tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48669039236812249402024-03-13T14:27:21.382-06:00Cedar & SandHuman-Powered Adventures in the WestTK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.comBlogger192125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-71589409688524147472018-05-27T16:44:00.000-06:002018-05-27T22:32:00.906-06:00Mount Daniel - King Co Highpoint, Cascade Range, Washington<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Better late than never. Here is a quick entry on a climb of Mount Daniel near Seattle, Washington, that I completed last July. </div>
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My brother Troy and his wife Carmenza were gracious enough to have me and the family stay with them in their Maple Valley home for several days. We had a fantastic time visiting the beach, Olympic National Park, downtown Seattle, and Mt. Rainier National Park. Being a stone's throw from the Cascades, I wasn't going to blow an opportunity to summit one of the many mighty peaks near Seattle. After some research, 7960-foot Mount Daniel checked all the boxes: close to Maple Valley, challenging--but doable in one day, ropes and glacier gear not required (this time of year anyway), and judging from the pictures I'd seen, incredibly scenic!</div>
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After a 5 am start, I was at the trail head adjacent to the Cle Elum River and jogging up the trail by 7.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">View from the bridge over the Cle Elum River.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Mount Daniel is the crown jewel of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area, and living up to its name, there are a lot of lakes--perhaps too many to name. This is a small unnamed lake southeast of Cathedral Rock. That's Granite Mountain in the distance.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Passing Cathedral Rock en route to Mount Daniel.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Upper Spinola Creek where it spills out of Circle Lake (out of view). The high peak is unnamed, but located just west of Circle Lake.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">First view of Peggy's Lake with Mount Daniel's East Ridge in the background. Peggy's Lake is commonly used as a base camp for climbers electing to climb Mount Daniel in 2 days.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Peggy's Lake below Cathedral Rock.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">You climb a short segment of the infamous PCT on the way to Mount Daniel.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Glacial striations on Mount Daniel's southeast ridge.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Circle Lake from Mount Daniel's southeast ridge.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">View of the scramble route up the southeast ridge. Mount Daniel's true summit is behind the high point seen here which is East Peak.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Three mountaineers traverse the upper Hyas Creek Glacier below the east ridge. These guys had full-on glacier gear and were moving slow (no diss on being careful). My scramble route stayed on the ridge above. I was moving quickly and easily caught up to them at the saddle just below East Peak. They were a bit surprised to see me, and were even more surprised that I was only wearing shorts, t-shirt, and running shoes.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Near the summit, I had nice views all the way to Mount Rainier 55 miles away.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5geMbOrqL0PkCiJGJmAUnzG_JGLFtTwhryFcgrnGCxDMcJPtyb12_cWHO4TZ7NFY8nok2nAmLVTHTDPAlj4r2FrJ-sZdn-YEk_ZeJS2dYHEMeMAKAOfFGSVMkfLYRIfAo35TWnUsNPT8/s1600/DSC04183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="820" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5geMbOrqL0PkCiJGJmAUnzG_JGLFtTwhryFcgrnGCxDMcJPtyb12_cWHO4TZ7NFY8nok2nAmLVTHTDPAlj4r2FrJ-sZdn-YEk_ZeJS2dYHEMeMAKAOfFGSVMkfLYRIfAo35TWnUsNPT8/s1600/DSC04183.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The southeast ridge route is a little sketchy in places, but if you are careful with your footing and hand holds, it's not bad. </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOI0rYFtPxXkLRRW2OczbrDLXeDe6b6kU3WsEKzlsUmqINhcQZgQn796DM9NefICiNy437x462sdWna7Iq-FBCs8oIhM4jougPaUPkPu_gjz05ZiqPxExiQPz2qC8vL0KxDAGN2Jy1NE/s1600/DSC04186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="820" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNOI0rYFtPxXkLRRW2OczbrDLXeDe6b6kU3WsEKzlsUmqINhcQZgQn796DM9NefICiNy437x462sdWna7Iq-FBCs8oIhM4jougPaUPkPu_gjz05ZiqPxExiQPz2qC8vL0KxDAGN2Jy1NE/s1600/DSC04186.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Venus (closest) and Spade Lakes from near the summit of Mount Daniel.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNqxeNF5LgrVe4JaDrAyQPcgqOhBnPS-4SLlaIOmYfZkYUqkBjwnc3h1DMKY4OMvKVMG6ucRS1w6zm0FeYx3Kf02CR4YdzkK8EJunZpxQTVEBa0LWcm4Ywk31vJXZTtkju5Ho-gmgwcc/s1600/DSC04190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="820" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNqxeNF5LgrVe4JaDrAyQPcgqOhBnPS-4SLlaIOmYfZkYUqkBjwnc3h1DMKY4OMvKVMG6ucRS1w6zm0FeYx3Kf02CR4YdzkK8EJunZpxQTVEBa0LWcm4Ywk31vJXZTtkju5Ho-gmgwcc/s1600/DSC04190.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Look closely and you may see the final route that traverses low across the left (southwest) flank of East Peak (peak closest to the camera). The two rocky summits in the background are the Middle Summit (right) and the true Mount Daniel high point on the left. The sketchiest part of the climb is where the route cuts across a snow field that is at about a 45-degree angle. One slip here and you'd probably end up in Venus Lake some 2000 feet below. With microspikes, a was able to stick to the snow like glue and I had no issues.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpif8hMJNyxc7r4vLMJFS-uraJM_ShM9uiQL1X44lF8ym9ikMKCbABcvhf-hJ55NIkhAOuMFOqOOjmOD-LZNTc0vCeFh7ARUjde0JxtFNs6-7QpI0jJSRKiaK5aEWJuKLo3r9r1tmT8tI/s1600/DSC04224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="820" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpif8hMJNyxc7r4vLMJFS-uraJM_ShM9uiQL1X44lF8ym9ikMKCbABcvhf-hJ55NIkhAOuMFOqOOjmOD-LZNTc0vCeFh7ARUjde0JxtFNs6-7QpI0jJSRKiaK5aEWJuKLo3r9r1tmT8tI/s1600/DSC04224.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">View down the Lynch Glacier to a Lynch Lake from near the summit of Mount Daniel.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDKsEEglskV2PFy4CG3hEXtIPZCCpIlwo8ZyqPDcwCKGsu63DP3CS2NCjK18BtauiIEKuDEGNOGJatI_7ojy7qyV71VS7Tm8lmNtmgq-S-hGNZ2NI5itSmQ9DL1kVxWj0anwDtAhq0aU/s1600/DSC04219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDKsEEglskV2PFy4CG3hEXtIPZCCpIlwo8ZyqPDcwCKGsu63DP3CS2NCjK18BtauiIEKuDEGNOGJatI_7ojy7qyV71VS7Tm8lmNtmgq-S-hGNZ2NI5itSmQ9DL1kVxWj0anwDtAhq0aU/s1600/DSC04219.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Enjoying the views of the Lakes Alpine Wilderness Area and Mount Rainier from the summit of Mount Daniel.</span></i></td></tr>
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I summitted by 12:30 pm for a 4.5 hour ascent time. I was back at the trail head by 4 pm, completing the 15-mile and nearly 6000-foot climb in just under 8 hours. This was the perfect hike for my time constraints, and views were better than advertised.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="405" scrolling="no" src="https://www.strava.com/activities/1104049942/embed/35c67230924b49bae4924644e6116e3a6c9f507e" width="590"></iframe><br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-56048123886976899502018-02-23T12:27:00.000-07:002018-02-23T12:27:07.365-07:00The Tushars, Crushed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKITTOeS26SMEiwGSPxLpRPrChw17AfmvV5N1v4lAQxZHa5r7eSiVeeHnevk3ZuV0VmQN26coiXbYouSAedZfYoSs2xwCZyirWt8C8irBx8Vw4Wariaq2HzLJtFfMQJv-5Bqi9_TAeDM/s1600/DSC03863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKITTOeS26SMEiwGSPxLpRPrChw17AfmvV5N1v4lAQxZHa5r7eSiVeeHnevk3ZuV0VmQN26coiXbYouSAedZfYoSs2xwCZyirWt8C8irBx8Vw4Wariaq2HzLJtFfMQJv-5Bqi9_TAeDM/s1600/DSC03863.jpg" /></a></div>
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A quick report from a marathon excursion into Utah's Tushar Mountains last July (2017). At over 12,000 feet, the Tushars are the highest mountain range in southwestern Utah, and they are the third highest range in all of Utah. They are, of course amazingly beautiful, and lucky for me, are only an hour away from my home. They have become well known to cyclists in recent years due to the emergence of the popular Tushar Crusher bike race that is held here annually. I'd like to throw my wheel into the ring one of these years (by all accounts it is an excellent race), but, I've completed so many self-supported, solo adventures in the Tushars, I've had a hard time putting up the cash to ride with a couple of hundred other people.<br />
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Anyhow, here is my personal Tushar Crusher which I completed 1 day before the official race.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqPK2tMwsXfD_DC4mZdq3SnyaWP3OPyJHM8AJylkjX43h5oDclrRwd6nzYaEwZEJ9lnqTADAZ69o2WEO90MfOxXz3rwu7H8sjpVOjbbtU5jixy6y3z0SmbwzUU_R_KbXNcduwH_t-dlY/s1600/DSC03790.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqPK2tMwsXfD_DC4mZdq3SnyaWP3OPyJHM8AJylkjX43h5oDclrRwd6nzYaEwZEJ9lnqTADAZ69o2WEO90MfOxXz3rwu7H8sjpVOjbbtU5jixy6y3z0SmbwzUU_R_KbXNcduwH_t-dlY/s1600/DSC03790.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Similar to the real Tushar Crusher race, I started my climb in the heart of Beaver at the intersection of Main Street and Highway 153. Here, I'm a few miles in, near the mouth of Beaver Canyon.</i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTNU9RTDN2_BjmcErviRZJ-z7rNqljeJTctpJ03ZT9P0LzKkSK3ZUhmLRoPEEyeMGF3hBhvSsDDkf_Fs1ut6W5QABALWJBQkzypQMaxapFA2YXiWvjQahAqSBZUrJO9kz8yIuxiXpUMg/s1600/DSC03796.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTNU9RTDN2_BjmcErviRZJ-z7rNqljeJTctpJ03ZT9P0LzKkSK3ZUhmLRoPEEyeMGF3hBhvSsDDkf_Fs1ut6W5QABALWJBQkzypQMaxapFA2YXiWvjQahAqSBZUrJO9kz8yIuxiXpUMg/s1600/DSC03796.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>There are a few narrow spots in Beaver Canyon where the highway and river leave little room for much of a road shoulder. Lucky for me, there wasn't much traffic on a Friday morning.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgR2wGfI9AQshNiSRKwHvT4quGAnQO7Hc5o00Jn183t6jwF_S00GaGHkbXAb8fAsx7HXW9xJQCq2fpsBO5bz6tUMNy4pBqn1YhTssuCWtNJe8E2oeVx0h5iy4fnMIiHIaVuGg7K_s65G8/s1600/DSC03799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgR2wGfI9AQshNiSRKwHvT4quGAnQO7Hc5o00Jn183t6jwF_S00GaGHkbXAb8fAsx7HXW9xJQCq2fpsBO5bz6tUMNy4pBqn1YhTssuCWtNJe8E2oeVx0h5iy4fnMIiHIaVuGg7K_s65G8/s1600/DSC03799.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">After 10 miles of pavement, the race route forks right onto a graded dirt road that passes Kent's Lake and a few other small reservoirs. It is pretty country that reminds me a lot of the Uintah Mountains in northeastern Utah.</span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54IQgfdGoUExBKLsgXC3KiwZEeFKH9tXj3xAL6whc_DKkYwCwpH8nm5cBg_FYGd6hyZgH4dfQ6PIX3wynR1y8to4Y7aoTGOz2TCpKTC3BpEqBsBauwZIyJyU5CmFMkoBLz4KKH498u3M/s1600/DSC03802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54IQgfdGoUExBKLsgXC3KiwZEeFKH9tXj3xAL6whc_DKkYwCwpH8nm5cBg_FYGd6hyZgH4dfQ6PIX3wynR1y8to4Y7aoTGOz2TCpKTC3BpEqBsBauwZIyJyU5CmFMkoBLz4KKH498u3M/s1600/DSC03802.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQbJEuViQuvk5k22hI6t_WCiwJf4wK56ZiPfRsLw3llrPUlULYYo0MFG9BFWtrmIbFvR5mxA1fe8fob1xIRA2qRdqFA7oExuhaEt7DIJoSaXpiiAvW3Fgef3QllEO9ANNZr35PUcM7Fys/s1600/DSC03809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQbJEuViQuvk5k22hI6t_WCiwJf4wK56ZiPfRsLw3llrPUlULYYo0MFG9BFWtrmIbFvR5mxA1fe8fob1xIRA2qRdqFA7oExuhaEt7DIJoSaXpiiAvW3Fgef3QllEO9ANNZr35PUcM7Fys/s1600/DSC03809.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">This intersection on the range summit is key on the race course. Racers head east and drop down to the town of Junction before climbing back up to this same junction. Racers then head north along the summit ridge to the finish at the top of the Eagle Mountain ski resort. I skipped the trip down to Junction and headed straight to the resort.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPpsVRapS-BfGRkG9b8fxFVYJI2DpaDWKJRHy3t8wrp5D7elvzMExRuzVuwVQTCT7SZ_jGkMUtALvKgfhsw2hb5DwPbbtefoquI_wCjouy99QKwIcLxeLB2L-AjRLNNFQc32vYMi2aWOY/s1600/DSC03811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPpsVRapS-BfGRkG9b8fxFVYJI2DpaDWKJRHy3t8wrp5D7elvzMExRuzVuwVQTCT7SZ_jGkMUtALvKgfhsw2hb5DwPbbtefoquI_wCjouy99QKwIcLxeLB2L-AjRLNNFQc32vYMi2aWOY/s1600/DSC03811.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">My first views of the Tushars' highest peaks. Thunderstorms like to linger here and the dark skies were a bit worrisome. Exactly 3 weeks after my Tushar climb, <a href="https://www.ksl.com/?sid=45202928&nid=148" target="_blank">2 girls were struck by lightning </a>near this very spot (Big Flat). They were knocked unconscious and were alone save their family dog which ran 2 miles back to camp to alert family. The dog led family members to the girls and they were soon airlifted to a local hospital. As far as I know they both survived.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGKvafQqC_G8pYu0TkktPqQDImBKfBasL-N0jtuv-WZ3B4yEbuiQSsueikX9yJKTSozlcrEh3EH66p8MxShb6WgueX0miqYSZ52OpaD1PRTIwJU-5cX_M2BK5m17tqw0UoUw84_v54ug/s1600/DSC03815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGKvafQqC_G8pYu0TkktPqQDImBKfBasL-N0jtuv-WZ3B4yEbuiQSsueikX9yJKTSozlcrEh3EH66p8MxShb6WgueX0miqYSZ52OpaD1PRTIwJU-5cX_M2BK5m17tqw0UoUw84_v54ug/s1600/DSC03815.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Highway 153 summit near Puffer Lake.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-bt7UMONKdESXO4TuRGbUvPfOhPA-QlZU7NL0tYP8nMas4sjEtABe2vPbGdIoJFPg17DMYEbfhDJR67Dn7Qh4F1DvmOI_RZjFB4ZriujcHP4PAOY9nR4L1YYEU8FCNhIPck_NWydRRk/s1600/DSC03817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-bt7UMONKdESXO4TuRGbUvPfOhPA-QlZU7NL0tYP8nMas4sjEtABe2vPbGdIoJFPg17DMYEbfhDJR67Dn7Qh4F1DvmOI_RZjFB4ZriujcHP4PAOY9nR4L1YYEU8FCNhIPck_NWydRRk/s1600/DSC03817.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The last mile to the race finish is a doozy with 10-11% grades.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0o6CLT8PDo7kkhbI0iXhgOOKC80SgPgpN1rus8T4mxaIdmmxR2sKbaS6OKCcOtK75LELuD1jAZFtoRMggARqDJjaBYJ7N8XrJ-Gezb-vADAEno-66jQJDFLrknZA4X1CaC8MFpGidzA/s1600/DSC03818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0o6CLT8PDo7kkhbI0iXhgOOKC80SgPgpN1rus8T4mxaIdmmxR2sKbaS6OKCcOtK75LELuD1jAZFtoRMggARqDJjaBYJ7N8XrJ-Gezb-vADAEno-66jQJDFLrknZA4X1CaC8MFpGidzA/s1600/DSC03818.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Eagle Point Resort's Skyline Lodge marks the end of the race and the road. From here there is a bit of new singletrack that will lead you to the top resort boundary. </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-zrzA3N4-t8a5lukycJ9CUrlEBPz8FVibwyXaQz9nEPkS9DGDu1szot_okPIMi9w0_pKnt_Q6EdRxbh_ewysuNuz4vhOq87gK97beU8t-khDSc5UPCoiMoqzbgzmpBxYwBFHR9GZQLI/s1600/DSC03906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="812" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-zrzA3N4-t8a5lukycJ9CUrlEBPz8FVibwyXaQz9nEPkS9DGDu1szot_okPIMi9w0_pKnt_Q6EdRxbh_ewysuNuz4vhOq87gK97beU8t-khDSc5UPCoiMoqzbgzmpBxYwBFHR9GZQLI/s1600/DSC03906.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Hidden cabin near the top of Eagle Mountain Resort.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">From the resort boundary at about 10,500 feet, it was time to switch shoes and keep trucking upward toward the top.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">My favorite parts of the Tushars are where you get above the tree line and the terrain looks nothing like the rest of Utah.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Looking north from Delano Peak to Mount Baldy (left) and Belknap (right).</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Aside from a little rumbling in the distance, the thunderstorm never really fully developed and I never did see any rain drops.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was my 3rd ascent of Delano Peak over the years, and I doubt it will be my last. I'm already scheming another personal Tushar Crusher for next summer.</td></tr>
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="405" scrolling="no" src="https://www.strava.com/activities/1073465883/embed/9a8b6deee3a5956a99c124b8f8444a1d8af4e546" width="590"></iframe><br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-7324378618390813772017-12-25T17:29:00.000-07:002017-12-25T17:29:08.982-07:00Laughlin, NV, and Hualapai Peak, AZ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
An update from way back in April. After a long, cold winter, we were anxious to get a jump-start on summer, so we headed for the desert over Spring Break weekend. Although we are not in to gambling, which Laughlin is known for, we were still drawn to the place because for its favorable position in the heart of the Mojave and cheap lodging. Here are highlights of the vacation with trips to nearby Oatman, AZ, Grapevine Pass, and a solo ascent of the Hualapai Mountains, AZ.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Is it alive? Yes, it was, and it's not uncommon to find burros taking a nap, stealing food, or causing other mischief along Oatman's Main Street. I even had a burro get upset after we ran out of carrots and try to open our car door with his teeth, chipping the paint in the process. They sure are cute little buggers though.</span></i></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Grapevine Canyon near Laughlin ranks up there with the Gold Butte area as one of the highest concentrations of petroglyphs I've seen. Even if there were no rock art to gawk at, the canyon is a fantastic hike with a nice spring and tons of wildlife.</span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A perfectly camouflaged chuckwalla at the Grapevine Canyon petroglyphs.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">As usual, I got away for half a day to climb a mountain. Hualapai Peak is the highest and most interesting mountain I could find near Laughlin. At 8,417 feet, Hualapai may not sound too impressive, but like many desert peaks in the Mohave, the key is to look at the peak's prominence, or how high it is relative to the surrounding lowlands. If you consider that Hualapai Peak is nearly 6,000 feet higher than the surrounding desert, it really is a pretty tall mountain. Skipping the drive to the trailhead in Hualapai Mountain State Park, I chose to start my climb at the mouth of Sawmill Canyon down at 4,325 feet.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQdzI8v11FY71cOTs8hOpkdjcuDitgNxgEOzHp90UmZTcJYc2JmXpwcMgO8zVmcxxUK1mA_hoaikExvvxfMEVlh7DsmQlScDL5GUTZ4-oEv5w6Cc-rOvhXB7DLqGwJW0SFsLRZWbRfkE/s1600/DSC03469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQdzI8v11FY71cOTs8hOpkdjcuDitgNxgEOzHp90UmZTcJYc2JmXpwcMgO8zVmcxxUK1mA_hoaikExvvxfMEVlh7DsmQlScDL5GUTZ4-oEv5w6Cc-rOvhXB7DLqGwJW0SFsLRZWbRfkE/s1600/DSC03469.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The approach run to the official trailhead involves 6 miles of pavement plus another mile of seldom-traveled trail. Elevation gain over this initial approach is about 2,500 feet.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7M27L-xXCKx7fWqKu3FpNFQlO8TNZuAOWbaNLaMbYfPn9kXARl3BK51X-6NDcwrbvesTNB-H-4OQmDFU9ELi5q0UoL5ycef2Vso569wXMp9in3-yj-7DFdeO5IrEfg7BaYoME96qsZqU/s1600/DSC03472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7M27L-xXCKx7fWqKu3FpNFQlO8TNZuAOWbaNLaMbYfPn9kXARl3BK51X-6NDcwrbvesTNB-H-4OQmDFU9ELi5q0UoL5ycef2Vso569wXMp9in3-yj-7DFdeO5IrEfg7BaYoME96qsZqU/s1600/DSC03472.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Entering Hualapai Mountain Park at about mile 6.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Albert's or "tassel-eared" squirrel in Hualapai Mountain Park.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Looking for ore at the long-abandoned Silver Bell Mine near the head of Sawmill Canyon.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Stone steps along the trail to Hualapai Peak.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx09FNZqXeoewCSdRvE8wAtuYPpruRu-zTvmcbb9FHzNdg4wdZNUR98W_SczzpUjfy0zg9rCuTKKGO2pXpyEdZ4oN0nutykvlZzTnYy0j7SyKbNqNUeb4L8lvqmZMb5P1z-827mLkqmY4/s1600/DSC03506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx09FNZqXeoewCSdRvE8wAtuYPpruRu-zTvmcbb9FHzNdg4wdZNUR98W_SczzpUjfy0zg9rCuTKKGO2pXpyEdZ4oN0nutykvlZzTnYy0j7SyKbNqNUeb4L8lvqmZMb5P1z-827mLkqmY4/s1600/DSC03506.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Rough, but runnable terrain skirting around Aspen Peak.</i></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhE2ReG9t6FOsP-1y-gzrVpZPUlUVM1m003ttIDnuaS5PcmdATw3ncw6GXFEoJPMS6X_dxiCOxDXqV81OsXwFA5QgSES4djbwWeFKPqM3vHEt2dRV8GkTemT_RACOFeHyCOaZab4ubwE/s1600/DSC03529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhE2ReG9t6FOsP-1y-gzrVpZPUlUVM1m003ttIDnuaS5PcmdATw3ncw6GXFEoJPMS6X_dxiCOxDXqV81OsXwFA5QgSES4djbwWeFKPqM3vHEt2dRV8GkTemT_RACOFeHyCOaZab4ubwE/s1600/DSC03529.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOuFlUitlF9eZeB3f3mIjYvewL9nXDLcvm7mnmt6dDfmUqE9OHQwrHVqpaU1p9amKGhW0sO3oKFVcP6whHyALMC3XgV62AMisDGIkC3sNWzEOMjOSk1sqFLdwSe2b2Nh_FqK_2LUvryzA/s1600/DSC03533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOuFlUitlF9eZeB3f3mIjYvewL9nXDLcvm7mnmt6dDfmUqE9OHQwrHVqpaU1p9amKGhW0sO3oKFVcP6whHyALMC3XgV62AMisDGIkC3sNWzEOMjOSk1sqFLdwSe2b2Nh_FqK_2LUvryzA/s1600/DSC03533.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The final approach to Hualapai Peak requires some fun scrambling through broken granite.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">View northward from the top. Hayden Peak has the radio towers and is just 27 feet shorter than Hualapai Peak.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>View southward along the range crest of the Hualapai Mountains.</i></span></td></tr>
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It took just under 4 hours to reach the summit from the mouth of Sawmill Canyon. I was back to my car in under 7 hours. Total distance and elevation gain was 22.35 miles and over 4,000 feet.<br />
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<br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-70256013574708547002017-10-06T16:16:00.003-06:002017-11-01T11:11:21.008-06:00Home Base<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A few random photos from "training" rides/runs near my home base Cedar City. I have to put in a lot of long, lonely hours on the local trails and roads in order to pull off some of my longer adventures. Many of my fondest memories have happened out on seldom-visited double tracks out in the desert.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf2FGPyP1HjyTLJz9TlMUVz2rzEDW5OoWfCA8bkl3Zq_Ph0zHG0dOV3S8_hp01t3qLj_gFxc-eKrqgulOa2y-8kq1muHes1wGLpxxfyMZdSdT2CGNW283un4HbWlpzTlIafsKJ2N5kFU/s1600/DSC02206_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf2FGPyP1HjyTLJz9TlMUVz2rzEDW5OoWfCA8bkl3Zq_Ph0zHG0dOV3S8_hp01t3qLj_gFxc-eKrqgulOa2y-8kq1muHes1wGLpxxfyMZdSdT2CGNW283un4HbWlpzTlIafsKJ2N5kFU/s1600/DSC02206_.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The C Trail right out of town is an old favorite. Gaining 2000 feet in 4 miles makes this the go-to ride or run when you need some vert. This particular climb was on snowshoes in February.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zSic68QUULDBuMlkab_PqsUX5bnIFqtdblmaobpbfZry8BFyw57s3AWc-aoRNZVBHrLR7nUKrxDZ7VTWO4Q4uhbdP1ru8h-2OarfvqLb39AWkhWaDDwX0IpOAHktF4jYhxH2A3iuTBE/s1600/DSC02216_v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zSic68QUULDBuMlkab_PqsUX5bnIFqtdblmaobpbfZry8BFyw57s3AWc-aoRNZVBHrLR7nUKrxDZ7VTWO4Q4uhbdP1ru8h-2OarfvqLb39AWkhWaDDwX0IpOAHktF4jYhxH2A3iuTBE/s1600/DSC02216_v2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">View from C-Trail toward Cedar Canyon and the Red Hill.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEVJPtWwGlxkJvnthDDXAx2lseLRILw8JCnT4uICXrAR2ib9gE8moIEgfBS9_9erJ6ftWDaJGWdXxFgCvH8rqdnuIoEdyWdxyYBmTEYVZji4l5Py_1reUdl0cqQjwUp5hMy1xx5urb4Q/s1600/DSC02374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="812" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEVJPtWwGlxkJvnthDDXAx2lseLRILw8JCnT4uICXrAR2ib9gE8moIEgfBS9_9erJ6ftWDaJGWdXxFgCvH8rqdnuIoEdyWdxyYBmTEYVZji4l5Py_1reUdl0cqQjwUp5hMy1xx5urb4Q/s1600/DSC02374.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">You can get to Zion National Park's Lee Pass trailhead within about 25 minutes from Cedar City. If I'm hankerin' for some red rock, this trail drops into La Verkin Creek Canyon, which is very similar to the main Zion Canyon, but with hardly any tourists. </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZOxhtMMJPJRfKzHPOjCl2wId_94ynD3cSTLwv0ZRhXDvUAH5B9_adwnyvRLfsznITa6EZX5tTCklyIP7-P_f97Ro5q0HO8fgrhQYAUSxzcCeUtHYzWocGo85ZrVmr8XmT135EjBYRFQ/s1600/DSC03328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZOxhtMMJPJRfKzHPOjCl2wId_94ynD3cSTLwv0ZRhXDvUAH5B9_adwnyvRLfsznITa6EZX5tTCklyIP7-P_f97Ro5q0HO8fgrhQYAUSxzcCeUtHYzWocGo85ZrVmr8XmT135EjBYRFQ/s1600/DSC03328.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">In winter, when all of the local singletrack is covered in snow or too soggy, I head west into the Escalante Desert. All-weather dirt roads go on for hundreds of miles. Some may call this sort of riding boring. I call it therapeutic!</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCMrU9InylcvfZ79s_38z63BLYdCgJ9IDe29AAzdUZ_Xmi4Yg_EoV8-vbhCBFz0P_KZmA8JR-TVmEypNMbI8Mu7TALAxKnVtjKAYPWMbWZybXITyDI-YoW21RYH_1l8QA1sP_zvGuxKV0/s1600/DSC03334_v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCMrU9InylcvfZ79s_38z63BLYdCgJ9IDe29AAzdUZ_Xmi4Yg_EoV8-vbhCBFz0P_KZmA8JR-TVmEypNMbI8Mu7TALAxKnVtjKAYPWMbWZybXITyDI-YoW21RYH_1l8QA1sP_zvGuxKV0/s1600/DSC03334_v2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Life is tough out in the Escalante Desert. Even for the wily raven.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Doz6cSqe3vsu4mISbdvMH6BBVsuO1c8gRNt8XbKLabLtyE3qKWcI8QXspfag4niKHQBl-NLIZL4aEvpKL8P4btHrppXK_lv8tDCg8JDygYWHXR9zzLduOwnb00YInbXWUUbc3hijY1o/s1600/DSC03359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Doz6cSqe3vsu4mISbdvMH6BBVsuO1c8gRNt8XbKLabLtyE3qKWcI8QXspfag4niKHQBl-NLIZL4aEvpKL8P4btHrppXK_lv8tDCg8JDygYWHXR9zzLduOwnb00YInbXWUUbc3hijY1o/s1600/DSC03359.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The gray skies of winter above Avon Road and the Union Pacific railway.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PT50HWHQ2RELS0rHwdDHL5JlpQNlUwvCliH07M_8XBJUL1uVG6DYbiP8MeigfPsHSqMQlBOxaKs08__MBOe9nEq5WOH6OGzwC-Mqte-bkaAqq1NcvJ6swbktZV_vfMDbe2M57YGrpRI/s1600/DSC03367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="782" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PT50HWHQ2RELS0rHwdDHL5JlpQNlUwvCliH07M_8XBJUL1uVG6DYbiP8MeigfPsHSqMQlBOxaKs08__MBOe9nEq5WOH6OGzwC-Mqte-bkaAqq1NcvJ6swbktZV_vfMDbe2M57YGrpRI/s1600/DSC03367.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Chasing trains.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7RSiW_t3G-70qhpn2aUjw12nr78xid8JiA5VcUtSn5v5f4zWUveZfCSU1Z7qS9DoPVniIY9rRzlhV2EMVKnkhrTvvsgrHbUcaprOXhFLQmGmtLEA6xS1dIgmjAgRz7dgtc2ZLzGOjeQ/s1600/DSC03383_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7RSiW_t3G-70qhpn2aUjw12nr78xid8JiA5VcUtSn5v5f4zWUveZfCSU1Z7qS9DoPVniIY9rRzlhV2EMVKnkhrTvvsgrHbUcaprOXhFLQmGmtLEA6xS1dIgmjAgRz7dgtc2ZLzGOjeQ/s1600/DSC03383_4.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The abandoned railroad town of Lund.</i></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41ca6eYNIU_KimQw8GXhsAvFWNK2JAcXHnEZ0GDhRZPX6Dn9nf4w4PQ-W6iVdieaVCuQ7UrcMVARXWh6v22fsj3KacsTl4Ybk6QRzlWforNaEBYwclFZAxnzzgxNsMOSOk4T8OPHaKyA/s1600/DSC03386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="812" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41ca6eYNIU_KimQw8GXhsAvFWNK2JAcXHnEZ0GDhRZPX6Dn9nf4w4PQ-W6iVdieaVCuQ7UrcMVARXWh6v22fsj3KacsTl4Ybk6QRzlWforNaEBYwclFZAxnzzgxNsMOSOk4T8OPHaKyA/s1600/DSC03386.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupoPKyHIY0dYoTbt2k8QJ3GuGRgrkz4ibjyx2VpLNYKdO4ZF4sG02JeLkGmyf2DH-TTLZKWMI1L4evxOvPMLWboUrXMYkizNPJps04TFVo25kTEEfirYMfEMPSXuRFavuDy4mVM1Cixg/s1600/DSC03389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupoPKyHIY0dYoTbt2k8QJ3GuGRgrkz4ibjyx2VpLNYKdO4ZF4sG02JeLkGmyf2DH-TTLZKWMI1L4evxOvPMLWboUrXMYkizNPJps04TFVo25kTEEfirYMfEMPSXuRFavuDy4mVM1Cixg/s1600/DSC03389.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Lonely Lund.</i></span></td></tr>
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<span id="goog_55409374"></span><span id="goog_55409375"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5FEeyNNlA70Bn2H5fZqGHenIqcEM_zAh3nN_Cv23Y_K0VSX4VxiCwcc_F9VxNjGo33sl5PIh2yatUVn0uPZsQV4IXCfYS_ivcd3ov7ZBCSeP1c3TeEGQcBD9gzG0QSA-Lv0aEIDnHmD8/s1600/DSC00529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5FEeyNNlA70Bn2H5fZqGHenIqcEM_zAh3nN_Cv23Y_K0VSX4VxiCwcc_F9VxNjGo33sl5PIh2yatUVn0uPZsQV4IXCfYS_ivcd3ov7ZBCSeP1c3TeEGQcBD9gzG0QSA-Lv0aEIDnHmD8/s1600/DSC00529.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Abandoned iron mine at Desert Mound west of Cedar City.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqHgIkRmxywiwF4Wyf-nUbAGhSo8e-PyOiTesXmwAUkRvV9vhTP4wJe1Yys1W1zw1weIxi6uuV-kBlOhYxLHTequWtApY7QyBKiOY6i2ZTYSrwRbw__R1oHAFqXAHXHu6BmjVl28B17A/s1600/DSC00505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="820" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqHgIkRmxywiwF4Wyf-nUbAGhSo8e-PyOiTesXmwAUkRvV9vhTP4wJe1Yys1W1zw1weIxi6uuV-kBlOhYxLHTequWtApY7QyBKiOY6i2ZTYSrwRbw__R1oHAFqXAHXHu6BmjVl28B17A/s1600/DSC00505.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Iron Mines.</span></i></td></tr>
