1167 October 18, 2024 Winter Weather

At around midnight last night we had booming thunder and gusty winds with lightning and rain. 

Tim got up early this morning and it was still dark.  I could hear rain on the roof. 

It was moving day today.  We were going to drive the RV up and over the mountain at Jacob Lake at higher elevations.  There was a potential for snowflakes up there.  The forecast showed that it was not below freezing and we relied on that information as we set out.  We left at 7:45. The sky was gunmetal grey and it was still raining.

After 15 minutes of driving, we were at 6,000 feet.  There was a short stretch of snow in the low-lying grasses.

A truck passed us coming from the other direction and there was an inch of snow on top!

We climbed higher and we were in the clouds.  It was dense and foggy with poor visibility and more patches of snow.

We stopped for a break at Jacob Lake.  We were at 9,000 feet and it was actively snowing.

As we continued our ride, there was light snow frosted on the tall pines.  It was kind of pretty!   It might have been a good day to take a Jeep ride on roads of Kaibab Forest.

It was 36 degrees and the roads were wet but not icy.  I was so thankful for my good driver.  Tim took it slow and easy.

As we made our descent, there were a few flurries, no snow on the ground, and the sun was trying hard to peek through.  Elevation matters!  Mountains also matter.  Sometimes they have a way of containing the weather.

We got to a scenic viewpoint.  I had no idea when we started that we would be able to see the Vermillion Cliffs.

If we were driving something different, it would have been cool to sit in the valley and watch the weather change.

We stopped near Soap Creek.  We could see a portion of the Marble Canyon. 

We had hoped to have a night of dry camping here with a magnificent view of the scarlet cliffs but our big baby and rain and mud are not a good mix.

89 followed the Vermillion Cliffs all the way to Navajo Bridge at Marble Canyon.  There was no place for us to park the rig and so we traveled on. 

The last glimpses of the cliffs from the other side of the Colorado River.

We had more clouds and more rain.  We had no destination or plan in mind.  Our goal was to get past Jacob Lake and toward Flagstaff. 

We stopped for lunch and a planning meeting about an hour from Flagstaff.  We were looking for a place to camp.  It was cold and windy and it was obvious that we needed hookups; no dispersed camping tonight.  We found a place 20 miles away.  Tim was done driving.  We made a reservation and drove in. 

Don’t let this beautiful picture of the evening sky from our campsite fool you. It has rained and sleeted and snowed and we had a thunderstorm as well.  It is supposed to be near 32 degrees overnight.  In retrospect, we wished that we had rested in place and drove on but we didn’t.  Travel isn’t always easy…but it is always worth it!

We spent the day cleaning and doing laundry and cooking and resting.  Sometimes it is okay to have a snow day!

We will move further south tomorrow.

1166 October 17, 2024 White Pocket

After our morning exercise, we set out for White Pocket. We first learned of this Jeep ride from the German men we met in Cathedral Valley. This area is actually famous for the Wave. The Wave is a 6 mile hike that is limited to 20 hikers each day. In order to see the Wave, you have to go to the Community Center in Kanab and enter the lottery at 8:30am on the day that you wish to hike. Tickets are limited to minimize damage to the delicate sandstone structures. This Jeep trail, the White Pocket, requires no permits. Access to this site is limited to those with a high clearance 4WD vehicle. Far fewer people are able to visit this area. White Pocket is the 4WD alternative.

It was hard to get information and directions online. It seemed like the location of the White Pocket was somewhat protected and that it is not widely advertised. In Fredonia, we were able to get maps and directions.

We traveled north on 89 past Kanab. We had the Grand Staircase to the north and miles of empty desert to the south.

After 39 miles, we turned onto a dirt and gravel road; House Rock Valley Road. This was a great ride. We entered Vermillion Cliffs National Monument. To the left there were rusty red craggy cliffs and bluffs. To the right there were green and rolling hills dotted with junipers.

There were some dark clouds but we left those behind! There was a small chance of rain later in the day.

