Wednesday, December 31, 2008

New Year's Adventure

Sand Island Rock Art Mother FigureI'll be heading out on a little trip tomorrow, starting the new year off right. I want to take photos of the lowest point in Utah, a spot in Beaver Dam Wash southwest of St George.

I assume it will also be the warmest point. On Friday temps in St George are expected to climb to 52 F with partly cloudy skies. That sounds right balmy after the frigid snowstorms we've had lately in northern Utah.

I'll have to explore a bit to find my way from Littlefield AZ up to the Utah border. I've heard that rough dirt roads will get me close and then I'll hike. The wash runs from north to south and so the lowest point in Utah will be where the wash crosses the Utah/Arizona border.

According to Google Earth, the elevation at the lowest spot is about 2180 feet above sea level. St George is at about 2560 feet.

I'll do a couple other moderate hikes while I'm down there, enjoying mild temperatures, sunshine and desert scenery.

Beaver Dam Wash comes out of a rugged, mountainous area along the Utah/Nevada border. Up high the canyon is deep and narrow and I understand there is a stream that supports a little trout fishing. I'll have to check out that area in late spring - it is buried under deep snow right now.

On the southern end the wash flows through open country, on the edge of the Mojave Desert, with Joshua trees adding color to the hillsides. It is completely different than any other part of Utah and is scenic in its own right.

Meanwhile, I've been improving this website, adding more photos and more info on fishing waters. Here are my latest:
- Starvation Reservoir
- Mantua Reservoir
- Sand Island Rock art

I still need to find my Starvation photos. I know I have some good ones but I don't remember where I put them.

I'll be following this format to add info about more waters during the coming weeks, until I've covered all of the popular fishing spots in Utah.

I am fascinated by the Sand Island Rock art panels, in particular by the wide assortment of fanciful animals and by the apparent maleness and femaleness of the humanoid figures. The Mother figure (shown above) is particularly interesting.

- Dave

Monday, December 22, 2008

Probing The Four Corners

I've just completed updating the Four Corners Monument pages on utah.com. See them here.

It was a fun project, particularly since I had to go down there and hike, take photos and shoot video. Not a bad way to spend work time.

We'll soon expand on that and enhance the entire San Juan County/Monument Valley section of the utah.com site. I was able to take a bunch of good photos while I was in the area, and they will really help as we work to improve utah.com. I've already added many of my best shots to my RedRock photo gallery.

My Four Corners trip was fun, and very productive. From it I got this content.

- Four Corners text, photos and video clip
- New Hovenweep photos
- Wolf Man Rock Art photos
- House on Fire Ruin photos
- Edge of the Cedars State Park photos
- Goosenecks of the San Juan Ste Park photos

And I shot at a few other miscellaneous sties, like Recapture Reservoir.

I also took photos at Sand Island rock art site, but apparently I forgot to post them. And I got some gorgeous shots of sunset along Comb Ridge. I'll get them posted this week.

I can't wait until I can schedule another trip. I'll go ice fishing sometime - have to do that a couple times a year - but I prefer the desert sunshine. If it ever stops snowing I'll flee south.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Elk Viewing Begins Friday at Hardware Ranch

During winter, Hardware Ranch provides a remarkable opportunity to view wild elk at close range - and that includes some large bulls.

DWR feeds elk at the ranch so they won't migrate down the canyon and destroy crops, so large numbers of animals gather there. Wagon or sleighs are used to transport the hay, and they also carry visitors out into the elk herd. The ranch will open for elk viewing on Friday, Dec. 19, 2008.

DWR provided the photo at right and the news release below:

See Hundreds of Wild Elk

Hyrum -- You can take a sleigh ride that will get you up close and personal to as many as 600 wild elk.

The rides are available four days a week at the Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area.

On Dec. 15, about 100 elk were at the ranch. Now that winter weather has arrived, more elk should be visiting the ranch soon.

Hardware Ranch is 17 miles east of Hyrum. Its winter elk viewing season begins Dec. 19. The WMA offers the following during its winter season:

Sleigh rides
Enjoy the sights and sounds of Utah’s state mammal by taking a sleigh ride through a herd of up to 600 Rocky Mountain elk.

The sleigh rides last 20 to 30 minutes. They wind through the center of the elk herd and make occasional stops so you can get a perfect photograph.

During the rides, the sleigh drivers share the history of the ranch and explain why the elk behave like they do. They’re also happy to answer questions you might have.

The sleighs are pulled by a team of large breed draft horses. If snow conditions get poor, the sleighs can be converted into wagons.