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<br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-78047448588302571432017-09-05T19:35:00.000-06:002017-09-05T19:35:57.409-06:00Cathedral Gorge State Park, NevadaA few highlights from a not-so-recent (this happened in March) camping trip to Nevada's Cathedral Gorge. The park has a nice campground and exploring the mini-slots and hoodoos eroded on the "lake" sediment is pretty amazing.<br />
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<br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-2249736015059002672017-05-10T20:34:00.003-06:002017-05-10T20:40:40.416-06:00Rainbow Bridge Trail - Visiting Rainbow Bridge the Old Way<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNkHwv9Ajwfd0woKi4xyaHzuQHFYrzIutuCQ_rq4WAyIT9bWl5TuNvuTDAG-m_0ke-xyN8y7gRbQp_1Le9D4IRAypTA6VuBe4bFQEhd8GPCpwde_HiE4kKbFQcat8WFdU3Sh2D0u7ErM/s1600/DSC02689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLNkHwv9Ajwfd0woKi4xyaHzuQHFYrzIutuCQ_rq4WAyIT9bWl5TuNvuTDAG-m_0ke-xyN8y7gRbQp_1Le9D4IRAypTA6VuBe4bFQEhd8GPCpwde_HiE4kKbFQcat8WFdU3Sh2D0u7ErM/s1600/DSC02689.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Tsé'naa Na'nÃ'áhÃ. Rainbow Bridge stands 290 feet tall and is among the largest natural rock spans in the world. It truly is a sight to behold.</span></i></td></tr>
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Southeastern Utah's Rainbow Trail is a forgotten trail.<br />
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Although known to natives in the Four Corners region for generations, Rainbow Bridge was not known to the modern world until Paiute guides led the Cummings-Douglass Expedition to the bridge in August of 1909. Less than one year later on May 30, 1910, President Howard Taft created Rainbow Bridge National Monument. Stories and images of the the massive sandstone span soon piqued the interest of many well-to-do adventurers.<br />
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Two trails that traverse the dark canyons and bare-rock deserts of the Rainbow Plateau emerged that lead to the bridge. The original Wetherill Trail, now known as the North Rainbow Bridge Trail, starts near Cha Canyon and skirts approximately 15 miles (reported distances vary--NPS guide states it's 17.5 miles long) across the northern shoulder of Navajo Mountain. In the early 1920s, the Rainbow Lodge Trail, now known as the South Rainbow Bridge Trail, was cut about 13 miles (NPS lists 17 miles--although I didn't GPS my trip, I estimated about 13 mi) across the southwestern shoulder of Navajo mountain to the bridge.<br />
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The well-built trails were intended for pack animals, and were used by many well-known explorers and artists. President Teddy Roosevelt traveled by horseback across the North Trail in 1913. Zane Grey made his first of many trips to Rainbow Bridge in 1913 as well, and would later write the novel "Rainbow Trail" as a tribute to his adventures to Rainbow Bridge. Much later, in the early 1960s, Ed Abbey visited Rainbow Bridge, although he did so during a Colorado River rafting trip. More recently, author <a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/1839721/canyon-incognita" target="_blank">Jon Krakauer spent some time exploring canyons along the Rainbow Trail</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxruYqoPT68Sv06HZI_Etz5UmtF-SdI56X9b_ae4SE0UvC02km13D6Kk4nncCzm-VIcuK_kwuYlcT6afcooYq27oGSW8vSM-P3u6M01OI3ydgP17zrENB02WLcLuHR9GLmfiXrX6gKn4/s1600/1913_NPS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxruYqoPT68Sv06HZI_Etz5UmtF-SdI56X9b_ae4SE0UvC02km13D6Kk4nncCzm-VIcuK_kwuYlcT6afcooYq27oGSW8vSM-P3u6M01OI3ydgP17zrENB02WLcLuHR9GLmfiXrX6gKn4/s1600/1913_NPS.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Teddy Roosevelt on the trail to Rainbow Bridge in 1913. NPS photo.</span></i></td></tr>
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Rainbow Trail usage started to drop by the 1950s when tour-boat operators began motoring people up the Colorado River from Lee's Ferry. And since the construction of Glen Canyon Dam and subsequent filling of Lake Powell starting in 1963, The Rainbow Bridge Trail has become forgotten to all, save the occasional backpacker, as tourists can now see Rainbow Bridge effortlessly after a 2-hour jet boat ride from Wahweap Marina near Page.<br />
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But there is so much more to the Rainbow Bridge Trail than just Rainbow Bridge. The trail accesses some of the most beautiful desert terrain the Colorado Plateau has to offer. The trail dips in and out of several entrenched, well-watered canyons that are, alone, more than worthy of extended exploration. Well-preserved Anasazi ruins, petroglyphs, and pictographs can be found by the alert explorer. These ancient traces of the Old Ones are an interesting contrast to more recent Navajo hogans and ceremonial sweat lodges near the trail today. Massive distant mesas (Cummings, and Fifty-Mile- Mountain are most notable) create broken skylines that are a requisite backdrop to classic Southwest desert vistas. And to top it all off, literally, the snow-capped and pine-studded Navajo Mountain tickles the heavens at over 10,000 feet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMlWHdxgd58ovTyZC_aFIIVA-CaAm4cBxbg-bPmkzePo5Kd8uckAx8sODtjxpw_av_9BmTqH6x9gF09q8PLAI21Oy62xerVJws6y9WnClpcxyXf88yFNjfa66U2EeJCuYrC0qDjBtwPA/s1600/DSC02552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMlWHdxgd58ovTyZC_aFIIVA-CaAm4cBxbg-bPmkzePo5Kd8uckAx8sODtjxpw_av_9BmTqH6x9gF09q8PLAI21Oy62xerVJws6y9WnClpcxyXf88yFNjfa66U2EeJCuYrC0qDjBtwPA/s1600/DSC02552.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">10,387-foot Navajo Mountain (</span></i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Naatsis’áán or "head of the earth")</i> </span><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">rises above tortured slickrock country near the Utah-Arizona border. The sedimentary rocks exposed on Navajo Mountain have been arched upward by surging magma as part of a laccolithic intrusion. Unlike other laccoliths in the region, such as the Henry Mountains or Pine Valley Mountains, the igneous rocks remain underground and have yet to be exposed by erosion.</span></i></td></tr>
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Combined (the North and South trails share the final 2.5 miles to Rainbow Bridge in Bridge Canyon), the Rainbow Bridge Trail is nearly 30 miles long. Twenty miles of dirt and paved roads connect the two trailheads, making a total circumnavigation of Navajo Mountain nearly 50 miles long.<br />
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Detailed trail descriptions and trip reports of the Rainbow Bridge Trail are few and hard to find. Many have completed two- to four-day backpack trips along either the North or South trail to Rainbow Bridge. Some do so as a one-way trip to the bridge and then hop on a hired boat to take them to Wahweap. Some have sped-hiked one of the trails as an out-and-back to the bridge in a single day. <a href="http://kelseyguidebooks.com/" target="_blank">Michael Kelsey</a> once hiked the South Trail to the bridge and back in 11 hours. Recently, a couple of smaller ultra-marathons have utilized the Rainbow Trail. <a href="http://www.navajoyes.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/ntu16infosheet.pdf" target="_blank">The Naatsisaan Trail Ultra</a> is a 50-mile out-and-back on the North Trail, and the <a href="https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=42276" target="_blank">Rainbow Bridge Trail Ultra</a> is a 55k out-and-back on the South Trail. Both races are supported.<br />
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But I have yet to hear about someone completing the whole ~30-mile trail, unsupported, in a single day. I'd be pretty surprised if nobody has already accomplished this. Long, iconic routes such as the <a href="http://cedarandsand.blogspot.com/2010/07/trans-zion.html" target="_blank">48-mile Trans-Zion</a> and the <a href="http://cedarandsand.blogspot.com/2010/11/grand-canyon-rim-to-rim-to-rim.html" target="_blank">Grand Canyon's 42-mile Rim 2 Rim 2 Rim</a>, both formerly completed as multi-day backpack trips, are now regularly knocked off in a day by ultra-runners on any given weekend. If you know of someone who has already ran the entire Rainbow Bridge Trail in a day, let me know. Until then, I can dream that I was the first!<br />
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I'd been planning a single-day circumnavigation of Navajo Mountain for about 10 years or so. In early March, the timing and weather were right, and I finally pulled the trigger. After picking up my Navajo backcountry permit near Page, I drove to the Rainbow Lodge (South Trailhead) and found a place to stash my bike. I then found my way over to the North Trailhead (Cha Canyon), having to stop a couple of times to repair the road (shove boulders off the road, repair washed-out sections with a shovel--the usual stuff).<br />
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The moonless night was dead quiet, save the occasional yipping of coyotes. My alarm sounded at 4:30 am, and by 5, I was plunging into Cha Canyon with my bike light in hand.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZT1LiB4QhaU8CQrn-pxU8LmBTKIsgDnoAQV3efKxOc35NJl_NUJTkGJCfBvmIANS5YF0vxQgz0oHEGRXdPzxdVJt7A-0cnK-wkMMv9JVfU7HRd0RRnQTg4dueTda13Gqf42ieHNGBwNA/s1600/DSC02566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZT1LiB4QhaU8CQrn-pxU8LmBTKIsgDnoAQV3efKxOc35NJl_NUJTkGJCfBvmIANS5YF0vxQgz0oHEGRXdPzxdVJt7A-0cnK-wkMMv9JVfU7HRd0RRnQTg4dueTda13Gqf42ieHNGBwNA/s1600/DSC02566.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Dawn breaks in Bald Rock Canyon, with Navajo Mountain in the far distance. </span></i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">The steep, cleverly constructed trail dropping down the east rim of Bald Rock Canyon was a highlight. </span></i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here, I'm about 3.5 miles in and have already dipped in and out of Cha Canyon in the dark. While exiting Cha, I spooked up a group of large, hoofed animals--wild horses or Burros, I don't know as it was still too dark to see. </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefBUGoDZ3gaqdTSVUVeZ4_1akUwlmJpUfvl8YvTHEeHCQ1-smCLmRx836Cc9SWhOn6Kz9PpnlzKQl2PU_or-Ttz-0NBW2CpE04AW-K88PTlW8cFD_gDA3BOBLBHpquDTmFAKjCH4VfiE/s1600/DSC02572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefBUGoDZ3gaqdTSVUVeZ4_1akUwlmJpUfvl8YvTHEeHCQ1-smCLmRx836Cc9SWhOn6Kz9PpnlzKQl2PU_or-Ttz-0NBW2CpE04AW-K88PTlW8cFD_gDA3BOBLBHpquDTmFAKjCH4VfiE/s1600/DSC02572.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Another look at the impressive Bald Rock Canyon. This canyon begged for more exploration, but I had to keep pressing on.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDp9-Gu3dGpc9EbjTt17MpuogZymvJgu35LGhR9u45P_vYssb6pkQ6SPqliW5JBC2bcyfRd3L1cpjK93zRPyU8MzTnJIk1IgvLQbL29VRy3Dh2Rm4khZoFlpNW7AqnV0PSpRQiwqtT9E/s1600/DSC02578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDp9-Gu3dGpc9EbjTt17MpuogZymvJgu35LGhR9u45P_vYssb6pkQ6SPqliW5JBC2bcyfRd3L1cpjK93zRPyU8MzTnJIk1IgvLQbL29VRy3Dh2Rm4khZoFlpNW7AqnV0PSpRQiwqtT9E/s1600/DSC02578.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Sun and sky dazzle along the slickrock benches between Bald Rock and Nasja Canyons.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4yZuIdkxc7U_ByYEzLwTtZQzZx24-QfGceE6CBPDt-aZ-Y2QJ8uft48db49Wqo1BSo7CS6PZA9vkFr7_GqSqEcCQv6iRQSTCBNyj-6s0D854yX6GzQR4TA1W-OpIRhY3vhZrW7KXdD0/s1600/DSC02582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4yZuIdkxc7U_ByYEzLwTtZQzZx24-QfGceE6CBPDt-aZ-Y2QJ8uft48db49Wqo1BSo7CS6PZA9vkFr7_GqSqEcCQv6iRQSTCBNyj-6s0D854yX6GzQR4TA1W-OpIRhY3vhZrW7KXdD0/s1600/DSC02582.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Slickrock canyon country as far as the eye can see.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KOZb7nTOgpW8x65B1T_c5iwKYRZy7815JQRWHxIuE6wUoikcUWdmYI1cH9aJYCMii1wFs-OZ2UQPTw1wLhbSaKJWzA1OkxdDfQ95axzAa9ZQOmqJQNYrlhe2Pfm8klJ086_wTWqqk_A/s1600/DSC02586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KOZb7nTOgpW8x65B1T_c5iwKYRZy7815JQRWHxIuE6wUoikcUWdmYI1cH9aJYCMii1wFs-OZ2UQPTw1wLhbSaKJWzA1OkxdDfQ95axzAa9ZQOmqJQNYrlhe2Pfm8klJ086_wTWqqk_A/s1600/DSC02586.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Iron concretions along the Rainbow Trail.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOllVDKkOGRZiUlTL6bEZlfnfFiYSF2kCT1h0U-nRqs8eIDeXnco_eao3SEEspQh9UzYl6mW4-c15ljeW_PvIPVGll5_G8ocSY5kzQCQ_H5p7Q7NxDA5jgS3laqOmZNXP8mbVc1aNHzQE/s1600/DSC02587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOllVDKkOGRZiUlTL6bEZlfnfFiYSF2kCT1h0U-nRqs8eIDeXnco_eao3SEEspQh9UzYl6mW4-c15ljeW_PvIPVGll5_G8ocSY5kzQCQ_H5p7Q7NxDA5jgS3laqOmZNXP8mbVc1aNHzQE/s1600/DSC02587.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The only thing "surprising" here was the location of this sign. As far as I can tell, this sign is placed a good half mile before the trail actually drops into Surprise Valley near Nasja Creek.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zoQnNrn69CyE0p8tJdGTuLYP78QCneboJ0az7imNGd5p5_Xd8_QwHjWhqEZ0lq_vCTib0asT-kkjR6oxSlnQ_faPOqZhFIcGKAReRbX0fGhNccOoN7iKHlUC9m9L7Tj2iSjxoQQjpik/s1600/DSC02590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zoQnNrn69CyE0p8tJdGTuLYP78QCneboJ0az7imNGd5p5_Xd8_QwHjWhqEZ0lq_vCTib0asT-kkjR6oxSlnQ_faPOqZhFIcGKAReRbX0fGhNccOoN7iKHlUC9m9L7Tj2iSjxoQQjpik/s1600/DSC02590.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A rare flat section of the Rainbow Trail near Nasja Creek. Heavy snow pack on Navajo Mountain ensured plenty of cool, clear water in all major drainages.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUubBO-SjBNxqcAlBjGr3pVfYBZ41Mn3JcthcqG8BNmeZlnsmRQoULqT2EfTBaw_8Ak-spgzQQFvuKz10ya9c-RgHYMjLxusZrY93c4mbKy5RJ_ABtTcosan_T57UeJrQV9W9ZIQVh6t4/s1600/DSC02593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUubBO-SjBNxqcAlBjGr3pVfYBZ41Mn3JcthcqG8BNmeZlnsmRQoULqT2EfTBaw_8Ak-spgzQQFvuKz10ya9c-RgHYMjLxusZrY93c4mbKy5RJ_ABtTcosan_T57UeJrQV9W9ZIQVh6t4/s1600/DSC02593.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Whimsical Navajo glyphs near Surprise Valley. I succumbed to my curiosity here and spent about 45 minutes off-trail exploring up into a side drainage of Surprise Valley.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxklvJqQIdppqKIya2B9pUZbfsddxovNxWUz-XKaszvhdivcVc7DOq7jt2q6TU-iTCxYs20Hcp1Fjn0xrSWabbn9Awc1yGfW9Ai9CMb_BfCBYvtUROc0bYRNkX9p8ykgDYCq79q8NBiHo/s1600/DSC02597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxklvJqQIdppqKIya2B9pUZbfsddxovNxWUz-XKaszvhdivcVc7DOq7jt2q6TU-iTCxYs20Hcp1Fjn0xrSWabbn9Awc1yGfW9Ai9CMb_BfCBYvtUROc0bYRNkX9p8ykgDYCq79q8NBiHo/s1600/DSC02597.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Owl Bridge just past Surprise Valley.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzV9bbViio6V6oH4fEJQLYOsg-RjwE0KxDuj7bPysEzsFrdyUbmdAjbXeGQPFEcJAbzk-hq8VZ5nMFHPyZJS40R4-5y7QDI2__0TrD6rTApMvjKgovWuYg4xw2TfbiCnPSeJHCrp3FWGw/s1600/DSC02603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzV9bbViio6V6oH4fEJQLYOsg-RjwE0KxDuj7bPysEzsFrdyUbmdAjbXeGQPFEcJAbzk-hq8VZ5nMFHPyZJS40R4-5y7QDI2__0TrD6rTApMvjKgovWuYg4xw2TfbiCnPSeJHCrp3FWGw/s1600/DSC02603.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Weathered cross-beds where the trail crosses a fork of Oak Canyon.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25JByL9QLqo08RFvBG3bmMb2OS6a1X3bz06H__1ARDlJ1_3eVCuqI9WDgAvaeJ49uBz8Yl_24UX2e-OR0T97S2E3XNf1nJvr0X0NK9QBUfSkCH6MGndedfbGkBnnQqG1ZT3eEqY2SFBc/s1600/DSC02608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25JByL9QLqo08RFvBG3bmMb2OS6a1X3bz06H__1ARDlJ1_3eVCuqI9WDgAvaeJ49uBz8Yl_24UX2e-OR0T97S2E3XNf1nJvr0X0NK9QBUfSkCH6MGndedfbGkBnnQqG1ZT3eEqY2SFBc/s1600/DSC02608.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">One of about five traditional hogans that I noticed close to the trail. </span></i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">The remote canyons surrounding Navajo Mountain served as critical refuge for a small group of Navajos that managed to avoid the inhumane capture and incarceration by the U.S. Government starting in 1863. Kit Carson destroyed water holes, stole livestock, and burned hogans and crops, forcing the starving Navajo to surrender. This culminated in the infamous 300-mile "Long Walk" to Bosque Redondo, New Mexico. Many died of exposure, disease, or starvation along the walk and at the prison camp. </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFVIIbUmZ9ZOlFfy4xK008kCbTPpJxfLZv3SbPUMdvfPbxBlqjB7a-PbzbOy-V3oN7WZcnt0w-TnLXCV38P4efbChhbz3XV7JRiPyI27515ukedUf1h9ubLgw81HJDTHLonjgwXUPrsU/s1600/DSC02611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFVIIbUmZ9ZOlFfy4xK008kCbTPpJxfLZv3SbPUMdvfPbxBlqjB7a-PbzbOy-V3oN7WZcnt0w-TnLXCV38P4efbChhbz3XV7JRiPyI27515ukedUf1h9ubLgw81HJDTHLonjgwXUPrsU/s1600/DSC02611.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The simple life of the </span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #303030;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Diné</span></i></span><i><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></i></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdBSj9EyGxnsINkMJgtzYF3hdgutJ012HJwgmjZRM5W38SA3KIYNv8dQGQiJA9hrJ5xCTZpbSZZHq-fIpbyA-dzbmQwt3ty6rVaJ29DqCTStgcYe1SZWt12WHNnNDvdcJu-uZDmdD4No/s1600/DSC02612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdBSj9EyGxnsINkMJgtzYF3hdgutJ012HJwgmjZRM5W38SA3KIYNv8dQGQiJA9hrJ5xCTZpbSZZHq-fIpbyA-dzbmQwt3ty6rVaJ29DqCTStgcYe1SZWt12WHNnNDvdcJu-uZDmdD4No/s1600/DSC02612.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A precariously balanced rock hangs over Oak Creek Canyon.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQf01BcDJB69qAfoew4JglCy8LOMLZlgVlcy7hLZa-fN7MKZCFhlEf3KdOK1j4R5yIkeR0uo984atYlsjKyy9WSmvYsWDmnsKDV9MciWj6SWrp7D3Td-fZHnrDLPlFQgzoF-Q0AAeVsyQ/s1600/DSC02625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQf01BcDJB69qAfoew4JglCy8LOMLZlgVlcy7hLZa-fN7MKZCFhlEf3KdOK1j4R5yIkeR0uo984atYlsjKyy9WSmvYsWDmnsKDV9MciWj6SWrp7D3Td-fZHnrDLPlFQgzoF-Q0AAeVsyQ/s1600/DSC02625.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Rainbow Trail was first developed in the 1910s and 1920s and improved by the CCC in the 1930s. But the trail has largely been neglected since the creation of Lake Powell. Starting in 2014, Canyonlands Field Institute and the Utah Conservation Corps began making trail improvements with hopes to increase tourism to this remote and economically depressed part of Navajo Nation.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSb6NQF3-7EL88Zbrdd0MEd5p9D2vRCMDhk22o4tG6aDODCfcnPJmjntQTzSsY07ig1aj4w8FLAjh1g5717Z2EXRrNi5dJ8K0OTUS7E5hfKT9B3fhmIQcvxJkWzhCHU0SfIKOUVMBvBs/s1600/DSC02629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSb6NQF3-7EL88Zbrdd0MEd5p9D2vRCMDhk22o4tG6aDODCfcnPJmjntQTzSsY07ig1aj4w8FLAjh1g5717Z2EXRrNi5dJ8K0OTUS7E5hfKT9B3fhmIQcvxJkWzhCHU0SfIKOUVMBvBs/s1600/DSC02629.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Another hogan along the Rainbow Trail.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_i-pVTDXeb4lBM-eIvu_v77RnNbNbATJbWoBSYOVURQgHSXo7Z0EYzK-OMEbVUcf-QY_p4G7Klbxa7_FHbD0KRb59XIXMkMmIN7H2b4NceOvsRzi_qF1KvPB5WlQp8SayzaARgg_Z5GY/s1600/DSC02632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_i-pVTDXeb4lBM-eIvu_v77RnNbNbATJbWoBSYOVURQgHSXo7Z0EYzK-OMEbVUcf-QY_p4G7Klbxa7_FHbD0KRb59XIXMkMmIN7H2b4NceOvsRzi_qF1KvPB5WlQp8SayzaARgg_Z5GY/s1600/DSC02632.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Scrambling down a narrow crease toward Bridge Canyon. This section of the trail is known as "the furnace" during warmer months.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDWIFLk538NX3Z-_G2jb27uh7Iq4HkqcC9UnDUPcGHM_p0uUTJHKI1Ym_AQ9HCvI5BwsU3YUP3SOgEl_qZZVkick7JSjQzlJepNq1cuxEzL9e3RXqQR2pOZmM9aU4gw5ryqijzzcIjq0/s1600/DSC02638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDWIFLk538NX3Z-_G2jb27uh7Iq4HkqcC9UnDUPcGHM_p0uUTJHKI1Ym_AQ9HCvI5BwsU3YUP3SOgEl_qZZVkick7JSjQzlJepNq1cuxEzL9e3RXqQR2pOZmM9aU4gw5ryqijzzcIjq0/s1600/DSC02638.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The meandering Bridge Canyon. With a clear stream, varnish-streaked walls, riparian vegetation, and dark alcoves, Bridge Canyon is reminiscent of the canyons of the Escalante country north of Lake Powell.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgs6EkwO2-AtH-1Lv3Iy0NwCTe8wA4w8Vxcq1tl2vi0z-wx6owpOrLt-yCDzmFAUKNKKo0oSLbeHIpY-9DOPbGDbHoBpSJxyIuvRlpuriG-HocRjzl2IDbCxeCTtGfEGH8rgOR2yZ3cA/s1600/DSC02639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgs6EkwO2-AtH-1Lv3Iy0NwCTe8wA4w8Vxcq1tl2vi0z-wx6owpOrLt-yCDzmFAUKNKKo0oSLbeHIpY-9DOPbGDbHoBpSJxyIuvRlpuriG-HocRjzl2IDbCxeCTtGfEGH8rgOR2yZ3cA/s1600/DSC02639.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Bridge Canyon.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK28bP2qppCKSBoq-rlgT927AXSMK9aU8x8WVzUzT_w53z_JMbvtv4Ab5-cBnd-YwgPuGbrHVesZWS3qOLqwQoRjOygO2hZXWpxx7f7I6aG_TLXa6b3dXFjBwyvmTt6iU0II8hX1SgxA0/s1600/DSC02647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK28bP2qppCKSBoq-rlgT927AXSMK9aU8x8WVzUzT_w53z_JMbvtv4Ab5-cBnd-YwgPuGbrHVesZWS3qOLqwQoRjOygO2hZXWpxx7f7I6aG_TLXa6b3dXFjBwyvmTt6iU0II8hX1SgxA0/s1600/DSC02647.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">At times the route devolves into boulder hopping in the creek, but for the most part, a well-defined path leads the way. While I took a GPS for backup, I don't recall ever having to use it for navigation.</span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWK2dzNLHD7waaMLMr7U-5GoqAoO-_oQiZ_-A-6SaVSMHFoKBtfo50uFkyho_1Z6BQ8Z_ix5luMvqb7v2N9CQMNdnLtTJuDQhlEe1powSU9lLJwI3eRuNDPkYcb9FC1F82_Srrdhb_F-U/s1600/DSC02649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWK2dzNLHD7waaMLMr7U-5GoqAoO-_oQiZ_-A-6SaVSMHFoKBtfo50uFkyho_1Z6BQ8Z_ix5luMvqb7v2N9CQMNdnLtTJuDQhlEe1powSU9lLJwI3eRuNDPkYcb9FC1F82_Srrdhb_F-U/s1600/DSC02649.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mgar2QQa70vgtTXM3S7a_QFSPWMBSTI8WwRoCqD1GbleQKFy8IrnXtQitjPIGBMeqqLq2PfabkcqYlpZBOcR52N2PB2isOshl9F0etYA_L_cUjotoySRkVHGkP4Cfcpl6ySPX0c3o8g/s1600/DSC02660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mgar2QQa70vgtTXM3S7a_QFSPWMBSTI8WwRoCqD1GbleQKFy8IrnXtQitjPIGBMeqqLq2PfabkcqYlpZBOcR52N2PB2isOshl9F0etYA_L_cUjotoySRkVHGkP4Cfcpl6ySPX0c3o8g/s1600/DSC02660.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Echo Camp was a popular camp spot for early commercial trips to Rainbow Bridge.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSBk2nzCQOXUyx8VD4KigIVTAN44vZkF9y_u4UEJhZNoGie8pFlgcCeyDIS0BBAeHA1BtNaj-MKy7ufzLdxYwza13hAOfaQl5EBeBTd46oowy04DvWtf-l5zan3GfUTJodkM5fZiKbJQ/s1600/DSC02658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiSBk2nzCQOXUyx8VD4KigIVTAN44vZkF9y_u4UEJhZNoGie8pFlgcCeyDIS0BBAeHA1BtNaj-MKy7ufzLdxYwza13hAOfaQl5EBeBTd46oowy04DvWtf-l5zan3GfUTJodkM5fZiKbJQ/s1600/DSC02658.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Large alcove and permanently-filled plunge pool above Echo Camp.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-SF7av6VdFuFmbdPgEu55-Lvs0bjNwmA5G4KBBOCCQv7fwuJPVbueGvuvsAdrCAB9eEpJoIA56FKRitCcbaxS3S49jC0cH3GilDia7yqNMtrJIGJmOzv7LLWzhpHV4Kx0Yuh-EHR2nE/s1600/DSC02653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-SF7av6VdFuFmbdPgEu55-Lvs0bjNwmA5G4KBBOCCQv7fwuJPVbueGvuvsAdrCAB9eEpJoIA56FKRitCcbaxS3S49jC0cH3GilDia7yqNMtrJIGJmOzv7LLWzhpHV4Kx0Yuh-EHR2nE/s1600/DSC02653.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">These odd three-pronged impressions on a boulder near Echo Camp sure look like they could be theropod (3-toed dinosaur) tracks.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjWVhYqOLN6e4DHewuP2waGBWLyh4e4jIDne62OQFs9yhe7jiMnstcLzb3NaNLV2LKR3hwFzHBGs7ECp1f9AU_6WlMOP6o7kKSU3XLof8TUqsPbx-KGJyU9Pk8BRq0tfjASFLreK8aFI/s1600/DSC02668.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjWVhYqOLN6e4DHewuP2waGBWLyh4e4jIDne62OQFs9yhe7jiMnstcLzb3NaNLV2LKR3hwFzHBGs7ECp1f9AU_6WlMOP6o7kKSU3XLof8TUqsPbx-KGJyU9Pk8BRq0tfjASFLreK8aFI/s1600/DSC02668.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">I reached Rainbow Bridge at about 12:30 PM and took about 30 minutes to eat and take photos. While I could hear tourists' voices coming from downcanyon near the lake, I never actually saw anyone. If I could have arrived to the bridge before noon, I would have ran the extra mile down to the lake, but since I was running a little late, I began retracing my steps up Bridge Canyon.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXFxdZOHP5UXq_IBbLALpqykxabS3fNMN9p9J5YbF3qVhIaVcO3Zz4KLR2KuDW7fiJBa9OeTmLkX8T7DaM8ocGw6TUzoYgLtOB8b8BPCUxxrbM1djdnrJJjbU_2CyR87-u-F4FEEkg5w/s1600/DSC02672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXFxdZOHP5UXq_IBbLALpqykxabS3fNMN9p9J5YbF3qVhIaVcO3Zz4KLR2KuDW7fiJBa9OeTmLkX8T7DaM8ocGw6TUzoYgLtOB8b8BPCUxxrbM1djdnrJJjbU_2CyR87-u-F4FEEkg5w/s1600/DSC02672.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">One of two bronze plaques installed to commemorate Paiutes Nasjah Begay and Jim Mike who led the Cummings-Douglas Expedition to Rainbow Bridge in 1909.<br /></span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-D0nAZnMxqRJrza6rNzqBats2TfeYnGAKc1nhg4HR63jUPLjHsWqOwQdp9ffvFN43eUxwk7kwPeTKRFRr4tviP98a0hgvBxIE6Dqp2sKDdONal2e0qPCJeO3MCHvSj08MV7X9VRJtRk/s1600/fig19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-D0nAZnMxqRJrza6rNzqBats2TfeYnGAKc1nhg4HR63jUPLjHsWqOwQdp9ffvFN43eUxwk7kwPeTKRFRr4tviP98a0hgvBxIE6Dqp2sKDdONal2e0qPCJeO3MCHvSj08MV7X9VRJtRk/s1600/fig19.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Installation of the Nasjah Begay plaque by the Park Service in 1927. Jim Mike didn't get his full-size plaque installed until 1997. NPS photo.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Failed self-timer shot at Redbud Pass.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Recently completed trail through Redbud Pass in 1928. The natural slot canyon through Redbud Pass was widened by chisel and dynamite to allow pack animals through. NAU Library.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A pack train travels through Redbud Pass in 1928. NAU photo.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Today, erosion and subsequent rockfall have choked Redbud Pass with large blocks of Navajo Sandstone. The canyon is no longer passable by horse.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Several generations of fading pictographs adorn the walls of Cliff Canyon.</span></i></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Looking up to Yabut Pass from the bottom of Cliff Canyon. This is easily the biggest climb on the whole trail, gaining 2000 feet in 2 miles. The trail climbs a landslide of shattered and pulverized sandstone, indicating that the canyon wall collapsed catastrophically in the distant past. </span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Yabbut Pass truly is the crux of the entire trail, and one must choose wisely whether they want to climb or descend this beast. Either direction will have your knees begging for mercy. I knew I would be miserable pedaling mostly uphill on the bike after a 30-mile run, so I chose to complete the loop in a CCW direction, which meant a grueling climb up Yabbut, but a mostly downhill bike ride at the end. Many will likely choose to run in the opposite direction just to avoid this punishing climb.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Looking down from near the top of Yabut Pass into Cliff Canyon in 1928. NAU Library photo.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Aztec Mesa west of Yabut Pass. Fiftymile Mountain north of Lake Powell is in the far distance.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The ghostly remains of Rainbow Lodge. Completed in 1923 by the Richardson brothers, the lodge changed ownership over the years and was eventually sold to Arizona Senator and presidential nominee Barry Goldwater in 1946. Many luminaries paid the high price to travel to and stay at the lodge including financier John D. Rockefeller, Jr.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Rainbow Lodge burned down in 1951 and only a few scattered stone walls remain.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Cryptic pictograph near Willow Spring at Rainbow Lodge.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">One of many remnants of the former Rainbow Lodge complex.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The end of the trail at Rainbow Lodge.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The sun set just after I reached my bike at 6:45 pm, making for a 13.75-hour run along the Rainbow Bridge Trail. I changed into biking shoes and started pedaling the final 20 miles across Navajo Nation in the dark. I felt fantastic knowing I'd finally completed my goal, and it of course felt good to finally get off my feet! I returned to my car near Cha Canyon about 2 hours later, completing the circumnavigation of Navajo Mountain in a little under 16 hours. With adrenaline pumping, I decided to go for it, and make the 5-hour drive back to Cedar City. I ended up getting home at about 2 am--a very long day!</span></i></td></tr>