The road was largely gravel washboard with a short section of dry and deeply rutted clay. We do not plan to be here when it rains!

There were long miles of pretty scenery.

We saw a raven carrying a dead snake. We saw dozens of antelope ground squirrels.

We turned left at the horse corral.

Fortunately, our maps gave us mileage and road names/numbers! The signs in the park are all brand new. They really don’t want people to get lost in the maze of BLM roads that exist back there!

We stopped to look at these twin hoodoos. This would be a really sweet little camping spot but that was not on the agenda for today. Tim said that they looked like cow patties. I had a more romantic notion. The rock formations reminded me of Smith Island Cake. Back on the Eastern Shore of Maryland there is this island. They are known for their heavenly cake…10 thin layers separated by creamy frosting.

We passed through a section of deep sand and here is where that high clearance 4WD vehicle became necessary. There were also sections of sandstone. The driving was not technically difficult but we had to have the right machine!

We were 36 miles into the wilderness. We parked with about 6-8 other Jeeps and trudged 100 yards through deep and soft sand.

What awaited us at the end of the trail was stunning. The rock formations here are Navajo sandstone. Layers of sedimentary rock that has been eroded by water and wind over eons of time. White Pocket is different from all of the surrounding terrain. It is predominantly shades of white and grey and cream but there is red and pink and orange here as well. The rock are actually petrified sand dunes. There are whorls and curls and swirls and twists. It is an amazing natural masterpiece.

Tim climbed some of the higher domes. He climbed boulders and stood on the top. He went his way and I preferred the more low lying areas or the bunny slopes and I wandered there. Finally, I was completely content to sit on a rock and take it all in. The pictures are beautiful but the videos are better. They give a better perspective of what it was actually like to be there surrounded by this really cool creation.

I noticed that the domed rocks were covered in a pattern of mostly pentagons. This is known as “elephant skin weathering.” These patterns form as a result of temperature changes…but why pentagons??? Interesting!

Are these signs of ancient life??? Tim thought he recognized sand dollar remains. I thought I could see shrimp like shapes and evidence of wormlike creatures…who knows?!?

We drove back and headed south toward 89A to make a giant loop. This ride took us through Kaibab National Forest. There is some privately owned ranch property out here.

Close to the pavement, we stopped at the Condor Viewing Site at Vermillion Cliffs. There were no birds visible with the naked eye. The guys out in the field had some pretty sophisticated equipment and they were watching the giant birds.

We had a few raindrops on our way back to the RV and we saw a piece of a rainbow.

We have had a great time here in Fredonia. We have seen a lot and there is a lot more that we did not see. We need to move on. The winter weather advisory begins tomorrow!

1165 October 16, 2024 Marble Point

I had a nice walk this morning in the very small town of Fredonia. There is a Family Dollar and a gas station here.

The local policeman was busy this morning. I watched him pull over 5 different vehicles as I walked.

The view from the campground.

Today we had another adventure planned. I drove the first portion. We started on the paved Forest Road 22 toward the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The landscape changed as we climbed in elevation. In the beginning, there was barren desert. More vegetation, especially sagebrush began to appear. Junipers and pinyon trees grew as we went.

The road turned to gravel and at this point we passed though acres and acres of charred and lifeless trees. The terrain became rockier and more rugged.

We saw a gambol quail, some wild turkeys, several raptors including a red tailed hawk with a tasty morsel clamped securely in his beak, and a fat squirrel.

At 7,000 feet there were tall ponderosa pines. Aspen trees were dressed in golden finery, leaves quaking, the last vestiges of autumn.

We started at Parrisawampitts Point. We hiked at 8,000 feet. Initially we could only catch glimpses of the Grand Canyon.

We walked on the Rainbow Rim Trail and came to a clearing at the point. The entire time that we were driving today I was anticipating what we might see. The Grand Canyon takes my breath away every time that I see it!

