It's Cold and Wet in the Desert

The weekend before Thanksgiving Ava and I drove down to Kanab to hike in the Paria slot canyon.  The canyon is part of the Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area, which is also home to the popular Wave.  Paria Canyon runs for about 38mi, but we had planned on camping 10mi into the canyon just beyond the Buckskin Gulch confluence and return back the next day.  As we picked up our permits Friday afternoon in Kanab, the ranger had informed us of waist to chest deep water in one section of the canyon that would likely require some swimming.  I downplayed the report thinking there’s no way that much water could be in there this time of year, and we’ll be fine with our neoprene socks.  Needless to say, we were very unprepared. 

Paria River

Rocks behind the campground.

It always surprises me how cold the desert can get.  We woke up to mid-20 degree weather and realized we would be hiking in water that was practically made of ice, at least until the sun had risen a bit more. 

"Look how cool this is, I found a stick."

Erosion

As the canyon narrowed, each water crossing got deeper, to where most of them were knee to thigh height.  We eventually came to the largest pool we had seen yet, about 5mi in.  Testing the depth with a tree branch, I realized I would have to carry the pack over my head to prevent all the contents from getting wet.  In hindsight, we should have brought dry sacks for this very reason.  Ava watches me wade across this frigid pool as the water approaches my neck, and in frozen agony, I tell her we’re not going any further.   

"Should we be worried of sharks?"

It would have been a type 2 fun experience if we didn’t die of hypothermia, and Ava is not really a type 2 fun person to begin with.  So, we hiked back out and drove to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. 

Moab isn't just for biking

Matt, Dani, Ava, and I headed down to Moab to escape the big city and piddle around the La Sals and local canyons.  A recent storm earlier in the week dropped about a foot of snow on the La Sal Mountains, which prompted us to check out Mt. Tukuhnikivatz (12,482ft.) and its surrounding basins.  While the girls spent a relaxing day listening to alternating 80’s and Lady Gaga-esque music, we went searching for some good snow. 

That middle chute is on the list.

"This scenery isn't that great", said no one ever.  

Matt riding off Tuk North.

 After what seemed like a never-ending game of Settler’s the night before, we struggled to get up early Sunday morning to catch the sunrise coming over the La Sals.

What is an anti-sun?

Once fueled up with some tasty breakfast burritos, we made our way over to Negro Bill Canyon to see the Morning Glory Arch.

Neat, this guy spans 243ft.

The ghost town of Sego Canyon, just outside Thompson Springs, was our last stop before heading back to SLC.  Not only were there remains of an old coal mining community, but the canyon walls in Sego also contain petroglyphs and pictographs from ancient civilizations dating back to 2000 B.C.    

Dani's next restoration project.

 

Old graffiti. 

Company store.

Hunting the Elusive Christmas Tree

Today Ava and I, along with her roommates Kait and Jaime, went looking for a Christmas tree along the Mirror Lake Highway.  Before all you environmentalists get upset about our deforestation, I went through all the legal channels to obtain a permit from the forest service.  All it took was standing in a 1000 person line at 6am and $10.  

With the girls on snowshoes and me on skis, we went xmas tree huntin'.   

Mush! (We saw a dog sled team.)

Found the little bugger.

Good onya mate!