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This was an amazing experience, and I rank it up there with some of my favorite single-day suffer-fests. Although shorter in mileage than either the Trans-Zion or R2R2R, the Rainbow Bridge Trail has comparable elevation gain (~10,000 feet in the CCW direction), and is really set apart by its remoteness. While help is never too far away on Zion's or Grand Canyon's main corridor trails, it could be weeks before you see another soul along the Rainbow (I passed two cars on the road while biking, but zero humans or even their footprints on the trail). Running the additional 20 miles to make an even 50 miler certainly is doable as well.<br />
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Whether you want to set an FKT, or spend a couple of weeks immersing yourself in some of the most enchanting country in the West, I can't recommend this trail enough.<br />
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<br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-76354093329878122832017-03-09T12:52:00.000-07:002017-03-09T14:21:55.238-07:00Gold Butte National Monument, Desert Springs, and Beaver Dam Mountains WildernessSo much to share, so little time. Here are some highlights from a family trip to Mesquite and Gold Butte N.M. just after Christmas. It's a total coincidence that we visited the Gold Butte area just a day or two after the monument was created.<br />
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Nearly 8 years ago, I completed a <a href="http://cedarandsand.blogspot.com/2009/01/desert-dreamin.html" target="_blank">32-mile mountain bike tour of the Whitney Pocket-Devil's Fire area</a>, and I've longed for the day to show the place off to the fam.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EeaRN6gy__ff-2fvzqlxoHbfq9vkfYfVesRbLc1-mWvUI4Ny2rxXbNGvUJLGNwT_YS8RcK4xmuwQ6YHXMlKtN0uEZbGS2_6HExY4haQc7qypnNW9Jn6gUXX8nQS97chuaoYw-n9lY5A/s1600/DSC01342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0EeaRN6gy__ff-2fvzqlxoHbfq9vkfYfVesRbLc1-mWvUI4Ny2rxXbNGvUJLGNwT_YS8RcK4xmuwQ6YHXMlKtN0uEZbGS2_6HExY4haQc7qypnNW9Jn6gUXX8nQS97chuaoYw-n9lY5A/s1600/DSC01342.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Hundreds of people literally drive right over the top of Desert Springs (aka, Little Jamaica) every hour near Littlefield, AZ, and have no idea what they're missing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UUwiub5VVNtTbUiKeSUKAkxGLxdPEhL5EVuvY6NZWCADX1iPpFW2HNmS8zFacgrHiMBJ6-_HQa1qEASrx_sayK55FAtzOdvofZp_OMoNCSbkF5zNLNRYEV7YJlEN0HsJ_DmQKRo9i3Q/s1600/DSC01355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UUwiub5VVNtTbUiKeSUKAkxGLxdPEhL5EVuvY6NZWCADX1iPpFW2HNmS8zFacgrHiMBJ6-_HQa1qEASrx_sayK55FAtzOdvofZp_OMoNCSbkF5zNLNRYEV7YJlEN0HsJ_DmQKRo9i3Q/s1600/DSC01355.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Although calling the springs "warm" might be generous (perhaps lukewarm, but definitely warmer than the nearby Virgin River), the spring waters are rich in dissolved minerals that crystallize at the surface forming nice mineral terraces.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Hanging at the hanging gardens at Desert Springs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Zoe and Ava climb down to check the water of the Virgin River.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8nVcisI-UtOPThRA96gQaFc8TbITjXRFqMCaeeUnaAL4Mt1agNSkSAjRU7KSsofJO_hr-7RXQr72qITaCiT_wfzwdchjEA9kAQuBbLod-IuPrvMEG4AWZ5rtLtpAMgPqWuvM-E4MztM/s1600/DSC01437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8nVcisI-UtOPThRA96gQaFc8TbITjXRFqMCaeeUnaAL4Mt1agNSkSAjRU7KSsofJO_hr-7RXQr72qITaCiT_wfzwdchjEA9kAQuBbLod-IuPrvMEG4AWZ5rtLtpAMgPqWuvM-E4MztM/s1600/DSC01437.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Typical Mojave Desert scenery as you enter the Gold Butte area. That's 8000-foot Virgin Peak on the horizon-should probably climb that sucker one of these days.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">One of many reasons why people have argued for the protection of Gold Butte is the incredible concentration of rock-art sites. I've seen dozens of sites in a small area near Whitney Pocket, but I get the sense that I've just scratched the surface.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8bQIV5pKcJ9tcLIWW8UKgFUsO5cRQpi8MRzp32KQEHM3MSsMbLetJBDtE0AtQY2uBvVz73L8l8qgqrFReGmgtgutRJRjD6ewMbvOsFfOKa3NHcRloTz0OnPsS8FUSPKSUEGCGzAF6js/s1600/DSC01525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8bQIV5pKcJ9tcLIWW8UKgFUsO5cRQpi8MRzp32KQEHM3MSsMbLetJBDtE0AtQY2uBvVz73L8l8qgqrFReGmgtgutRJRjD6ewMbvOsFfOKa3NHcRloTz0OnPsS8FUSPKSUEGCGzAF6js/s1600/DSC01525.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">The geology near Gold Butte is pretty amazing as well. Near Whitney Pocket, the Aztec Sandstone steals the show with alternating streaks of pink, white, red, and yellow. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Many cryptic petroglyphs in the Gold Butte area are unlike anything I've seen elsewhere in the Southwest. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">The menorah.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Hmmmm...yeah, I have no idea on this one.</td></tr>
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The "falling man".</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">On the hunt for rock art.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Aztec jigsaw.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Whitney Pocket.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">The water-impoundment structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) at Whitney Pocket are still looking great nearly 80 years after their construction.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Walking the rim at Devil's Throat. This giant sink hole reportedly first appeared in the 1940s, and it has been growing ever since. It is most likely rooted in gypsum-rich bedrock (probably the Miocene Thumb Member of the Horse Spring Formation) at depth. There are several other smaller sink holes known in the area that are all related to the dissolution of buried gypsum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Smaller sink hole 3 miles northwest of Devil's Throat. This tiny, but deep, hole will continue to grow over time and some day may rival the current size of Devil's Throat.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Climbing up to Devil's Fire (aka, Little Finland; aka, Hobgoblin Valley).</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Topo map.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7-XNWdUPbt-9tgJx3C_Pb60XKQtwynJ3CXusRi3G6cFC00EwotkBunSUI0UV6OOi_rbFMWKkAr3bvOJHFF_AEdGSIFREnxefYNnrRwod8XtCZJx7M_EAc5lR2AWdGqSVPRbyqXR9bIc/s1600/DSC01801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7-XNWdUPbt-9tgJx3C_Pb60XKQtwynJ3CXusRi3G6cFC00EwotkBunSUI0UV6OOi_rbFMWKkAr3bvOJHFF_AEdGSIFREnxefYNnrRwod8XtCZJx7M_EAc5lR2AWdGqSVPRbyqXR9bIc/s1600/DSC01801.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Playing with fire.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">On the way home we explored Cedar Pocket Road (BLM #1005) that cuts through the Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness Area. Gotta love the wide open spaces out here.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Yet another sink hole in the desert! This one is a little less mysterious than Devil's Throat since you can see that it is formed in bedrock. The Permian-age rocks here have lots of water-soluble gypsum, and a nearby fault has also likely contributed to its formation.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">We lucked out with lots of low-hanging clouds, which made this already impressive wilderness area seam otherworldly. </td></tr>
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<br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-24504789098473502262017-01-02T21:37:00.000-07:002017-01-04T19:03:42.014-07:00Canyons & Peaks: 2-day Excursion Through Little Death Hollow and the Henry Mountains<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In early November, before snow began piling up in southern Utah's high deserts, I completed a fast-paced tour through Little Death Hollow, and a bike/hike combo to the top of the Henry Mountains. Squeezing both treks into just two days (including drive-time from home) left me exhausted, but it's taxing adventures like these that rejuvenate my soul and renew my excitement for future adventures.</div>
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After dropping the kids off at school and winding my way along Highway 12 and the Burr Trail, I found myself on the edge of the Circle Cliffs at about 1 pm. I had about 5 hours of daylight to complete the 18-mile Little Death Hollow-Wolverine Canyon loop.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Much of Little Death Hollow is runable, so I ran when I felt like it, and walked at times as well--but always at a steady pace since I didn't want to finish in the dark.</span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">They don't call it Death Hollow for nothing. Occasionally, cows wander into the canyon and either can't navigate their way out or are caught in flash floods. </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Canyon hackles.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Although Little Death Hollow closes into a true slot often, a lack of serious obstacles means ropes and technical gear are unnecessary.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The tall, closely spaced canyon walls rarely let sunlight penetrate to the canyon floor. I'd always take a minute to bask in the light and warm up when the opportunity presented itself.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Unlike most Colorado Plateau slot canyons which are typically carved into the Navajo Sandstone, Little Death Hollow is cut into the Wingate Sandstone--an older unit of similar character that looks pretty much identical to the Navajo here.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Partially buried petroglyphs in upper Little Death Hollow.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A few yellow leaves cling to the branches of giant Cottonwood near an old shack in Horse Canyon. Horse Canyon connects Little Death Hollow to Wolverine Canyon, so you ultimately get to see bits of three different canyons along the loop.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Wolverine Canyon has its own flavor. This is about as narrow as it gets and never truly slots up. But it is still a spectacular canyon with impressively tall walls, countless interesting weathering pits, and tons of petrified wood boulders that have been washed down from upcanyon.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Cool honeycomb features in Wolverine Canyon.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">About midway through Wolverine, water bubbles to the surface and appears to be pretty permanent source.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tM_S-l6lwGmMbwBGyHRVpp6UKOYCWlnV6awki-P4oJuR5FIqpVhAuV2nCmRaeqm4hQrTRt5ysO3yLb-x3oFI-sJFt6FhIG-vkF5YkH_oalVeVduIvRCpulba1M44mLya3z16PX9xu6w/s1600/IMG_7323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tM_S-l6lwGmMbwBGyHRVpp6UKOYCWlnV6awki-P4oJuR5FIqpVhAuV2nCmRaeqm4hQrTRt5ysO3yLb-x3oFI-sJFt6FhIG-vkF5YkH_oalVeVduIvRCpulba1M44mLya3z16PX9xu6w/s1600/IMG_7323.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">One of thousands of petrified log chunks you'll see throughout this area. This is the pretty kind that has been agatized and displays various shades of red and purple.</span></i></td></tr>
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I finished the 18-mile loop just after sundown in a little over 5 hours.<br />
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This is great loop because each canyon offers its own variety of scenery. The non-technical nature, high wow-factor, and reliable water sources, would make this a great option for a backpack trip with the family some day.<br />
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I didn't pass a single other car as I made my way in the dark across the interior of the Circle Cliffs and down the tight switchbacks descending Capitol Reef's Water Pocket fold and headed north onto Notom Road.<br />
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Sleep came quick that night in Cedar Mesa Campground--no matter that some dude in the adjacent campsite broke out the guitar and serenaded his girl late into the AM.<br />
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My legs felt a bit thrashed as I laid in my sleeping bag and I worried if I'd be able to complete the nearly 50-mile bike ride the next day to the top of the Henrys.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcKN0aAB_yqywAvEpcgBSpUcMvtSs-OqG6H340fd965tcz7Y2zI51YH6Zy-Usp2XdUOQz-nRHmGQ334XtCcL63H_oAvGHe-8DjNzFEv8azJ5gm-AP7xGFbjhpsTarZKmGA6K4tgu05oM/s1600/IMG_7330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcKN0aAB_yqywAvEpcgBSpUcMvtSs-OqG6H340fd965tcz7Y2zI51YH6Zy-Usp2XdUOQz-nRHmGQ334XtCcL63H_oAvGHe-8DjNzFEv8azJ5gm-AP7xGFbjhpsTarZKmGA6K4tgu05oM/s1600/IMG_7330.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">My climb started at 9 am at Sandy Junction on Notom Road, elevation 5300 feet. </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The route starts out pretty mild, crossing Sandy Creek, and following a gentle grade up Blind Trail Hollow to the top of Wildcat Mesa. Lifeless, moonscape-like Mancos badlands are a constant companion along this section. It's hard to imagine that I'll soon be up in thick alpine forests in a few hours.</span></i></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Once on Wildcat Mesa, I got my first good look at the treeless crest of the Henry Mountains' South Summit </span></i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ridge. The true highpoint of the Henrys is out of view to the left. From here, the road not only gets steep, it gets consistently steep with few breaks.</span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Beyond McMillan Spring Campground (</i></span><i style="font-size: medium;">McClellan Spring on USGS 1:24k map??)</i><i style="font-size: medium;">, commanding views open up into the surrounding desert below. This view to the west presents remnants of Tarantula Mesa in the foreground, upturned red and white sandstones of the Water Pocket fold in the mid-distance, and the once-glaciated, lava-flow-topped Boulder Mountain on the horizon.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>After 24 miles and 6,000 feet of climbing on already tired legs, the sign for Bull Creek Pass was a welcome site.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxCx_EtNQfSuYKnsdmsjtW7Ncg1SZPl8_SJlwDwxm6tIXw_xDEuArb_4BIUQNfkWJbjVbUfFUx2bqCWJicS6M98JAzU8naGmtQobaoVXo1jTG_H5iqbpeww4LbU6Zz9U2ZgKqu0sumqA/s1600/IMG_7337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxCx_EtNQfSuYKnsdmsjtW7Ncg1SZPl8_SJlwDwxm6tIXw_xDEuArb_4BIUQNfkWJbjVbUfFUx2bqCWJicS6M98JAzU8naGmtQobaoVXo1jTG_H5iqbpeww4LbU6Zz9U2ZgKqu0sumqA/s1600/IMG_7337.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">After stashing my bike in some trees at the pass, I only had what would normally be an easy 4-mile and 1200-foot climb out to Mt Ellen and back, before the long coast back to my car. There was a hiker that had driven to the pass/trailhead and was about a 1/4 mile ahead of me as I hit the trail. I figured it would be fun to try and catch him, and I did gain on him, but the altitude, and my tired legs wouldn't let me kick it into a higher gear and he beat me to the top.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAebJdytzs4xGC4_ogXbcaXjFY26ykAFl_C1arMpS_YICeUrv1_ld2Idwba4pTRYzVzL44drJ87OQr9VTGykRCv29ABdRkEy9_QAk8wdRRHuv40h0bytBVBdZT9nQLKrihNyWMpgyT-hU/s1600/IMG_7342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAebJdytzs4xGC4_ogXbcaXjFY26ykAFl_C1arMpS_YICeUrv1_ld2Idwba4pTRYzVzL44drJ87OQr9VTGykRCv29ABdRkEy9_QAk8wdRRHuv40h0bytBVBdZT9nQLKrihNyWMpgyT-hU/s1600/IMG_7342.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">That hiker was Terry from London and he is nice guy. We chatted as much as we could, but the gale-force winds made it difficult to communicate. Terry loves exploring the desert Southwest, and has made several trips to the region over the years. He had just come from the Grand Canyon and was taking advantage of the mild fall weather and venturing farther north into Utah and Colorado. Interestingly, he also mentioned that he specifically wanted to be in America during our presidential election--I'm guessing for the entertainment value.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">I reached the top at around 2:30 or 3 pm, making the ascent from Notom Road in under 6 hours. After snapping each other's photos and discussing road conditions down the west side of the mountain (Terry had come up from the east side of the range), I started jogging back down to my bike. If I hustled, I knew I could get back to my car before dark.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The golden hour just before sunset looks good on Wildcat Mesa.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">With a fast and uneventful descent (the highlight was seeing Terry one last time as he passed in his car, oh, and I guess the sunset wasn't too bad either), I completed the trip with just a touch of sunlight still kissing the top of the Henrys. Total elapsed </span></i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">time for this climb </span></i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">was about 8.5 hours.</span></i></td></tr>
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Wisely, I packed some cold, caffeinated beverages to ensure I could stay awake during the 4-hour drive back to Cedar City.TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-34570430826981615912016-12-02T12:32:00.000-07:002016-12-02T12:32:39.378-07:00Top of the Desert: Ibapah Peak, Deep Creek MountainsSlowly but surely, I've been knocking off some of the West's most prominent peaks. To make things more challenging, I've climbed most of them by starting from the adjacent valley floor. If I can avoid driving halfway up the mountain to a trail head, I will. It doesn't matter if I'm biking, hiking, running, or using some combination of the three, as long as I'm using my own flesh-and-bone motor, I can truly say that I <i>conquered</i> the mountain.<br />
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In mid-September, I had a free day in northern Utah, and quickly planned an assault on 12,087-foot Ibapah Peak--high point of the seldom-visited Deep Creek Mountains which is the fourth highest range in Utah. The plan was to park at the junction of Snake Valley and Granite Creek Canyon Roads (5,500 feet), bike as far as possible up Granite Creek Canyon, then continue on foot to the top of Ibapah.<br />
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My timing was perfect. Temperatures were pleasant, aspen were flashing their fall colors, and snow had yet to hit the high country.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Golden sunrise in Snake Valley. Deep Creeks are in the distance. Situated near the Utah-Nevada border, you must drive many long miles on graveled roads to reach the remote Deep Creeks. </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Rugged canyons are cut deeply into granite along the eastern slopes of the Deep Creeks' central core.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A near full moon sets over the colorful Deep Creeks.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgUZBt6UFviH7R-mM1mT5Tyu_ru4qN7tbby5MY2U0A4zu_P2gOILvVmpt19FidYlXhK6dZifg5oXZWo3csNlN0C3BdpfmKoK1DyTnnri2WO-8pKGYe2ja6FhyVoGM9TTWsoyvoH5nzWQ/s1600/IMG_6854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgUZBt6UFviH7R-mM1mT5Tyu_ru4qN7tbby5MY2U0A4zu_P2gOILvVmpt19FidYlXhK6dZifg5oXZWo3csNlN0C3BdpfmKoK1DyTnnri2WO-8pKGYe2ja6FhyVoGM9TTWsoyvoH5nzWQ/s1600/IMG_6854.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">After a long, early-morning drive, it felt great to stretch the legs and start pedaling upward. My knobbies hit the dirt at 9 AM. Here, I'm nearly a mile up Granite Creek Canyon Road. The aspen-covered sub-peak just above my left hand is blocking the view to the higher Ibapah peak behind.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Typical scenery midway up Granite Canyon. The canyon road ends at 7,360 feet in a grass-floored aspen grove that would make an excellent camp spot. From there, an easy-to-follow foot trail continues up-canyon. It took 1.5 hours to cover the 6 mile/2350' climb to the end of the road. </i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Despite its central location in the Great Basin desert, the Deep Creeks' lofty peaks capture large amounts of winter snow that feeds numerous springs and streams throughout the summer and fall. A couple of perennial streams in the Deep Creeks support native Bonneville cutthroat trout.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Domes, spires, and caves formed on granite make for some unique scenery in the aptly named Granite Canyon.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Near the 10,000-foot level, Granite Canyon starts to open up into a wide, luxurious meadow. Red Mountain (11,588'), above the tree line towers overhead.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The wide meadow at the head of Granite Creek Canyon provided a nice opportunity to get some longer strides in before the final grunt up to Ibapah Peak.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A mild fall meant there were still plenty of colorful leaves clinging to the aspen, even at 10,000 feet. </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The final push up blocky talus slopes.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I reached the top at 1:45 PM, taking a little over 3 hours to cover the 5 mile/5,060' climb to the top from the end of the road in Granite Canyon (4.75 hours from Snake Valley Road). On top are the remains of a triangulation survey station and a stone windbreak shelter. Views in all directions are vast, and will leave you feeling rather insignificant.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">View south along the Deep Creeks' summit ridge. The stone shelter provides relief from the wind as you refuel and check out the summit register.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">West view into Nevada from Ibapah Peak.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Upper Granite Creek Canyon from Ibapah Peak.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">View north along the summit ridge. Largest peak to the north is Haystack; at 12,020 feet, Haystack Peak is only 67 feet lower than Ibapah. After lingering on the peak for about 30 minutes, I headed back down. It took a little over 2 hours to reach my bike, and another 45 minutes to blast down to my car, finishing just after 5 PM.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">I had a crazy thing happen with this herd of pronghorn. As I cam cruising out of Granite Creek Canyon, these pronghorn were also heading downhill across the sage flats FAST. I stopped to snap this photo, but quickly hopped on my bike and sped off to see if I could perhaps get an even better shot down the road. I soon found myself racing neck to neck with the herd--me, flying down the dirt road at full throttle, and them, galloping in the same direction less than 20 feet off the side of the road. It was incredible to glide along the side of these animals, seemingly as part of the herd, but I soon realized that they were getting closer to me and that they had every intention of crossing the road up ahead. I couldn't believe how fast they were moving. I had no chance of beating them to the crossing, so I slammed on my brakes and let them cross, watching in amazement from just a couple of feet away as some of them effortlessly bounded across the road in a single leap. An experience I'll never forget.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhfPXUEoOGyRhHyu5T6BYZceuCBptrNpJhAyqG_nHYWNI3ftr3GfmByF-KGLkD4n40EdjLIYYvVaOL-A5GUBtmxZy_Mt_HDxSj8tbfnyJVDjIvcjFv2wCtAd_alJuRupwwnqEu19Q8nM/s1600/IMG_6990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhfPXUEoOGyRhHyu5T6BYZceuCBptrNpJhAyqG_nHYWNI3ftr3GfmByF-KGLkD4n40EdjLIYYvVaOL-A5GUBtmxZy_Mt_HDxSj8tbfnyJVDjIvcjFv2wCtAd_alJuRupwwnqEu19Q8nM/s1600/IMG_6990.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">If you access the Deep Creek Range from Wendover, you'll pass through this near-ghost town of Gold Hill--a rather unsettling place in the middle of nowhere.</span></i></td></tr>
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I left that morning from my home-base in Erda (near Tooele, Utah) at 4 AM and did not get back home until nearly 10 PM. At the end of the day I had completed about 22 miles and 7,300 feet of climbing via bike and foot to the top of Ibapah Peak in 8 hours.<br />
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This was a very long and exhausting day, but also an extremely fulfilling day that left me with a wide smile on my face as my head finally hit the pillow that night.TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-67964615113108876282016-11-04T11:43:00.000-06:002016-12-02T12:34:51.946-07:00Orderville Gulch, Zion National ParkBack in late August, I had a great hike through Orderville Gulch with my brother Eros and his friend Berkeley.<br />
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Several years ago, I tried a <a href="http://cedarandsand.blogspot.com/2009/07/narrows.html" target="_blank">loop hike down the Zion Narrows and up Orderville Gulch</a>, but I got stuck in an unexpected deep plunge pool at the bottom of a chockstone about 1/3 to 1/2 the way up the gulch. I ended up having to bail down the Narrows and onto the shuttle. I've been anxious ever since to get all the way through Orderville.<br />
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Eros and I are starting to venture into more technical canyoneering, and Orderville is a great canyon to ease into simple rappels. It was nice to have Berkeley along with his climbing/canyoneering experience to make sure we didn't do anything stupid.<br />
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As we descended the canyon, I tried to recognize the chockstone and pool that stopped me a few years ago, but everything looked different. We didn't come across any pools more than waste deep, so the troublesome deep pool from years ago has since filled in with sand.<br />
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Here are some of the highlights:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4iZ9Afi_QtsJSRV_0mV3s-UYhHHhaBRKCvIVH2McmuwGhoBTHlvbqQ4Ne_lGRVxgZ441bzonrT0slw-xF01eMRD8ZFIOohTBA-Yr8J5e3DNBwfSb2JK9RTWuoaCIdjTzi-GkgsJz5no/s1600/IMG_6632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4iZ9Afi_QtsJSRV_0mV3s-UYhHHhaBRKCvIVH2McmuwGhoBTHlvbqQ4Ne_lGRVxgZ441bzonrT0slw-xF01eMRD8ZFIOohTBA-Yr8J5e3DNBwfSb2JK9RTWuoaCIdjTzi-GkgsJz5no/s1600/IMG_6632.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The dry, upper end of Orderville Gulch.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Eros works his way down rappel #1 in Orderville Gulch.</span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlOxJbetFSy11i7QygxhHv3HdK9nvtinUDby1UWRkpAZpy3vjt1UV6QLQgBOFDNSvoLioHdmrHpz9mTQGP-l_w0XHHZXxyMc48XZQbCSu3VceQSFmH9BYOWj92KEx_Z2WmQfUJN5yMa4/s1600/IMG_6650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlOxJbetFSy11i7QygxhHv3HdK9nvtinUDby1UWRkpAZpy3vjt1UV6QLQgBOFDNSvoLioHdmrHpz9mTQGP-l_w0XHHZXxyMc48XZQbCSu3VceQSFmH9BYOWj92KEx_Z2WmQfUJN5yMa4/s1600/IMG_6650.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Midway through Orderville Gulch, the Navajo Sandstone taken on some nice red hues. This is also where groundwater begins to reach the surface, and a small stream develops.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Orderville Gulch ranks up there pretty high as one of the most colorful canyons on the Colorado Plateau.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Berkeley make short work of rappel #2 at "the Guillotine" in Orderville Gulch.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFLubI0DjwXBdqiFLwzmFCuWqQJ74X9dpDq9KJRY-30wXdqvNQXQh1jDaaHrc_ycJOBuQ7yQ3l0LXwwXEmV8Ye24r_87of4ux2HcPoxJMqIodzLm1GHLQiTSiV70ykMaAFJBp9JOwGO4/s1600/IMG_6746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFLubI0DjwXBdqiFLwzmFCuWqQJ74X9dpDq9KJRY-30wXdqvNQXQh1jDaaHrc_ycJOBuQ7yQ3l0LXwwXEmV8Ye24r_87of4ux2HcPoxJMqIodzLm1GHLQiTSiV70ykMaAFJBp9JOwGO4/s1600/IMG_6746.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"The Guillotine". This unique double chockstone and pool best fits my memory of the problem pool that stopped my upward progress years ago. Back then, the pool was completely scoured out and the water was well over my head. </i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Don't call it cheating. Eros make good use of his shoes' "stealth rubber" while descending a slippery waterfall. </span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jHbZOICA0iRF0srmL7vOv1kzzvXzdOSmvM0SFS4ZoqiWfSLEmJVLsPoZr83p16vFBvd7nSQ4EjDYPOGeTwn81qXM18iztjLr4FkrT22zEAxD4Mi1A7o3OHT2W6k7TE5snN3Aj9P6wDo/s1600/IMG_6788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jHbZOICA0iRF0srmL7vOv1kzzvXzdOSmvM0SFS4ZoqiWfSLEmJVLsPoZr83p16vFBvd7nSQ4EjDYPOGeTwn81qXM18iztjLr4FkrT22zEAxD4Mi1A7o3OHT2W6k7TE5snN3Aj9P6wDo/s1600/IMG_6788.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">We began to "meet the masses" near the bottom of Orderville Gulch. This was easily the most people I've ever seen in the Narrows.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The Narrows exit.</span></i></td></tr>