We went back to the Jeep and continued on to our true destination. We zigzagged through Kaibab National Forest. There was good signage and the trails were all marked on our GPS. We also had great maps.

We drove toward Marble Point at an elevation of 8,900 feet. Here at this higher elevation, the aspen trees stood tall and naked. Aspen trees grow in stands. All the trees in one group share an extensive root system and are considered a single organism. The trees are all clones of one another. The oldest stand of aspens is more than 80,000 years old and grows in Utah.

It was Ranger Milton at the St. George Forest Office that recommended the drive to Marble Point.

We left the Jeep in the parking area and walked the very short distance to the edge. It was nice but not all that.

Tim was eating his lunch and I went wandering. I found the road out to Marble Point.

Such an expansive vista. We could see Vermillion Cliffs and Marble Canyon. This is the beginning of the Grand Canyon.

It was 56 degrees and a little windy. Tim lit a fire and we sat in silence on the plateau, taking in the view before us. Shadows were cast by the clouds overhead. The beautiful colors and layers and rock formations were overwhelmingly lovely. I could feel the breeze on my face and the warmth of the sunshine on my skin. I could hear the wind whispering through the treetops. The air smelled of fresh pine and burning wood. This place was special…splendor comes to mind. My heart was full.

This is another place that few other people will have the privilege to explore and experience. This has been a theme of this entire trip. We have been searching for the scenic byways, for the Jeep roads less traveled and this search has led us to lots of amazing places. Thanks Milton!

We got an alert on our GPS for a Winter Weather Advisory in this area.

We made it back to pavement.

This was the view on our way back. From this vantage point, we v=could see all the steps in the Grand Staircase.

A perfect day!

1164 October 15, 2024 Peek-A-Boo Canyon And White Wave

We had a short ride today from St. George, Utah to Fredonia, Arizona. We are so close to the state border that our watches and phones are all whacked out. The time keeps bebopping back and forth. Arizona doesn’t participate in daylight savings time. It really does not matter…we have no appointments to keep! We will simply eat when we are hungry and go to sleep when we are tired!

We stopped along the way. Baby was thirsty!

Because of the time change, we were at our campground very early. We ate some “brunch” and then packed drinks and snacks. We went to the Kaibab Ranger Station for local maps.

When we checked in at the campground today, there was a printed brochure for the White Wave and Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon. This was a Jeep trail and it looked nearby and it was a fairly short ride to get there. We decided that this would be our adventure for today!

We drove north, back into Utah and through the town of Kanab.

We followed the directions to the trailhead.

The road was really sandy and we came to a section of deep sand. Tim had just inflated the Jeep tires yesterday before towing her today. We pulled over and aired down before continuing. In 4WD low and with tires at about 20 psi, we had a bumpy but decent ride.

ATV’s sharing the trail.

We arrived at the Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon and went for a hike. I’m not quite sure why but I love hiking in a slot canyon. This was exceptionally beautiful. The walls were striped and swirling sandstone. Antelope Canyon is similar. The colors there might be brighter but here, we could walk without a guide and at our own pace. There were a handful of other people hiking as well.

Too soon, we were at the end.

We walked out the way we had come.

There was a family with a tour and that guide went out of his way to answer questions for us and also to take our picture!

We got back into the Jeep and found our way across the wash and up the hill, through more deep sand, and to the White Wave.

We had to fight our way up a steep and sandy bank to get to the Wave. I finally finished on all fours, determined to get to the top. Once up there, we had to walk across a very steep sandstone hill. Tim went first. I watched him and then I tried but I was not feeling very surefooted and safe. I encouraged him to walk on.

We were in this amazing place. I sat on the rock and tried to take it all in.

Then, I decided that I could see a trail at the bottom of the hill. I scooted myself along and made my way down. It doesn’t ook like much in this picture but I was 2/3 of the way up!

Tim had a different perspective from above.

Tim’s video shows the White Wave the best!

We pulled over to check on this couple. The serpentine belt had come off and they were not going anywhere. The woman was able to call for help and someone was on the way.

