Island In The Sky (Nov 2007)

In Snow Canyon State Park, there is a secret pictograph panel that guards the Island-In-The Sky, which is a massive 600 foot tall sky island made of red slickrock. This is a tough hike/scramble in order to negotiate the summit, as well as traversing across the maze of stone, but it has its rewards. Sasha really enjoyed this hike.





The Shaman Wizard with his magic powers--he protects the park.



















View of Snow Canyon to the north...from the summit of the sky island.








Near the summit is a deep chasm. Once you descend a dangerously steep, winding, redrock staircase, you find the chamber leading to the sky island's red heart!

South Guardian Angel (Nov 2007)

Zion's South Guardian Angel (SGA) sitting at 7140' is one of the most difficult peaks to access anywhere. It sits like a castle, surrounded by massive sheer walls on all sides, and it has a mote made of creeks! It sees practically no visitors nor hikers each year. My goal was to just see how far Mike and I could get. We started on the Northgate Peak trail pretty late--11:30AM . We had to hike a couple of miles past the North Guardian Angel peak before having to descend an extremely steep, dangerous, loose chute which gave us access to the middle of the Subway hike. From there we had climb up and out the other side to gain access to a ridge, then another wash, bushwhacking, and cross-country climbing to some more slickrock ramps, and then finally the site of the white ramp leading up to the SGA! All this in 3 hours--now it's time to turn around and beat the sun back to the car. There were some tricky 4th class moves, but it goes fairly straight-forward--just very long and difficult. We'll try it again next year.



There's the summit so far away, with the Subway still below. I made it to the bottom of the white ramp (just left of summit) before running out of sunlight.












From SGA, looking cross canyon to the NGA.












Near where I stopped. If only I had another 30 minutes to scramble up the remaining 600'--oh well--something to look forward to next year!

Gooseberry Mesa Mountain Biking (Nov 2007)

You can't ask for a more perfect November day--with no wind, and temps in the 70s. Dave Toth and I rode the infamous Gooseberry Mesa trail. It's amazing that the mesa sits about 2,000' above the surrounding valleys. The single-track ride sits on a white rolling slickrock set amidst pinions and junipers. Numerous times the trail veers out to the sheer edge of the cliff, allowing you 360 degree panoramas--looking at the cities, mountains or Zion, as can be seen in the following two pictures:




Notice the cliff edge!














There are numerous short (but steep!) sections of up and downhill, where Dave Toth (pictured) and I walked our bikes.

Toroweap to Lava Falls Rapid (Oct 2007)

Two nights at Toroweap Campground on the edge of the Grand Canyon was beautiful. Mike and I hiked from the campground around the cinder cone and down 2500' on the Lava Falls trail 1.5 miles to the river where we hung out for several hours by Lava Falls Rapids--the biggest rapids in North America. We watched two different groups come through--scouting first, then going through one boat at a time. The first group was all women. They had a paddle boat that was hit by a lateral wave and knocked every one of them out of the boat without flipping the boat! One lady was slammed into the cheese grater rock and took nearly 20 seconds to surface farther down river. The second group made it through without any mishaps. We made it to the river in 1:25, and back up in 1:50. The next day we hiked down the Tuckup Trail 4 miles and hung out above Cove Canyon, while we watched little dots of rafters float by 3000' below us.





Sunrise over the campground, where I slept in the back of the truck. Temps were pleasant.











Canyon X women paddlers one second before getting slammed.











The guide was the only one who immediately was able to climb back in.
















Sunset from Toroweap! Lava Falls Rapid looks puny from here.

















Click on the photo to see me on the ledge above the river!

Water Canyon Top--Mini Wave (Oct 2007)

I spent most of a day hiking up Water Canyon with Mike. This is a place that really needs to be annexed into Zion National Park. I have some other photos below of the water section from Dec 2005. It really is beautiful. After we topped out on top of the plateau, we hiked about a mile across sand, washes, and slickrock to an area that resembles the Wave. Mike let me borrow his camera to snap some of these unique photos:





Lone pinion pine growing out of the rock.











