmmm the sun is unforgiving, today. Let's try for a way through the chaparral pygmy forest of cactus, pinon pine, juniper....
D'oh!! didn't work! Came up to a huge huge deep canyon. No good. Durn... headed back up to the deep, sand and full sun. My neck is burnt, by the way. Forgot the sunblock....
forgot the bandana.... forgot lots of other things, too....more later....
Here we go on the dry sand. My skin sweated, the wind blew it dry, encrusted me with a coat of sand and salt. Then, like a protective coating, I no longer felt the sun burning on my arms and legs and neck. I was encrusted with desert varnish hehe
       
Wow! Two miles of hot sand. The wind has died down. the flies and gnats that buzzed into my ears in the pygmy forest bailed long ago for the sweet cool, shade. No bugs out here.
Now, I am on a hill looking at my destination, down off in the distance, due west. I can taste it!! Speaking of taste it, the extra exploration and circling back from the cliff in the forest made me now pull off my pack and look at my camelbak which now is only 1/4 full and I have all that way back in the hot sand. I heard there are some ponds and water down there. Beautiful waterfalls in winter and during flash floods and heavy rain/monsoon.
So, I decided to go against my better judgment hiking solo and went for it.
I walked down through the hot sand burning my feet as I was wearing sandals. At least this day, I for once, didn't get stabbed with cactus. My feet are tougher now. I don't feel stones, twigs, etc. So, down I went kicking my feet high with each step to disperse the hot sand and let some air get in on my burning toes and soles.
My throat and lips were dry. Humidity about 12% and direct, sunlight with hot baking sand.
Finally, slickrock. My feet can get a break from the sand....ahhhh YESH!!
I was going to pack a pair of socks for these trips, to relieve my feet, but forgot.
No one but me, out here. At the overlooks, thousands of footprints. Beyond that, hundreds.
Now, no one but me....
Slickrock was like a welcome friend.
I hiked across a sea of it to look for water. But, the ponds were all dry.
I found one deep water pothole and got excited until I looked into it and saw a dead squirrel floating in it all bloated up and rotting. yuck!! I'm not dying I still have some water he he...
    
Yeehaw!! the rim!! All right!! Way cool!! I am stoked. Hot, parched, but now feel like
it was all worth it. I now have reconned the whole thing!! I can now lead some folks safely into the wilderness for an amazing overnighter experience. In the spring and fall, there are large ponds and tanks as we call them to swim in. It will be great. Cool weather
maybe even some waterfalls. I feel great as I lean back and try to get some cliff bar down
without water. wouldn't work. gummed up and I had to take a squirt of water to get the lump down. not good. forgot to bring my apples, peaches and my usual food that is loaded with hydration. dry cliff bars were all I packed. It would use all my water to eat it. I hadn't eaten since morning. I was hungry and couldn't eat. Just drink very warm water in my camelbak. I'll be ok. Just kick my own butt for not preparing and skipping my essentials list. D'oh!!
Here are the views and the sea of slickrock. I am loving it. Not in real danger with the water thing, either. Just very dangerous if I were to be injured and couldn't get out in time.
       
