Day 14 - Joshua Tree part 2

I plugged in my headphones, turned on U2s Joshua Tree album and went rock climbing this morning! Not the climbing up straight cliff stuff but more the climbing up down and around big boulders kind. I felt like Chris Pratt from Guardians of the Galaxy. After exploring one group of rocks I would drive to another group and climb up. I felt very strong and free.

After this tidbit of climbing, I drove out the northeast side of the part and hiked to Fortynine Palms, a 3 mile round trip to a group of Palm trees set in the mountains. I was blessed with my fourteenth perfectly clear day and wide rocky vistas up the trail. And then the palm oasis were tranquil, like a good oasis should be! I felt a step faster today after a great night's rest and two weeks of hiking, and I flew up and down the mountain to and from the oasis.

Aunt Susu and Bill had prepared and sent an Easter care package and I needed to drive back to Joshu Tree town west of the 49 Palm oasis to pick it up. Luckily there were two northern park spots to check out along the route there. One was Indian Cove, a rock climbing area and campground. Easy climbing up the boulders.

After picking up the eater package (thank you Susan and Bill for the candy and chocolate!!! You're the best) I drove to Black Rock Campground for my internet-researched sunset hike up to Warren Peak, a six mile round trip up hiller to the northwest most peak of Joshua tree. I brought my cap-brim-flashlight, packed my down parka(chilly), and cruised up in one hour. The sunset vista was unreal and the full moon behind me remarkable. I signed the trail register INCREDIBLE and ate my newly-acquired candy and hiked back while the moon light replaced the sun light. The second pic below is of the moon not the sun.

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Day 51 - Canyonlands Needles Pt 3

A deep connection to the nature surrounding you comes from the solitude of solo travel, but sometimes it is nice to have a companion! I ran into David, a retired telecom exec from Canada a few days ago on the Syncline Loop trail at Canyonlands Island in the Sky. Then I ran into him again halfway through my Chesler Park hike two days ago, then again later in the hike, finishing the last two miles together. David hiked his favorite trail, the Peekaboo trail yesterday, and said I could join him, but my heart was set on confluence trail, so we hiked separately. We did share a campsite though and exchanged travel stories. David was 55 and had retired at 50 from a high-level international job with Nortel and was now traveling full-time. We instantly bonded over our solo travel style. He outclassed me by leagues. He had trekked one month in Nepal, then another month in India, then some months in Asia. He had hiked and skied and adventured all over the western U.S. and Canada....

Day 40 Escalante Hole-in-the-Rock Road

I woke up late following a lovely slumber in a REAL bed-- such a luxury. I stayed in bed reading my maps and guidebooks, trying to put a plan together for the next months travels. I decided I would spend two more weeks in Utah and add on two weeks in western Colorado instead of spending all four weeks in Utah-- I was starting to tire of the desert and Colorado seemed like a good mix of backcountry beauty and civilization proper. The last must do in Escalante was Coyote Gulch, so I read and reread the route description in my guidebook and went to the visitor center to get my permit. I was going to do a loop down Hurricane Wash to Coyote Gulch to the Escalante River and then up Crack-in-the-Wall overland back to my car. Permit in hand, I lingered by the Outfitters wifi emailing and blogging and then drove out Hole-in-the-rock road forty miles to my trailhead. The road was dirt but well graded in most parts. A high-clearance vehicle was recommended for the last five miles but my Dodg...

Days 89 and 90 - Waterton

I started my journey north to Canada today. My plan was to head to Waterton Lakes, just north of Glacier, then to Calgary, then the Canadian Rockies parks of Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Glacier and a few others, then to Vancouver and finally to Seattle, all over the next several weeks. But first I needed the Internet! I drove south out of Many Glacier to a place I remembered having cell reception. I did some emailing and calling back home, did some research for my Canada trip and watched the final three episodes of Game of Thrones--wow, the final two episodes were sensational. This rainy, dreary day was perfect for such activities. I then drove into Canada late in the evening and to a campground set in the cloudy mountains at Waterton. The weather cleared a bit the next day and I was able to do some hiking around this scenic alpine lakes district. Waterton Lakes district from a high hill called Bear's Hump: The chipmunks at Bear's Bump were very interested in the conten...

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