My tent all nestled in the trees
The path out to the small mesa (Grand Canyon)Current location: Moab, UT
I'll try and pick up where I left off...Grand Canyon National Park is amazing. I have pictures to post, but you have to see it for yourself. It is so beautiful and with so many different vantage points you can never get the same view twice. It was a hot one. The rim was not bad, I camped there one night and the high was around 85 and the low around 40. Very nice camping weather. The inner canyon is a different story altogether. During the day temperatures were around 100 and at night only dropped down to 75. Quite the contrast. The first day I headed out to Horseshoe Mesa and made camp around some old copper mines from the early 1900s. As I headed out the next day there were several fantastic views, including one point where I walked out onto a small mesa off the main trail. There was a ten foot rock wall that you had to scramble down that led to path that was about 6 feet in width that had 1400 foot drop offs on both sides. Just like clockwork the wind begin to seriously pick up as I crossed the path (about 20 yards in length) to the small mesa. Once I got down there it was amazing. Views of the Colorado river to the east and to the west. The sun was on its descent and it lit up the cliffs to the east with a purplish hue. That kind of beauty resonates in your heart and soul and leaves you changed forever. I am not going to lie however that the trip was rather physically punishing. For much of the route I had to carry 6 liters of water with me, as well as 30 pounds of gear. With the temperature as hot as it was I did the tail end of the hike at night. This was much more agreeable but still warm. The only problem was that traveling this way you could not find flat ground when I was too tired to walk. So I just took my sleeping bag out and laid it down on the trail. I wish I could have taken pictures of the stars, but those are just for me! After climbing out of the canyon, I was filthy. I took a nice hot shower at the campground. My first one of the trip! Everything else was river bathing. Cleanly I headed north. I drove up to Zion National Park and did some hiking for a few days. They have some amazing trails, one called The Narrows is an 8 mile walk through a narrow section of sandstone cliffs with blue-green water as your path. You have to climb up some little waterfalls and do a bit of swimming along the way. There are also several falls coming down on both sides of you. From Zion I headed out to Bryce Canyon and checked out the Hoodoos, a unique weathering of sandstone creating these little towers of rock. I arrived in Moab yesterday and found a camping spot outside of town on a big cliff that overlooks the city (hey, it's almost a cave!). I don't know why but I always think of that Grateful Dead song when I am spending the night in Utah. Miss you all! God Bless! Jarod
I'll try and pick up where I left off...Grand Canyon National Park is amazing. I have pictures to post, but you have to see it for yourself. It is so beautiful and with so many different vantage points you can never get the same view twice. It was a hot one. The rim was not bad, I camped there one night and the high was around 85 and the low around 40. Very nice camping weather. The inner canyon is a different story altogether. During the day temperatures were around 100 and at night only dropped down to 75. Quite the contrast. The first day I headed out to Horseshoe Mesa and made camp around some old copper mines from the early 1900s. As I headed out the next day there were several fantastic views, including one point where I walked out onto a small mesa off the main trail. There was a ten foot rock wall that you had to scramble down that led to path that was about 6 feet in width that had 1400 foot drop offs on both sides. Just like clockwork the wind begin to seriously pick up as I crossed the path (about 20 yards in length) to the small mesa. Once I got down there it was amazing. Views of the Colorado river to the east and to the west. The sun was on its descent and it lit up the cliffs to the east with a purplish hue. That kind of beauty resonates in your heart and soul and leaves you changed forever. I am not going to lie however that the trip was rather physically punishing. For much of the route I had to carry 6 liters of water with me, as well as 30 pounds of gear. With the temperature as hot as it was I did the tail end of the hike at night. This was much more agreeable but still warm. The only problem was that traveling this way you could not find flat ground when I was too tired to walk. So I just took my sleeping bag out and laid it down on the trail. I wish I could have taken pictures of the stars, but those are just for me! After climbing out of the canyon, I was filthy. I took a nice hot shower at the campground. My first one of the trip! Everything else was river bathing. Cleanly I headed north. I drove up to Zion National Park and did some hiking for a few days. They have some amazing trails, one called The Narrows is an 8 mile walk through a narrow section of sandstone cliffs with blue-green water as your path. You have to climb up some little waterfalls and do a bit of swimming along the way. There are also several falls coming down on both sides of you. From Zion I headed out to Bryce Canyon and checked out the Hoodoos, a unique weathering of sandstone creating these little towers of rock. I arrived in Moab yesterday and found a camping spot outside of town on a big cliff that overlooks the city (hey, it's almost a cave!). I don't know why but I always think of that Grateful Dead song when I am spending the night in Utah. Miss you all! God Bless! Jarod
2 comments:
30 pounds of gear-shoot I am carrying 21 pounds of baby for 8 more weeks that I can't even put down. :) Miss you!! Be safe and don't eat the berries!!
jami
Sounds like an incredible journey. Thanks for keeping us updated. God bless!
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