What a great day!

1163 October 14, 2024 Painted Pony

Another gorgeous morning for walking; a little bit chillier than it has been.

We spent the morning in town running errands. We went to the grocery and we wanted some seafood. Maryland crabcakes in Utah… not thanks!

We had a very quiet afternoon.

This evening, we dressed up and went to dinner at Painted Pony in Historic St. George.  We had a delicious meal.

After eating, we walked down the main thoroughfare.  It was too dark for good pictures with my camera but it is a beautiful city.

We stopped at the Tabernacle built by Brigham Young in 1871.

It is undergoing some construction and Tim was inspecting. 

Most of the buildings in this part of town were brick and stone and Tim proclaimed the masonry work to be topnotch!  High praise indeed.

We walked to the Town Square.  The park had lots of lovely art.

This fountain was fashioned to roll over red rock.  It was really pretty.

Another nice fountain.

The traffic circle.

St. George is another place where we could spend more time.  The weather is chasing us.  We still have a couple more Jeep adventures in mind and we want to get those in before the snow!

1162 October 13, 2024 Home Again

We settled last evening at around 6:30pm.  I read and then slept.  At 1am, the stars were out and Orion was bright and beautiful.  The moon still hung in the sky and so the Milky Way was not visible. 

When we got up, the sky was just beginning to lighten.  We watched the sunrise as we had our coffee.  It was too windy for a morning fire.  We had a rare 3^rd cup of coffee; reluctant to leave this place.

We spotted the Skywalk!

We packed and left by 8am.                 

We stopped at the Burnt Canyon Overlook intending to hike to the Rim.  The trail was not clearly marked.  We followed a wash for a while and then maybe a game trail.  We went about .35 miles and then turned back.  We could still not find the main trail and we could see tall trees in the distance.  We did not think we were on the right path to find the edge.  We weren’t sure exactly where we were and we still had 80 more miles to drive!

We stopped in the pines for breakfast.  There were lots of nice cacti here as well.

Whipple cholla.

More prickly pear.

We saw a longhorn cow drinking at a muddy water hole.  Tim stopped so that I could get a picture but she ran.  She did finally pose for me.

A bathroom in the middle of nowhere…such a luxury!

Hitchhiker.

So pretty.

We were nearing the end of our trip when we saw a bunch of girls and a couple of women standing in the road near a ATV that was turned on its side.  We stopped to help.  A Jeep with a winch arrived at the same time that we did and the couple was able to pull the ATV out of the ditch and then reattached the winch in a place where he could pull it over.  Tim and the other adults all pushed until the vehicle was righted.  The woman who had been driving must have taken the turn too quickly and the whole until flipped and rolled.  Fortunately, no one was injured.  The riders had all helmets on.  It is dangerous out here.  There is a lot that can go wrong.  You have to be careful and be prepared.  The wonderful thing to witness was how every single person got out to help.  We check on every person that we see biking or hiking.  We always make sure that people have adequate water.  We always stop.  It was nice to see others will do the same…people are good.

Almost there!

We got back in early afternoon.  The day was spent getting stuff sorted and clean! 

1161 October 12, 2024 Twin Point

It was a gorgeous morning for a walk.  Some critters in the campground.

We loaded the Jeep and got gas for the Jeep and an extra 5 gallon can for good measure.  It was a short distance to the beginning of the trail into the wilderness and to Twin Point. 

It was Saturday so there were lots of ATV’s or dust buggies on the road with us.  There was no wind so the dust hung in the air for a long time after they had sped past us.

Quail Hill Pass.

We saw ravens and hawks.

We passed through long miles of desert.

We passed lots of cattle ranches and then, a tractor trailer full of cattle headed out.  These ranches are more than 40 miles from pavement and there were still ranches 70 miles in.  They are so isolated.  I am sure they have lots of firewood and I hope that they have generators!