Visitor center
In addition to the sleigh rides, the Hardware Ranch WMA also operates a visitor center. The center has interactive wildlife displays and staff who can answer your questions.

When it’s open
The WMA’s winter season should run until March 16. The ranch is open during the following days and times:

Friday – noon to 5 p.m.
Saturday – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday – noon to 5 p.m.

If you want to take a ride through the elk herd, you must buy a ticket at the visitor center before 4:30 p.m. The last sleigh ride leaves at 4:30 p.m.
The sleigh rides cost $5 for those nine years of age and older, and $3 for those four to eight years old. Children three years of age and younger can ride for free.

How to get there
The Hardware Ranch WMA is located at mile marker 22 on SR-101 in Blacksmith Fork Canyon. The ranch is about 115 miles north of Salt Lake City (about a two-hour drive). It’s about 17 miles east of Hyrum and 22 miles southeast of Logan.
Good lodging, food and entertainment are readily available in Cache Valley, within 45 minutes of the ranch. The roads up Blacksmith Fork Canyon are usually plowed and sanded by noon each day.

For more information about the Hardware Ranch WMA, call (435) 753-6206 or visit hardwareranch.com on the Web.

Hardware Ranch is a wildlife management area owned and operated by the Division of Wildlife Resources. It provides important big game winter range for elk, deer and moose.

###

Friday, December 05, 2008

See You on the Radio

KSL Radio has an outdoors talk show that airs Saturdays from 6 to 8 am. Tim Hughes, the host, is a friend and occasionally invites me to participate - usually calling in and talking for a few minutes while I'm on my way to some adventure.

He has invited me to join him in studio tomorrow, which means I need to get up early enough to be in downtown Salt Lake City before 6 am. What a terrible thing to do on a Saturday morning.

But it is always fun to get with Tim and participate in the show.

Listeners call in and report on their adventures and also ask questions.

Tim wants me to talk about my recent trips and to give an update on what we're doing at utah.com.

So, if you happen to be up and about, dial up the show and take a listen.

KSL Radio - 102.7 FM & 1160 AM

- Dave

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Me and The Wolf Man (Rock Art)

Price River(See more photos from this trip.)

Comb Ridge is a daunting barrier of nearly solid rock that runs north-south through southeastern Utah, from the Blue Mountains down to the San Juan River. It cuts through the heart of "Anasazi Country," an area where there are thousands of rock art panels and ruined cliff dwellings left by various ancient cultures over time.

I'm not making an overstatement when I say thousands, and my goal is to find and photograph every one of them. Ok, more realistically, to photograph as many as possible, focusing on the most interesting sites first. It is a fun hobby. I post photos and text descriptions of the sites here and so you can watch my progress. I'm getting a pretty good collection.

The sites are always unique, always interesting. With rock art, some similarities are often repeated and give clues to its origin. Some of the oldest images show imposing, god-like creatures in the Barrier Canyon style, attributed to Archaic tribes. The Anasazi and Fremont often created images depicting things important to their daily lives: big horn sheep and other animals suggesting successful hunts, powerful warriors guarding villages, great gods intervening on behalf of their people - that kind of thing.

So I was surprised and fascinated when I stumbled upon the guy shown in my photo at right. Locals call him the Wolf Man. He appears to be super-human, perhaps a deity of some sort. He is surrounded by fanciful forms that are totally unique - I've never seen rock art images quite like them anywhere else on earth.

To me, the Wolf Man doesn't fit into any of the normal categories. Who is this guy and what are those strange objects around him? Is that a smiling cat next to a fish skeleton? How about that flying fish? (See my gallery for more and larger photos.) Surprisingly different. That's part of the fun of hunting for rock art - you never know what you'll find.

Actually, I didn't just stumble upon him. I hunted him down by searching Comb Ridge's cliff faces and alcoves. If wasn't hard to find him. I had a good description of the area and he isn't far off the paved road. From the town of Bluff, drive west for about five miles, following Hwy 191 and then Hwy 163. Just before Hwy 163 cuts through Comb Ridge you will see a good dirt road heading north (San Juan County Road #262). Drive north on Road #262 for about 1 mile to a fence and information booth. At that point turn west onto a rough track that follows the fence line to the edge of Comb Wash. (You can drive right to the edge of the wash in a high clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle. If you are in a passenger car you will have to park along the route and walk, but the distance isn't great.)

The route becomes quite rough as it approaches the edge of Comb Wash. It crosses an area of solid slickrock and you have to pay attention to see where it goes. It is easy to lose the route in that area, but that makes little difference. Just proceed west to the edge of the wash and then hike south along the edge until you find a way down the cliff.

