Zion National Park, UT

Our last big hurrah! It's still too cold to go home, and too hot in southern Arizona (I know, you don't feel sorry for us!), so we decide to take advantage, again, of a warmer than usual week and head north into southern Utah and Zion National Park. This post has taken a few days because there are SO MANY photos to sift through to find the right ones, the pictures that will show you how beautiful this park is.

Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway area

The first European settlers here were Mormons and they felt that the canyons and formations were spiritual; hence the name of Zion. We get that sense surrounded by these orange-stained cliff walls up to 2,000 feet high. How could we not?

Numerous alcoves like this one have eroded into the rock faces. Some are actually arches (open on both front and back).

Zion Canyon area

Outfitted with dry suits, these four senior men set out to hike the Virgin Narrows at the end of the Zion Canyon road. The trek is 3 miles to the junction of Orderville Canyon, a common destination. The water is frigid, but even so a few hearty souls cross in only sneakers. They return quickly enough as the water becomes hip deep only about 100 yards upstream. Brad and I stay on-shore this trip; we hiked in the water on our trip here in October 1987 and paid for it with numb ankles. Once is enough!

Rock face near the end of Zion Canyon. During the winter months, we are allowed to drive the entire length of the park road. Starting in March ("peak season" until the end of November), personal vehicles will be banned and a shuttle service will run from nearby towns and the Visitor Center near the park entrance and stop at the various trailheads. Even though it's the middle of February, parking lots at the popular trailheads are full by 10:30 a.m.

Zion is a popular place to climb. These two are about half-way up a 1,000 rock face. Maybe if we were younger...

Angels Landing

Yesterday I turned 55, so naturally today we will climb 1,500 feet to the top of one of the most dangerous, most frightening hikes in the southwest. The first part of the climb is easy enough although steep in sections. Frequent stops to "enjoy the view" are necessary.

Brad overlooking Big Bend in Zion Canyon some 1,000 feet below from Scout's Lookout, the end of the "easy trail" and a great place to enjoy lunch and a rest.

Not a joke. Several people have died here by slipping over the edge. There are no guard rails, only a few chains which provide the illusion of safety and balance. The count of six people does not include those who parished as a result of foul play. Hike with someone you trust!

The trail from Scout's Lookout to Angels Landing follows the spine of a sandstone fin. Here the trail is fairly wide! I am standing in the bottom left. The view is down canyon looking towards the south entrance and the Visitor Center.

Brad on a narrow ledge, but brave enough not to hang onto the chain rope. This view is up canyon looking towards the Virgin Narrows and the end of the road.

Some of the rocks form steps. You can see the narrow fin behind me. From Scout's Lookout, you climb down a few hundred feet, then across a saddle and then up several hundred feet to the peak.

Me at the top, which is not flat, but rather flat rocks sloped downward. It is easy to see how people fall. Even though there is danger, this is a popular trail and we share the summit with about 8 other groups. We are told that in the summer there are so many people up here, it's crowded. I wouldn't want to get bumped here - there would be no recovery as the walls are straight down to the valley floor some 1,500 feet below.

Back down the same way we came up, but going down is always more difficult than up. That must have something to do with perception. This is a great view showing the saddle and the fin we cross. Me standing in front of the tree at bottom left.

Good thing I'm not terrified of heights. Don't get me wrong; this hike is nerve-wracking, yet exhilarating at the same time. Below me, the road follows the Virgin River through Zion Canyon.

Emerald Pools

A disappointing hike (what wouldn't be after Angels Landing?), the Emerald Pools are probably more popular in the summer when the cool waterfalls and sprays provide relief from the canyon heat. There are three pools - lower, middle and upper. This is the middle pool at the cliff's edge where Brad catches the reflection of the steep canyon walls.

Kolob Terrace Road

So let's get away from the crowds and take a trip up the Kolob Terrace Road from the town of Virgin. Here we are outside of the canyon and on a series of plateaux. Green meadows like this one are surrounded by orange sandstone cliffs and rock formations.

It always amazes us how life survives.

These two elks (mom and teenager?) have just crossed the road when we come around a corner. They stay at the top of a hill hiding in the still leafless bushes to make sure we drive past.

The Kolob Reservoir, still frozen. At the Visitor Center, we were told that the last few miles of the road to this reservoir was a sheet of ice and therefore closed. Obviously, it's melted. Temperature up here at over 8,000 feet elevation is 38F or about 3C (still warmer than home!)

I love exploring on "slickrock" - areas of flat or sloping sandstone. It's easy to climb and always marvelously sculpted by forces of nature. These yellow and orange stripes are caused by iron seeping into the sand when the layers were formed millions of years ago.

Looking like a scene out of Lord of the Rings, these beehives are another testament to the erosion forces at work here throughout the millenia - wind, sand and water.

Lake Havasu and the Western Winter Blast Pyrotechnics Show, AZ

Each year, Lake Havasu City hosts a four-day pyrotechnics show where fireworks companies showcase their latest and greatest products. We join many of our RV friends for the event and other fun on Lake Havasu.

Boating on Lake Havasu

A heron in the shallows at the north end of the lake. The city is visible in the background.

Captain, I'm pretty sure the rental company warned us about this sandbar. Many areas of the Colorado River have shallow sandbars of which boaters have to beware. Luckily, no damage is done.

We rent two boats for the twelve of us. Here's our sister crew with the sand dunes and Arizona mountains in the background.

Inside Topock Gorge, surrounded by dark red volcanic rock.

The whole gang beached along the river in Topock Gorge. Crazy Sue and Julie actually go for a swim in the 50-60 degree water! The rest of us freeze our ankles off just getting in and out of the boats.