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<br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-15179595098139631462016-10-14T21:59:00.000-06:002016-12-02T12:35:58.911-07:00Ashdown Gorge with Kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I've now completed the entire 11.5-mile Rattlesnake Creek - Ashdown Gorge hike four times. There aren't many hikes I like to repeat, but this one is too good to resist and I want everyone to experience its wonders. I'm always amazed at how many southern Utahns have yet to step foot into the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness Area. Many have day-hiked up from the bottom (from HWY 14) a few miles, but you miss a lot of the great variety the entire top-down route (from Cedar Breaks) has to offer. High tundra-like meadows, aspen forests, sculpted watery narrows, waterfalls, this hike has it all.</div>
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I've longed for the day I could take my entire family through the gorge. With my youngest recently turning six, I was confident he could make it through if we took two days and hiked at an easy pace. Here are my favorite pics from the trip completed back in mid-August:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Ava (left) and Zoe at the Cedar Breaks overlook at 10,400 feet.</i></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCn3yEGt4iWtGj_FdbmT0Onna58ZFbDb0K9INbvhuDqBdfo6h4BvxUtxL6n4o9T5BdCzxbCyvsGgJ2VbxY50-mwj8qk-o94-8HLc17dpnh7RQXs2dyjXvblkzJVTcfckRplIpdd_45wE/s1600/IMG_6246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCn3yEGt4iWtGj_FdbmT0Onna58ZFbDb0K9INbvhuDqBdfo6h4BvxUtxL6n4o9T5BdCzxbCyvsGgJ2VbxY50-mwj8qk-o94-8HLc17dpnh7RQXs2dyjXvblkzJVTcfckRplIpdd_45wE/s1600/IMG_6246.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Open meadow at about 9500 feet. Although dark clouds threatened throughout much of day 1, we only got sprinkled on once for about 10 minutes.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Crossing Rattlesnake Creek.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">First view into Ashdown Gorge from the trail. </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Trail intersection at Ashdown Creek. We set up camp here just up out of the creek on a flat at 7500 feet.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Top of Ashdown Creek narrows. Within a few hundred yards of entering the gorge, walls of Cretaceous-age Straight Cliffs sandstone rise abruptly to block much of the sky.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRQqn5OEJNAr2hMI_tEN8qDOuQFrWwQyr1UmhLDeva1xYSxVbh07ACuPQFfGmkl9IoMQoxjxNKnKFfF457fGrzBrVufgL70_LvBSAgLKQKel5ewFVDNZBzdQ8rR78lyVmT9lTtXvOU5Q/s1600/IMG_6331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRQqn5OEJNAr2hMI_tEN8qDOuQFrWwQyr1UmhLDeva1xYSxVbh07ACuPQFfGmkl9IoMQoxjxNKnKFfF457fGrzBrVufgL70_LvBSAgLKQKel5ewFVDNZBzdQ8rR78lyVmT9lTtXvOU5Q/s1600/IMG_6331.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Ava traverses a flood terrace below the largest of several impressive undercuts in the sandstone.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Walking sticks will help most with the challenging footing that exits throughout most of the gorge.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Spalling of thin sandstone plates occurs along many of the canyon walls in Ashdown Gorge. The spalling results from stress relief that arises as laterally confining sandstone is removed during the canyon-deepening process. </span></i></td></tr>
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<i>Here is a great example of how huge floods in narrow canyons can change things in an instant. I took the above photo in Lake Creek Canyon in 2009 where there used to be a wide, photogenic waterfall with a ladder that allowed you to proceed up the canyon. Below is how the canyon looks today. Sometime in the past few years, a large flood came rumbling down the canyon and completed filled the waterfall with debris! You now walk right over the waterfall as if it was never there.</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Rattlesnake Creek waterfall.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Lake Creek Waterfall</span></i></td></tr>
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<br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-12883339791965313922016-08-30T21:07:00.000-06:002016-12-02T12:36:58.388-07:00Colorado River to Mt. Peale Traverse<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A summer thunderstorm rolls over the San Rafael Swell. I'll never tire of the drive across the Swell on I-70.</span></i></td></tr>
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I was really hoping to name this post <i>The Whole Enchilada, With Extra Sour Cream and Guac on Top</i>. I didn't quite pull it off, but I still feel at peace placing this adventure squarely in the "success" column.<br />
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I hatched this plan a few months ago after a family trip to Moab. There remained two big adventures on my Moab bucket list: (1) a loop-ride of the Whole Enchilada mountain bike trail from town and (2) a climb of Mount Peale of the La Sal Mountains--second highest Utah mountain next to the Uintahs. After some cursory planning, it became obvious that I could knock both off the list at the same time.<br />
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With an empty schedule and a favorable weather forecast over the 24th of July weekend, I loaded up the mini-van and headed to Moab. Rolling into town after dark, I pulled into the first available campground along the Colorado River and tried to get some sleep. Surprisingly, it took three or four tries until I found a campground that had an open spot.<br />
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Camping along the river was a pretty awful experience. 90-degree heat at 11:00 pm with plague-like swarms of bugs--I just can't figure out why all the river-side campgrounds are so full in the middle of summer.<br />
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After sleeping in my sweat all night, I was thrilled to hear my alarm go off at 5 am so I could get moving. I drove a mile or so down the road and parked at the Negro Bill trailhead (elevation 3970'). The early pre-dawn glow from the sun reflected off the Colorado as I started down the bike bath toward town at 6 am. I knew this was going to be a long day and it was doubtful I'd make it back before nightfall...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A new day dawns over the Colorado River near Moab.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Moab sleeps.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A sun-lit Moab Rim serves as a scenic backdrop as I head up La Sal Loop Road.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Out of the desert and into the mountains. This is about 24 miles and 3500 feet up from my starting point on the Colorado River. My goal for the day--Mt. Peale--is behind Mt. Tukuhnikivatz (highest peak on right) and just out of view. </i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The turn-off for Geyser Pass Road at about 8000 feet. My shoe retention system looks pretty ridiculous, but it performed flawlessly.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Gravel grinder up Geyser Pass Road. Mt Tuk at 12,482 feet looms overhead.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Canyon country bakes in summer heat below.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZg4hyphenhyphenvFgtxwaqyBr1Zse_RKBeMD7ZlC33i79w3_ghNBLGSp0hMuD4GlDvABuYtHJExfyti6iG-yn5lB3J9du1tyeDpraXqM5il-BkX5K4d0aqKrcJGhGvRS_Hawh0nkjg2-KZjq8rW7g/s1600/IMG_6220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZg4hyphenhyphenvFgtxwaqyBr1Zse_RKBeMD7ZlC33i79w3_ghNBLGSp0hMuD4GlDvABuYtHJExfyti6iG-yn5lB3J9du1tyeDpraXqM5il-BkX5K4d0aqKrcJGhGvRS_Hawh0nkjg2-KZjq8rW7g/s1600/IMG_6220.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">By 10 am I had completed the 32 mile and 6600-foot climb from the river near Moab up into Gold Basin (elevation 10,100'). After a quick breather and a change of shoes I started the 8 mile (round trip), 3,000-foot climb up to Mt. Peale. A user-made trail made the first mile or so through the aspen groves a breeze.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">My first good look at the north face of Mt. Tuk.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A small herd of Rocky Mountain goats graze in upper Gold Basin. Despite some opposition, the goats, which are not native to Utah, were transplanted from an established herd in the Tushar Mountains in late 2013. </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Ridge-running high above Gold Basin.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9Oq1SEZfUXoNC_b8MudaJqUUb457m3rdznpoaNhSKdKPJ8uXnv1rYkgZ7yHRPCNNX4TZHFRt-whs2bg4cXKZ5xvCn9S8AnhIHzJUb9oht_5HPSd8MHHp7hOKBNWeHfSJjmYqzPE3tVo/s1600/IMG_6154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9Oq1SEZfUXoNC_b8MudaJqUUb457m3rdznpoaNhSKdKPJ8uXnv1rYkgZ7yHRPCNNX4TZHFRt-whs2bg4cXKZ5xvCn9S8AnhIHzJUb9oht_5HPSd8MHHp7hOKBNWeHfSJjmYqzPE3tVo/s1600/IMG_6154.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Angle of repose. Carefully picking my way through talus on the south side of peak 12,271.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The cirque just below Mt. Peale. Lingering snow drifts allowed me to keep a constant, cold supply of water in my hydration pack.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">View from Mt. Peale to the northeast into Colorado. I shared the peak with one other fellow that came up the opposite side.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Lunch at 12,721 feet. I reached the summit at about 1 pm, completing the 36-mile, 9,500-vertical-foot bike/hike combo from the Colorado River in 7 hours. Part one of the adventure was complete, and I was still feeling good. It's all downhill from here, right?</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">This friendly marmot was determined to get into my pack. These guys must be pretty tough and resourceful to survive at this altitude.</span></i></td></tr>
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<i style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Whole Enchilada trailhead (elevation 10,542'). After running down Mt. Peale and hopping on my bike, I started grinding up toward the start of the Whole Enchilada trail. I knew I had two more passes to conquer until it truly was all downhill: a 700-foot climb to the Whole Enchilada trailhead at Geyser Pass followed by a solid 1,000-foot climb to Burro Pass. The climb to geyser pass was OK, but I could feel the altitude and long miles starting to take their toll.</span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A little BBQ outside the Geyser Pass yurt. </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Flying down the first mile of the Whole Enchilada. Mt. Mellenthin (elevation 12,645') towers in the distance.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Purple lupine fill the Geyser Creek meadow below Mt. Tomasaki (12,239') in the high La Sals. </span></i></td></tr>
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<i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Burro Pass broke my heart. The trail climbing up to the pass is not long, but it is very steep. Anything faster than a slow walk, would send my heart rate soaring. Normally, the climb to Burro Pass would take maybe 20-30 minutes tops. Somehow, it took almost 2 hours to crawl up there on this day. Now about 5 pm, and moving slowly, I knew there was no way I was going to beat the sunset.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Mill Creek Crossing. This would be the last photo I took. As I neared Warner Lake campground, I ran into some hikers that mentioned that the water taps were not tuned on. That then made my final water source the clear, fast-moving Mill Creek. I hadn't noticed any signs of livestock, so I went ahead and filled my hydration pack from the creek. Unfortunately, I once again, dunked my stinking camera in the water while filling my bladder. I did this exact idiotic move a couple of years ago while running in Kauai (with the same camera). </span></i></td></tr>
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Totally exhausted, running behind schedule, and now with a broken camera, my spirits were getting down. To add insult to injury, as I came flying around the next corner, I ran into a wall of cows and their crap. I had already chugged a half liter of water, so I just kept drinking (never did get sick). </div>
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After cruising by an amazing scene at Warner Lake, I felt like I'd better just get back to my car the fastest and easiest way possible. As dark clouds began to gather to the west, and the sun sank lower on the horizon, I knew I just didn't have it in me to finish the Whole Enchilada. I decided to at least hit Hazard County, but then just bail on La Sal Loop Road.</div>
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Even though I was running on fumes and feeling pretty miserable, the playful twists and turns of Hazard County Trail put some pep in my pedal. As I hit pavement and started the long coast down into Castle Valley, the wind and rain started whipping up and I could see that Porcupine Rim was getting hammered by rain and lightning. That made my decision to bail much more palatable. </div>
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I finally rolled back to my car at the Negro Bill trailhead at 9 pm feeling somewhat bittersweet. No, I couldn't pull off the Whole Enchilada, but at the end of the day, I'd biked 73 miles and hiked another 8, climbing nearly 12,000 feet along the way to knock off the second highest range in Utah in a way that few (if any??) have before.</div>
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<br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-11075002026392034142016-08-02T20:57:00.001-06:002016-08-02T20:57:59.066-06:00Black Crook Peak, Sheeprock Range, Utah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here are a few photos from a little jaunt to seldom-visited Black Crook Peak near Vernon, Utah, back in June. At 9,274 feet, it's not the tallest peak in Utah's West Desert, but it is nonetheless quite spectacular. The intrepid explorer can still find the Old West out in the Sheeprock and Simpson Mountains. I completed the hike with a couple of my brothers starting at the end of the Jeep road up Sheeprock Mountain's South Pine Canyon (elevation 8,265).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Small pillar of granite dubbed "God's Thumb" at the mouth of South Pole Canyon.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A couple of hundred yards up from our parking spot near an abandoned mine at the head of South Pole Canyon.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Troy scales a meadow of mule ears at the head of South Pole Canyon.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Ruins at the long-abandoned Hilltop Mine near the summit ridge. There's not much info out there on the hundreds of mines scattered throughout the Sheeprock and Simpson Mountains. Best guess is that many of these mines were silver-lead prospects dating back to the 1920s or so. </i><i>It looked like ore from the Hilltop Mine was transported via rail to the summit and then lowered by aerial tramway into North Pole Canyon where there are additional mines and a road. </i><i>There is a lot of mineralization in these mountains, but the distance from major transportation corridors likely precluded most mines from being profitable. </i></span></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">On the summit ridge and heading northwest towards Black Crook (high peak in the left distance).</span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Matt and Eros carefully pick their way across the class 2-3 rocky summit ridge. The most common rocks we saw were quartzite, schist, argillite (cooked claystone), and metaconglomerate. A</i></span><i style="font-size: medium;">t about 600 million years old, t</i><i style="font-size: medium;">hese rocks have a long history and they predate complex lifeforms. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">We were shocked to see two other hikers making their way toward the summit. You can just make out their white and orange shirts in the upper right of this photo. They made the poor choice to bushwhack through thick mountain mahogany here. We scrambled up and around the mahogany to get ahead of them, although they eventually caught back up to us before the final climb. The communication facilities are on top of Peak 9267 which is about 1/2 mile north of and just 7 feet lower than Black Crook.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Matt makes the final scramble to the summit.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Success! The Bennion triangulation station was set in 1952 on top of the tallest pillar of rock on the summit.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Matt, Eros, and Halle on Black Crook Peak.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjJ-SIihUjfCdtSWGOALIvD-emlo0EFEFRfHZoU_piR-H7XuAwcPY0cFH7ZpiF3ni0O8t_A9D41KgqiKfCJ6rlqrpFiI5wJbvm1xYiTwT_knQ6F8DMoe1bPGyf9uBFUjI9TbxKmDkMYk/s1600/IMG_6013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjJ-SIihUjfCdtSWGOALIvD-emlo0EFEFRfHZoU_piR-H7XuAwcPY0cFH7ZpiF3ni0O8t_A9D41KgqiKfCJ6rlqrpFiI5wJbvm1xYiTwT_knQ6F8DMoe1bPGyf9uBFUjI9TbxKmDkMYk/s1600/IMG_6013.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">View from Black Crook Peak south along the summit ridge.</span></i></td></tr>
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<br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-39925311696051054602016-07-19T21:23:00.001-06:002016-07-19T21:23:49.932-06:00Sea 2 Summit: So-Cal's San Gorgonio<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjs0JHc5pdAHz-kRWZIcJb0Vn9Sb2_4liqvyI2BKSoNscezZyCuEAK_tTzYSuBloHlG4RmBLypCZKZzVIicW1SaGnZifeXGomIS_pzqEtDQLrf6aFrqtQLqQXwQhVqeKFUIko9l-K2ACs/s1600/IMG_5808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjs0JHc5pdAHz-kRWZIcJb0Vn9Sb2_4liqvyI2BKSoNscezZyCuEAK_tTzYSuBloHlG4RmBLypCZKZzVIicW1SaGnZifeXGomIS_pzqEtDQLrf6aFrqtQLqQXwQhVqeKFUIko9l-K2ACs/s1600/IMG_5808.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Memorial Day on Mount San Gorgonio.</span></i></td></tr>
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In January I tackled one of the hardest climbs I'd ever attempted. California's Cactus 2 Clouds route to San Jacinto's 11,000-foot summit tested my legs like few other adventures had. Standing on top, I recall looking down at my legs and feeling much gratitude for all the mileage they had given me--all the peaks, meandering canyons, and remote desert spaces I had explored in the Southwest. I then looked over and saw an even higher peak just 20 miles to the north. San Gorgonio or "Old Grayback" at 11,500 feet is the tallest in all of southern California. Little did I know it would be my next victim, and little did I know how improbable and meaningful that climb would be.<br />
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DR. GOOGLE<br />
On April 11 when my doctor confirmed I had rheumatoid arthritis, it wasn't a surprise to me. In fact, it was a bit of a relief. Just two weeks earlier I had suggested to my doctor that RA would not only explain my painful left knee that caused me to limp, but it could also explain why three of my fingers continually ached, why I felt so stiff in the morning that getting dressed was a chore, and why I could no longer lift my right arm over my head. "Oh, I see you consulted Dr. Google" he said with a smile.<br />
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I can't blame him too much for brushing off my self-diagnosis--after all, I didn't fit the profile. I'm not a woman. I'm not black, Asian, or Native American. I've never smoked. I'm not obese. I don't know anyone in my family that has RA. These are the risk factors commonly seen in newly-diagnosed RA patients. Apparently, there is something in my genes that made me prone to RA and all it took was some environmental trigger. A certain virus or bacteria, asbestos, Teflon, or simply stress have all been proposed as triggers. The only change in my environment I can think of was a switch from Honey Stinger stroopwaffles to Walmart-brand waffles as my go-to snack during workouts, but I'm not ready to blame Mr. Walton for my woes.<br />
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STUPID TRAMPOLINE<br />
I'm not exactly sure when my own immune system started attacking my joints. In mid January the base of my right thumb began to mysteriously ache. By mid February my left knee would feel stiff in the mornings and at the beginning of runs, but would later loosen up. No big deal I thought. I was now 41 years old and I was expecting little aches and pains like these to flare more often.<br />
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By early March my left knee continued to stiffen. After an intense, but relatively short mountain bike race my recovery was uncharacteristically poor. I rarely get sore legs after even 60+ mile rides, but this shorter race left me hobbling. The week after the race I spent some family time in Moab and I managed to do some light hiking and biking, but clearly I was not the same person physically that I was just a month before. And every day--despite no running and just easy biking--I seemed to be getting worse. It was time to call the doctor.<br />
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Not impressed with my RA hypothesis (I certainly wasn't impressed with my RA hypothesis), my doctor ordered an MRI to check for a suspected torn meniscus.<br />
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With my RA hypothesis initially shot down by the doctor, I figured my bum knee was just one of a long list of sports injuries starting to pile up. A damaged meniscus during a killer hike. A torn rotator cuff from a bike crash. And thrashed fingers from digging a huge hole in my back yard (stupid trampoline). Surely, I was just having a string of bad luck. But, for the life of me, I couldn't recall tweaking my knee during a hike. Nor could I recall a crash that could have possibly hurt my shoulder. I could clearly remember, however, in excruciating detail, digging a 15 foot hell-hole into a cemented pile of boulders that is my back yard (stupid tramp).<br />
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I REALLY HOPE I HAVE RA<br />
When my MRI report came back negative, showing the menisci and tendons in my knee were all intact, my flustered doctor offered a cortisone shot. He couldn't understand why I had so much excess fluid in my knee. By this time I was absolutely certain that I was not dealing with unrelated sports injuries. There had to be something systematic, body-wide going on here. I explained to my doctor that in the past week alone conditions had worsened. My jaw started to hurt making eating difficult. All ten of my fingers would now be swollen like sausages every morning. My knee pulsed with pain throughout the night making sleep elusive. I knew I was getting older, but how do you explain going from climbing 11,000-foot mountains to struggling to walk down the porch stairs in a matter of weeks? After an emphatic explanation of all of this to my doctor, he finally decided to put in an order for some blood tests.<br />
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These days you can see your lab results quicker than your doctor can. This is not always a good thing. My blood-work results had several parameters listed in bold red meaning things were outside the norm. My blood's neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "lato" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span>were all out of sorts. Some too high, others too low. My CRP was off the charts and I tested positive for the rheumatoid factor protein. But what did it all mean? While I waited for my doctor to call I couldn't help but consult the always-available good ol' Dr. Google.<br />
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The general consensus from Dr. G seemed to indicate either rheumatoid arthritis or...cancer. Obviously, I was really hoping I had RA, because we all know there is not much worse than cancer.<br />
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It was a huge relief to have my my real doctor confirm the RA diagnosis so I could finally try to understand and tackle my ailment head-on. But my doctor made it clear: other than prescribing prednisone (a synthetic corticosteroid) to reduce joint inflammation, there was nothing else he could do. RA was well beyond his area of expertise. The next step was to meet with a rheumatologist to assess my condition and begin a treatment program. The somber tone in my doctor's voice hinted that this could be a problem.<br />
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Turns out there is a dearth of rheumatologists nationwide. There is exactly one rheumatologist in all of southern Utah and he has not taken on new patients in years. Several medical professionals told me that I'd better expect waiting 6 to 9 months to get into a specialist.<br />
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A CRAZY PLAN<br />
The prednisone made an immediate impact. By the end of April my joints began to feel better and I was able to resume some easy running and hiking. It was around this time that Susie schemed up a plan to surprise our kids on the last day of school and drive to Carlsbad, California, and stay through Memorial Day weekend for some beach time. We would be very close to the San Bernardino Mountains and San Gorgonio. With a newly-diagnosed debilitating disease, and just a few short weeks to prepare, would it be crazy to take a shot at the summit?<br />
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Luckily, I was able to get a rheumatologist appointment in late June. At the time of my diagnosis, this was still more than 2 months out, and it would be a few weeks after our California trip. I was feeling better with the prednisone, but after some more internet research I learned that the prednisone is really just a band-aid for the underlying disease. More aggressive medication called disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) would be necessary to short-circuit the inflammation process and preserve my joints. The earlier you can catch the disease and begin DMARD treatment, the better your chances of getting the disease under control.<br />
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I called and pestered my doctor to prescribe me methotrexate, a DMARD that is commonly used as the first line of treatment for RA. It can take up to six weeks for the drug to have an effect. I took my first dose just 3 weeks before the California trip, so I wasn't expecting much improvement from the DMARD in time for my climb.<br />