I cannot imagine being so far from goods and services.  There is only one way in and one way out…this long gravel road that becomes impassable when it is wet!

Cow 319 was grazing right on the roadside.  Tim stopped to chat with him.  The cow: “I’m missing some friends…do you know anything about that?”  YIKES!!!

We drove into Grand Canyon – Parashant National Monument. 

We are lucky to be able to come here this late in the year.  Temperatures have been unseasonably warm.  Sometimes there is snow here as early as September.  Today is mild and the skies are blue, blue.

It took us more than 2 ½ hours to drive 70 miles.  We turned onto 1019 toward Twin Point.  We passed through a section of tall ponderosa pines.  There were deep ruts in the road…this could be a muddy mess!

We passed through a bunch of short trees and then we were on the peninsula that led to the point. 

We got out to walk to the edge.

We could see (with binoculars) the West Entrance Skywalk across the canyon.

The road was in amazing condition.  This was not the case when we have had similar adventures to the Northern Rim at Tuweep and Whitmore Canyon.

We arrived at noon after 4 hours and 86 miles.  We spent the afternoon walking along the edge, basking in the sunshine and then retreating to the shade.  I read and Tim took a nap.  We watched the changes in this extraordinary Grand Canyon as the sun shifted and new layers and colors were revealed as others were hidden in shadow.

Yucca.

Prickly pear.

We enjoyed some wine and then cooked eggs and toast. 

Our campsite.

View from the bedroom window!

The sun set at 6pm.  The moon had risen and was ¾ full.

We had a campfire for a short while.  Wind gusts blew sparks across the plateau and we scrambled to quickly extinguish them.  We doused the fire. 

We were camped with one other couple on the point.  Two other vehicles came through and they camped several miles out. 

1160 October 11, 2024 White Bird

I was able to take a great walk in and around the campground.

While I was out, my mom called to FaceTime. She had sweet baby Wade for a while today.

Tim did his morning workout and then rode his bike.

After I switched the laundry, I went for a nice bike ride.

We had planned a light day because we were not sure how we would feel but other than some minor achiness we were quite fine! We spent the morning washing clothes and changing sheets and cleaning the inside of the Jeep and washing windshields and all manner of other ordinary things.

We went to the BLM/National Park Office here in St. George for information and maps for our Jeep ride tomorrow. When we got there, there were several people behind the desk. They answered our questions but when Milton heard that we were looking for ideas for Jeep rides, he came out and took us to a table with a giant map of the area. Milton was in his eighties. He has worked as a ranger in this area since the late 50’s. He has great energy and he also rides around in a Jeep. He has traveled here extensively and he gave us a few recommendations for future expeditions! I could have spent all day listening to this man tell stories. I wished I had asked him about the most amazing thing he has ever seen out here…I know he would have had an excellent tale to tell.

We went to Home Depot for some supplies for a project.

I fixed Tim one of his favorite dinners; lima beans cooked all day in the crockpot and salmon cakes.

We went back to St. George this evening to see the movie White Bird. It was a poignant and moving film set during WWII. Though it was heavy and often very sad, the message is about light and hope and kindness.

We have all of our supplies packed for our overnight. Our trip will take us to Twin Point. We will sleep on the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon!

1159 October 10, 2024 St. George, Utah

The first thing I did this morning was to check the news regarding Hurricane Milton. There are people that we love and care about who live in Florida and we were hoping that everyone was safe!

Tim was up very early. I got ready to walk and I was waiting for daylight. We had a longer drive today and we decided to leave early. We were on the road by 7:30am.

We took Scenic Route 12 to the west.

We passed Kodachrome State Park. We drove the Bryce Canyon Scenic Byway but we did not go into the park. Both places are absolutely beautiful and well worth seeing but we have been there and there is no way to see everything in one trip!

We dove through Red Canyon and the two arched mountain tunnels.

We drove on 89 which was mostly farm country. We stopped for a break in Panguitch. I walked down the street and took a few pictures…

A hitching post.

