09/10/04 Hiking Squaw Valley Loop (7.5 miles round trip):
After freezing my butt off in the Colorado Rockies it's been roasting here in Utah with temperatures in the 90's. Today was no exception.
Drove down to Canyonlands after yesterday's hike. Things looked promising with big dark clouds hanging overhead. That's about all they did though. Had several sprinkles throughout the night but nothing worthwhile and this morning they broke up and disappeared.
Today, I wanted a hike, not too long and not too steep while I break my legs in to hiking rather than walking. The Squaw Valley Loop fit the bill. At the trailhead I wasn't sure what I wanted to do and actually started out towards the Peek-A-Boo Trail. But then I came to the Squaw Valley turnoff and took it. I had done this trail from the other direction so this would be a kinda new experience.
The trail is fairly flat from either direction following the floors of Squaw Canyon and Lost Canyon. Lots of interesting formations in both. Transition is made from one canyon to the other by climbing up a couple hundred feet of red slick rock. The top is a small pass providing really great views.
I didn't see many hikers out in this heat. One group passed me on their way to a weekend in the back country. I met a couple coming the other direction and that was about it.
09/11/04 Hiking Druid Arch Trail (10.8 miles round trip):
I got an early start this morning trying to beat the heat. Even though it has been really hot, a strong wind has kept it from getting out of hand.
I climbed the short but steep hill at the Elephant Hill trailhead onto a slick rock mesa. Following this for two miles I enjoyed the views and the wind as I went. Dropping down into a canyon I turned left for .8 miles and then right at Elephant Canyon. The canyon views to this point had been good but not great. .5 miles along Elephant Canyon that changed for the better.
This is one of my favorite hikes. Up ahead I could see cathedral like spires rising up and great formations along the way. Near the end you can see Druid Arch from the side but have to climb up over a couple hundred feet of jumbled boulders to get a frontal view of it. Well worth the effort though. The arch rises 400-500 feet in the air in the shape of a giant 'A'. The cross bar of the 'A' has fallen down leaving the rest of the arch standing alone. The right side of the 'A' is splitting again with a long, thin crack running almost from top to bottom.
09/13/04 Hiking Peek-A-Boo Trail (10.8 miles round trip):
This is another one of my favorite hikes. I took a day off yesterday to rest my weary legs. The wind was blowing again as I left Squaw Valley Campground 'A' about 8am.
The trail leads 2 miles across Squaw Valley interrupted only by two humps and a bump. Two ridges have to be climbed, the first much larger than the first and then a rise before the gradual incline up rock formations before reaching the pass overlooking Squaw Canyon.
Down the other side and along red slick rock to a steel ladder and the drop into the canyon. A half mile to Lost Canyon and then beyond and the trail heads upward. Along the rim of 3 or 4 canyons, through a hole in the wall and along the rim of a final canyon to a point. From here the trail heads downward towards Peek-A-Boo Springs and some pictographs.
I had done this trail several times in the past and knew all about the pictographs. I also knew how much fun it is returning back up the mile or so of slick rock so I gave in to my tired legs and just sat on the point admiring all the wonderful views before starting back.
09/15/04 Hiking Chessler Park Loop (11 miles round trip):
Nice and cool last night... I even thought about getting up to put another blanket on but didn't. Got to Elephant Hill ay 8am again and followed the same Druid Arch Trail for the first 2 miles. Instead of turning left at the wash, this time I continued up the other side. Another mile brought me to the park, a wide, open plain surrounded by the Needles.
I circled the open area to the left and a mile or so brought me to the Joint Trail. This leads down into a narrow slot canyon not designed for fat people or those with big backpacks. You can just barely walk through it without brushing the sides. It goes on for .25 miles or so and then breaks out into the middle of red sandstone formations.
.5 miles brings you to a wash. Since I'm so experienced with Canyonlands hiking and know so much, I ignored the cairns leading up the other side and turned left at the wash. I just knew it would bring me out on Devil's Lane which leads to Devil's Kitchen and back to Elephant Hill. Another .5 miles finally convinced me my natural instincts and sense of direction might be off by just a bit. The GPS was also against me so I went back and followed the cairns.
100 yards brought me to the end of Devil's Lane, a picnic table and a potty palace. Gorgeous views of the Needles are everywhere from this vantage point. .5 miles up the road is the turnoff to return to Chessler Park and the views get better. It's 1.2 miles to the park, up through the Needles and other formations... and then back across the wash and the original 2 miles of the hike.
09/17/04 Hiking Chessler Park Loop (11 miles round trip):
Today I hiked the Chessler Park Loop clockwise rather than counter clockwise. 3 miles into the hike is a trail junction to Devil's Kitchen. Rather than go left at this point, I followed the Devil's Kitchen Trail all the way to Devil's Lane and then came back through the long slot canyon.
I got good looks at all the views I had to turn around to see before, if I remembered to look. I guess the Devil's Kitchen Trail is as much up and down going either way although I don't seem to remember much down today or the other day. I did seem a lot more tired today though.
09/20/04 Hiking Slick Rock Trail (2.4 miles round trip):
I took Saturday off and it rained pretty hard most of yesterday (Sunday). I just hung out in the van reading, doing computer stuff and not much else. Really strong winds still blowing this morning. I hope I get some sun and warmth without the wind so I can bathe. I'm not all that crazy about the way I'm starting to smell. Those winds have been blowing for 3 or 4 days now.
I was going to do the Devil's Kitchen Trail off of the Chessler Park Trail but as I headed out the skies darkened pretty seriously. Instead I did the tourist thing and just drove around admiring the scenery and doing little short hikes. Then I found the Slick Rock Trail and realized I'd never done it before so off I went.
This is a nice trail with great views of the distant Needles to one side and the very deep canyon of a dried up river on the other. Desert Big Horn Sheep are seen along this trail occasionally but I didn't see any today.