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Regardless, I felt like I had nothing to lose so I continued to train for the climb. I didn't dare ask my family doctor his thoughts on attempting such a hike, but I did ask him about running in general. I liked and accepted his simple answer: if it hurts, stop. This became my mantra while I trained. Biking wasn't a problem and never really caused any pain. And if my knees started to hurt while running, I would immediately stop or slow to a walk until the pain would dissipate. Slowly but surely I was able to build my fitness back up and I grew increasingly confident that my knees would be okay.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgCtdSlZ7w4I0CcwqClKQ84h2ZNLenMPYHN3Jc_s6HfUkZU2sxi92iKqV3NMNtVo5mVczSoO7XGYESc2eybzotpcumL6gN60lpJ9KD3oc-i6hCIPd1CnF0BZjygZq4y0O4jvWh_LltQc/s1600/IMG_5747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgCtdSlZ7w4I0CcwqClKQ84h2ZNLenMPYHN3Jc_s6HfUkZU2sxi92iKqV3NMNtVo5mVczSoO7XGYESc2eybzotpcumL6gN60lpJ9KD3oc-i6hCIPd1CnF0BZjygZq4y0O4jvWh_LltQc/s1600/IMG_5747.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Keeping with tradition, I started my assault of San Gorgonio at the "base" of the mountain. After a two-hour drive from the Carlsbad coast, I parked at the Mill Creek Ranger Station near the mouth of Mill Creek Canyon (elevation 2,665 ft) just outside of Redlands. By 7 AM I was pedaling up the canyon road through the gray coastal mist that would soon burn off.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YXDs43aIyEJFBN0015WJC-Bzg_5PWSH5BTcgDpBde7AoL_T70M93DK6RwWhCrP9rzwvqHnGxsB6mu1m3zZ3Jx7seKXSbeU64lg3JzFInUZuALtnco7HJDsNvgRW7Fo5O0iLv3_yDJuE/s1600/IMG_5755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YXDs43aIyEJFBN0015WJC-Bzg_5PWSH5BTcgDpBde7AoL_T70M93DK6RwWhCrP9rzwvqHnGxsB6mu1m3zZ3Jx7seKXSbeU64lg3JzFInUZuALtnco7HJDsNvgRW7Fo5O0iLv3_yDJuE/s1600/IMG_5755.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The climb up Mill Creek is a steady 7% grade for 10.5 miles gaining 3,500 feet. I took the climb super easy, making sure to save my legs for the grueling hike up the Vivian Creek Trail.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKq-BeWLO7D3BeugSJXLKmHfhpJil_zNILiJs9HrNj8FZY_sJ-Vby6tf1Hxz_KlwhssAExmTQVlDf_S866XBlZLzQGGFs0D4iGO5Aoys2Aa-8uhoB8N9D503Z4fDNTaqHXJqL2WRgJbDc/s1600/IMG_5758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKq-BeWLO7D3BeugSJXLKmHfhpJil_zNILiJs9HrNj8FZY_sJ-Vby6tf1Hxz_KlwhssAExmTQVlDf_S866XBlZLzQGGFs0D4iGO5Aoys2Aa-8uhoB8N9D503Z4fDNTaqHXJqL2WRgJbDc/s1600/IMG_5758.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Near the end of the canyon road is the tiny mountain town of Forest Falls. The wide shoulder I enjoyed lower in the canyon narrowed to pretty much nothing here. The non-existent shoulder and heavy holiday traffic made for a few tense moments as I spun through town.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7D-zfwJqRHAb6y3jEpiMWAFiGvY0QtI2dEMlHEAswGZw98Ov24Gh7nApvutrSzYNtb2PD1G8EcXqWZCsevB3Zf0cCTVfHaqRIW5beqT6Eo8K-IB9QXzgVq3m9hwr0_21iENwu63zB7o8/s1600/IMG_5759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7D-zfwJqRHAb6y3jEpiMWAFiGvY0QtI2dEMlHEAswGZw98Ov24Gh7nApvutrSzYNtb2PD1G8EcXqWZCsevB3Zf0cCTVfHaqRIW5beqT6Eo8K-IB9QXzgVq3m9hwr0_21iENwu63zB7o8/s1600/IMG_5759.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Vivian Creek trailhead, elevation 6,020 ft. It took 1.5 hours to reach to Vivian Creek trailhead. After stashing my bike and changing shoes, I started up the trail at 8:30 AM. The real test had begun with 17 miles and 6,000 feet of climbing ahead of me. </i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-D8zc9GxXPYNuoYVEl6RMFJ79vxndVDqkog7qJzdggB__aB7xlI1h_qh4s0_74wZMKsM8MnOC0C8J4ZIA682zIT6eCuY0VJLw6R6TdUC15qngD3hxFupAuysFTdsVdwz8DcLYScOSR4/s1600/IMG_5762b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-D8zc9GxXPYNuoYVEl6RMFJ79vxndVDqkog7qJzdggB__aB7xlI1h_qh4s0_74wZMKsM8MnOC0C8J4ZIA682zIT6eCuY0VJLw6R6TdUC15qngD3hxFupAuysFTdsVdwz8DcLYScOSR4/s1600/IMG_5762b.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The first mile or so up and across Mill Creek is the mildest part of the climb and I was able to jog much of this section. Although Mill Creek held just a ribbon of water, it was obvious that this drainage had carried massive floods in the not-too-distant past. </i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTpjRVcHYF-W08YA-JDhH0Xu0tgG4lmrL39AFhsGlxPeWfllQnIqC5pvTKfa1v3nyf28jbKnZqFepvcT9iy3ghqxIBePX_yV-0_HDWujJDGZgDNRtJdHb_IMNUyBBFtayXd5oUwC4E_0/s1600/IMG_5899.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTpjRVcHYF-W08YA-JDhH0Xu0tgG4lmrL39AFhsGlxPeWfllQnIqC5pvTKfa1v3nyf28jbKnZqFepvcT9iy3ghqxIBePX_yV-0_HDWujJDGZgDNRtJdHb_IMNUyBBFtayXd5oUwC4E_0/s1600/IMG_5899.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Once across Mill Creek the trail steepened and never seemed to let up. </i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5G1UxLfXeaz0MD9jhqiu3rzqvPgdAhq2Q_qFVxvM0lnyBRdsSg6D8tLDUyJLX-q02A2dMg7c9A07iJzA0cyVmCijHeUCe0AsscmQV737utzJ4M7yhBZdZpmsEW1dtSuBJrDfciFHtuHs/s1600/IMG_5776.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5G1UxLfXeaz0MD9jhqiu3rzqvPgdAhq2Q_qFVxvM0lnyBRdsSg6D8tLDUyJLX-q02A2dMg7c9A07iJzA0cyVmCijHeUCe0AsscmQV737utzJ4M7yhBZdZpmsEW1dtSuBJrDfciFHtuHs/s1600/IMG_5776.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">With huge pines towering overhead, an occasional gurgling stream, and lush grass lining the path, the trail along Vivian Creek was a delight and the miles seemed to tick by effortlessly. </span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Climbing quickly out of the Vivian Creek drainage toward High Creek.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVK_iy7JJKBZkIBwpKbezlCA6bxL8fGqS7Ogsd9m-xHziM_OTe0boD8YCTACr_EEI0gv_hru72pCdvLUBAdaSTShS3cVMDEIkb-PMwMryfXDRVPbMgyM7P6qQ3mLqKqV2y9IS4hNTqiE/s1600/IMG_5854_5_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVK_iy7JJKBZkIBwpKbezlCA6bxL8fGqS7Ogsd9m-xHziM_OTe0boD8YCTACr_EEI0gv_hru72pCdvLUBAdaSTShS3cVMDEIkb-PMwMryfXDRVPbMgyM7P6qQ3mLqKqV2y9IS4hNTqiE/s1600/IMG_5854_5_6.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Meadow below High Creek Camp.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRv92HTjpULRvbC1C5W9efWYqQLZ79lhfINS-a7wfO-0pLqpi9d4eyJv1H3DyCrb-rH1CE8GrtBjomH_nrS2u-JGhhEhxMViGr0conpInUXgzlCX_Vo33uSYCrnbSLVzazSldnujgEJc/s1600/IMG_5842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRv92HTjpULRvbC1C5W9efWYqQLZ79lhfINS-a7wfO-0pLqpi9d4eyJv1H3DyCrb-rH1CE8GrtBjomH_nrS2u-JGhhEhxMViGr0conpInUXgzlCX_Vo33uSYCrnbSLVzazSldnujgEJc/s1600/IMG_5842.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>This nice little stream near High Creek Camp was perfectly positioned for topping off my water for the final push to the summit.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Galena Peak ridge from the Vivian Creek Trail.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Near tree line on San Gorgonio Mountain.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A few slushy snow patches made for some fun glissading near the summit.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Trail junction at 11,265 feet.</i></span></td></tr>
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<i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">This summit meant a lot. There were a few dark days a couple of months earlier when I wondered if I had perhaps summitted my final peak. Being on top once again felt incredible, and I think each accomplishment from here on out will have much more significance for me.</span></i></div>
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<i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Reaching the summit at 12:30 pm, the climb from the trailhead took exactly 4 hours and it was 5.5 hours from Mill Creek Ranger Station. </span></i><i style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">I had absolutely no issues with my knees or any other joints on the way up. My left knee felt a little tight as I started down the mountain, so as a precaution, I decided to slow down to a hike rather than a run back down the mountain. </span></i></span></i></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">About 30 little notebooks stuffed into a metal box cemented into the rock serve as the summit register on San Gorgonio. Apparently, this is the hike everyone must do to prepare for Mount Whitney (Does this mean I now must climb Mt Whitney?).</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">San Gorgonio benchmark.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">View of San Jacinto from the summit of San Gorgonio. These are the taller two of the "Three Saints" of southern California. The other is Mount San Antonio, or "Baldy", east of Los Angeles which stands at 10,068 feet.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Lunchtime at 11,500 feet. As busy as this summit can be, I was shocked to have the summit to myself for the 30 minutes I spent on top. I passed several hiking groups that day that never made it to the top.</span></i></td></tr>
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I maintained an easy hiking pace during the decent off of the mountain and I had no pain. I arrived back at the Vivian Creek trailhead at 4:30 pm for an 8-hour hike. I was back at my car at 5 pm for an 8.5 hour total trip time.<br />
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Down the road, I don't know how long my legs are going to hold up with RA. I have since met with a rheumatologist and he thought my prognosis looked good. I was able to catch it relatively early in the progression of the disease, and I've responded well to the medication. Many people with RA have not been as lucky as I have been. Eventually, the efficacy of methotrexate will probably wear off. There are other drugs to try, but they too can only do so much for so long. But as long as I'm able, I'll have my sights on the next peak...TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-77503260518029432042016-01-28T21:38:00.000-07:002016-01-29T09:40:33.222-07:00Cactus to Clouds (C2C): 11,000-Foot Knee-Buckler to San Jacinto Peak <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>View of San Jacinto Mountain from Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. You can only see up to about the 8,500-foot level from here.</i></td></tr>
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The 11,000-foot San Jacinto Mountains above Palm Springs are intimidating. I had a total sense of denial when I first viewed the towering snow-capped mountain as we rolled south down the Twentynine Palms Highway into the Coachella Valley. That <i>can't</i> be the mountain I'd been planning to climb via the infamous Cactus to Clouds route for years. Rising abruptly from the valley floor at just a few hundred feet above sea level, the San Jacintos are cartoonishly big. I told Susie not to worry, that thing must be San Gorgonio, an 11,500 foot monster in the nearby San Bernardino Mountains.<br />
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But as we passed all of the windmills and entered Palm Springs city limits, it became obvious that that beast was indeed what I'd committed to climb.<br />
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If the sheer looks of this mountain don't intimidate you, perhaps the numbers will. In just the first 9 miles of the C2C route to the Palm Springs Tram station--a.k.a., the Skyline Trail--you gain a whopping 8,300 feet! From there it is an additional 2,700 feet in 5.5 miles to the summit. This 11,000-foot gain in 14 miles makes C2C the largest continuous vertical gain on a hiking trail in the U.S. It also ranks among the steepest established trails of similar length in the world.<br />
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So if the mean looks <i>and</i> gaudy numbers still don't phase you, get this: there have been <a href="http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2015/07/30/skyline-trail-palm-springs/30886951/" target="_blank">61 rescue missions and at least 5 deaths </a>on just the Skyline portion of C2C since 2009. Most deaths occurred in summer when climbers succumbed to the unrelenting heat. I mean people were literally cooked. Like having-to-rehydrate-a-corpse's-limbs-with-salt-water-in-order-to-get-an-identifiable-fingerprint sort of cooked.<br />
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In winter, Hypothermia and falls down icy slopes on the upper portions of C2C have claimed lives as well.<br />
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After <a href="http://www.cedarandsand.blogspot.com/2016/01/to-desert-palm-springs.html" target="_blank">hiking and exploring the area around Palm Spring for a few days with my family</a> (with San Jacinto literally looming above everything we did), the final day of our vacation arrived and it was time to bite the bullet.<br />
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Reaching San Jacinto's summit can be treacherous in winter, particularly during or following heavy Pacific storms (its only 55 miles to the ocean). Wind speeds can be off the charts. Fresh snow requires snowshoes or skis and can create a real avalanche threat. Overly icy conditions require an ice axe and crampons.<br />
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Thankfully, there are few very useful tools to keep track of conditions on San Jacinto. First there's a user-controllable <a href="http://www.pstramway.com/long-valley-cam.html" target="_blank">Tram Cam</a> that allows you to view snow conditions (and be entertained by watching tourists slip and fall on the ice) near the Tram Station. Then there is the <a href="http://www.mtsanjacinto.info/viewforum.php?f=1&sid=a24bd940bf93b0e1c85ebee5f1804120" target="_blank">San Jacinto Hiking Forum</a> that has all-around good information and recent-conditions updates and trip reports.<br />
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Checking these sources, it was clear that I would first encounter snow at Flat Rock (~6,000 feet), but that snow would not become consequential until I hit the Traverse at about 7,500 feet. There would be a couple of feet of snow at the Tram Station and quite a bit more higher on the mountain. But since no new snow had fallen in about a week, the main route would be packed down but not overly icy. This meant I could travel very light and forgo snowshoes and crampons, and carry only microspikes and trekking poles.<br />
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I left the Art Museum trailhead at 6 AM with the goal to keep a steady but not rushed pace and to finish sometime before before dark (~5 PM or within 11 hours).<br />
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<i>Day break over Palm Springs from about the 2,000-foot level on the C2C route.</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>A short break to take in an amazing Coachella Valley sunrise.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>View north from 3,200 feet.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KNG70xL_D8__P-CQo00aPRscRTOKBeutHn03qWi7OQikZqYy4PDdIdKmuhcz3OPjyJBW5LFzRT4dkgHFM3bsQ_sMYt5rSJyCTd7qbXl2N6Mz0sE3u_OpMmM3JepaTXIafG_rT6s_Fdc/s1600/IMG_5277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KNG70xL_D8__P-CQo00aPRscRTOKBeutHn03qWi7OQikZqYy4PDdIdKmuhcz3OPjyJBW5LFzRT4dkgHFM3bsQ_sMYt5rSJyCTd7qbXl2N6Mz0sE3u_OpMmM3JepaTXIafG_rT6s_Fdc/s1600/IMG_5277.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Nothing renews the soul like a killer climb.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdwhM2hmgGvX4MTua5yZy4pvYl85YkNBGUymOy5Lo3oMUZM8Et_LCEXmgRtBHouzJjtrudYt_IA6rrnSTo02XAuEMk6xUN9gfTUUlJK5V-d1D7KKKyMN9pja_UTNOcol9gKiWgeWwAWL0/s1600/IMG_5279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdwhM2hmgGvX4MTua5yZy4pvYl85YkNBGUymOy5Lo3oMUZM8Et_LCEXmgRtBHouzJjtrudYt_IA6rrnSTo02XAuEMk6xUN9gfTUUlJK5V-d1D7KKKyMN9pja_UTNOcol9gKiWgeWwAWL0/s1600/IMG_5279.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>More than 3,000 windmills catch strong coastal flows that are funneled through San Gorgonio Pass--one of the windiest places in the U.S.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8f08Ju5ckP4hJOknXPYWJCMERRDBYnUZa1kRux8AIpdDrRhOknrXaQ1uHKh5iG09INM2d5799Zjj8jywbF4OMSlaiCDtIVjzjukGHDX7Bgq0fvPJGdXpoFaHy4YN6fFGsVNhFZ693co/s1600/IMG_5281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8f08Ju5ckP4hJOknXPYWJCMERRDBYnUZa1kRux8AIpdDrRhOknrXaQ1uHKh5iG09INM2d5799Zjj8jywbF4OMSlaiCDtIVjzjukGHDX7Bgq0fvPJGdXpoFaHy4YN6fFGsVNhFZ693co/s1600/IMG_5281.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Did I mention the sunrise was amazing?</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcrCqtVBpwYsf3oBQKypkTDWhNuaYR0mZPTwjNaa0ZAhzzRQqIBJD3M4UDFM1OBy3hUfOgkvwUJx-Lixeqm_8wB2PswWU1UWYGFIqbQuHgNJOX3NCVC1HLETyJmw-PCCfFgstuAOOqEc/s1600/IMG_5288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcrCqtVBpwYsf3oBQKypkTDWhNuaYR0mZPTwjNaa0ZAhzzRQqIBJD3M4UDFM1OBy3hUfOgkvwUJx-Lixeqm_8wB2PswWU1UWYGFIqbQuHgNJOX3NCVC1HLETyJmw-PCCfFgstuAOOqEc/s1600/IMG_5288.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Getting my first good look at the higher snow-covered part of San Jacinto. I'm about 4,000 feet up here.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Xh5GouMlRsLdfx2KoCB_SxQdmM_F51IkjnUMzqcOpRmNTSHeLdOV8ZTFni1P3u7iNmWigryOkuhfKhL3XWfZANsDg3LvZv73cNiOTlw1CJ6jGfVCx6663xfVuE4osDlDYTLSSpMJpJA/s1600/IMG_5292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Xh5GouMlRsLdfx2KoCB_SxQdmM_F51IkjnUMzqcOpRmNTSHeLdOV8ZTFni1P3u7iNmWigryOkuhfKhL3XWfZANsDg3LvZv73cNiOTlw1CJ6jGfVCx6663xfVuE4osDlDYTLSSpMJpJA/s1600/IMG_5292.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Looking south along the San Jacinto Mountains.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2uVseaMFZ379FJJaiEGKBMrgM2YDKlU1NOdy-sv_K-G2ZXVMCN3I3-mDUBRV-SqjcYUVEus38bTkdwgGIESKO9qpOiLhQY4PVRuWPGNmBA6Bn1EGHKQDKk3hFNp5fdaoBCp9n2DPVFM/s1600/IMG_5295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2uVseaMFZ379FJJaiEGKBMrgM2YDKlU1NOdy-sv_K-G2ZXVMCN3I3-mDUBRV-SqjcYUVEus38bTkdwgGIESKO9qpOiLhQY4PVRuWPGNmBA6Bn1EGHKQDKk3hFNp5fdaoBCp9n2DPVFM/s1600/IMG_5295.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Rescue box at 5,400 feet. Housing emergency food, water, and perhaps a cell phone (so I've heard, I didn't look inside), two such boxes were established to help reduce the nearly weekly summertime SAR missions on Skyline. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowqmn4RAPkXgrqOYwXmeMazx80Y2BuLqDzmAEKbaM3J_4vqcVLsIVpDqTrJqk2krvqCeCksiEV22ydlsdzuCWeYg5qMycyCh_low_6kbs6HswhdyECeNCeoI7ZE2K8bw99H6ZhTtygIA/s1600/IMG_5303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowqmn4RAPkXgrqOYwXmeMazx80Y2BuLqDzmAEKbaM3J_4vqcVLsIVpDqTrJqk2krvqCeCksiEV22ydlsdzuCWeYg5qMycyCh_low_6kbs6HswhdyECeNCeoI7ZE2K8bw99H6ZhTtygIA/s1600/IMG_5303.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Large yucca and red shank typify the desert chaparral zone at 5,800 feet -- about halfway there!</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QKtSp2SmXbGr6i4lGDVnj1BYUAF3MXDMCeKO-f0caS7NS86_MBYpmNaVBJP0y8TxRV2RVHLHiaqgxfDvizOc2gHe2K9KZqy_1fK8AwkYLwl9PqONrkbq5OxY4ncDRg50w_KcjVAqtoM/s1600/IMG_5306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QKtSp2SmXbGr6i4lGDVnj1BYUAF3MXDMCeKO-f0caS7NS86_MBYpmNaVBJP0y8TxRV2RVHLHiaqgxfDvizOc2gHe2K9KZqy_1fK8AwkYLwl9PqONrkbq5OxY4ncDRg50w_KcjVAqtoM/s1600/IMG_5306.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The trail steepens a bit once past Flat Rock at about 5,900 feet.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQM2NlyQoonR6TCGt1j926R4CFbdeL3k0SbWCUsbdmZos2LGrQ3Zlo8EXxYyA5FnVIXISodroNCCRzwzGNZrxUuPKuAVfvhs6_uNIjyFK3hWKQTeZn5aeHVwBXjx4tHKt9tDYsM2nlNVY/s1600/IMG_5323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQM2NlyQoonR6TCGt1j926R4CFbdeL3k0SbWCUsbdmZos2LGrQ3Zlo8EXxYyA5FnVIXISodroNCCRzwzGNZrxUuPKuAVfvhs6_uNIjyFK3hWKQTeZn5aeHVwBXjx4tHKt9tDYsM2nlNVY/s1600/IMG_5323.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Charred ponderosa near the Traverse, where the trail cuts across a steep north-facing slope at about 7,600 feet. A slip here on packed snow and ice can be fatal, so this was the right time to put on microspikes.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5s2etVI9r9gL7Qnm1wd-EgW4zKYVen6Bhl0uEIG9vGMT8Ryi1ifqsb9qk-Mu73ZBsaD5byXCDlpAESv3q3hBnXcppPtQSH9bJ_QQA5slp7CVuY6wle7Ss-t5_3gnARb1ZHXerPVrMkAc/s1600/IMG_5325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5s2etVI9r9gL7Qnm1wd-EgW4zKYVen6Bhl0uEIG9vGMT8Ryi1ifqsb9qk-Mu73ZBsaD5byXCDlpAESv3q3hBnXcppPtQSH9bJ_QQA5slp7CVuY6wle7Ss-t5_3gnARb1ZHXerPVrMkAc/s1600/IMG_5325.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Coffman's Crag at 7,900 feet. From here the steepest slope yet delivers you to Grubb's Notch at the edge of Long Valley near the Tram Station. I finished the Skyline portion of C2C quicker than anticipated in 5.5 hours--not bad considering all the times I set the camera up for photos. I killed about 25 minutes at the Ranger Station refilling my hydration pack and filling out the mandatory backcountry permit.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTitjQcwDwDhK4nCVJ0xwgUdb5Hk3N4KtCbenuJdv7Xm4Lwomjw5DZjHviQ-4Rm-MVLJteIswg-t16EvOL1ohoIFdqvnGxgsHEkYxj_NPjhSFuqpkZ1De35Nadui2z_cjVRMIwdqmkpaw/s1600/IMG_5328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTitjQcwDwDhK4nCVJ0xwgUdb5Hk3N4KtCbenuJdv7Xm4Lwomjw5DZjHviQ-4Rm-MVLJteIswg-t16EvOL1ohoIFdqvnGxgsHEkYxj_NPjhSFuqpkZ1De35Nadui2z_cjVRMIwdqmkpaw/s1600/IMG_5328.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Right after capturing this photo, I made the mistake of trying to bypass the Round Valley portion of the trail which proved to be a significant blunder that cost me time. The Sid Davis winter shortcut takes a direct approach toward San Jacinto Peak through Tamarack Valley past an abandoned campground. Without snowshoes, I planned to take the shortcut only if snowshoers had already packed down a good trail. While there were initially several tracks heading that way, they soon started to meander all over the place, and I was left post-holing, often up to my knee.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6pbMWW8N0u07v6Kotv8yjoNP3QfVjaStza1eC7mLrCwf50eAYLnra1pT5jSlgZvCyHu3AgAMeU5V44xPcIefP5BYhLnSEfY9DLy90FFyYxCEjeSjT2-ApAa-T-qtfYnJmmy_nCpvZgg/s1600/IMG_5333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6pbMWW8N0u07v6Kotv8yjoNP3QfVjaStza1eC7mLrCwf50eAYLnra1pT5jSlgZvCyHu3AgAMeU5V44xPcIefP5BYhLnSEfY9DLy90FFyYxCEjeSjT2-ApAa-T-qtfYnJmmy_nCpvZgg/s1600/IMG_5333.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>View of Cornell Peak above Tamarack Valley.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH9XD0K19DkU0NrTCdeZYRaQJ1_CPXeHTZeAEUCiQvFRDe6h8VNne82OSIWgv2qXIDP9tNECxTpWiJoM-PLsqi9KvZ5vER4cu1zlYJ-lmbo2_s1YFwjA-5N8b9bX4KjSQbcy-zgy8XBO0/s1600/IMG_5338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH9XD0K19DkU0NrTCdeZYRaQJ1_CPXeHTZeAEUCiQvFRDe6h8VNne82OSIWgv2qXIDP9tNECxTpWiJoM-PLsqi9KvZ5vER4cu1zlYJ-lmbo2_s1YFwjA-5N8b9bX4KjSQbcy-zgy8XBO0/s1600/IMG_5338.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>I'm guessing that post-holing through Tamarack Valley ended up being about an hour longer than if I had just stayed on the main packed trail. Although the views in Tamarack Valley are superb and I was still ahead of schedule.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJy24IRGvfqpdCOuAzpPqylA7WtHVPEClc1figjsPZdPU5Uws_YEtciTWlpq4ZJL7swVuefSGNTcdL8o5_WPDSdzGCJyEbwsqtPMOi2p7hug1MPLovgrISdkrXfdtyFI81-ZhRxi_u0A/s1600/IMG_5349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJy24IRGvfqpdCOuAzpPqylA7WtHVPEClc1figjsPZdPU5Uws_YEtciTWlpq4ZJL7swVuefSGNTcdL8o5_WPDSdzGCJyEbwsqtPMOi2p7hug1MPLovgrISdkrXfdtyFI81-ZhRxi_u0A/s1600/IMG_5349.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The emergency storm shelter--built in 1935 by the CCC--just below the peak has saved a life or two over the years.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIg_baowkUnnidgyH_J-w81j8rdavnR-PMJrGqW5Oyq2Ps3XseqX2UsLmJnxAlKapy1oHbkjkuuwdjZryEz-hOcEex4ErWVZOiDZj4_4zAbGHUOfgFcadoA_JdjmkCwNw2DEd-gxDJMX8/s1600/IMG_5353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIg_baowkUnnidgyH_J-w81j8rdavnR-PMJrGqW5Oyq2Ps3XseqX2UsLmJnxAlKapy1oHbkjkuuwdjZryEz-hOcEex4ErWVZOiDZj4_4zAbGHUOfgFcadoA_JdjmkCwNw2DEd-gxDJMX8/s1600/IMG_5353.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>I reached the summit just before 2 PM, for a sub-8-hour C2C ascent. As expected, the views into the surrounding deserts are off the charts.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUZ8k2ubhItvxcN_XKwauM_JQNbNktTI0rLNiIOuP2VHulhLcECkKeWotUN3QiBtypze562XXilAOqWSffmpO29ntwAQNay-1K7f6EiFTw-idNsOsIkA7fcflNnlIT8u1Z0UM2DNGY_M/s1600/IMG_5362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUZ8k2ubhItvxcN_XKwauM_JQNbNktTI0rLNiIOuP2VHulhLcECkKeWotUN3QiBtypze562XXilAOqWSffmpO29ntwAQNay-1K7f6EiFTw-idNsOsIkA7fcflNnlIT8u1Z0UM2DNGY_M/s1600/IMG_5362.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>A fellow summiteer arranges his gear on San Jacinto Peak. San Gorgonio, the highest peak in southern California, rises in the distance. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>With unused downhill legs, and a resolve to stay on the hard-packed trail, I opened up the throttle and coasted back to the Tram Station to complete the entire route within 9 hours. Susie and the kids were kind enough to wait in long lines (and leave the warmth of Palm Springs) to take the Tram up and meet me at the top.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCcTIIasG1haOpU68wI9ARa3XamBMOqlLukcfJQii9bTDbyYgyrwoI7Fz_KCySW5i95alKRNCYhsj-9y_1gDGKbsanp85U1yC0wN7lHUqile5wzytMd3JIFxLPUSeylRD2zV58L0C2gNM/s1600/IMG_5378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCcTIIasG1haOpU68wI9ARa3XamBMOqlLukcfJQii9bTDbyYgyrwoI7Fz_KCySW5i95alKRNCYhsj-9y_1gDGKbsanp85U1yC0wN7lHUqile5wzytMd3JIFxLPUSeylRD2zV58L0C2gNM/s1600/IMG_5378.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The Palm Springs Tram make an impressive plunge down rugged Chino Canyon, taking you from alpine forests to the Colorado Desert within a few minutes. The relaxing ride down with my family (somewhat--they pack you in like sardines!) was a fitting way to end an unforgettable climb.<br /><br /></i></td></tr>
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TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-15364360209424773182016-01-16T22:27:00.000-07:002016-01-16T22:27:19.026-07:00To the Desert: Palm Springs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTPL6JBrGYomY2pwGdf3iyR9KXFkww1dZSEoPSMQo6QOvsAbTJ8c1Xpa4r2ZawH1X4IIheN-c5e6eL5L7VUR0TWumVV9Ek1rI0e4wMpuojrJRtoDirNDweXw2ydIDppGHiR4voMj0gvM/s1600/IMG_5039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTPL6JBrGYomY2pwGdf3iyR9KXFkww1dZSEoPSMQo6QOvsAbTJ8c1Xpa4r2ZawH1X4IIheN-c5e6eL5L7VUR0TWumVV9Ek1rI0e4wMpuojrJRtoDirNDweXw2ydIDppGHiR4voMj0gvM/s1600/IMG_5039.jpg" /></a></div>
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So far the el nino predictions have rung true. Southwestern Utah snowpack is well above normal. This is good for the local communities because we really need the water.<br />
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But after endless snow during the holidays and a week when the temperatures bounced between a frigid 3 degrees and a "balmy" 28 degrees, we had had enough. It was time to head downhill to the desert.<br />
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I've been e-scouting Palm Springs in southern California for years. Mostly known for its countless golf courses and as the place for celebrities to buy second homes, Palm Springs has a surprisingly amazing hiking scene.<br />
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And like any good desert, there are otherworldly oddities like an accidentally created lake lying below sea level, and a hand-crafted technicolor mountain dedicated to Jesus. Yep, only in the desert.<br />