Chugging through the Bridgewater Channel with a view of London Bridge. In 1968, the bridge was purchased from London, England and moved here stone by stone. Read the history and some fun facts about the bridge.

The fireworks

There are hundreds of RVs camped out at the SARA Park where the fireworks are displayed. It's great not having to fight traffic after the show, and instead enjoy a campfire with friends.

Many of the fireworks are different from those we usually see on Victoria Day or Canada Day (or for our American friends on the 4th of July). I admit, I quit taking pictures early and just watched the show.

A day at the beach

Brad at London Bridge from the west side of the channel.

The view up-channel while crossing London Bridge. Note there are already many boats parked along the edge with everyone simply enjoying the sun and sand. Pathways line both sides of the channel for those who prefer walking to boating.

Everyone is here from the snowbirds to locals with their kids and dogs. By March, I suspect it will be difficult to find a parking space along this channel as Lake Havasu City is a very popular March Break destination.

Prescott to Sedona, AZ

After our brutally hot hike up Picacho Peak, we decide to escape the heat in southern Arizona and head for the mountains to the north, between Pheonix and Flagstaff. We stay just outside of Cottonwood for a few nights and travel to our destinations because mountain roads will not allow travel with our trailer in tow.

Granite Dells at Watson Lake near Prescott

Watson Lake near Prescott is a reservoir within an area known as the Granite Dells. These strangely eroded granite cliffs are made all the more beautiful by the clear water.

The lake is a popular water recreation area. People are kayaking, paddle boarding and boating with electric motors. No swimming is allowed because it is a reservoir for residents' household water.

The dam at the end of the lake. A trail leads around the entire lake, up and over the rocky formations, but we hike only to the dam and back to the parking lot, a total distance of perhaps just over one mile.

Many water birds (ducks, cootes and herons) enjoy the lake and these still coves.

Jerome - Once a copper mining town then reduced to a mere ghost town after the depression, Jerome is now a vibrant tourist destination boasting art galleries with local works.

Jerome's most famous landmark - The Grand Hotel. Originally a hospital, the restored building sits high atop Cleopatra Hill overlooking the entire valley and the city of Cottonwood.

Looking out from the hotel parking lot, we can see across the valley to the red rock hillsides of Sedona and the snow-capped San Fransisco Mountains outside of Flagstaff to the north.

Me outside the lobby entrance of The Grand Hotel.

Just down the street from the hotel is "The Surgeon's House", now a B and B. With the same view as the hotel, we can only imagine how relaxing it would be to sit on the patio here enjoying happy hour.

Sedona

Since we only have one day to explore Sedona, we decide on an easy hike up Fay Canyon. Ten years ago, at the end of the maintained one mile trail, the underside of this rock face fell into the canyon some 30 feet below where Brad is standing.

Typical us, we scramble past the rock fall and find a narrow foot path that skims along the edge of this cliff. We have a picnic lunch enjoying the solitude.

Brad looking down Fay Canyon.

A strange rock formation along the main trail in Fay Canyon.

Brad atop Fay Arch (the black arrow is pointing to him), accessed by a small trail branching off the main trail and not signed. The sheer size of the cliff face is certainly impressive.

Brad at the viewpoint at the top of Airport Road, overlooking the city of Sedona. Buildings are hard to see because they are intentionally built to blend into the red rock surroundings.

Picacho Peak State Park, AZ

Almost half way between Phoenix and Tucson lies an ancient landmark called Picacho Peak. Picacho is Spanish for Peak, so Peak Peak translated! Wait until you see...

First, the desert here is a lucious green thanks to all the rain that has fallen this season. The poppies and cacti are starting to bloom and add splashes of colour to the usual brown landscape.

A glimpse of the peak (the one on the far left which is the highest just looks smaller because it's further away) from our campsite. Are you sure you want to do this? Because it kind of looks like a vertical cliff from here.

So, the peak is a 1,500 foot climb from the desert floor, and it's pretty much straight up. Here, Brad is "in the saddle" (he's at the bottom middle and blends nicely into the scenery.) So far, we've climbed 1,000 feet up. Sadly, the next part of the journey takes us down several hundred feet, then back up to the peak.

A beautiful barrel cactus growing out of the rock which is an eroded lava flow, although the actual volcano has yet to be found.

Marilyn climbing straight up a wall. Much of this part of the trail includes pulling ourselves up using cables (imagine being the person who put these cables into the rock?). Upper body strength is a bonus here. And yes, it's a long way down if you fall, so hold on tight.

Finally, after about 2.5 hours, we're at the peak. The spatter of white specks in the valley between Brad and the dark rock to his left is the campground.

Heading back down. Really, for me, coming down is harder than going up. First, my knees don't like the strain. Second, the perspective is a lot more frighteniing as you get to see how far below the valley is, although I'm not afraid of heights (good thing).

This is the toughest section going up or down. The rock provides only tiny points and ledges to balance my stiff hiking boots on. Again, using my arms helps enormously.

Same shot as the last one with a slightly different perspective (the blue dot is me). See how much more scary it is when you can see how far up we are?

Sometimes the space between the cable and the rock is very narrow with barely enough room for my feet. I feel like a mountain goat. Or I wish I was one.

Both Brad and I agree that this is the toughest part of the hike. Here, we are climbing back up into the saddle to cross over from the south to the north side to begin the 1,000 journey down to the parking lot. Not only is this part steep requiring us to pull ourselves up by the cables, but it's HOT. The dark rock is over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the late afternoon sun. I think I am going to die. Obviously, I don't.

All in all, I will say that this is the most challenging hike Brad and I have ever done. It is fun only in the way that a sense of accomplishing an almost impossible task can be. If we are ever to hike this trail again, we will need to be in much better shape and about 20 years younger! Cross another one off the bucket list.