What a great view! I made it!! Now, I dug into my first aid kit and took out my golfer's grip tape and applied it to my tootsies so they wouldn't get fried on the sandy walk back.
Shoulda done this long before. 
I headed back counting my steps up to 500 each time. Stopped and took a sip of my dwindling camelbak and remembered that at the main overlook, there was a partially drank bottle of Dasani water with the lid on it. Hmmmm....yum..hehe
Turns out, I got to the overlook with only a dribble left in my camelbak and popped some purification tablets in the 3/4 full bottle, shook it up, waited 5 mins and downed it like a madman!! hehe It tastes like SH**...Iodine tabs, I think. Been carrying them and never used them for years. I hope I don't get herpes....OMG!! The water was hot enough to make a steaming cup of Earl Gray tea!! Burnt my throat going down. I feel fine, today.
So, I rewriting my 10 essentials list. I will post it in my truck and retrieve it and stick to it like a new religion.... was never in danger. not real danger. But, wasn't prepared. Kicking back, kicking myself, and listening to Band of Horses.....
Cheers!
Hope someone wants to to this hike. I promise the exploration parts are all done...finaly
and there is nothing left but fun. However. There is tons of exposure. Huge deadly dropoffs for 50% of the hike. I don't climb or rappel. But, there is amazing opportunity.
I walk along the edge, never turning my back on a cliff NEVER!! I sneak out to the lips and edges to get some views. Nothing we all haven't experienced, though.
Next week, no hike. I get my gallbladder out. No more gallbladder attacks for me...yesh!! |
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ALBANY, OR
USA
588 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 2:57 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Rented Mule
What? no repelling? |
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Utah's canyon trekking,deck chair packing desert explorer who dreams of visiting Canada someday
3988 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 4:31 PM
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Hi Alpalmer! NOT me..... too scary. I shudder when I see people hanging from what I call spider wire. What a view people who rappel must get. Seeing things from that perspective must be amazing!! All the while, canyon wrens/swallows darting around your head. I imagine you could rap that, though. What does it look like? maybe 600' down?
The wash below is called Hell's Hole. Too funny. |
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Hope, BC
Canada
7098 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 4:37 PM
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| Spectacular report as per norm. The cliff view made my stomach turn a bit. Colour flowers, suprising how they can exist in such a dry climate. |
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Utah's canyon trekking,deck chair packing desert explorer who dreams of visiting Canada someday
3988 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 5:09 PM
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Thanks, Aces! As I got to the edge, Canyon Wrens/swallows were darting at me, not happy I was there. But, I sat awhile and they took off for the lower depths of the cool canyon, obviously not too worried about me being a threat. I've seen them mate. they have half moon wings when extended and look like a boomarang. then, they hook up tail end to tail end and lock their wings out making a dics like frisbee. they then freefall and spin as their wings are locked wingtip to wingtip. sorta looks like a disc slowly spinning and floating to the canyon floor. Their timing must be perfect. they bust apart about 40 ft off of the canyon floor and swoop away in opposite directions. WAY COOL!!
I never see them bothered by hawks. In fact, I have never seen a hawk sailing too low along a canyon wall. Usually a lot higher. These little guys are so mobile like fighter jets. Probably tear a hawk a new one? wow.
anyway, the BFK is listed on Gear forum. Help in ID? appreciate it.
I got to the edge and don't really have a fear of heights. Other than the natural fear/respect for instant death that is built into each of us sensible folks..hehe |
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| piika
Intermediate Member
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Burnaby, BC
Canada
734 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 5:31 PM
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Thanks for the Snow Canyon memories. 
Yikes on the water situation! It's funny, I remember a CT thread on garbage in the backcountry and someone saying "if another hiker comes across the item and can use it in an emergency situation, is it still considered garbage?" Guess you're proving the point. 
Sounds like you have a great overnighter in the making. Nice recon. |
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Utah's canyon trekking,deck chair packing desert explorer who dreams of visiting Canada someday
3988 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 6:06 PM
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Hi, Piika! My son laughed and laughed at me when I told him. He said Mom may want to take a raincheck on a kiss....hehe I kept the Dasani water bottle as a souvenir and hung it up in the garage where my hiking stuff has been exiled to. I still have my balloons from my trip up your way. I've got my Dasani bottle hanging up next to my 8x10 pic of the tarantula I met on a Nevada hike......Hmmmm got me thinking. I never rinsed it out. Maybe I should check it next week to see if anything is ahem....growing in there? yuck...
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| piika
Intermediate Member
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Burnaby, BC
Canada
734 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 6:26 PM
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Probably still better than dead squirrel water!  |
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Campbell River, BC
Canada
761 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 6:34 PM
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| Enjoyed your report. You need to send some of that good weather over here. BTW, if you used iodine tablets, you need to let the water sit for 20 minutes before consuming. Also, iodine is not effective in eliminating cryptosporidium cysts in water. A filter works better. I'm sure you'll survive. |
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Utah's canyon trekking,deck chair packing desert explorer who dreams of visiting Canada someday
3988 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 6:40 PM
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Thanks, Solo! I've survived Sushi made in Utah, miles from the ocean...hehe
But, you got me thinking that I really need to get a good filter. I've been caught before.
thanks for the tip. We've got a lot of alkali in our water, too. |
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Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13459 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 6:53 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Rented Mule
What a beautiful morning! Got back from on the sandy walk back.
Shoulda done this long before.
I headed back counting my steps up to 500 each time. ....
Would not take much to almost imagine this to be a Martian Lander's Foot.
Cool shots.
K |
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Utah's canyon trekking,deck chair packing desert explorer who dreams of visiting Canada someday
3988 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2012 : 8:52 PM
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Too funny, Karvitk!! Oh, now that you mention it, NASA did some studies just west of here on those dust devils; those mini twisters that start up for some scientific reason?
Well, I guess it happens on Mars, a lot. So, they set up a study in the Beaver Dam Mtns
to see how equipment would fare against these unusual twisters. Ever seen one?
I was in a little store in Beaver Dam, Arizona buying lottery tickets (since Utah has an absolution on gambling) when the proprietor let out a shriek and yelled damned twister!!
and grabbed the door and slammed it shut. Who's car is that? It's headin right for it.
Bwa ha hahhaaaa wouldn't want to be that person... They left the top open and all the windows and it's heading right for it. I watched helplessly as it dumped a bucketfull of sand and hot dog wrappers and other dirt parking lot debris into my car.
"Is that your car?" She looked at me and laughed even harder.
I would like to see the NASA results, but President Obama I think, dismantled the space program.... Just the loss of beer sales in Florida for the launches will impact the economy hehe
Thanks again. |
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Langley, BC
Canada
1692 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 07:22 AM
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Nice report...such interesting terrain!
Good luck with the gallstones...I'm on the waitlist, but so far can't bring myself to get it done. Been managing ok w/diet for a year now. I know, I know..such a simple in/out procedure....I know.. I'm a WUSS! |
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Utah's canyon trekking,deck chair packing desert explorer who dreams of visiting Canada someday
3988 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2012 : 12:08 PM
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Thanks, cali!
I go Monday. I am a major wuss, myself. I will post how it went once I recover. I want to go swimming so so badly in the river but will have to wait a couple weeks or so. There's a cool swimming hole that most don't know about and the access is on foot through the Virgin River Gorge. There is supposed to be some Native Indian pottery in the area to view, as well.
Curious.... ever hear someone say "you've got a lot of Gall..." ? If I get my gallbladder removed, will I lose my "gall" my ability to be a mean guy and suddenly become a docile pushover? hehe My co-workers will love the change in attitude if I suddenly lose my "gall"
and become such a genteel individual. Is there such a thing? too funny.
Great to hear from you. |
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Kayenta Rim Utah