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Here are the highlights of our quick trip to Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley, the basement of the Sonoran Desert:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlSeGvpDaZhI-hO6MwYT9xCz-qIcStQGs3uvRQRfJIEmgW83PIk0oh_G36MSA8Pr9OKY8N-tHp_Lm8Z8TX70UslfqJhxO2pSAnpfeG6EnGjMDwUMdq4CiAsjDQPop3t6Gc_4xgd_DjlQ/s1600/IMG_4985.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlSeGvpDaZhI-hO6MwYT9xCz-qIcStQGs3uvRQRfJIEmgW83PIk0oh_G36MSA8Pr9OKY8N-tHp_Lm8Z8TX70UslfqJhxO2pSAnpfeG6EnGjMDwUMdq4CiAsjDQPop3t6Gc_4xgd_DjlQ/s1600/IMG_4985.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Indian Canyons, administered by the Agua Caliente Band of the Cahuilla Indians, was our first destination and it did not disappoint. The main attraction at the Indian Canyons are all of the native California fan palms that grow in thick groves wherever perennial water is found. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjH87QIgb2f9uXa40dbpRkqi4j8tEX49negI-6bicSj0nI7PWYIzBbTut1Fj0QAGfxFnwaO2w9kCtn9LVzjwZMlbAZB2atexFh83idjXkwgEmDVuK5fTPT3XunP_NJTdMhPDfcQFOlRFk/s1600/IMG_4954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjH87QIgb2f9uXa40dbpRkqi4j8tEX49negI-6bicSj0nI7PWYIzBbTut1Fj0QAGfxFnwaO2w9kCtn9LVzjwZMlbAZB2atexFh83idjXkwgEmDVuK5fTPT3XunP_NJTdMhPDfcQFOlRFk/s1600/IMG_4954.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The oasis at Andreas Canyon is fed by a small stream originating high in the San Jacinto range.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtyTuB4ocF48nNnD3QRwLWSpojerNH2EXm4HDcQJzHBuJWhjdtfMQYkN1vvZ1IFYAp80VbtIRiUTGzygACK0CCL0cHvF_yoBBmGnZOjhqLAlUMQNpwZQw28CgSMY6xUdIC2evl6SW2zcU/s1600/IMG_4941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtyTuB4ocF48nNnD3QRwLWSpojerNH2EXm4HDcQJzHBuJWhjdtfMQYkN1vvZ1IFYAp80VbtIRiUTGzygACK0CCL0cHvF_yoBBmGnZOjhqLAlUMQNpwZQw28CgSMY6xUdIC2evl6SW2zcU/s1600/IMG_4941.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Lone palm against gneiss in Andreas Canyon.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIfIuv4W19ybQ8oYAs1i5iAGVA0y4PGVdRXOOhUrgCxDpXuWo6rV82rP7fEBK_LEc23KxbSzcQkZ-rp-PavB9KVLmAQ2axyUDwJdoWg3T141Fm43hjD1pFfFbAjP-jhRpnXX3IPTa-iw/s1600/IMG_5003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIfIuv4W19ybQ8oYAs1i5iAGVA0y4PGVdRXOOhUrgCxDpXuWo6rV82rP7fEBK_LEc23KxbSzcQkZ-rp-PavB9KVLmAQ2axyUDwJdoWg3T141Fm43hjD1pFfFbAjP-jhRpnXX3IPTa-iw/s1600/IMG_5003.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>One of the largest palm forests in California, Palm Canyon was the perfect setting for lunch.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-rwZIKUjoBmSiovCE1KQWl2MjPQOxNtwmM2Lorkf47oYl4zimXw-HlhKLAMZ-m8A5PM9vkHgXIQ_nr6bETWqtQtJErpdydmzTIe7AfHrFi8ZVVwnUbTlg_fAF7NBZJLzqK5oyYRGDSA/s1600/IMG_5006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-rwZIKUjoBmSiovCE1KQWl2MjPQOxNtwmM2Lorkf47oYl4zimXw-HlhKLAMZ-m8A5PM9vkHgXIQ_nr6bETWqtQtJErpdydmzTIe7AfHrFi8ZVVwnUbTlg_fAF7NBZJLzqK5oyYRGDSA/s1600/IMG_5006.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Zoe enters the oasis at Palm Canyon.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiZEQVnZSF9lP801SRqw24rYW2H2EdkVV2Lzgb6TVnxuyaOqFvrprO9ZdJjTQAmRcSyFVDErkPvLzqU9C8saTk7BZAPoodVojvM8rApkj7i8yg7gSAhls9URMMaskyAttz_GIwRCJPCY/s1600/IMG_5144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiZEQVnZSF9lP801SRqw24rYW2H2EdkVV2Lzgb6TVnxuyaOqFvrprO9ZdJjTQAmRcSyFVDErkPvLzqU9C8saTk7BZAPoodVojvM8rApkj7i8yg7gSAhls9URMMaskyAttz_GIwRCJPCY/s1600/IMG_5144.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>We spent a few hours exploring Painted Canyon in the Mecca Hills. The geology there is incredible. Excellent examples of erosion and canyon cutting, unconformities, and sedimentary structures abound. And you cross over from the Pacific continental plate to the North American plate along the way! </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyEdj49pVnZF1jhlZgWyh21f-2gd2sP2IboiQB5JYUhvp_nsHgabzIPU3YT9Wb_bs7yhNDOb-KgLVEhdXvEaQ-1m044wa9GDXOIJWzN9d0BjfC6a0yBxcvlaL5oqGhRTGTQ54xS_MUK0/s1600/IMG_5049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyEdj49pVnZF1jhlZgWyh21f-2gd2sP2IboiQB5JYUhvp_nsHgabzIPU3YT9Wb_bs7yhNDOb-KgLVEhdXvEaQ-1m044wa9GDXOIJWzN9d0BjfC6a0yBxcvlaL5oqGhRTGTQ54xS_MUK0/s1600/IMG_5049.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Into the narrows of Painted Canyon.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQ7LrYNWpq8qjmRBcENiBiAdTU5uo-UEX8BVfDGtMjpQoqRJVYH5TK02wOB7TPHsZelbrnAcHWLcLijCWK9OdD__5cy55mPAys9eRS2FIaf5SCLpTj4Z6arp2q-5Mh81-i3w_Wj9ftiU/s1600/IMG_5052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQ7LrYNWpq8qjmRBcENiBiAdTU5uo-UEX8BVfDGtMjpQoqRJVYH5TK02wOB7TPHsZelbrnAcHWLcLijCWK9OdD__5cy55mPAys9eRS2FIaf5SCLpTj4Z6arp2q-5Mh81-i3w_Wj9ftiU/s1600/IMG_5052.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Ren makes his way down the first of many ladders in Ladder Canyon--an exciting tributary to Painted Canyon.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T46CgHJHz-p6ck2JtXS073fFcsGZaLpuGz6TMVXeCYzY-uEcwBiRGwJP1m5LDvmkszPXuggASOtAcsbW9nfhnnkF_PKfrTSgL061m8U9Ow87xVJ6m3P-4_JuLqIhw8A5FHmKpUptyCk/s1600/IMG_5127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T46CgHJHz-p6ck2JtXS073fFcsGZaLpuGz6TMVXeCYzY-uEcwBiRGwJP1m5LDvmkszPXuggASOtAcsbW9nfhnnkF_PKfrTSgL061m8U9Ow87xVJ6m3P-4_JuLqIhw8A5FHmKpUptyCk/s1600/IMG_5127.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Sunlight reaches the floor of the Ladder Canyon slot. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9z-jUcqwL3Tf8OTJtBmMCbgaQb1hj3DBKR9x_QV5KV8xdixi5LBn83ZWCIhvrtrO0-BKsM3PZNBxGsqjzq-B2OGN_66M3ai9JM0DQzcsgrBoH6pbrA1cmh4NTSQCZIE2Yo-GGhpzz4B8/s1600/IMG_5099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9z-jUcqwL3Tf8OTJtBmMCbgaQb1hj3DBKR9x_QV5KV8xdixi5LBn83ZWCIhvrtrO0-BKsM3PZNBxGsqjzq-B2OGN_66M3ai9JM0DQzcsgrBoH6pbrA1cmh4NTSQCZIE2Yo-GGhpzz4B8/s1600/IMG_5099.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Ladder Canyon is cut into conglomerate of the Palm Springs Formation. Deposited as part of the ancestral Colorado River delta some 700,000 years ago, the conglomerated has since been pressed upward by various strands of the San Andreas fault system.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYQX7BF0WXBHJBZKeadBDwlcIviv_Jcp4URXSsvDPSH8T3teSIFVqGftNAJSrYfnmdRzCPB1uh62yUAyXIjbNzl8cNMIWEVgjHQyxTO0-nUJB-Z2wRgM1jSP5KVBYSt0Ml2v0UTiHrb8/s1600/IMG_5080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYQX7BF0WXBHJBZKeadBDwlcIviv_Jcp4URXSsvDPSH8T3teSIFVqGftNAJSrYfnmdRzCPB1uh62yUAyXIjbNzl8cNMIWEVgjHQyxTO0-nUJB-Z2wRgM1jSP5KVBYSt0Ml2v0UTiHrb8/s1600/IMG_5080.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Exploring Mecca Hills badlands.</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBcWPhMBa0EDM52ua4DNcz5cv5b9ntDgJw7lawuoz_x-WOkxaZZxq_IDSDfXt6EHWv_wZ7blQCcAuzP8rNO0dI8sFoy6EsTdfAp-EV7CdqiqJST7iqZ3jQYcBWIfrj8BKxrGN0ZbKuV4/s1600/IMG_5097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBcWPhMBa0EDM52ua4DNcz5cv5b9ntDgJw7lawuoz_x-WOkxaZZxq_IDSDfXt6EHWv_wZ7blQCcAuzP8rNO0dI8sFoy6EsTdfAp-EV7CdqiqJST7iqZ3jQYcBWIfrj8BKxrGN0ZbKuV4/s1600/IMG_5097.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9TG7DZz6pBuwLYkQgj3qYZq5CWdlHWlp_oQMFX0Z4B27WaEb4MlPHj_vRvnbQbWSJrmivzxqLWPvXDTruLuBFEsBCMHs5dQJRnIT_Xl8fWCsviM9jThpptWey8deXXCt88svqJiVBuQ/s1600/IMG_5056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9TG7DZz6pBuwLYkQgj3qYZq5CWdlHWlp_oQMFX0Z4B27WaEb4MlPHj_vRvnbQbWSJrmivzxqLWPvXDTruLuBFEsBCMHs5dQJRnIT_Xl8fWCsviM9jThpptWey8deXXCt88svqJiVBuQ/s1600/IMG_5056.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Ren leads the way through Ladder Canyon.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The Salton Sea isn't for everyone. The lake was created in 1905 when nearly the entire flow of the Colorado River was accidentally diverted into the Salton basin--the bottom of which is only 8 feet higher than Badwater Basin in Death Valley. </i><i><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">For several decades the Salton Sea was a freshwater lake that supported several resort towns, sport fishing, sail boating, and swimming. But increased salinity and pollution from the nearby farming industry have killed just about everything in the lake. The </span>resultant<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> stench of decay and fluctuating lake levels have caused most to stay clear. The eerie remains of resort towns attract mostly photographers today.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4JuHXYLWK1LtCiN80JNXnz7bafpwwdhrBh5mgNgT5zZ7ZpXugSU3jP8V72v13l7vFgP6sX8Zoyz_21TdYAdkpKsycLTurUoEAhfaEDy860CM_Yc_WZiiFXE415h8xKN6kgn9Bp70qwPY/s1600/flooding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4JuHXYLWK1LtCiN80JNXnz7bafpwwdhrBh5mgNgT5zZ7ZpXugSU3jP8V72v13l7vFgP6sX8Zoyz_21TdYAdkpKsycLTurUoEAhfaEDy860CM_Yc_WZiiFXE415h8xKN6kgn9Bp70qwPY/s1600/flooding.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>1905 photo of levee breach that shifted the Colorado River's flow into the Salton basin. <span style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: left;">Photo from <a href="http://saltonseamuseum.org/">saltonseamuseum.org</a>.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Hundreds of dead fish dot the shores of North Beach. The kids about gagged when I told them the pretty white "sand" along the beach is actually worn-down bits of bone from 1000s of dead tilapia.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The detectorist. The North Shore Beach and Yacht Club was a happening place in the late 50s and into the 60s. There's not much to see there today, although the yacht club has been recently restored and now houses a museum.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The recently restored North Shore and Yacht Club on the eastern shores of the Salton Sea.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZPcOZHa91hzWyAqkNSoAIb2YnYvC_FA7JYf10YnhDhNyF_jJ22tL3fMI0JauaNwMGaC99fBMbgUYB4zDd8AOR9nRMlITc4Tp4tdO2LXYMK41vzjDd8D3KQUCppBMZ32XTt39_MXhFGk/s1600/north_shoreSMALL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZPcOZHa91hzWyAqkNSoAIb2YnYvC_FA7JYf10YnhDhNyF_jJ22tL3fMI0JauaNwMGaC99fBMbgUYB4zDd8AOR9nRMlITc4Tp4tdO2LXYMK41vzjDd8D3KQUCppBMZ32XTt39_MXhFGk/s1600/north_shoreSMALL.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The popular North Shore Beach and Yacht Club on the cover of L.A. Times Magazine in 1962. Photo from <a href="http://saltonseamuseum.org/">saltonseamuseum.org</a>.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2MogjHwFY0LzL6Le4obYA0KizriDl7h0XrfcALoTRXmYLrzlq4f6mefUtLhk8OHTFm_b-Fwk_HZ6kn6f9EUagOTzusjxzH5ozdKGfbWw5KkzUt48ThF2bL9XZSfUeQ2nRYkNz0c4duqM/s1600/salton_sea_museum_historical_13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2MogjHwFY0LzL6Le4obYA0KizriDl7h0XrfcALoTRXmYLrzlq4f6mefUtLhk8OHTFm_b-Fwk_HZ6kn6f9EUagOTzusjxzH5ozdKGfbWw5KkzUt48ThF2bL9XZSfUeQ2nRYkNz0c4duqM/s1600/salton_sea_museum_historical_13.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Rising water inundates facilities at North Shore Beach and Yacht Club. </i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;">Photo from <a href="http://saltonseamuseum.org/">saltonseamuseum.org</a>.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The ruins of Bombay Beach on the eastern shores of the Salton Sea.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Our visit to Salvation Mountain almost didn't happen. Susie was not impressed with the dead fish and dilapidated shacks at the Salton Sea. It was getting late and I didn't think I could get Susie excited for a trip to the lawless migrant town of Slab City to see a painted pile of adobe. Just as we were about to head back to Palm Springs, Susie noticed a Facebook feed announcing Coldplay's newest video for "Birds" which just happened to be filmed at some weird place called Salvation Mountain! I couldn't believe the coincidence. With Susie now on board so she could walk in the footsteps of one of her favorite bands, it was short drive to Salvation Mountain.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Zoe watches the sunset from the summit of Salvation Mountain. Built over a couple of decades by the artist Leonard Knight, Salvation Mountain has no equal. Tons of adobe and straw, and thousands of gallons of paint have been sculpted into an impassioned expression of love that the Folk Art Society of America in 2000 deemed worthy of preservation and protection. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>View of Slab City from the top of Salvation Mountain.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Ava tries to make sense of the interior of Salvation Mountain.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The Jesus wagon at Salvation Mountain.</i></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thanks C. Martin. If it weren't for the timely release of this video our trip to Salvation Mountain would have never happened.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Salvation Mountain was a funky place with a cool vibe that we all enjoyed. </i></td></tr>
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Palm Springs is just what we needed. It was tough at the end of our stay to point the car back up the hill toward winter.<br />
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On our last day of the trip, I successfully conquered the much-feared Cactus to Clouds climb from downtown Palm Springs to 11,000-ft San Jacinto Peak. That post is next...TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-44194773615786185692015-12-11T15:30:00.001-07:002015-12-11T15:30:08.286-07:00Toughest hike in eastern US? The Devil's Path, New York<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here are three tips to the first-time traveler visiting the New York area:<br />
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First, when the person renting your vehicle to you asks if you'll need the EZ Pass, go ahead and say yes! It seems like ALL roads are toll roads around here. We declined, and we ended up wasting time and money later buying our own EZ Pass at a local DOT.<br />
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Second, if you rent a bike at Central Park in Manhattan, beware of people walking up and offering a great price for a rental and then leading you past all the good-looking bikes right at the park, across the street, down the block, across another street, down another block to a hole in the wall rental place with barely functioning bikes. You then have to negotiate two blocks of bumper-car traffic back to the park on bikes with hardly any air in the tires and frayed brake cables. Do yourself a favor, spend a couple of more bucks and rent the good bikes sitting in the corals right at the park.<br />
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Third, takes the Staten Island Ferry. It's free, and it gives you awesome views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty.<br />
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Truth is, I initially had a hard time getting excited for a trip back East that started with a work-related meeting in Baltimore. I knew this was a rare opportunity to see classic historical sites, but I knew I wouldn't be totally satisfied unless I squeezed in a killer adventure. So I started researching things like "toughest hikes on the East Coast" and one hike in particular seemed to be at or near the top of every list: the Devil's Path in New York's Catskill Mountains.<br />
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The numbers looked legit: nearly 9,000 feet of climbing in 24 miles. I soon realized that the substantial elevation change isn't the hardest part about this hike.<br />
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The plan was to have Susie drop me off at the Prediger Road Trailhead at the eastern end of the path and then about 10 hours later, wait for me to finish at the western end on Spruceton Road. I figured ten hours was best-case scenario.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5R0ZVLgjsaPHN5eynaXA-Ray5UArdtVyHYEASVruBIU-Xd6ucdjpKk8xwMli67BwPakxX479eThU8NPqDav03Y__PvhQ8ebi5rt8chvHyKHuJbPfKQwUjwJqPa_dtZcNWuLSZoIkcUVc/s1600/IMG_4817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5R0ZVLgjsaPHN5eynaXA-Ray5UArdtVyHYEASVruBIU-Xd6ucdjpKk8xwMli67BwPakxX479eThU8NPqDav03Y__PvhQ8ebi5rt8chvHyKHuJbPfKQwUjwJqPa_dtZcNWuLSZoIkcUVc/s1600/IMG_4817.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>A rare moment where I'm actually running. The first mile or so are the easiest: not steep and a well-used trail. But running, even along this mellow part was sporadic. One thing I didn't count on were all of the freshly fallen leaves covering the boulder-strewn trail. Running was a huge risk to severely turn an ankle . I quickly realized this was going to be 90% speed hiking rather than a run for me.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>After the initial fairly easy mile, the Devil's Path reveals its true character. Essentially, you follow a path marked by red blazes (small discs attached to trees) that goes straight up and down the fall line of several summits. There are no switchbacks. There are no winding trails to avoid obstacles such as cliffs or mud bogs. There has been zero effort to smooth out rocks and roots. Don't get me wrong, I love the challenge and I wouldn't change a thing, but you need to mentally prepare for a slogging fist fight, not a flowing dance on the trail.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtZwAXYdvOfhO9IH_zAYNS_uttcIhQdHS5ejQPJIN5DnlHOctmHzOjQvyCGl-7BqtdNO-1xam3nSmOPpDpz6-XsV6J74JHzRY3NyddmYk7yCCP_mP15QpkzZHxK4bRO6uX985GbGEWoQ/s1600/IMG_4826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtZwAXYdvOfhO9IH_zAYNS_uttcIhQdHS5ejQPJIN5DnlHOctmHzOjQvyCGl-7BqtdNO-1xam3nSmOPpDpz6-XsV6J74JHzRY3NyddmYk7yCCP_mP15QpkzZHxK4bRO6uX985GbGEWoQ/s1600/IMG_4826.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Sunrise view from the shoulder of Indian Head Mountain--the first of many high peaks traversed in the central Catskill Mountains. The Hudson River Valley lies in the distance.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD3gs7rPwoLOVoQzvonKBNHx1R2ng6CptaK34UMlvxGId6q2A4SFnxmyjEY9ZFvf-i-jvSGiuwJ47YjnHnyVG-oRqnvxiYcduTYBc3jAMzRXXmXWBpImOGvqiyQSZaYHilvJNrOjvbxO0/s1600/IMG_4819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD3gs7rPwoLOVoQzvonKBNHx1R2ng6CptaK34UMlvxGId6q2A4SFnxmyjEY9ZFvf-i-jvSGiuwJ47YjnHnyVG-oRqnvxiYcduTYBc3jAMzRXXmXWBpImOGvqiyQSZaYHilvJNrOjvbxO0/s1600/IMG_4819.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Roots and rocks on Indian Head Mountain.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5EmrKPRKyMIRXLk7EITlUpClSH3T_OihkRNcX4NFT7rlf6a7lphuFDrJp6iRqGPqJmBDpuwIQD9CHf9oPymKyoHKk5yN1dVhSdRhPjlrcPYZ18jOQg0xnJwqhlqlQqZFZHNMtBsAEYk/s1600/IMG_4835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5EmrKPRKyMIRXLk7EITlUpClSH3T_OihkRNcX4NFT7rlf6a7lphuFDrJp6iRqGPqJmBDpuwIQD9CHf9oPymKyoHKk5yN1dVhSdRhPjlrcPYZ18jOQg0xnJwqhlqlQqZFZHNMtBsAEYk/s1600/IMG_4835.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Red spruce forest adorn Indian Head Mountain.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxXXYxwNESBTgYA9uKJXfMYASkBKI42GoYvJ-KxFFBlHQyOx8Eu1EF07DzxcO1d1_cS466XhUtw7kWbQo4ZTaZF8P1OpxjNQuK44S0Kz7wzxMUSLxIfQ5Dp5XzDoPbP3h4j2FxGUCvz8/s1600/IMG_4841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxXXYxwNESBTgYA9uKJXfMYASkBKI42GoYvJ-KxFFBlHQyOx8Eu1EF07DzxcO1d1_cS466XhUtw7kWbQo4ZTaZF8P1OpxjNQuK44S0Kz7wzxMUSLxIfQ5Dp5XzDoPbP3h4j2FxGUCvz8/s1600/IMG_4841.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Enjoying the view from the Twin Mountain summit.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtpr1uW92xJ7m2q0NHdFr4oC8Gh_4f_kQaCB0ndufoyiFojg_YPY4-3GHoO04vIf9m1lVYAcxXrpECA3uBWYgPFYGW82DZ174FMp5n3kNt3JMFNNq5wHz1Kj1p-RAxhlkjj0seuOl8o8/s1600/IMG_4845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtpr1uW92xJ7m2q0NHdFr4oC8Gh_4f_kQaCB0ndufoyiFojg_YPY4-3GHoO04vIf9m1lVYAcxXrpECA3uBWYgPFYGW82DZ174FMp5n3kNt3JMFNNq5wHz1Kj1p-RAxhlkjj0seuOl8o8/s1600/IMG_4845.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Twin Mountain staircase.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5FAvj5BO8yGKulzVQbEe6KeEMR6pyxSU9zDWRv5on2X1_NDA8NO27EILg2Q72QmdDN3SezrMONbdO10SelOVmwuDv36kFcQuYF0E9su4HdC40d9PSBk4AQSZH-9SzOyTP9QcY9RCNcY/s1600/IMG_4846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5FAvj5BO8yGKulzVQbEe6KeEMR6pyxSU9zDWRv5on2X1_NDA8NO27EILg2Q72QmdDN3SezrMONbdO10SelOVmwuDv36kFcQuYF0E9su4HdC40d9PSBk4AQSZH-9SzOyTP9QcY9RCNcY/s1600/IMG_4846.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Trail junction at Mink Hollow Cove.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEKaHXFuN2YjptOOes8ajkXcJhlEY-0zWtH4RedCQNFPqrAOSJqrzqzpCMBppSMtPFZR_9tgVvbbQA3U1_bsTt1x-bRefZm5Ywm1c_X-YMT_ZsMbbRtFECHt2koylAdYsaKA8I2kDob8/s1600/IMG_4861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEKaHXFuN2YjptOOes8ajkXcJhlEY-0zWtH4RedCQNFPqrAOSJqrzqzpCMBppSMtPFZR_9tgVvbbQA3U1_bsTt1x-bRefZm5Ywm1c_X-YMT_ZsMbbRtFECHt2koylAdYsaKA8I2kDob8/s1600/IMG_4861.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Water was not an issue. Springs and streams are plentiful. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocrn0Hmx4lXZefPREP7Omc0QAw6RUQsdxlMLsJEHgpeeLaF8tAY-yvvbA60bJ1fl_hPbx6xVpZAZUhDq5qPapp096SRPBnglvVf8DHbQ_jN14sZnjiUFRQgU4XwnbVEkfO1DlGZeW8dA/s1600/IMG_4848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocrn0Hmx4lXZefPREP7Omc0QAw6RUQsdxlMLsJEHgpeeLaF8tAY-yvvbA60bJ1fl_hPbx6xVpZAZUhDq5qPapp096SRPBnglvVf8DHbQ_jN14sZnjiUFRQgU4XwnbVEkfO1DlGZeW8dA/s1600/IMG_4848.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>OK, so there actually are a mile or two of sublime runnable trail across the top of Plateau Mountain. Enjoy it while it lasts.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwabZSxHS60hDsXKHcbHJ3VfcYNDm7Y7t0-iGCaCfPW6uUa51YJn3eZzSbOtlPmMdEpQc8_Ov40G-tQGyMeBRB5bB7FwAubbR5SCi_j0WxAxogSbRoQPsrhxjY1znyPeAUBdu5tuDPLI/s1600/IMG_4851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwabZSxHS60hDsXKHcbHJ3VfcYNDm7Y7t0-iGCaCfPW6uUa51YJn3eZzSbOtlPmMdEpQc8_Ov40G-tQGyMeBRB5bB7FwAubbR5SCi_j0WxAxogSbRoQPsrhxjY1znyPeAUBdu5tuDPLI/s1600/IMG_4851.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Taking a break before the long plunge off of Plateau Mountain. Small villages near Hunter Ski Resort in the distance.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6uubGr7WoB1y2tEDTZgmr8gsYp7SM_JMub5wQR1KA8gOmRibP2Zb1NheOcPSQ9aVkX_rtjeE7MGQG70l-DBS1qcZUDXoLlcHGtIqMYtLC429QDW5udThDZ3wKu2n5YayVsX0fje2unyA/s1600/IMG_4855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6uubGr7WoB1y2tEDTZgmr8gsYp7SM_JMub5wQR1KA8gOmRibP2Zb1NheOcPSQ9aVkX_rtjeE7MGQG70l-DBS1qcZUDXoLlcHGtIqMYtLC429QDW5udThDZ3wKu2n5YayVsX0fje2unyA/s1600/IMG_4855.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Small lake at Stony Clove Notch near Tombstone Campground. This near the halfway point of the Devil's Path.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpg2HYscmBEo3Bncp15Y4HnIWQ5BWz0tqdIs4HlhNZsKr9b3PpJmUkCUHaryTh-Y6EwjjipefZNY4XNuYzMfy21cCpQMCuKYwSW3esdk0I1v6RBh2c3fxsiKYuDRjC8H6u_E2ckNcvEXg/s1600/IMG_4858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpg2HYscmBEo3Bncp15Y4HnIWQ5BWz0tqdIs4HlhNZsKr9b3PpJmUkCUHaryTh-Y6EwjjipefZNY4XNuYzMfy21cCpQMCuKYwSW3esdk0I1v6RBh2c3fxsiKYuDRjC8H6u_E2ckNcvEXg/s1600/IMG_4858.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Crossing Stony Clove Creek.</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YfhVIbO5G6j3CwbWQNYH2PDxolN4B66FsU1keaXZKMTn-xk90KE3MwZIh5xIpT3GitOuW2WmeBFTT6xlcJfL0jXr5eD-kKOyu_l23DF1xue8Y6VGUaDPire1bIfo_yiO0QzbV-o_vww/s1600/IMG_4859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YfhVIbO5G6j3CwbWQNYH2PDxolN4B66FsU1keaXZKMTn-xk90KE3MwZIh5xIpT3GitOuW2WmeBFTT6xlcJfL0jXr5eD-kKOyu_l23DF1xue8Y6VGUaDPire1bIfo_yiO0QzbV-o_vww/s1600/IMG_4859.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Diamond Notch Falls on West Kill (stream).</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Moss and ferns near the top of West Kill Mountain, the final major summit before the long descent to Spruceton.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>View north toward Spruceton from near the summit of West Kill Mountain. The sun would set soon after hitting this summit. The final couple of miles were spent trying to follow the small blazes by flashlight. </i></td></tr>
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This was a challenging and memorable hike. Close attention to the trail surface is constantly required which keeps the pace down. I felt a bit frustrated at times knowing Susie would be waiting. Even though I felt great, I simply could not push the pace and risk a fall or twisted ankle. I ended up finishing a little over 11 hours, which I felt was a decent time.<br />
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I was surprised at how many people I came across out on the trail. Everyone else was either backpacking or day hiking. One of the dangers that trail descriptions mention for Devil's Path is its remoteness. Coming from Utah, I certainly have a different definition of remote in my mind. Is it the toughest hike east of the Mississippi? Well, since this is the <i>only </i>East Coast hike I've ever done, I cannot say. It certainly keeps you on your toes for the full 24 miles and the climbs are unrelenting. It's an experience very different from what I'm used to in the West.TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-17481803633297442362015-10-16T15:26:00.000-06:002015-10-16T16:10:00.326-06:00Ultra Climb: Mine Camp Peak (Pavant Traverse)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofvV9dDoDVilin19UbgZdSJYPxmPQLMAXQ5kibSitONxE6G0BE22I7fAnCo0bnXhtKMwZ9SUoUVR3LuKTJu58P2JEWOloRay1JC-E7CWrg6bNy0_sCceIJ4cJ7gDGGD-XT9jq-okGWJE/s1600/IMG_4734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofvV9dDoDVilin19UbgZdSJYPxmPQLMAXQ5kibSitONxE6G0BE22I7fAnCo0bnXhtKMwZ9SUoUVR3LuKTJu58P2JEWOloRay1JC-E7CWrg6bNy0_sCceIJ4cJ7gDGGD-XT9jq-okGWJE/s1600/IMG_4734.jpg" /></a></div>
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The Pavant Range in central Utah is one of several mountain chains in Utah that few Utahns have heard of. They lack the sharp, glacier-sculpted peaks of the Wasatch and Uintahs. They lack the trout-filled alpine lakes that dot the nearby Fish Lake and Boulder Mountains. They lack the well-maintained, bikeable singletrack of the Markagunt Plateau. Their only claim to fame, perhaps, is the popular Paiute ATV that traverses the range and includes a number of side trails.<br />
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With no big attraction, it has taken me a while to explore the Pavants. But it had to be done. I frequently drive I-15 between Cedar City and Salt Lake and during the drive I study the passing ranges and wonder what may be hidden in their canyons and what the views are like from their summits. Over the years, I've checked just about all of the major ranges lining I-15 off of the list: the Markagunt Plateau, the Tushars, the Mineral Mountains, and the Wasatch's Nebo, Timp, and Lone Peaks. The Canyon Range near Scipio and the Pavants were next on the list and the Pavants won out simply because they are a little closer to home.<br />
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The plan was to complete an 80-mile traverse/loop by mountain bike starting and ending in Kanosh. I would ride from Kanosh to Fillmore, up Fillmore Canyon, then head south on the Paiute ATV trail (graveled road really) along the range crest, hit the range's summit (and Millard County high point Mine Camp Peak at 10,222 ft), continue south, and finally descend Kanosh Canyon. Total elevation gain would be a whopping 9,000 feet.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Dawn near the Kanosh Indian Village. The official Trails Illustrated map of the Paiute ATV trail by National Geographic shows a legal ATV route extending from Kanosh to the Indian Village, then to Meadow, and on to Fillmore. This looked like a great all-dirt alternative to riding on paved frontage roads. Sadly, I encountered closed gates and "NO TRESPASSING" signs just north of the Indian Village, so I ended up on boring frontage roads anyway.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_hn-8B9T1kk4umBekTOBjEAzZw91Ra-SJF7_Bzv3Fbt6uu6cNKGxbbpW7RtOzJ8hFY9B37E_sWJqg9GWUQHWNptMo0GRI7YLJ1Y2fp54fCLxb9rJQTSky-aWkSn7y9PJ1jZitb5k9nU/s1600/IMG_4698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_hn-8B9T1kk4umBekTOBjEAzZw91Ra-SJF7_Bzv3Fbt6uu6cNKGxbbpW7RtOzJ8hFY9B37E_sWJqg9GWUQHWNptMo0GRI7YLJ1Y2fp54fCLxb9rJQTSky-aWkSn7y9PJ1jZitb5k9nU/s1600/IMG_4698.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The Chalk Creek "Hieroglyphs" above a small cave near the mouth of Fillmore Canyon. There are a lot of odd-ball theories about the origin of these carvings that were<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> first discovered in 1939. </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> My guess is that they are an elaborate 100-year-old hoax to excite the locals. I've inspected </span><a href="http://cedarandsand.blogspot.com/2008/05/mysteries-of-red-mountain.html" style="font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">similar carvings at Cedar City</a><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">, and there are supposedly many others throughout the West. The Chalk Creek Glyphs unfortunately turned from hoax to tragedy when some men interpreted the writings as directions to nearby buried gold plates. Three men working in the subsequent mining operation were killed by the accumulation of toxic fumes in two </span>separate <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">accidents, one in 1966 , and another in 1967. Nothing of value was ever found.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Chalk Creek Hieroglyphs.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>I had two choices at the mouth of Fillmore Canyon: stay on the canyon bottom along an ATV trail that crosses chilly Chalk Creek several times, or take a bypass road that climbs 700 feet up and around the south side of the canyon's mouth. The two routes converge at Cooley's Cove Campground about 3.5 miles up the canyon. I figured since stream levels would be low (in the Fall--these crossings could be a problem during Spring runoff), and I certainly didn't need to tack on any extra climbing (9,000 ft would be plenty!), it would be best to stay in the canyon bottom and deal with the stream crossings. This was a good choice because the crossings were only mid-calf deep and my shoes and sock dried quickly after the crossings.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>After passing a few picnic areas along the bottom of Fillmore Canyon, the road begins a steep traverse, with many switchbacks, up the canyon wall toward the Pavant Range's summit ridge. Columbus Day is usually too late in the season to find good color in the high country but this Fall's mild temperatures have considerably prolonged the fall foliage season in central and southern Utah.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The Cretaceous-age Canyon Range Conglomerate has formed many spectacular cliffs in upper Fillmore Canyon.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Fall color lingers high in Cedar Springs Canyon--a tributary to Fillmore Canyon.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Golden aspen at 9,000 feet in upper Cedar Springs Canyon. The two highest points in the far distance are White Pine Peak (10,2015 ft) on the left and Mine Camp Peak (10,222 ft) on the right. I've still got a long ways to go from here to get to the top.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>I'm nearly to the top of the summit ridge here.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>9,018-foot Beehive Peak on the eastern side of the Pavant Range. The southern Wasatch Plateau is in the distance. The east side of the Pavant Range above Richfield has a much different look than the rest of the range. An abundance of red rock of the Tertiary Flagstaff Formation (which is roughly equivalent to the brilliant Claron Formarion of Cedar Breaks and Bryce Canyon fame) results in some amazing and unique terrain (similar to Thunder Mountain in Red Canyon) that I think is overdue for some serious trail building. 7.5-minute topo maps show a few trails in the Beehive Peak area, but they appear seldom-used, ill-defined, and unmaintained. I think a well-thought out mountain bike trail network here could make Richfield a popular MTB destination.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The nondescript White Pine Peak--just 7 feet lower than nearby Mine Camp Peak.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>At less than a mile round trip, I had no issues hiking in my biking shoes to Mine Camp Peak. A trail register is hidden in the summit cairn.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The summit register at Mine Camp Peak.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>View of Fillmore some 5,000 vertical feet below.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Is this man-made excavation in the Cambrian-aged Ophir Formation near the saddle leading to Mine Camp Peak how the summit got its name?</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Postal Service at 9,700 feet.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Looking south into upper Paul's Canyon in the Pavant Range.<br />
