Day 34 - Arriving to Escalante

Escalante was the last unmapped region of the lower 48 because of its remoteness and difficult terrain-- making it an ideal training ground for a backpacking guided 5-day training course. Just northeast of Grand Canyon, Escalante is as known as Grand Staircase for its colorful geological layers.

I arrived to Escalante by 9am, did some email and blog updating, and set off for a small hike up Lower Calf Creek falls to test out my new shoes.

The drive to Calf Creek was stunningly gorgeous and gave me a chance to survey the area I would be backpacking in.

The hike to the falls was sandy, easy and packed with people. There are very few official trails in Escalante so this one is popular. And deservingly so. The falls were set in a shady corner and the mist made the falls chilly and refreshing.

On the trail back I gazed at the three warrior petroglyphs across the canyon and was immediately transferred in my mind to the times of the Indians of a thousand years ago-- defending their farms and homesteads from other tribes and living amid such towering colorful canyons. I took a pic on the way out overlooking the canyons and Cottonwood trees lining the creek.

I drove the highway 12 scenic road to Boulder in search of a place to shower and eat dinner. The vistas along the road were sensational as the road ran impossibly steep ridges seemingly hanging from the sky above. Boulder town was small so I drove back to Escalante, got an RV spot with wifi and showers, cleaned up, packed up my gear for tomorrow's hike and went to bed. Tomorrow I would enter the wilderness for five days.

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Day 41 - Escalante Coyote Gulch

This one or two night Coyote Gulch hike was an easy test of my newly learned navigation skills. Anxious to get started I awoke at 545 just as the sun was rising. I followed an obvious landmark, a tall thin spire called Chimney Rock, northwest to Hurricane Wash (a drainage running into Coyote Gulch). After a couple of hours of walking up over and around slick rock, I entered the famous Coyote Gulch. The walls around me raised up, darkened and th water flow increased--like nature hinting at the scenic beauty ahead. The normally crowded Coyote Gulch was fairly empty on this early Thursday morning, giving the canyon a very peaceful and quiet feeling-- fragile almost. Down steam, I ran into the famous Jacob Hamilton Arch and then thirty minutes further-- the Coyote Natural Birdge. Both were beautiful due to their see through the wall character, but both would be overshadowed in my memory by the Stevens Arch tomorrow. Pics. By 1pm, I had hiked for six hours...

Day 62 - Colorado National Monument

Established as a national monument early in 1911, Colorado NM is known for its high canyon "rim road" and sandstone spires of Monument Canyon. The canyons of west Colorado are pretty--as they have more green trees and shrubs than the more famous Utah canyons. This gives them a more alive feeling, although the sandstone spires were formed many thousands of years ago by erosion. Rim Rock road curves up the the top of the canyon cliff, goes through several round tunnels and is lined with scenic viewpoints. The best views were in he Monument Canyon section, and included in sequence, the Coke Ovens, The Kissing Couple (behind my head), and the most famous of all: Independence Monument, the tall spire in pic 3 and viewed from the side in pic 4. The original promoter and caretaker of the park, John Otto, was the first person to climb Independence Monument and now it's a climbing right of passage. Every July 4 climbers ascend and mount an American flag at the summit. Fun! ...

Day 57 - Rocky Mountain National Park

Ever since I decided to go west for my big trip, I had dreamed of high mountain lakes with snowy peaks arching in every direction, with chilly air making every moment crisp, and with clear skies bringing all into perfect focus-- pure bliss. Today was the first of many great mountain lake days to come. Hiking here was far easier here than in the San Juans because the snow was packed down on the trail, but I brought my mini crampons for the downhill. I made it safely past a narrow ridge with narly black peaks across the gorge (pic 1), then up to Mills Lake (pic 2) then Jewel Lake then the Loch (pic 3) then down before the afternoon rain started falling. I hiked around some lower, more accessible lakes but the sky was now overcast and pictures no good. I drove up the open portion of the Ridge road amid a very light dusting of snow before heading back to camp for dinner and bedtime. I did manage to capture some fine Elk grazing in a meadows on the return trip and a g...

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