In-Spire-ational

Utah’s Kodachrome Basin State Park is a geologically fascinating place. There are lots of rock spires throughout the park, including Chimney Rock (in the photo). Scientists aren’t sure about how they are formed, but one theory is that ancient hot springs tossed up hard minerals and then, over many years, the softer rock around them eroded away.

There were some cows grazing nearby when we stopped here. They seemed unimpressed by the scenery.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (or GSENM) is hard to pronounce. I think I would have called it “Awesome Desert Adventure Place for Travelers” (ADAPT).

Anyway, Dad and I put his new Subaru through its paces and spent a day on Cottonwood Road (40 miles of dirt road) and had a great time. I really enjoyed our hike in Hackberry Canyon with sheer red cliffs on either side.

One thing I have realized is that there is so much to explore in this part of the country that I probably will never do all of it.

White House

No, we’re not in Washington, D.C. (yet). We’re staying at the White House Campground in Utah. It’s named for the white rocks you can see in the picture behind me (although they look different in late afternoon light). This place is the starting point for the Paria River Canyon Trail. If you start here and don’t mind getting your feet wet and are not too scared of flash floods, in three or four days you’ll emerge at the confluence with the Colorado River (where we found the fruit trees).

I think I’ll pass.

Drowned

I have mixed feelings whenever I encounter any of the big dams made by the Bureau of Reclamation back in the 20th century. On the one hand, Glen Canyon Dam and the water in Lake Powell behind it make it possible for people to live in large numbers in places like Arizona (and for me to visit). On the other hand, think of the priceless legacy of side canyons and Native American cultural sites lost underwater. The explorer and advocate for the Southwest, John Wesley Powell (1834-1902), foresaw some of the problems that massive development in the desert would cause and did his best to alert politicians in Washington, D.C. I’m not sure how much they listened.

Speaking of Major Powell, we encountered a four year old boy named Wesley in a coffee shop in Page, Arizona. His mother said he was named after Powell.

Navajo Bridge

Lee’s Ferry used to be the only way to cross the Colorado River in this area. That was the case until the Navajo Bridge was opened in 1929.

It crosses Marble Canyon and if you look over the railing you can see rafters and kayakers below. (The signs warn against throwing rocks.)

It’s also a border of sorts. On the west side of the river you have Arizona, on the east side the Navajo Nation. The interesting thing is that the Navajo Nation observes Daylight Savings Time whereas Arizona remains on Mountain Standard Time all year long. So, when it’s 12:00 on one side of the bridge, it’s 1:00 on the other.

Maybe the Dine people want to make a point that they’re independent and sovereign, distinct from the larger political culture. Speaking of culture, we had dinner in a Navajo-owned restaurant in Page, Arizona. We ate “Navajo tacos” wrapped in fry bread instead of tortillas. Delicious!

Fruit Tree

There’s a neat little historic place near Lee’s Ferry right by the mouth of the Paria River where it meets the Colorado. It’s called the Lonely Dell Ranch. It was founded by Mormon pioneers in the 19th century who carved out a living in a harsh desert environment. They planted an orchard with various kinds of fruit trees that are still here.

The sign said that it’s O.K. for the public to pick ripe fruit. We found a few nice plums.

Rock Of Ages

If I were unfamiliar with this area, I would be traveling south on the Kaibab Plateau thinking that it’s a nice pine forest, but what’s the big deal?

I can imagine a newcomer’s jaw dropping when suddenly out of nowhere a massive gash in the earth appears. It’s the Grand Canyon.

One of the cool things about this place is that the rock layers tell the history of millions of years of geology. All the way from the Kaibab Formation to the Vishnu Basement Rocks by the Colorado River. Geologist must love studying this place because you can see the layers so clearly.

Bright Angel

I’ve been to the Grand Canyon several times, but this is my first trip to the North Rim. It’s a good thing that the elevation is higher here because the weather has been very warm.

Dad and I descended into Roaring Springs Canyon on the North Kaibab Trail. It’s incredible to think that this pretty big canyon is a mere side canyon to the main event. We didn’t hike many miles but we lost almost 2,000 vertical feet. The funny thing is that, unlike most hikes, the hard part is returning to the trailhead.

Grand Canyon hikers have a saying: “Going down is optional, coming back up is not.”

Hotter Than Hell

Who in their right mind ventures into the Mojave Desert during the summer? Based on the number of cars bound for Las Vegas on I-15, quite a few. A stop in Baker, California led to a visit to the World’s Largest Thermometer. It’s hard to tell from the photo, but the reading today was 111° F.

Elevation above sea level makes a difference. We camped in the Mojave National Preserve at 5,000 ft. and had a pleasant evening after the sun went down.

Kern River

One of California’s major rivers in the Kern. Its drop is very steep and it can be quite dangerous during high water. The headwaters start on the western slopes of Mt. Whitney (14,505 ft.), the highest peak in the contiguous United States. To be precise, that area feeds the South Fork. We were on the North Fork, but we don’t want to get too technical about it.

Merle Haggard wrote a rather grim song of the same title that recalled the story of his girlfriend drowning in the Kern. Very sad, but it’s also a reminder to be very cautious around swift water.

Land Of The Giants

Did you know that there’s a Giant Sequoia National Monument? It lies in the southern Sierra Nevada and was created by President Bill Clinton’s proclamation in 2000.

We stayed in a nice campground near a grove of these giant trees. They are very big indeed.

Something that advocates for folks with disabilities will appreciate is that the trail through the grove is paved. Two reasons for this. The sequoias have shallow roots which can be damaged by too many feet treading nearby. Secondly, the pathway is accessible to wheelchairs, which means everyone can enjoy the outdoors (at least here).

Marvelous Marble Falls

Sequoia National Park. Many folks don’t realize that this park includes relatively low elevation foothills of the Sierra Nevada range. We thought we’d sample one of trails in this region. Alas, we didn’t make it all the way to the falls due to extreme heat and poor trail conditions.

If I were king of the world I would make sure that our national parks are always fully funded. The reality is that money to maintain these treasures is chronically limited. This leads to a Catch-22. A poorly maintained trail tends to be unpopular with the hiking public. The authorities notice this and put these trails on the deferred maintenance list, further entrenching their unpopularity. We didn’t see a single soul on this hike.

Here In California

Kate Wolf wrote a song in which she pointed out the fact that the hills in California turn brown in the summertime. We found this to be true in our exploration of the Coast Ranges in June.

Family

Family is very important to me. A good way to start out this year’s summer road trip was taking my dad out for a Father’s Day brunch. We followed up with a visit with my paternal grandmother in Berkeley, California.

I hadn’t seen her in ages. I think she was happy to see me and Dad, too.

I love you, Grandmummy.