More wave action, with the top of the plateau in the distance.

Deer Creek / Tapeats Creek / Thunder River Loop (Oct 2007)

This is a repeat of one of my all time favorite hikes and places, however, I decided to do it in reverse--counter-clockwise--going to Deer Creek first, then Tapeats Creek, and Thunder River. Mike Burkley and I left at 4AM in order to get an early start down through the Esplanade and Surprise Valley, finally reaching (unfiltered) Deer Spring, Deer Creek, the patio, narrows, and finally the falls. We had to hike back up through the narrows in order to grab our packs and hike several more miles to our first night camp spot and 135 Mile Rapids, where we enjoyed roaring rapids and sandy beaches all to ourselves. The next day we had to move camp less than 2 miles over to lower Tapeats Creek, where we enjoyed lounging around and watching river runners go through the rapids. We had another nice night next to roaring rapids. The next day we hiked up Tapeats Creek, dayhiked up through its narrows before turning upward along Thunder River. We ate dinner there and rehydrated (unfiltered again) before heading up through Surprise Valley and the redwall ascent to the Esplanade for our third and final camp night. It was very serene, chilly, and beautiful that starless night. Our approximate hiking distances (including side hikes) each of the four days: 12, 4, 8, and 6; total vertical was 5200' from rim to river. The last morning we hiked back to the truck and said goodbye to the canyon, but we will definitely be back!

The Western Grand Canyon morning sunlight filters down over distant buttes. The hike down was cloudy and cool as we crossed the Esplanade.













I can't resist another photo of 100 foot tall Deer Creek Falls.



















Mike is relieved to be through the Deer Creek Narrows and close to the Colorado River--his first time to touch the river in the Grand Canyon.












Several plunge pools in the middle of Deer Creek Narrows.


















Our first camp at 135 Mile Rapids is on a nice sandy beach. The sun is setting on Powell Plateau after a long day of hiking.









Me at the confluence of Tapeats Creek and the Colorado, just above our second camp site.














Day hiking up Tapeats Creek Narrows was new and exciting, with neat falls and geology.















Thunder River falls--up close and personal--a new favorite photo of mine!













A side view of Thunder River where it comes out of the cliff.








Deer Creek Falls Video
Tapeats Rapids Video

Moab Mountain Biking with Dave Toth (Sep 2007)

My neighbor, Dave Toth, offered to fly me to Moab (only 90 minutes away!) so that we could mountain bike the Porcupine Rim. When we got there, the shuttle driver strongly urged us to try the higher Hazard County trail that eventually connects down to upper Porcupine Rim. We biked continuously for over four hours, starting over 9,000' and dropping a vertical mile in 28 miles. It was grueling and rewarding. The views were outstanding!

Dave Toth and his awesome Cirrus plane. It has autopilot, a parachute for the whole plane, and cruises over 200 mph while getting the same gas mileage as my truck!












The Porcupine Rim (left) extends from the high country down to the Colorado River.















Our starting point--Warner Lake area aspens were peaking, and snow glazed the La Sals above the 10,000' level.













Me taking a break.







Video of Dave Toth landing us back home at dusk without a glitch!

Deer Trap Mtn and Right Fork in Zion (Sep 2007)

Probably the best overall views anywhere in Zion is atop of Deer Trap Mountain. Mike Burkley and I scrambled up a brushy steep chute from the second tunnel in order to top out on the plateau and hike to the viewpoints.



Towards the southwest. West Temple in distance.












Towards the south. East Zion and Parunaweap in the distance.











Interesting sand sculpture in front of Double Falls (a hike one week earlier).















Mountain of the Sun















One of five bighorn sheep we spooked on the hike out. They ran straight up a cliff away from us.