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This was a LONG day in the saddle at nearly 12 hours. I worried that I'd be eating dust kicked up by ATV'ers scouting out deer for the upcoming rifle hunt, but I only saw two ATVs and two trucks all day. The fall colors were still pretty outstanding and the descent down an ATV trail in Middle Horseflat Canyon excited as the sun set.<br />
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The Pavants are an excellent example of a scenic range that should not be overlooked just because they lack a major attraction.<br />
<br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-66647791870270581002015-09-25T11:34:00.001-06:002015-09-25T14:30:30.395-06:00Oregon's South Sister<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8A9z5GWxRYPAyavEm0JQ50g4U1PHEBGTKVRBQwV0_5mZt-qPLJxECXhAUNY3ZoIcNkSIZaPnYxBbGltX5lfQ1AJXOf-JZ_CvDKGXC4R3CVst3pHzWYsS8Fd63d-wB-Ep6seIz9sBaWJ4/s1600/IMG_4107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8A9z5GWxRYPAyavEm0JQ50g4U1PHEBGTKVRBQwV0_5mZt-qPLJxECXhAUNY3ZoIcNkSIZaPnYxBbGltX5lfQ1AJXOf-JZ_CvDKGXC4R3CVst3pHzWYsS8Fd63d-wB-Ep6seIz9sBaWJ4/s1600/IMG_4107.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>View from Highway 27 looking northwest to the South Sister on July 28, 2015, the day of my climb.</i></td></tr>
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I made quick work of Oregon's South Sister, the state's third highest peak at 10,358 feet (Mt. Hood is king followed by Mt. Jefferson). There is an excellent well-used trail that climbs 5,000 feet over 6 miles from the Devils Lake trail head to the volcano's cratered summit. Since this was a family vacation and we had much planned to see and do in Bend, I got going early and was back to our hotel by 11:30 am. This was my first climb in the Cascades, and I'm afraid I might be hooked. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>For the first couple of miles, the trail winds up through dense forest.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>A rare flat section in a meadow near Devils Lake.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Trail junction. Right leads to Moraine Lake. The tree canopy thins dramatically as you attain the ridge above the lake.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Steep, sandy trail above Moraine Lake.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Moraine Lake. 9,065-foot Mt. Bachelor, home to a popular ski resort, in the distance.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Still a lot of vertical ahead.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The South Sister is a young volcano that could potentially erupt in the future. The light gray rhyolite flows seen here are only about 2,000 years old and represent some of the youngest volcanic activity near the South Sister. Satellite data showed an episode of uplift of as much as 2 inches per year near the South Sister in the late 1990s. Things have calmed down since, but a seismic swarm of 2,000 earthquakes over a two day period in 2004 is another indicator that magma may be on the move beneath the South Sister.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Terminal Moraine Pool below the Lewis Glacier.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The South Sister conga line makes its way up the mountain. This is a very popular hike, although many don't make it past the Terminal Moraine, do to the altitude and steep scree slopes ahead.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Final 1,000-foot push to the top. I'm about to start the South Sister's infamous 2-step-forward-big-slide-back scree section. (With nearly bald tread on my running shoes! This is not recommended)</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Looking down to the Terminal Moraine Pool.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Once on the crater rim, you have the choice to either run around the rim or cross a snow field to get to the true summit on the opposite side. I opted to rim run on the approach and then traverse the snow field on the return trip.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Nice morning view of nearby Broken Top (<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">9,175 feet) from South Sister's eastern rim.</span></i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Running along the crater's edge.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>I got lucky, as there were yet no fires burning in the Northwest to muck up my views from the top.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The Chambers Lakes on the northern flanks of South Sister.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Volcano country. The closest is the 10,085-foot North Sister. Next is Mt. Washington at 7794 ft, followed by Three Fingered Jack at 7841 ft, and finally in the far distance, Mt. Jefferson.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Snow field route across the summit crater. The depression ahead of me and to the right is normally where Teardrop Pool, Oregon's highest lake, rests, but it had not yet made an appearance this early in the season.</i></td></tr>
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Round trip time was just under 5 hours at a steady pace. With the huge vertical and tripod setups for photos, it was 3.5 hours on the ascent. I ran the entire descent, with fewer photos and it only took 1.5 hours. I can't recommend this climb enough if you happen the be in the Bend area.</div>
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Several times, as we toured through Northern California, and southern Oregon, I could see Mt. Shasta dominating the skyline. I think this will be the next volcano climb on the to-do list.</div>
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<br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-35420624894682230632015-08-16T16:44:00.003-06:002015-08-16T16:45:50.440-06:00Roadtrip! Lake Tahoe, Redwoods, Oregon beaches, Bend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A few photos from our late-July roady to the West Coast--an 8-day whirlwind tour that took us from Lake Tahoe to Crescent City, CA, up the Oregon Coast, and finally settling in Bend, OR, for a couple of days.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Baldwin Beach, Lake Tahoe.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Golden sands of Baldwin Beach.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Redwood Creek Beach State Park near Orick, CA. The kids loved the beach, and if it was up to them, we would have spent the entire vacation with our toes in the sand.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Baldwin Beach sunset.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaq77yERsYSxe6yVfiGKNVI-KR2BJdJH4UIQ_wVRtWiYtIMawKHg1kwZw9ujrc14XuuitKjTmOFGLTIEcUkWKZWL2oA-5no2UFhWLH7LYy0HzoQv0-Y1pXRH8rBCBpAhJKSOFCasEusUg/s1600/IMG_3590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaq77yERsYSxe6yVfiGKNVI-KR2BJdJH4UIQ_wVRtWiYtIMawKHg1kwZw9ujrc14XuuitKjTmOFGLTIEcUkWKZWL2oA-5no2UFhWLH7LYy0HzoQv0-Y1pXRH8rBCBpAhJKSOFCasEusUg/s1600/IMG_3590.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park near Crescent City, CA. The redwoods in the Sierras (Yosemite N.P., Sequoia N.P.) may be fatter, but the redwoods along California's north coast are the tallest trees in the world.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Stout Grove.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Four-inch-long banana slug along the trail in Stout Grove.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Heceta Head Lighthouse near Florence, OR.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Devil's Elbow State Park.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8yto6DfXZEezaE_oeJyPymVbBBBRVAVEAdDLMLPW0kOG1ktMEC7bfOEtUOrkuw95B3MYmf3Z8YbkDh0dp-ZobCYsM1G5xja_M0lQmLdmc6EM8fAqmlOV3dQl0HHzdpfcUSt6p6tu45G0/s1600/IMG_3653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8yto6DfXZEezaE_oeJyPymVbBBBRVAVEAdDLMLPW0kOG1ktMEC7bfOEtUOrkuw95B3MYmf3Z8YbkDh0dp-ZobCYsM1G5xja_M0lQmLdmc6EM8fAqmlOV3dQl0HHzdpfcUSt6p6tu45G0/s1600/IMG_3653.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Devil's Elbow Beach. OR.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Heceta Head.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Cape Creek Bridge.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Sand angels at Bayshore Beach, Waldport, OR.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Kelp wrangling, Bayshore Beach.</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9H3ooAkyuT_XKqe40l_9t2P9d0UskR3DYwlA8Hx58HqjuZq2s5Mfk12qhvIAeRl9XHtcWHuB2u0LEKzK-5ADA6JmBgWDfreYXN5Cq_5EtEU8Mge9cufCZAL_DSObEO7h2kVXvcVUTFo/s1600/IMG_3704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9H3ooAkyuT_XKqe40l_9t2P9d0UskR3DYwlA8Hx58HqjuZq2s5Mfk12qhvIAeRl9XHtcWHuB2u0LEKzK-5ADA6JmBgWDfreYXN5Cq_5EtEU8Mge9cufCZAL_DSObEO7h2kVXvcVUTFo/s1600/IMG_3704.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Bayshore Beach.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzwm3oQKRPzJPKK_Pcb3YDPcNODRDqfabp0geGIni8pd4fFW1Bm_RAYtRC2krJh3sj6scR7FLTZf9vfArw-mMzi1G-6xzuVc24bZnn5jeppKDfX7gIO7WbBeNlKZnRQhqP28fSTK216k/s1600/IMG_3738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzwm3oQKRPzJPKK_Pcb3YDPcNODRDqfabp0geGIni8pd4fFW1Bm_RAYtRC2krJh3sj6scR7FLTZf9vfArw-mMzi1G-6xzuVc24bZnn5jeppKDfX7gIO7WbBeNlKZnRQhqP28fSTK216k/s1600/IMG_3738.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Tide pooling at Seal Rock, OR.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Sea anemones as Seal Rock.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16a0sY8uDMUWR3JyuYkWgBxIIOA321MDqRrahIOcMhxgfqBpYWYG69c-F1f4tHYgOENRzmBHeJr2FK7qatZ-UXxbMqOaGGrkQF1ScjimqpC-agsa2cXuV50Ch2iT6tuzyumAZ-QAdSUI/s1600/IMG_3775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16a0sY8uDMUWR3JyuYkWgBxIIOA321MDqRrahIOcMhxgfqBpYWYG69c-F1f4tHYgOENRzmBHeJr2FK7qatZ-UXxbMqOaGGrkQF1ScjimqpC-agsa2cXuV50Ch2iT6tuzyumAZ-QAdSUI/s1600/IMG_3775.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Ren points out a geologic nonconformity at Elephant Rock between overlying jointed basalt and underlying Yaquina sandstone. Fourteen million years ago, the lava erupted from a vent hundreds of miles away in eastern Oregon and flowed westward to the ocean.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HyLBkS2Nz8HCgVHBYY9BkMiARYDUwZxmXqYufVRqu0FoYuEl2ULilzMPHfKD5shBDPr4AJPLnjrMi7q-nPVjOqgM2PV1b_iqmAqwifayaim1FhfgBuC3cSz8imUj4W2gzAJEsTwbHJU/s1600/IMG_3787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HyLBkS2Nz8HCgVHBYY9BkMiARYDUwZxmXqYufVRqu0FoYuEl2ULilzMPHfKD5shBDPr4AJPLnjrMi7q-nPVjOqgM2PV1b_iqmAqwifayaim1FhfgBuC3cSz8imUj4W2gzAJEsTwbHJU/s1600/IMG_3787.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Cummins Creek Loop is an excellent multi-use trail at Cape Perpetua Scenic Area near Yachats, OR.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>A Pacific sideband snail inches along the Cummins Creek Trail.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Huge banana slugs were all over the trail at higher elevations on the Cummins Creek Loop. Unfortunately, I couldn't avoid them all and there were a few casualties.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_ss5lChnRxQacK6U0YZGwQfn5tZrwsjXBNf_qKItDom2AtWtuhRGT6Wqx0lDvtAfhO-tUlOyiLDPTDoqoO3SkACVFOO-jgmqCFYgq-iv_Dn5L4fxKavgi6gGibsSIraJ-4CEFXPMqGg/s1600/IMG_3801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_ss5lChnRxQacK6U0YZGwQfn5tZrwsjXBNf_qKItDom2AtWtuhRGT6Wqx0lDvtAfhO-tUlOyiLDPTDoqoO3SkACVFOO-jgmqCFYgq-iv_Dn5L4fxKavgi6gGibsSIraJ-4CEFXPMqGg/s1600/IMG_3801.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>High above Cummins Creek in the Siuslaw National Forest.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Old -growth forest along Cummins Ridge.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><i>View from Cape </i></span><i style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Perpetua.</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Thor's Well at Cape Perpetua Scenic Area.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>After spending some time near Waldport and Newport, OR, we headed inland to spend a few days in Bend, within the shadow of the Cascades. Here, Broken Top towers over Todd Lake.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Todd Lake in the Deschutes National Forest.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTV63JRTvwDuMoA6oW_6Kl-c5X1G5wKB0g1BtV69xjioySno1m1FKegPwHskW5JtVCfMmrE1y-CmNDY29_IXjqfsboJ5YXj7puNfQl1BakTsctqcCiCjysva-H2LFT7h5hPq-pYmnyFY/s1600/IMG_3889.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTV63JRTvwDuMoA6oW_6Kl-c5X1G5wKB0g1BtV69xjioySno1m1FKegPwHskW5JtVCfMmrE1y-CmNDY29_IXjqfsboJ5YXj7puNfQl1BakTsctqcCiCjysva-H2LFT7h5hPq-pYmnyFY/s1600/IMG_3889.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Thousands of tadpoles in Todd Lake made the water appear black.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>While in Bend, I woke up early and knocked off 10,358-ft South Sister, the third highest peak in Oregon. Too many photos to stuff in here, so stay tuned for an additional post.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UYQXSDjxXut7hjymmPN3bE4nEAebumde9klXcyH2poe-EIVJHOVIhUtXjCXhJxCfXbz7MWQn_eAecBcHizplk3WWCLUwwSL6WEOIL-D2_2d8coFB7onSbcqTrdQh2g2qXc6QQr2bTOw/s1600/IMG_4112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UYQXSDjxXut7hjymmPN3bE4nEAebumde9klXcyH2poe-EIVJHOVIhUtXjCXhJxCfXbz7MWQn_eAecBcHizplk3WWCLUwwSL6WEOIL-D2_2d8coFB7onSbcqTrdQh2g2qXc6QQr2bTOw/s1600/IMG_4112.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>We really enjoyed Bend and have vowed to return. I only rode a small sample of the 100s of miles of singletrack surrounding Bend--I've got much more work to do.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Capping the trip, we stopped at Crater Lake on the way home. I'm glad we did--the color of the lake is unreal.</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUTYq2AGwyO6qc2WGqsvZTejOV25mSKzcXmqvATYshV7tgKRaUxMDVRm4zU98j551kmrJOQJm5-Qlm4-VBcwLJbDltrSiHxfpjAnnLACfNPqkc0f0QOKLFdjW5g_G417YtVM_AjBl2OY/s1600/IMG_4148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUTYq2AGwyO6qc2WGqsvZTejOV25mSKzcXmqvATYshV7tgKRaUxMDVRm4zU98j551kmrJOQJm5-Qlm4-VBcwLJbDltrSiHxfpjAnnLACfNPqkc0f0QOKLFdjW5g_G417YtVM_AjBl2OY/s1600/IMG_4148.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-7266151732116504802015-08-01T15:43:00.000-06:002015-08-01T15:43:30.066-06:00Utra-Climb: Mt. Nebo, King of the Wasatch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you've ever cruised along I-15 in central Utah, you've surely noticed Mt. Nebo near the town of Nephi. At just under 12,000 feet, it rises above all other peaks in the Wasatch. And if you're like me, it can be a challenge to keep your car between the white lines as you carefully study the various canyons and ridges leading to the summit. There are many options to tackle this behemoth. I knew I had to take it on as an ultra-climb -- that is, start at the base of the mountain and use only human propulsion to get to the top.</div>
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Sticking to my bread-and-butter method, I decided to use a mountain bike/hiking combo. The plan was to start at the town of Mona (elevation 4970') situated due west of Nebo on the floor of Juab Valley. From there, I would bike up to the Nebo North Route trailhead where I would continue on foot. For the cycling route, I could have biked up Nephi Canyon, Payson Canyon, Santaquin Canyon, or Mona Pole Canyon. Mona Pole is the most direct, but after looking at the canyon's profile which indicated a 1000' per mile gain (!), I decided the gentler grades of Santaquin Canyon would be much more enjoyable. This proved to be an excellent choice as I later learned that the first 2 miles of Mona Pole Canyon really aren't bikeable in the uphill direction, and I also found out that the canyon is no picnic in the downhill direction either!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYH3bFo-_SLrBdpDplLKqHI8KEj9JoT02So6t91HmptklDI6Ph-EtRvEOH4qfDWcDt9IQFRY3TRcptEXGjr-DV30rSN0O5oDfeUYisMBlEE7ts2bn89mF2VGcnlehSJPOeu0ayv80vSU/s1600/IMG_3377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYH3bFo-_SLrBdpDplLKqHI8KEj9JoT02So6t91HmptklDI6Ph-EtRvEOH4qfDWcDt9IQFRY3TRcptEXGjr-DV30rSN0O5oDfeUYisMBlEE7ts2bn89mF2VGcnlehSJPOeu0ayv80vSU/s1600/IMG_3377.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Lavender fields and Mona Reservoir near Mona.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOdNWuc5m_9uVhpOLBwG8mL9PXpUcZg_lGrNoyNjfyq-ryttALv0zXVwlNqEExJV95vLAxRNe127fZEVfe-8FtaxxnyLn-ITkARQmjRfOdap0Gf99efFE9TTjmBO2fDa49uvOje-C0Vw/s1600/IMG_3386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOdNWuc5m_9uVhpOLBwG8mL9PXpUcZg_lGrNoyNjfyq-ryttALv0zXVwlNqEExJV95vLAxRNe127fZEVfe-8FtaxxnyLn-ITkARQmjRfOdap0Gf99efFE9TTjmBO2fDa49uvOje-C0Vw/s1600/IMG_3386.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Orchard sunrise near Santaquin.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9ONS-CdYx5VhyB7uipyCgkZmETpdTrNbiLjF-8kxfwE6T-5qdyJMiN532MBWRJ2M9F6tOU7t19K7ZJx3gTSniCYGkkWghnnsbu-LfWwbieJzeyb-BzjbzQNT7DoBUwjFVPsaOtO69fY/s1600/IMG_3389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9ONS-CdYx5VhyB7uipyCgkZmETpdTrNbiLjF-8kxfwE6T-5qdyJMiN532MBWRJ2M9F6tOU7t19K7ZJx3gTSniCYGkkWghnnsbu-LfWwbieJzeyb-BzjbzQNT7DoBUwjFVPsaOtO69fY/s1600/IMG_3389.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Santaquin Canyon was a pleasure to bike up. There's a nice little creek, cool geology, and some very nice campsites, and it didn't seem as crowded as other Wasatch canyons. The running shoes strapped to the bike drew some funny stares, but doing this allowed me to wear a small hydration vest rather than a larger daypack.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpsLVlWRGikLQsJhScoExXZ0ifJ7J0brot-k8JZE6KXJTV8j0E_nNMkYy2Bo_WqjMi3BkAx5VJMRWYfLNJqARUQ5ho9R2p0cRSJr0i9G3mwvEwhDnSSNSvpAEvl3uz9yGiBHfGVz1JVgo/s1600/IMG_3391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpsLVlWRGikLQsJhScoExXZ0ifJ7J0brot-k8JZE6KXJTV8j0E_nNMkYy2Bo_WqjMi3BkAx5VJMRWYfLNJqARUQ5ho9R2p0cRSJr0i9G3mwvEwhDnSSNSvpAEvl3uz9yGiBHfGVz1JVgo/s1600/IMG_3391.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Interesting folds in limestone beds of the Oquirrh Formation in Santaquin Canyon.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqbyQbaKxcEIfAWoU2qxW8JagG6cCV6VHrCrPPhYxGB2nVhNnkGi3w4HaqW0e8I9duWpT6wnTaIx-eLOzEiR_k6GI3UnJlgD4bJahDX0Rlpl1Ff9plTo3zwMk6GXz0qRBcfBLBx1qYuI/s1600/IMG_3400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqbyQbaKxcEIfAWoU2qxW8JagG6cCV6VHrCrPPhYxGB2nVhNnkGi3w4HaqW0e8I9duWpT6wnTaIx-eLOzEiR_k6GI3UnJlgD4bJahDX0Rlpl1Ff9plTo3zwMk6GXz0qRBcfBLBx1qYuI/s1600/IMG_3400.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Upper Santaquin Canyon breaks out into beautiful open meadows with awesome views of the backside of the Wasatch. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84bfCAattqcrgEuAc4VZiCL-W5SLfc137ZTxObsO_3uoG4DxZA7lq912YWhkkdmGHfgKO32rcLImXneGaGnhSvUw9zczFFghlk5KNZ9zgrY5PK3LAFbA4Vq-5RVzVxaTOI_enta2cgkQ/s1600/IMG_3407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84bfCAattqcrgEuAc4VZiCL-W5SLfc137ZTxObsO_3uoG4DxZA7lq912YWhkkdmGHfgKO32rcLImXneGaGnhSvUw9zczFFghlk5KNZ9zgrY5PK3LAFbA4Vq-5RVzVxaTOI_enta2cgkQ/s1600/IMG_3407.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>First view of Nebo from the paved Nebo Loop Road.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrQdI0mPhXBHlTVEy13SoKSkzqH0F2LJPXxDry12fTJpbbgfeboWGpPcZGF5bQ0RcnkTDdsAUum9kaoS95e20vFMWIMYmu7iBLsfXV6GJKfemnFf3qWy9S8ZJ4THauGI4JnAx70fym6I/s1600/IMG_3415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrQdI0mPhXBHlTVEy13SoKSkzqH0F2LJPXxDry12fTJpbbgfeboWGpPcZGF5bQ0RcnkTDdsAUum9kaoS95e20vFMWIMYmu7iBLsfXV6GJKfemnFf3qWy9S8ZJ4THauGI4JnAx70fym6I/s1600/IMG_3415.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Upper east face of Mt Nebo from the Nebo Loop Road.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVH1ovYUvcC78mBMxOffofDO41ZykgET7CZH50LFoT-NXdZP4iJVkhx7imLH8zciF4-XOa1bw_ts0INs5y6JNSTOTFbcpCkP2KCANybDvdmjXbhLQgmrYmgJ86_BUBhFgmcJQjdmsXiRY/s1600/IMG_3420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVH1ovYUvcC78mBMxOffofDO41ZykgET7CZH50LFoT-NXdZP4iJVkhx7imLH8zciF4-XOa1bw_ts0INs5y6JNSTOTFbcpCkP2KCANybDvdmjXbhLQgmrYmgJ86_BUBhFgmcJQjdmsXiRY/s1600/IMG_3420.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>After a 27-mile bike ride with over 5000' of vertical, my legs were in no mood run up the Nebo trail. I could only manage to run the flats and downhills, otherwise it was a fast-paced hike.</i><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzWO1ExrVa50YRuEdOsKTtDFsCSiKvsnmb4DV2TPh3Ouid7GGKzMMnUJKLO_Xw6tLdjRNjC1_wxcydJV-oR40F_EUUaOIfRLO69P0S2djJkHS4EH4q0TbsRUhcMSdJw3x0GNAIzUMx9E/s1600/IMG_3417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzWO1ExrVa50YRuEdOsKTtDFsCSiKvsnmb4DV2TPh3Ouid7GGKzMMnUJKLO_Xw6tLdjRNjC1_wxcydJV-oR40F_EUUaOIfRLO69P0S2djJkHS4EH4q0TbsRUhcMSdJw3x0GNAIzUMx9E/s1600/IMG_3417.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-align: left;"><i>The wildflowers, from the Mt. Nebo Trailhead to Wolf Pass, were just starting to peak during this mid-July adventure.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdLn5Ml3NV30PnkxTatamlVr4Y0SYislcGTXkR-MHu19UesZdRrfNJ_J2umzPq6RI2j_zTKJWiQhlRRKZr4I5NdWjcnnzTsmKYmady0GvXde17WTRglhRNNiNd1rEcOVJcBNW_r5Vvqs/s1600/IMG_3423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdLn5Ml3NV30PnkxTatamlVr4Y0SYislcGTXkR-MHu19UesZdRrfNJ_J2umzPq6RI2j_zTKJWiQhlRRKZr4I5NdWjcnnzTsmKYmady0GvXde17WTRglhRNNiNd1rEcOVJcBNW_r5Vvqs/s1600/IMG_3423.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dFzo2_zgTaVCBhIMFzIOjxWgFAGGDNeLuXcRHWlMQmhlNLowPEOofNwyCXuJWf9bnv2lEHeQIjT7mMnroOuNi_l6fRoR60u5oX-w6ZpkslVQKulWW8E3dxcQZujCnM381h65UzktyaY/s1600/IMG_3430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dFzo2_zgTaVCBhIMFzIOjxWgFAGGDNeLuXcRHWlMQmhlNLowPEOofNwyCXuJWf9bnv2lEHeQIjT7mMnroOuNi_l6fRoR60u5oX-w6ZpkslVQKulWW8E3dxcQZujCnM381h65UzktyaY/s1600/IMG_3430.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Ridge running at about the 9900-foot level.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Moving well on a short descent to Wolf Pass (10,600'). Nebo is in the distance.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Delicious trail near Wolf Pass.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Final approach to Mt. Nebo. The trail tends to braid out toward the final summit. My advice is to stay as close as possible to the central ridge where there is solid bedrock. Avoid trail branches that lead off the ridge and onto steep scree slopes -- one slip up there and it's game over.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Taking a break on the summit. The climb from the Nebo North Route trailhead was about 2.5 hours up and 1.5 hours down. With a 30-minute break on top, round-trip time was 4.5 hours. There was a guy and a gal running well that passed me at the summit--I'm guessing that their round-trip time was close to a blistering 3 hours.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>View west toward the town of Mona and Juab Valley. Somewhere down there among the alfalfa fields is my car where I started.</i></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">360 panarama.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>A couple of fast trail runners descend off of Mt Nebo. I kept up momentarily, but my legs were just to trashed to hang.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Northwestern face of Mt. Nebo from high in Mona Pole Canyon.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Bottom of Mona Pole Canyon. To save time, I blasted down Mona Pole Canyon back to my waiting car near Mona. This thing is not only STEEP but it is LOOSE! The last couple of miles felt like riding down a rock-laden stream bed pitched at 45 degrees. With a tired body and tired mind, it was a challenge to exit the canyon in one piece.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>View of treeless Mount Nebo from my starting point on Old Highway 91 near Mona. Final numbers: 39-mile, 6000' vertical-gain bike ride; 10-mile, 4000' vertical hike/run. This took about 8.5 hours at a steady pace.</i></td></tr>
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TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-91332793933365819002015-07-21T22:34:00.000-06:002015-07-21T22:34:30.102-06:00Photo Dump: Lake Powell, Ruby Mountains, Mt. Ellsworth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A few photos from the summer thus far.</div>
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First up, for work I was able to spend some time in and around lower Lake Powell near Page, AZ.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Navajo Canyon.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Fellow geologist Adam here takes in the view above Glen Canyon before descending the Ropes Trail. This trail is the only relatively easy way to gain access to the Colorado below Glen Canyon Dam.</i></td></tr>
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<i>There are some old cables (thus the "Ropes" trail name) to help traverse some of the steeper slickrock pitches closer to the river. If you have some experience route finding through steep Colorado Plateau slickrock you'll find that the cables aren't really necessary. Adam and I were both able to climb up and down without touching the cable, but it makes for a pretty cool picture.</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Vandalized petroglyphs near the bottom of the Ropes Trail.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Horseshoe Bend Overlook has become increasingly popular over the years. The heavily jointed Navajo Sandstone (look at the large cracks in the canyon walls) create potentially unstable conditions along the rim. At least one tourist has fallen to their death here when the rock beneath their feet gave way.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Be careful where you stand while visiting Horseshoe Bend. Make sure you are standing on solid rock and not a thin fin or overhanging ledge that may fail. The darker slabs of rock shown here at the top of the cliff make a popular perch for photographers to get that perfect shot, despite the fact that the rocks are almost completely detached from the rest of the cliff!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Cool little fault in the Castle Rock cut displacing Jurassic-age Carmel Formation. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Small displacement fault on Antelope Island, Lake Powell.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Glen Canyon, just upstream from Lee's Ferry.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Colorado River view of Glen Canyon Dam.</i></td></tr>
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Random runs.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>If you ever need a killer workout in Las Vegas, run up the service road to the top of Frenchman Mountain. You <b>will</b> cry. Susie photo.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Classic Erda Serengeti. Susie photo.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEP4kiN1gaUJ5H34xxVxBbV663N21Ks-SsfFNJcFZiIn4FODw3l7ScmxU75Q9D6p8HPMTnlBiVcOYUpzbOYFJPv-15xX2xBiLycmDkdiF8jVhRWrqUMTubi75kU0rSzRlk5aoXo_bChI/s1600/IMG_3372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEP4kiN1gaUJ5H34xxVxBbV663N21Ks-SsfFNJcFZiIn4FODw3l7ScmxU75Q9D6p8HPMTnlBiVcOYUpzbOYFJPv-15xX2xBiLycmDkdiF8jVhRWrqUMTubi75kU0rSzRlk5aoXo_bChI/s1600/IMG_3372.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>More Erda Serengeti.</i></td></tr>
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For work, I got to spend a couple of days crawling around Mt. Ellsworth, the southernmost part of Utah's Henry Mountains.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcB-ObIFjv7g-y4TxSJlLit7nVjCsbdh211dkU2FE0crIRoKLSarTATaKUMU8_f2ViCqMoOYE18WvQs1rTWmD4kPM7ipwgcAzn_5Ixv9PKXbk36RtW4pFBBfN0ZZD0YXkIeCf_jMkTQXk/s1600/IMG_3084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcB-ObIFjv7g-y4TxSJlLit7nVjCsbdh211dkU2FE0crIRoKLSarTATaKUMU8_f2ViCqMoOYE18WvQs1rTWmD4kPM7ipwgcAzn_5Ixv9PKXbk36RtW4pFBBfN0ZZD0YXkIeCf_jMkTQXk/s1600/IMG_3084.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>View northward to Mt Ellsworth from Ticaboo Mesa.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfr5STNXHmN0i9mT_hXJPG25Fry2TEfQqJN0PtiGYmLmGZbavnazv4sHa-nCcjXoIUci6_QPyEOXUx4APn7YHgOZdDAvp2ouYLO-cLAzqvrDuvmZJtMOpSLBdY7XKZMSSMpAHbNKl_yVM/s1600/IMG_2829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfr5STNXHmN0i9mT_hXJPG25Fry2TEfQqJN0PtiGYmLmGZbavnazv4sHa-nCcjXoIUci6_QPyEOXUx4APn7YHgOZdDAvp2ouYLO-cLAzqvrDuvmZJtMOpSLBdY7XKZMSSMpAHbNKl_yVM/s1600/IMG_2829.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The rugged southern summits of the Henrys are also known as the Little Rockies. Routes to the top must be chosen carefully to avoid getting cliffed out.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>View west from summit of Mt. Ellsworth. The Water Pocket Fold and Deer Point are in the far distance.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawxeBYtMm2dUC2j9z0rhrKzrAOI6PQyo7fdNpnDOKecE1q1A3Rbj-0iBrgM39HaXPQG-7PyJl1JY6KERxxgEPBtF0QKx_jsiYw_gwBAa48gcieTxsQaedJXwBkaJ2xKei-YPL867uX_w/s1600/IMG_2939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawxeBYtMm2dUC2j9z0rhrKzrAOI6PQyo7fdNpnDOKecE1q1A3Rbj-0iBrgM39HaXPQG-7PyJl1JY6KERxxgEPBtF0QKx_jsiYw_gwBAa48gcieTxsQaedJXwBkaJ2xKei-YPL867uX_w/s1600/IMG_2939.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>View southwest toward Lake Powell. Gee, am I a sucker for dead trees in the foreground of panoramas or what?</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Early summer flowers in the Cane Spring Desert near Bullfrog, Utah.</i></td></tr>