Proceed until you will find a natural rock ramp that provides easy access to a shelf about halfway down the cliff. Once on the shelf, look south and you'll see an alcove that obviously once sheltered an Anasazi structure (now crumbled to dust). Just down-canyon from the alcove you'll find the rock art.

If you are able to drive to the edge of the wash, the total round trip hiking distance is less than one mile. If you have to park along Route #262, you still won't have to hike more than 2 miles.

The weather was perfect for hiking when I visited the area on Nov 30, 2008. Sunny and mild. I was able to explore several ruins and rock art sites and I'll post information about them over the next couple weeks.

I'm now looking forward to getting back down there.

- Dave

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Green River & Other Video Clips

Green RiverWe are working on a bunch of Green River fishing videos. These are still works in progress but you can see them here.

Some time ago we interviewed Dennis Breer, a prominent Green River fishing guide, and had him give tips to help people catch more fish on the Green. We intended to set up demonstrations to show the tips, but never found time. Dennis passed away a couple weeks ago in a freak accident.

His tips are very good and we elected to use them. So the videos include his voice and generic fishing scenes from the Green River. The clips would certainly be better had we filmed the demonstrations, but they are worthwhile in their present form.

Over time I'll link the clips to articles that elaborate on the tips.

We've also completed and posted our Notch Peak hiking video. On our hike to the peak we shot video as well as still photos, and you can see the resulting clip here. I think it is pretty good - it gives viewers a realistic idea of what the hike is like.

On trips like that we just shoot as we go, not taking time to stage scenes or control the environment like you would do if you were making a Hollywood movie. We're more like news photographers, just out to capture whatever action we stumble upon.

I'm probably heading to Monument Valley and the Four Corners Monument this weekend, on assignment for utah.com/ with specific instructions to create a video clip that gives an overview of the Four Corners area.

Utah.com gets a lot of traffic from search engines and it is interesting that Four Corners consistently ranks as one of the top search terms. Apparently there is considerable interest in the monument.

We’re not quite sure why, because there really isn't much at Four Corners itself. The area right around the monument is flat and has little scenic appeal.

The monument is on Navajo Nation land and they control it. They have set up a visitor center where they sell craft items and traditional foods. It is kind of neat to see the monument and I always enjoy viewing the crafts and visiting with the craftsmen. But the monument is quite a distance out of the way, no matter what direction you are going, and so I seldom make the effort to drive to it.

Perhaps all the website hits come from fourth graders doing reports for their US history classes.

In the greater area you have Monument Valley, Mesa Verde, Hovenweep and other fascinating places that I love. I visit them as often as possible.

Anyway, I'm supposed to make a video that shows what the monument is really like. Should prove interesting.

While down there I plan to search out some ancient rock art and Anasazi ruins. If the weather cooperates it will be a fun trip.

- Dave

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Hiking Notch Peak in Utah's West Desert






See more of my photos from this hike.

This article gives more details, and has directions to the trailhead.

Utah's west desert is an amazing paradox - an alien-looking land, forbidding yet starkly beautiful. It offers great hiking options and I enjoyed challenging one of its best summits last weekend.

We climbed Notch Peak, which rises some 5,185 feet above the surrounding desert. The peak's south side has a section that is sheer for about 2,200 feet - and that makes it a cliff of major magnitude.

El Capitan, the famous rock mass in Yosemite National Park, has a vertical rise of about 3,000 feet. As precipices go, Notch Peak is almost as impressive, if you combine its vertical and almost vertical sections, but Notch is virtually unknown because it is located in Utah's remote, desolate west desert.

From the top of Notch, looking almost straight down for most of a mile, the feeling is overwhelming. Vertigo is common as you move toward the edge. It sometimes feels like a mysterious force is sucking you toward the cliff. Hikers innately respect the mountain; most lie on their bellies as they peer over the edge.

Most of the towering cliffs in Zion Park drop a meager 1,500 to 2,000 feet straight down. Aside from Notch and the Yosemite peaks, I don't know of another precipice in the US that boasts such an impressive sheer face.

I've wanted to hike Notch for some time, and finally made the trip last weekend. It was a great experience, well worth the effort.

Notch Peak is located west of Delta, about 3.5 hours from Salt Lake City. The hike is moderately strenuous, about 8 miles round trip. We made it up and down in about 5 hours, and that allowed time to play on top.

There is no formally designated trail and you need route-finding skills to make this hike. A topo map is essential and a GPS comes in handy.