Zion Narrows (Sep 2007)

This was with my fun neighbors--Patty, Mike, and Dave Toth--their first trip up the Narrows. We made it up to Big Springs and back in about 8 hours. (Remember 4:07PM?) The weather and company was perfect!


Mike, Dave Toth, and Patty enjoying the hike up the Narrows.




















Classic photo using Steph's camera from just above Orderville Cyn.














How does that bush grow way up there?












Big Spring Video

Humphreys and Horseshoes (Sep 2007)

Another weekend opportunity arose for me to get up and go to Flagstaff alone, where I climbed Arizona's tallest peak--Mt Humphreys in the afternoon. It tops out above 12,600', and is a 10 mile round-trip hike. After returning to the truck, I drove to the forest outside the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to sleep. The next morning I got up early and dayhiked down the Grandview Trail to Horseshoe Mesa. I walked around the mesa before returning to the rim, and then drove home that night. On the way home I stopped off at another Horseshoe--Horseshoe Bend near Page.





From near the summit of 12,600'.












Horseshoe Bend below Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. I stopped off to see this spot near Page, AZ on the way home.












View of Grand Canyon from Lipan Point.












A shot of smoke across the canyon from Horseshoe Mesa as I was hiking down. Horseshoe Mesa is on the left middle side of the picture, and sits just above the river.

Right Fork fire/flood and Wildcat Canyon (Aug 2007)

A view of lower Right Fork in Zion. Notice the burn on both sides of the creek, which also happened to experience a 100 year flood. This flood altered the creek's course in major ways, and flooded several homes in Virgin.

















A view from above of Wildcat Canyon, the trail down into Right Fork.

Obi Point in Grand Canyon (Aug 2007)

I was craving the canyon and getting out of the dog days heat of summer. I woke up at 4AM and drove out to the North Rim in order to check out some trails and viewpoints on the Wallhalla Plateau, which is due east of the Lodge. The 6 mile hike to Ariel Point allowed me to get some nice shadows in some photos. Then I contoured around to Obi Point. I tried hiking down Obi Canyon a little ways before I ran out of time. I will come back and try to get down to the petroglyphs.



Early morning view from Ariel Point.















A butterfly that was not too shy.














On the way out, I stopped by a viewpoint of Unkar Rapids.

Green River Raft through Lodore Canyon (July 2007)

This was a spur-of-the-moment trip that I came up with when we were home in the middle of hot Southern Utah July temps, and we all wanted to escape the heat. We talked about going to Europe, but just didn't feel right about it. I really wanted to get on the river again, so I researched some river trips, and decided that the Green River through Dinosaur National Monument's Lodore Canyon would be just the ticket. It turned out to be much, much better than any of us dreamed, and we decided it has been one of the best family vacations we have taken ever! The guides, the scenery, the river, the laid-back relaxed pace, the absence of high technology allowed us to disconnect from our 'real' world, and connect with our real, natural world, and with wonderful guides and friends that we made on the river. None of us wanted the trip to end, and were sad to say goodbye to the river and to everyone else.


Stephanie, Brooke, and Sasha entering the Gates of Lodore on the upper Green River in Dinosaur Natl Monument. We took turns switching with six different guides, and 3 duckies.














Lodore Canyon was full of interesting geology and faults like this.










Our second camp from up above.











Our last camp spot at Jones Hole.



















"Chuck-a-deuce" Dewey and Caylin were two of our favorite guides.














Sasha getting poured on at waterfall near Jones Hole. People could sit in the chute above and dam the water for a short time, thus creating this deluge.


















Our guides: Alison, Dewey, Caylin, Erica, Randy, and Greg, from Dinosaur Rafting Co.









Beautiful white sandy beach lunch spot in the middle of the canyon near where a proposed dam was fortunately shot down back in the 60s. The lake would have flooded the Green and Yampa Rivers.










Girls posing at Steamboat Rock, just downstream from the confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers.














Stephanie and Brooke borrowing Cristoff's tandem kayak.