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In late June we spent a few days with family in the Ruby Mountains, Nevada. Wow. This is a place I need to get back to. The Ruby Crest Trail is suddenly near the top of the to-do list.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwPQlBK7DOvxllEU7hN7pM5Y_Txy3wRYUxDq5DKRvfunM8csXB4vbFv3Ej1_JW02TzKEgvdK6TUZ-RQZN5SLtLzNXb1rpCWdzVTDF1gPtZf2F664wsibm2WdiN3lYYsf5FJMD6k04rDI/s1600/IMG_3356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwPQlBK7DOvxllEU7hN7pM5Y_Txy3wRYUxDq5DKRvfunM8csXB4vbFv3Ej1_JW02TzKEgvdK6TUZ-RQZN5SLtLzNXb1rpCWdzVTDF1gPtZf2F664wsibm2WdiN3lYYsf5FJMD6k04rDI/s1600/IMG_3356.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>If you have a large group planning on camping at Lamoille Canyon, I highly recommend reserving the Terraces Campground. It is very secluded and the Forest Service even lets you close the access gate behind you. The views from camp are amazing.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRR_Lbr9YhkEHU5EIg5C-MeAu9VmLJ5nabrLVjnF-GXweoKga-NtIQec0XzMZzplXIBNgAruNOThyiZBBsvyUp93vM5eQdBTrqegXz1sihilbuFp-VnvxBzflENYTHpOi1Ilp4WX-rTM/s1600/IMG_3231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRR_Lbr9YhkEHU5EIg5C-MeAu9VmLJ5nabrLVjnF-GXweoKga-NtIQec0XzMZzplXIBNgAruNOThyiZBBsvyUp93vM5eQdBTrqegXz1sihilbuFp-VnvxBzflENYTHpOi1Ilp4WX-rTM/s1600/IMG_3231.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Hike to Lamoille Lake. I couldn't believe how much snow there still was so late into June.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHX5CG52wqWMc8GXtKUzMnnRPK5yGg-ySlOw2v5m4834uypHa5AkV6udzGQ30_DKrVD1J9xcQFfGtBTj719E-3GZWrmuFlNIEc1raEX_1yO5xl4tnQEGQ89odSXBHopuVylTYJ-5HGVU/s1600/IMG_3166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHX5CG52wqWMc8GXtKUzMnnRPK5yGg-ySlOw2v5m4834uypHa5AkV6udzGQ30_DKrVD1J9xcQFfGtBTj719E-3GZWrmuFlNIEc1raEX_1yO5xl4tnQEGQ89odSXBHopuVylTYJ-5HGVU/s1600/IMG_3166.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Trey carefully walks over a snow bridge spanning a fork of Lamoille Creek.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQvr-nn61uwwHh1iKOlmHkIBjYFNISHPrxrj7JagdAgjRSN0NWF9CNpqku3F343cSHc2IZoQK3U3oStg3YilBqTnYM7uUQPC9ENVo8ccxvVgtx1-VFzj7oygleqaYv0RLckhbqYacLm_c/s1600/IMG_3220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQvr-nn61uwwHh1iKOlmHkIBjYFNISHPrxrj7JagdAgjRSN0NWF9CNpqku3F343cSHc2IZoQK3U3oStg3YilBqTnYM7uUQPC9ENVo8ccxvVgtx1-VFzj7oygleqaYv0RLckhbqYacLm_c/s1600/IMG_3220.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Along the trail to Lamoille Lake.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The rapidly melting Lamoille Lake.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVmVMGRChpvCpCdmLuxuhoxJf48MnyJXmAm76c8v2txZhQSXzNLQ5Yz66aiw1M4Em1Z8sMZYUJKkj-_vk7K6bT5atznNAp9ZTWuDZo_Itf3GnA8HqTLV6jq570xe1sTm0ujoETC6Df9o/s1600/IMG_3200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVmVMGRChpvCpCdmLuxuhoxJf48MnyJXmAm76c8v2txZhQSXzNLQ5Yz66aiw1M4Em1Z8sMZYUJKkj-_vk7K6bT5atznNAp9ZTWuDZo_Itf3GnA8HqTLV6jq570xe1sTm0ujoETC6Df9o/s1600/IMG_3200.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Aaron walks out onto a narrow peninsula in Lamoille Lake.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Bucolic Lamoille Valley as seen from the Secret-Lamoille Trail. This is the only trail I'm aware of that is open to mountain bikes near Lamoille Canyon. It's a good one.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Lamoille Valley.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>No issues with snow on the hike to Island Lake.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Island Lake Trail.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>I offered $20 cash to whoever had the cajones to swim to the island in Island Lake. Haley, the wonder trail dog, was to only one to give it a shot.</i></td></tr>
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After a two-year hiatus, I once again entered the Cedar City 100k Fire Road Mountain Bike Race. I was determined to finally finish in under 5 hours to claim the coveted gold belt buckle (under 6 hours = silver buckle; under 7 hours = bronze buckle). Despite the 90+ heatwave, I felt good and finished at 4:55 -- so happy!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Starting gate of Fire Road Race. That's me rocking the technicolor runner's vest. Photo from Cedar City Events Facebook page.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Ava and Ren got in on the action as well during the Fire Kids Race. It was pretty much a disaster. Poorly organized, no lead vehicle or adult rider, no directions. Many kids got lost. I don't think the Fire Road organizers had anything to do with it (the other races were absolutely top notch) and are not at fault. The City dropped the ball on this one. Luckily, after many tense minutes, all the kids eventually found their way back to the finish area. Cedar City Events photo.</i></td></tr>
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Finally.... a few shots from a Park City getaway...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Susie coasts down the Lost Prospector Trail in Park City.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Lost Prospector Trail.</i></td></tr>
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<br />TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-91044605277476521962015-03-20T13:30:00.002-06:002015-03-20T13:30:50.415-06:00Big Time Climb: Payback on Mount Charleston<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Five years ago I had an <a href="http://cedarandsand.blogspot.com/2010/07/bittersweet-challenging-day-on-mt.html" target="_blank">epic day on 12,000-foot Mount Charleston</a> near Las Vegas. I biked, hiked, and snowshoed from the bottom of Lee Canyon Road (elev. 4000 ft) to within a couple hundred feet of the summit. Then just like that, I was stopped in my tracks. There, near Devil's Thumb, the South Loop Trail follows a narrow limestone ledge, with similar narrow ledges above and below. To my horror, I watched as the trail disappeared beneath a 50-degree slope of icy snow. Without crampons, one slip would have equaled certain death. It was heartbreaking. </div>
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Defeated--after 20 miles and 8,000 feet of vertical--I retreated and wondered if I'd ever muster up enough motivation to tackle Charleston again. But for what ever reason, when I got back to my car and looked back at the mountain, I knew for certainty that I'd be back.</div>
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I've had nearly five years to think about that failed climb. Ultimately, to make things right, I decided I wouldn't simply repeat the same route, but that I'd make the trip as long and difficult as possible. That meant starting at a lower elevation, adding several more miles to both the biking and hiking portions, no shortcuts through the ski resort, and I'd do it in winter conditions (mid February).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Sunrise in Kyle Canyon at about 6000 feet. Here, I already have about 13 miles and 3000' vertical under my belt. The treeless peak ahead is Charleston Peak. This time around I elected to park at the intersection of Highway 95 and Kyle Canyon Road (elev 2850 ft) on the outskirts of Las Vegas, bike 20 miles up Kyle Canyon to the town of Mt Charleston (elev 7350 ft), and take the South Loop trail the remaining 9 miles to the 12,000-ft summit. A strong headwind and an energy sucking sail (snowshoes protruding above my head) made the approach ride painfully slow.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Here, I'm about 2 miles up the South Loop Trail from the bottom of Kyle Canyon as I begin the steep approach to the summit ridge. Patchy snow meant the snowshoes were constantly off on on at this point.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Bristlecone forest near the summit ridge. This was by far the most difficult part where the route ascends a steep north-facing ravine high above Castle Rock. The snow here was several feet deep and soft. Even with snowshoes, I was post-holing and progress was slow. Any hopes of making the summit by lunch time were dashed as I slowly slogged through this section.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Once on the summit ridge, conditions improved dramatically as there was little snow on the south-facing slopes. Much of this portion was runnable and I made good time.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>I was surprised to find a large swath of the forest charred to a crisp. I would later learn that the 28,000-acre Carpenter-1 fire that started near Pahrump in the summer of 2013 was responsible. I also later learned that the South Loop Trail I was following is officially closed due to fire damage and will likely be closed for several more years(?) I honestly had no idea the trail was closed. I suspect there are closure signs at the South Loop trailhead, but I never went there. I stashed my bike on the side of Kyle Canyon Road near a small school, and climbed straight south up the unnamed drainage until I hooked onto the trail </i><i style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">east of Cathedral Rock. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>On the summit ridge just above the tree line.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Final approach to Charleston. No surprises, thankfully, this time around.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Steep east face of Charleston Peak.</i></td></tr>
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<i>Wreckage from a November 15, 1955, C-54 crash at the 11,500-ft level of Charleston Peak. What a fascinating story. The top-secret flight carried 14 passengers--a mix of CIA, Lockheed Skunkworks engineers, and military personnel commuting to Groom Lake (Area 51) to work on the newly developed U-2 spy plane. No one survived. After the crash, the military sealed off the mountain to prevent leaks about the U-2 program that wasn't supposed to exist. Even family members of the deceased were left in the dark until 4 decades later when much of the CIA file on the U-2 was finally declassified in 1998. </i></div>
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<i>Attempting to avoid civilian detection, the pilot of the C-54 flew in radio silence and by visual flight rules. But poor weather complicated their traverse of the Spring Mountains, and the pilot became disoriented. If the plane had managed to gain just a few more feet, it would have cleared the summit ridge.</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Extreme weather at high altitude delayed recovery efforts. Early attempts to drop paratroopers were thwarted by high winds. A specially trained mountaineering team from March Air Force Base tried ascending the north flank of the mountain on snowshoes, but got bogged down by freezing temps and deep snow. Finally, 3 days after the crash, a group of Las Vegas Mounted Posse and military inched there way up essentially the same route I took (South Loop). After many struggles, they reached the crash site, but the civilian rescuers had to stand back until a couple of Air Force colonels combed through the wreckage and recovered all classified documents and equipment associated with the U-2. The bodies were lashed to horses and led back down the mountain.</i></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Over the last few years, a monument has been constructed in Kyle Canyon to honor those that served their country during the Cold War--often in complete secrecy and without recognition. Fixed binoculars at the monument allow viewing of the wreckage. The monument will be dedicated as the <a href="http://coldwarmonument.org/" target="_blank">Cold War National Memorial</a> in May, 2015. This short documentary is very interesting and is definitely worth a look.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>I reached the summit at about 2:30 pm. Charleston Peak is well-known for its high winds, but I had lucked out this day--not even a slight breeze. Considering all the effort to get there, this one felt really good.</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>View from the top.</i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>I love it when you can look all the way back down the mountain and see where you had started in the morning.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The last rays of light bath 11,064' Griffith Peak in shades of orange, just before I dropped back off the summit ridge. With such a late summit, I knew much of the descent would be in the dark. But with GPS and the ability to simply follow my ascent tracks, navigation in the dark was no problem.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>At the end of the day, I had biked nearly 40 miles with 4600' vertical, and hiked/ran/snowshoed 17 miles with 5700' vertical. It took 14 hours! What a day. Getting even with a mountain never felt better.</i></td></tr>
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TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-16200288411135452852015-02-27T16:54:00.000-07:002015-03-06T13:23:13.968-07:00Afoot in San Fransisco<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A week in December in San Francisco for work. What else to do outside of the 8-5 meetings??? A whole lot of running of course. Mornings down by the Bay, evenings around downtown, and an early morning trip to Mt Tam, the birthplace of mountain biking.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Sunrise over San Francisco Bay near Ghirardelli Square.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The Rock: Alcatraz Island.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Built in Scotland in 1886, the Balclutha is now part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. I figured the water in the Bay in December would be freezing, so I was shocked to see many people swimming out to Alcatraz and back without a wetsuit! </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Yerba Buena Gardens.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Hill repeats on the famous Lombard Street, the "crookedest street in the world".</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CDgXICUz9Kh7YR6nnSc5Iq5kxtxn6UmubSRZPb6QA-aqp0QgardVKp8KpErcOps8Lu9cvjgmYg6NO8uHLF3s5VDqqcsvNTPmwZS341brjlrkB72YcQMhdHEOVzAqCGyQs3Fa9XTiAXA/s1600/IMG_1457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CDgXICUz9Kh7YR6nnSc5Iq5kxtxn6UmubSRZPb6QA-aqp0QgardVKp8KpErcOps8Lu9cvjgmYg6NO8uHLF3s5VDqqcsvNTPmwZS341brjlrkB72YcQMhdHEOVzAqCGyQs3Fa9XTiAXA/s1600/IMG_1457.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill: headquarters for the Episcopal Diocese of California.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXukmGkGXGCuBbg3bPvqooyBgkDSh7K7QBveA_0gMIowOxUp8kT5Ypyv8azub25NlW0OLl5GaisMELlbYmP1OcssEYSUZq1_q1k2O-JvsSJIJbZGKGhyphenhyphenqs21vzpc_qqP83BhZOLKUATg/s1600/IMG_1478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXukmGkGXGCuBbg3bPvqooyBgkDSh7K7QBveA_0gMIowOxUp8kT5Ypyv8azub25NlW0OLl5GaisMELlbYmP1OcssEYSUZq1_q1k2O-JvsSJIJbZGKGhyphenhyphenqs21vzpc_qqP83BhZOLKUATg/s1600/IMG_1478.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Bus ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. I decided, come rain or shine (it rained ), I would wake up really early on my last day and climb Mount Tam (Tamalpais). Why Mount Tam? First, it is the tallest mountain (2,571') that is relatively close to downtown. Second , it would be somewhat of a pilgrimage to the birthplace of mountain biking.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHjJkPB7ZhhipShw7jOOBjZIRdXk4P_YNyvcqQ2RA5WfEsS4gaIh5UOq5SBKBBZHiihvdeRf53DND4yWrD5RWG6Qg4g_jd4dvsyEdU2dAzuAzHO4fg91G2dkzKyyYqlek0XCXHhJg7OY/s1600/IMG_1510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHjJkPB7ZhhipShw7jOOBjZIRdXk4P_YNyvcqQ2RA5WfEsS4gaIh5UOq5SBKBBZHiihvdeRf53DND4yWrD5RWG6Qg4g_jd4dvsyEdU2dAzuAzHO4fg91G2dkzKyyYqlek0XCXHhJg7OY/s1600/IMG_1510.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Bus stop in Mill Valley, elevation: 60 feet. It is four miles and 2,510 vertical feet from here to the top of Mount Tam. The red gravity car is a relic of the Mount Tamalpais and Muir Woods Railway that wound 8 miles from Mill Valley to the summit and was in operation from 1896 to 1930. The gravity cars would be towed up by locomotive and then coast down the rail line with dozens or tourists and a single brakeman aboard.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Long steps at the top of Bernard Street in Mill Valley is where the real climbing begins.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-D_IrAaYYi3-lE221E-bgjOJUCfFfxf4wQ2JLhbPQVaBo1wklNQ5xON4g3X7173PUnfq9PYBrhC1LcJwQysUAPR5j4O3-ywUZSboRUxUrTuOpyQ5deuqH4eKoCl5OV8TWUQq4aos3br8/s1600/IMG_1500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-D_IrAaYYi3-lE221E-bgjOJUCfFfxf4wQ2JLhbPQVaBo1wklNQ5xON4g3X7173PUnfq9PYBrhC1LcJwQysUAPR5j4O3-ywUZSboRUxUrTuOpyQ5deuqH4eKoCl5OV8TWUQq4aos3br8/s1600/IMG_1500.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Temelpa Trailhead above Mill Valley.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghhBlNwdZJfCLhJIVRaMPABIWeGlPIT8wI5pEPQrm3apAmUaGDJqUXaL-04fwmEe-A3E9_wNaYmS-WWAgqtR4aRY_JjOvtdvvKffdCVudw3AyZeludMCJ_f2nsN5GuziPNtEjJv45AaU/s1600/IMG_1480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghhBlNwdZJfCLhJIVRaMPABIWeGlPIT8wI5pEPQrm3apAmUaGDJqUXaL-04fwmEe-A3E9_wNaYmS-WWAgqtR4aRY_JjOvtdvvKffdCVudw3AyZeludMCJ_f2nsN5GuziPNtEjJv45AaU/s1600/IMG_1480.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The heavy rain turned much of the trail into a small stream. Despite the rain, running conditions were excellent. I encountered no mud on the rocky trail, and as long as I kept moving, I never felt cold. </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRsILQ_iUdPuflZy_3fJoENQDhNf2DzZZJtEosakzpJGO9u67IbUMItHrsbnIX4rEOOPLYW1HeI23NWNb59P_Jh7c6VcxLKvB_IBCQShEdsKeXQR2gv46VKRlvTx4gsekJwp16TNtynU/s1600/IMG_1499.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRsILQ_iUdPuflZy_3fJoENQDhNf2DzZZJtEosakzpJGO9u67IbUMItHrsbnIX4rEOOPLYW1HeI23NWNb59P_Jh7c6VcxLKvB_IBCQShEdsKeXQR2gv46VKRlvTx4gsekJwp16TNtynU/s1600/IMG_1499.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>It was the fire roads and singletrack blanketing Mount Tam that first enticed the likes of Charlie Kelly, Gary Fisher, and Joe Breeze in the mid 1970s to modify old Schwinn cruisers into what would eventually be known as the mountain bike. Ironically, today, nearly all of the singletrack on Mount Tam is off limits to mountain bikes.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBw6oT7TOxOlfIPC9ROzyJE0DKutruGDyAgolleZHdAZO9uqjSn8t5T8Dd7QoO-Upm4KV8Gr_M7LJHHxIy2lBNfBaP7nDTU37ECf8HY2JeevpPP-8OgrM9UMuUCvHmYCB81CjrsDGnlIc/s1600/IMG_1487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBw6oT7TOxOlfIPC9ROzyJE0DKutruGDyAgolleZHdAZO9uqjSn8t5T8Dd7QoO-Upm4KV8Gr_M7LJHHxIy2lBNfBaP7nDTU37ECf8HY2JeevpPP-8OgrM9UMuUCvHmYCB81CjrsDGnlIc/s1600/IMG_1487.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>A short paved section near the summit. The higher I got, the harder the rain came down, and the harder the wind blew. I loved it. It's not that often you get to run in the rain in southern Utah, and even when rain comes, lightning and flash flooding are a constant threat.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkKZlMu54-fhpNhzIwYZOSbVM-c3SVn11YhhTk6RRu4cndGgE7wFDkDB1z7fFIRttyl-7OvoZNYC602FiODY_mY79Dl3bZMEST-k4cv42PkY4RpTETH2f9R0NIchAc573pYfHF54zH3E4/s1600/IMG_1495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkKZlMu54-fhpNhzIwYZOSbVM-c3SVn11YhhTk6RRu4cndGgE7wFDkDB1z7fFIRttyl-7OvoZNYC602FiODY_mY79Dl3bZMEST-k4cv42PkY4RpTETH2f9R0NIchAc573pYfHF54zH3E4/s1600/IMG_1495.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The final "Plank Walk" to the summit, here, reduced to a series of cascades in the heavy rain.</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Short video clip showing conditions on top of soggy Mount Tam.</i></span></div></div>TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4866903923681224940.post-52958371351658402022015-02-20T14:00:00.002-07:002015-03-06T13:23:32.469-07:00A Grandview atop the Wasatch's City Creek Canyon<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BWDEXrSrAFBf3pCUN5I357jPe2A9Oq8EaFOCrvACZWVK6MSqx5sgy6PjyilovrvIhOGivkcaNnRCRnKHOW9HBJfIJOt5S0lI9rCDhvmqY7c6xtpnR_cvVanChEsUHF6VIalsC-jNItk/s1600/IMG_1687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BWDEXrSrAFBf3pCUN5I357jPe2A9Oq8EaFOCrvACZWVK6MSqx5sgy6PjyilovrvIhOGivkcaNnRCRnKHOW9HBJfIJOt5S0lI9rCDhvmqY7c6xtpnR_cvVanChEsUHF6VIalsC-jNItk/s1600/IMG_1687.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>The final push to 9410' Grandview Peak. Looking north, the Sessions Mountains in the mid-distance, Bountiful Peak (right) and Great Salt Lake (left) in far distance.</i></td></tr>
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I always try to climb at least one peak every winter in snowy conditions. I missed last year, so I've made it up by making two winter ascents this season. The first, City Creek Canyon's Grandview Peak, was really just a practice run for the much more grueling Charleston Peak that I would attempt two weeks later.<br />
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As usual, I began my climb from the very base of the mountain. Defining the base of a mountain is somewhat subjective, so I usually just go with what feels fair--in this case I decided to start (biking) from the corner of North Temple and State Street in downtown Salt Lake City (elevation ~4360'). I started at about 6 am, so it would be a while until the sun came up.<br />
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My paved road-bike part of the route took me up through Memory Grove, across Bonneville Boulevard, and on up City Creek Canyon to as far as the road was plowed (about a 1/4 mile past the water treatment plant at ~5480'). Here, I stashed the bike and changed into winter boots. Initially, the snow was not very deep and it was frozen, so I kept the snowshoes packed for later.<br />
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Once through Rotary Park and on to the City Creek trail, the snow deepened considerably and I strapped on my snowshoes. I followed both a single set of ski tracks and what appeared to be moose tracks heading up the trail. Veering north up Cottonwood Gulch, I was now making virgin tracks. Just past the Treasure Box Mine, the sun came up and I got my first look at the winter wonderland around me.<br />
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Snow conditions were firm, and I had no trouble making the peak by 11 am. After some lunch, taking a couple of selfies, and calling Susie to let her know I made it, I cruised back down in a hurry to make sure I'd have time to get cleaned up for a Super Bowl party later that afternoon.<br />
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I lingered briefly at the Treasue Box, snapping photos, but I was at the bottom of the canyon by 1:30 pm.<br />
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Final numbers (round trip): 11 mile/1300' gain bike + 11 mile 4400' gain hike = 22 miles & 5700' vertical total in 7.5 hours.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnFqf5ED_0PAfi1Q_RoJlQ4TknLtAYTbqOJXVT4gx7kYGRhkx_Ml64KlKuT7fgePBDlgGmDnlls_zR1qJdnO3Zjn4PhRkvN-XGsxYGYjCN9OcXeAnAkZs7CxrnYSbKwNZ0VdfLl2PoL0/s1600/IMG_1654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnFqf5ED_0PAfi1Q_RoJlQ4TknLtAYTbqOJXVT4gx7kYGRhkx_Ml64KlKuT7fgePBDlgGmDnlls_zR1qJdnO3Zjn4PhRkvN-XGsxYGYjCN9OcXeAnAkZs7CxrnYSbKwNZ0VdfLl2PoL0/s1600/IMG_1654.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Sunrise in Cottonwood Gulch of City Creek Canyon. Black Mountain , which divides the City Creek and Red Butte drainages, is the snow covered ridge in the distance.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nbFKs0TRD7ixEgioFzT7__J59p_88Oj1u8xLM17s-lZJSrJ53o2edZe2VuzBq3xiUvw_oCIVEpluR2-2TEFa5aimtHAtckbhMbH6aAkvbNIESRnbiONcnxE7PgJsNkSFvXRKdYRkts8/s1600/IMG_1663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nbFKs0TRD7ixEgioFzT7__J59p_88Oj1u8xLM17s-lZJSrJ53o2edZe2VuzBq3xiUvw_oCIVEpluR2-2TEFa5aimtHAtckbhMbH6aAkvbNIESRnbiONcnxE7PgJsNkSFvXRKdYRkts8/s1600/IMG_1663.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Fast, hard snow in upper Cottonwood Gulch.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgoPaASDARfR1Wiuo3m3VfWJXc8zzgTu6_346RvC-k1NGjTY46Jh0EL4rflgMXLwZYqc55vGf2o8osxhL7hAqHTLkK7gfc6ItOAmBoi3qeM2au6DqDNFnckWwpqPXSMxKZNUuVzUXGDnc/s1600/IMG_1659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgoPaASDARfR1Wiuo3m3VfWJXc8zzgTu6_346RvC-k1NGjTY46Jh0EL4rflgMXLwZYqc55vGf2o8osxhL7hAqHTLkK7gfc6ItOAmBoi3qeM2au6DqDNFnckWwpqPXSMxKZNUuVzUXGDnc/s1600/IMG_1659.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Several shallow, old avalanches on west-facing slopes in upper Cottonwood. It had been a couple of weeks since this area received snow, and the avalanche danger was very low.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Almost to the summit ridge dividing Salt Lake County's City Creek and Davis County's Mill Creek (Mueller Park). Salt Lake Valley and the Oquirrh Mountains are in the far distance.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uVFSpPIUWXepZQEw-pZPSdyZ5nGIxTudZZSxIjtBZKi0AZw3FSLDQemkkoWZ5ZvnqX3t-ZP4ktOo4UgiqwnJ5DGHrCqMi2Wix8jecofcOGJlgQj_b_WhVIil_jBcpIiOGITug1Auc6k/s1600/IMG_1682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uVFSpPIUWXepZQEw-pZPSdyZ5nGIxTudZZSxIjtBZKi0AZw3FSLDQemkkoWZ5ZvnqX3t-ZP4ktOo4UgiqwnJ5DGHrCqMi2Wix8jecofcOGJlgQj_b_WhVIil_jBcpIiOGITug1Auc6k/s1600/IMG_1682.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Rime ice near the summit.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIFAfrFFIEX8N-CJaY8A8Yh44bblJ7JNrtroj6_5sOYEx3ao2bxfdGOCdy8ldxku4uKa5ZaN8zsYLl946HMz40wqn6RDbOHbRjVmUQL2SBeQD9Op0HM7w-GffxVmzlbbMA24XswCJHkA/s1600/IMG_1678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIFAfrFFIEX8N-CJaY8A8Yh44bblJ7JNrtroj6_5sOYEx3ao2bxfdGOCdy8ldxku4uKa5ZaN8zsYLl946HMz40wqn6RDbOHbRjVmUQL2SBeQD9Op0HM7w-GffxVmzlbbMA24XswCJHkA/s1600/IMG_1678.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Final steps to the top.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigw2Aq-BY27c2l4gL3zyqihXagceC1AkoqhjNf3SH8xJRyKAMPAp33MC3WoSXxr4K6IhlxMFD7nOtFXEMFO5-5pxHFihRB8PNmK21KaXHhh4tbp_h0jermOCNZPQGb_vgU2bK0ROJQzLE/s1600/IMG_1704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigw2Aq-BY27c2l4gL3zyqihXagceC1AkoqhjNf3SH8xJRyKAMPAp33MC3WoSXxr4K6IhlxMFD7nOtFXEMFO5-5pxHFihRB8PNmK21KaXHhh4tbp_h0jermOCNZPQGb_vgU2bK0ROJQzLE/s1600/IMG_1704.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>A grand view indeed. Looking south along the central Wasatch. Lone Peak Wilderness on the skyline.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Refueling on the summit.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5rpJl-1FF1327gfOU1W8iSY6E9rCxlhSbKTYeceZOmnpXB8vb6SGlJTUeNky5IFWQ88SyOFrhGInwoy6kN1BSnGZ2dcqKPZbrwewzi03-PhYP1osqNmPGZyN36V9Js2HS2zQVnbb1fk/s1600/IMG_1693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5rpJl-1FF1327gfOU1W8iSY6E9rCxlhSbKTYeceZOmnpXB8vb6SGlJTUeNky5IFWQ88SyOFrhGInwoy6kN1BSnGZ2dcqKPZbrwewzi03-PhYP1osqNmPGZyN36V9Js2HS2zQVnbb1fk/s1600/IMG_1693.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking 5000 vertical feet back down to where I started the day in downtown Salt Lake City. An incredible feeling.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yKAkd1N5fr7RA7x-YPuZU6QVVNbsH9DMIlFD-a_7oGSO3_0XnLF9ZWLxtwOyhStxiZbGltN3dzfYZt0EQQmpOpLMZOEyarIM52fxoousXgLZldTttfJyBuI5C5wHMCd5Cc5pPnIDMgc/s1600/IMG_1707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yKAkd1N5fr7RA7x-YPuZU6QVVNbsH9DMIlFD-a_7oGSO3_0XnLF9ZWLxtwOyhStxiZbGltN3dzfYZt0EQQmpOpLMZOEyarIM52fxoousXgLZldTttfJyBuI5C5wHMCd5Cc5pPnIDMgc/s1600/IMG_1707.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><i>Few Salt Lake residents are aware of the one-time burgeoning mining district that once existed up City Creek Canyon, just a few miles from downtown Salt Lake City. Most of the old lead-zinc mines of the Hot Springs Mining District are so overgrown, their locations have been lost to time. But the most successful of them all, the Treasure Box Mine in Cottonwood Gulch, is like a small outdoor museum and should not be missed. This mine was in sporadic operation from the 1870s up through at least the 1920s as evidenced by this 1920s-era Fordson tractor.</i></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzmC8UAS1VdWllIxABrfQT-wyH7p08EZUnHXdK-8OkVszgxffQikT_z7fxrrxSS2JaAEa5_PI0DMbZMOmhKNHK80T0h54gTLI4Ap1wJTNo57M57Hodz3A2IIZLO4KDMpmTJ67qXcRDhw/s1600/IMG_1715_6_7_tonemapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzmC8UAS1VdWllIxABrfQT-wyH7p08EZUnHXdK-8OkVszgxffQikT_z7fxrrxSS2JaAEa5_PI0DMbZMOmhKNHK80T0h54gTLI4Ap1wJTNo57M57Hodz3A2IIZLO4KDMpmTJ67qXcRDhw/s1600/IMG_1715_6_7_tonemapped.jpg" /></a></div>TK421http://www.blogger.com/profile/17840234551821423029noreply@blogger.com1