We approached from the east and followed a winding canyon up to a saddle just below the summit. Hiking in the canyon is relatively easy but you do have to bust through some brush and climb around one dryfall. You also ascend a series of ledges, almost stone steps. Hiking through the canyon is fun and moderately adventurous. We had a couple kids with us, ages 12 and 13, and they made it with no problem.

As you come out of the canyon onto the open ridge, you gain a panoramic view of the surrounding desert. You feel like you've been transported to some distant planet, with alien-looking landscape falling away in front of you. The surrounding desert is mostly flat and devoid of life. The glassy waters of Sevier Dry Lake reflect distant brown mountains, with snowcapped mountain peaks visible in the far distance.

You look out over hundreds of miles of desolate country, no cities or towns in sight, a few roads the only signs that humans have impacted this vast land.

Views from half-way up the mountain are impressive and the wonderment grows with each step as you approach the summit.

The final push to the saddle is steep and exhausting, even if you are in good shape. You hike over small, loose pieces of broken shale and that makes for poor footing. This section of the hike is short but more difficult than it looks.

When you reach the saddle just below the peak, the summit rises a couple hundred feet above you to the left. To the right, we followed the ridgeline to another saddle, a little lower, where we were able to take photos that captured most of the peak's dramatic rise.

Bristlecone pine trees grow in a grove adjacent to this second vantage point. They are amazing trees, some thousands of years old. Gnarled and scarred, bristlecones are the oldest living things on earth. Some, on nearby Wheeler Peak, are thought to be more than 4,000 years old.

For something to live for thousands of years, you would think it must grow in the best soil, in a spot where temperatures and other conditions are favorable. Not so. These trees push their roots down into cracks in the rock, where there is little soil available, and the soil that is available is poor. They grow at high altitudes, here about 9,200 feet, on windswept slopes where summer days are very hot and winter nights are bitter cold.

The grove on notch is impressive.

Notch Peak makes a great hike - perhaps the best in the west desert. One of the best in Utah.

- Dave Webb

Hike details:

Notch Peak summit elevation: 9,655 feet

Sevier Dry Lake elevation: 4526 feet

Sawtooth Canyon Trailhead
39.128, -113.364

Canyon Fork
We hiked up Sawtooth for a short distance to a fork; at the fork we went left and stayed in the canyon until we were right under the saddle.
39.1334, -113.373

Saddle below summit
39.1426, -113.406

Notch Peak
39.1427, -113.409

Bristlecone Grove
39.1433, -113.403

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Sale Of Oil Leases Near Utah Parks Causes Uproar

Delicate ArchAn AP news article about the sale of oil and gas leases near Utah national parks is being widely published, and is causing a bit of uproar. The sale is controversial and should be examined. Unfortunately, the AP article includes several misstatements, some so distorted they reek of sensationalism.

Here's the full article. Below are excerpts, with my comments.

"The view of Delicate Arch natural bridge — an unspoiled landmark so iconic it's on Utah's license plates — could one day include a drilling platform under a proposal that environmentalists call a Bush administration "fire sale" for the oil and gas industry."

Delicate Arch is a natural arch, not a bridge. It is extremely unlikely that any present or future lease will result in a view of Delicate Arch that includes a drilling rig. The land features in that area make such a view virtually impossible. The claim is sensationalism. However, other arches on the edge of the park may be within visual range of potential drill sites.

"Late on Election Day, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced a Dec. 19 auction of more than 50,000 acres of oil and gas parcels alongside or within view of Arches National Park and two other redrock national parks in Utah: Dinosaur and Canyonlands."

Dinosaur is a national monument, not a park, and it is not in redrock country. It is located in NE Utah.

Virtually everyone agrees we should not allow drilling around the famous icons managed by the National Park Service. But Arches, Canyonlands and Dinosaur include thousands of acres of remote, seldom-visited backcountry. Here's a related question that deserves to be debated: Do we need to prevent development of land that is close to or within visual range of remote, seldom-visited areas within national parks and monuments?

The New York Times ran this story about the scheduled sales. The Times story does not include sensational claims or gross misstatements. But the tones of both articles make it seem like neither reporter has ever even seen the lands they are writing about.

Below is an excerpt from the Times article:

"The inclusion of the new lease tracts angered environmental groups, which were already critical of the bureau’s original lease proposal, made public this fall, because they said it could lead to industrial activity in empty areas of the state, some prized for their sweeping vistas, like Desolation Canyon, and others for their ancient petroglyphs, like Nine Mile Canyon."

