Canyonlands

Little arch we hiked up to a couple of days ago

Sunday, 8/9/09:

Slick Rock CG, Moab, UT: This morning I woke up feeling lousy, but we donned our hiking boots and packs and drove over to the Negro Bill Canyon trailhead. The canyon was named after William Granstaff, an early settler who grazed his cattle in this canyon. I thought it would be a much easier hike but the trail went up a slick rock ledge a little way and through boulder fields and a lot of the trails were in deep sand which is hard hiking. But it followed this sparkling, pristine stream all the way. And the stream is a perennial stream—a rarity here in the desert. There were a couple of side canyons as well and one of them has a huge natural rock bridge. We didn’t make it that far. We also had to cross the stream three times, but there were plenty of rocks and it wasn’t deep, so no problem. I was glad I had my hiking boots on and brought my trekking poles as well. When we came back over that rock ledge, said I…”are you sure I hiked over this?” Mike said…”yes, you did.” Said I… “…and I didn’t whine or anything?” “Nope, he said, you did good.” I don’t remember it being that bad going, but coming back was another story. But the sky couldn’t have been any bluer and it was beautiful up there. Think it hit the low 90s today.

Green River--Canyonlands NP

Slick Rock CG, Moab, UT: Went to the Jail House Café this morning for breakfast and then did our laundry. Back to our site and sat outside relaxing and enjoying this beautiful day. Had a light dinner and then went to see “The Proposal” with Sandra Bullock and Betty White. A cute little romantic comedy. Think it only hit the upper 80s today. Nice! There was supposed to be snow last night at altitudes above 10,000 ft! Wow!

Look at this 4x4 road!

Pretty arch we hiked up to...

Slick Rock CG, Moab, UT: This morning we headed out pretty early to Canyonlands NP. Where Arches NP is really close to where we’re staying, Canyonlands is about 30 miles away. We headed up through this neat canyon and kept climbing onto a huge mesa. Four ranchers used to run cattle up here until the mid 60s. Every Fall they would herd the cattle down into the river valley (both the Green River and the Colorado River flow through this arid, rugged land) and then they would herd them back up onto the mesa in the Spring. Can’t imagine what trail they used. This park reminds me of the north rim of Grand Canyon. There’s no long rim drive but you drive out to viewing points. It was a lot cooler up here on the mesa. But it was really windy. We hiked up to this pretty arch and the wind was whipping the sand around. We felt like we’d been sand blasted. This park is where the guy was hiking a slot canyon who had to cut off his arm in order to save his life. Hiked up to another overlook and ran into some people from Missouri. Drove back to Moab and had an early dinner. Back to our site and relaxed. Think it hit 95 today. A really beautiful day.

Petroglyphs--Wolfe Ranch--Arches

On the trail--Arches

Slick Rock CG, Moab, UT: Planned on just hanging out today. A good thing since the weather was iffy—stormy in the morning and on and off all day. We went to the grocery store and picked up a few things. Sat outside reading whenever the weather allowed. Hit 95 today. It’s sunny outside as I’m writing this. Dust is the big problem when it gets windy. Shuts down interstates. Supposed to have high winds tomorrow. We’re going to try to go to Canyonlands NP tomorrow.

View of bluffs around Castle Valley from foothills of LaSal Mts.

On the Colorado River

Arch along the river

On the Colorado

Slick Rock CG, Moab, UT: Up early this morning since we signed up for an 8:00 jet boat trip. Had to set the alarm for 6:30 to get up in time. At the dock by 7:45 and left by 8:00. We went down river about 30 miles. What a fun trip! And we had the best guide—Rory. Stopped and hiked up to see some petrified wood. Pretty interesting. This jet boat really moved too. Stopped after going into Canyonlands NP via the river and had some snacks and drinks. When we started it was a little cloudy and very cool when he got going on the river. I was so glad I had my sweatshirt with me. On the way back the sun came out and it warmed up considerably. After this great boat trip we drove back up the river road running up river and into the Castle Valley again and had lunch at the Sorrel River Ranch Resort. A great place! We had lunch out on the deck right on the Colorado River. Watched all the river rafters going by. The lower deck had some couches and chairs where you could sit and read or just watch the river. Our waitress was from the Phillipeans. She lives here at this resort for 6 months and then spends the winter at Park City. Not bad. Left there and decided to take the loop road back to Moab. Climbed up out of the valley into the foothills of the La Sal Mountains. Way up in the foothills. It was 98 in the valley and 80 up high. Beautiful up there with lots of trees—mostly aspens. The road was paved but in places it was right on the edge of a shear drop. Yikes! On our way down we crossed a stream that cut a narrow but deep gorge into the mountain. A beautiful drive. Back into Moab it was 99—even though it was cloudy. A really fun day!

Colorado River

Sorrel River Ranch (back in the trees)

right on the Colorado

Abandoned Homestead--Castle Valley

Slick Rock CG, Moab, UT: Putzed around all morning. I sat outside enjoying the cool morning and reading and Mike played spades on the computer for a while. Then we headed into town and picked up some things at the drug store and then signed up for a jet boat trip on the Colorado tomorrow morning. Since it was like 102 already we decided to take a drive along the Colorado River in air conditioned comfort. Turned out to be a really beautiful drive. The road went right along the river with steep canyon walls on each side. There were a couple of resorts out there in the middle no nowhere. One was the Sorrel River Ranch—a beautiful place on a big bend in the Colorado. A pretty upscale place and they have a restaurant which we intend to try out. Took a side road over to the little town of Castle Valley. A pretty little place in this large valley with red sandstone bluffs on the east and west sweeping up from the valley floor at about a 45 degree angle and then the top 40 or 50 feet is shear sandstone cliffs. Then, in contrast, are the La Sal mountains off to the north. A study in contrasts. Back home around 4:00. Think it hit 103 today.

Balance Rock

We hiked up to this one

Wolfe Ranch

Slick Rock CG, Moab,UT: Got a pretty early start this morning. Had breakfast at Denny’s and then drove to the Arches visitor center to check it out. Then headed up into the park through a series of switchbacks. Guess we went up about 1000 ft. Drove through the park, stopping at all the viewing points and some of the arches and other formations were visible only by hiking to them. It was hot—around 100 by noon. But it was pretty breezy so it didn’t feel too bad. A beautiful place with some unusual rock formations. And, right in the middle of this rugged, remote area was the Wolfe Ranch. John Wesley Wolf came here in 1880 with his son, leaving his wife and three other children back in Ohio. He came here because of health problems due to a Civil War injury. Wolfe raised cattle here and eventually the herd grew to over 1000 head. They ordered groceries from the Sears, Roebuck Catalog about once every three months and picked them up at the Thompson Springs railway station—a day’s wagon ride away. About 3:00 we headed back to Moab. Picked up some groceries and then back home. Hit 104 today! Wow!