A sign I liked.

An old fire truck.

I saw Quilt Walk Park across the street and went to check it out. The story is that in the 1860’s a group of men were sent to get supplies from a neighboring community. The snow was so deep that they were unable to walk without sinking. They laid a quilt on top of the snow to pray for assistance. As they prayed, they noticed that the quilt was supporting their weight on top of the snow. They started laying quilts on top of the snow so that they could move forward and cross the mountain. This memorial honors these brave and persistent men.

After that, the scenery was rolling and pretty.

Utah is so big and so beautiful and there is a lot of it that we haven’t even seen!

We got on Interstate 15 and stopped at a rest area where Tim took a nap. I took my walk there!

We arrived at Desert Canyons RV Resort in the early afternoon. After a short rest, we went to do errands. St. George is a city. We started at CVS where we were able to get prescriptions and also get our Flu shots and COVID Boosters. We went to the carwash so we could wash the cow manure and dust off of the Jeep. We went to Walmart and did a mega shopping trip. By the time we got back to the RV, it was dinnertime.

We aren’t planning any big adventures for tomorrow. Sometimes the day after vaccines it is good to rest!

We did hear from our Florida people and all are safe!!

1158 October 9, 2024 Powell Point

I took a great walk from the campground into Escalante.  I talked with my sister and my mom and the time passed quickly.  I got 2.5 miles done.

We packed lunch in a cooler and took the Jeep for a ride.  The ranger we talked to yesterday recommended a drive to Powell Point.  We started on Main Canyon Road.

There were some pretty rocks. 

We drove into Dixie National Forest.  There were lots of trees.  We missed our turnoff for Powell Point.  There were several reasons for this.  The map indicated road names.  The GPS matched for a long time.  At the crucial intersection, nothing matched.  The forest service likes to use numbers in lieu of names for the roads.  Nothing was the same.  I tried to use mileage as a gauge but the map was either not to scale OR the navigator made an error.  At any rate, we found a workaround and made a loop back to the desired trail.  The ride was pleasant but nothing incredible.  I was a little disappointed.

We found the turnoff for Powell Point and the road became rather rough and slow.  There were some ruts.  The major obstacles were from the tree roots!  We started to see daylight to the east and then as we continued along the ridge, some lovely views.

We pulled into the parking area with a couple of other cars and about a dozen ATV’s.  We saw the trailhead to Powell Point…1/2 mile.  We had driven 40  miles…we really needed to see Powell Point.

We hiked the trail.

We began to see incredible scenery as we walked.

There was a bird in the top of the is trees squawking at us…he would admonish us on our way down as well!

We got up to Powell Point and we were there with a mountain biking tour.  There were about 8 bikes and the tour guide up there with us.  I cannot imagine how these people biked up this rough road. The switchbacks and the climbing and the obstacles…just wow! We were able to listen as the guide talked about the vista before us.  To the left were the Grand Escalante National Monument and the Grand Canyon.  Straight ahead was Antelope Canyon and then further to the right, were Kodachrome State Park and Bryce Canyon.  We were at 10,180 feet and we could see forever! WOW!!!

Powell Point was named for John Wesley Powell. He was an explorer here in Utah in the 1800’s. He and his party discovered the Escalante River in 1872.

When we hiked back to the parking area there was only one other car there and it was pulling away.  We enjoyed our lunch…just us!

Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine.

The road out met up with the road that we should have taken.  The road was really rocky and it took us a long time to make it back to Main Canyon but the ride was along the ridge and we were treated to lots of pretty!

We left Dixie National Forest and got back to the RV in the late afternoon.

We packed our dinner and went to the Lion Park in town.  We enjoyed our butternut squash soup as we watched a bunch of young boys and dads playing soccer.

I went to see the Veteran’s Memorial.

We stopped at a pub on the way “home” and I had Ruby Cider from Salt Lake City.

We had  a nice time here and tomorrow we will continue our journey as we move to Saint George, Utah.