The Great South West

Vast, colorful, sparse, hot, dusty, magnificent, incredible, remote, dark, amazing.   Ok, at times it was dull and monotonous.

All these words and more describe our nearly 2 week trip from Tucson to Davis through the great south west.  We had a bit of everything on our trip -- blazing sun and thick clouds.  We were treated to several rainy days in this parched and bone dry desert.

A few highlights.
Eastern Arizona:  after the heat of Tucson it was a thrill to pitch our tent at 9,000 feet and pull out the jackets.   We stashed the jackets as we descended back to the plains.  Maybe we will need them along the coast in fog country.

Our route took us through the largest open pit copper mine in the US.  One can be impressed or depressed at the result!

Yup, that is Arizona at 9,000 feet.

Petrified Forest and Painted Desert:  Amazing "trees" and colorful desert views as we drove through the park.  

Is it wood or is it rock?

The First of Many Painted Deserts

Canyon de Chelly:  Wow!  A great 2 day stop so we could explore every scenic view,  hike in the Canyon and attend a ranger talk.  The hike was certainly a highlight.  Early one morning, 7 intrepid hikers joined a Navajo ranger to head DOWN the 700 foot cliff and walk through a canyon wash imagining life as a Navajo or Anasazi Indians.  The hike down was a bit scary for me as I don't normally like heights; but the slick rock had great traction.  When I was told the Navajo use the route was a livestock trail for goats, sheep, and horses I figured I just HAD to do the hike.  The ranger had been up and down this trail for years and while I could not have picked out a route -- to him it was just a stroll down to the canyon.  It was incredible.

We also enjoyed an evening ranger program  -- hearing the Navajo story of the creation of this, the 4th world, known as the Glittering World.  I kinda of like to think about this as the Glittering World.

Throughout our trip we searched for WiFi spots.  The campground host suggested we try the Burger King in nearby Chinle.   Buying a couple of soft ice cream cones to use the WiFi signal seemed a fair trade.    The place was hopping -- including several old men, talking in Navajo, all gathered around a laptop.  Cultural Blending!!

Spider Woman Rock -- the spirit who taught the Navajos to weave

Navajo Ranger who was born and raised in the Canyon

I'm sure glad someone knew the trail down!  700 feet to go!

Half Way Down

Cliff Dwellings

Cliff Dwellings

Walking on the Canyon floor -- only permitted with Navajo guide

Natural Bridges:  Three magnificent stone bridges carved by water deep in dry canyons (at this time of year.)  We opted for an early morning canyon hike rather than a bike ride -- and found water pools, bird nests, and petroglyphs.

Down the canyon to view the Bridge

Kachina Bridge -- named for the rock art -- one of the youngest bridges

Wonder what the story is -- 1 animal and 3 human hands

Capitol Reef:  We met Alisa (my sister) & Joe (my brother in law) in the green oasis of a campground at Capitol Reef.  They joined us from Colorado and our time together was a highlight of the trip. 

Capitol Reef was one of my favorite spots.  The campground was watered daily so green and lush--after months/weeks of dry baked scenery this truly was an oasis!  The orchards (Mormon pioneers planted them in the late 1800s) were loaded with fruit (we picked apricots).  The gift shop features home cooked treats like fruit pies and ice cream.  The hikes--well--some of the best!  When we left I definitely put Capitol Reef on my "must return list."

The "outlaws"  Joe & Alan

Alisa and Joe

Hiking Grand Wash

Heading to the Narrows

Picking apricots

Enough for dinner

The camera self timer works!!

Exploring a slot canyon along the Burr Trail

Say Cheese!

Picnic Lunch along the Burr Trail

Great Basin National Park:  We saved the best for last!  We woke up to RAIN in a campground near Capitol Reef!!  What?? RAIN in a desert that hadn't seen a drop in months??  So off we went -- Alisa and Joe back to Colorado and Alan and I headed west.  Our goal was Davis California but in looking at the map we found Great Basin National Park in eastern Nevada.  The park is literally in the middle of nowhere -- miles from anything -- but that added to its lure.  Think basin and range; basin and range; basin and range.  We found some amazing things in those basins and ranges.

Wheeler Peak is the cornerstone of the Park -- and at 13,000+ feet -- had an imposing rock presence.  A few thousand feet below we hiked through bristlecone pine forests and permanent snowpack (not a technical glacier) and small alpine lakes.  We camped at about 7,000 feet along a running creek (Lehman Creek).   We joined a ranger lead walk through the Lehman Caves -- wow -- some amazing and unique cave formations.   We had some rain (and no one takes pity on tent campers in the rain when it is the first rain in months!!!).

What was truly a highlight was an astronomy program by the Dark Ranger (well, he's a Park Ranger by day).  The National Parks are trying to promote Dark Skies -- and the thoughtful, appropriate use of lighting -- and Great Basin is one of our few national parks with truly dark skies.  Out came 2 very powerful telescopes and for a couple of hours (between sunset/dark and moonrise) we were given the chance to see some amazing things in the heavens.  The rings and a moon of Saturn was my favorite.  But the show included peeks at other galaxies, star clusters, double stars; just about anything the 2 Dark Rangers could find to show us.  It was so much fun.

Lunch Stop looking at Mt Wheeler

After a hike through hail....another alpine lake

wildflowers

Shield formations in Lehman Caves

Lehman Cave

From Great Basin we drove across Nevada on Highway 50 -- the last bit of wide open, country we would see.  We did spot some pronghorn antelopes and a few wild horses.  A couple of towns for cold drinks.  And then -- into Reno for a night in a hotel.  What a town.  Happy to leave that place behind!

Then into Davis for a few days with Bryan.  

A great trip!!  And a great start to our months north of the border during hurricane season.