Desolation Canyon is a deep gorge carved by the Green River in central Utah. River rafters enjoy floating the mild whitewater in the gorge, and enjoy the wilderness-like setting there.

The proposed leases are high on the plateau above the gorge and would not be within view from the river. The plateau above the gorge includes a huge amount of land that sees very few humans, aside from a small number of ranchers who run cattle there. It is not a popular area for recreation - there is very little backpacking, hiking and camping activity there.

A few rough roads provide access to the plateau. If the roads were improved, perhaps more people would visit and enjoy the area. Should an oil or gas well be located there, some roads would have to be improved.

Here are questions: Do we protect this area that is "prized for its sweeping vistas" by preventing all development, thus insuring it will remain virtually unused by humans? Or do we allow limited development, including improved road access, and thus open the door for recreational use?

Nine Mile Canyon is another story. There are several existing oil and gas wells in the area, some right in the canyon. The proposed leases are on land above the canyon - not even close to the ancient petroglyphs. Do we need to protect petroglyphs, which are adjacent to existing wells, by preventing future wells on land above the canyon?

These are weighty questions that have been debated for years. Most of the articles written in opposition to development are penned by people who have never seen these areas - who have no idea how big, remote and rugged this country is. They would write better articles if they would come see the land for themselves.

Ultimately, the public needs to decide what land to protect and what land to develop. It is public land. Come see it. Walk the deep canyons and visit the arches and petroglyphs. Then perhaps you can answer my questions.

Watch my Nine Mile Canyon video for more on this subject.

- Dave Webb

Saturday, November 08, 2008

A Boat Without Wheels

Price River BrownThe afternoon was a beautiful today, sunny and warm, and I really wanted to spend a few hours fishing from my boat.

As I was prepping it I noticed one of the trailer's tires was crooked - angled in when it should have been straight up and down. I looked closer and discovered the bearings were gone.

I'm glad I found the problem while the boat was still in my driveway, instead of halfway up Soldier Summit.

By the time I stopped messing with it the afternoon was far gone and I didn't have time to go anywhere.

Lousy way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

It looks like we'll get a storm tomorrow and Monday, then it will clear up and be nice for a few more days. I'll probably sneak away from work early toward the middle of the week and get my fishing fix.

One of my goals is to include a decent photo every time I blog. The photo with this post shows the Heritage Bridge over the Middle Provo, between Midway and Heber City. I took it yesterday as I shop photos for utah.com, so we can improve our Heber area content.

So I was right there, walking above the fabled Provo River. I could hear the fish calling. I had my fly rod in my truck. But I ran out of daylight and did not have time to fish. I would have found a way, had I known my boat trailer was out of commission.

I have a great trip planned for next Saturday, if the weather cooperates. I hope to hike Notch Peak, in Utah's west desert. It is about 10 miles round trip, fairly steep, to one of the most spectacular vistas in the region. Should be fun. I'm still trying to line up a crew to go with me. Let me know if you are interested.

Monday, November 03, 2008

Fishing the Price River

Price RiverSee more of my photos from this trip.

I took the opportunity to fish the Price River for an hour or so on Saturday and was somewhat disappointing.

I've heard many good reports about that river over the years, but nothing at all about it this year. I drive past it many times a year but until Saturday I had never taken the time to stop. Since I was in the area and had a little time to spare, I decided to check it out for myself, hoping to find good fishing for nice browns.

I was there during the final hour before dark - usually a prime time when you are after trout - and I caught two browns, one about 12 inches and the other about 13. Two fish in an hour - that's not terrible, but these were skinny fish.

In the fall most streams run low and clear. This one was low but the water was a little cloudy. I only had time to try a few holes, so I can't really pass judgment on the stream. Nevertheless, I came away disappointed.

I'm interested to hear about other people's experience there.

The Price River drains a widely diverse area. Most of the water comes out of Scofield Reservoir. Above the reservoir the stream is called Upper Fish Creek and it is quality cutthroat water. I've fished there several times and always enjoyed it. Below Scofield it is called Lower Fish Creek, down to the Hwy 6 area. I have never fished there but I understand it is good brown trout water.

Price River BrownThe White River flows alongside Hwy 6 on top of the mountain east of Soldier Summit. The White River has water quality problems and is not considered much of a fishery there along the road.

Downstream from the confluence of the White River and Fish Creek, the stream is called the Price River. It flows for several miles through a deep gorge along the highway and the railroad tracks. It is a pretty stream, with plenty of deep holes.

Maybe I'll get back there some day and give it another try. But it isn't at the top of my priority list.

I had hoped to spend several hours fishing Scofield from my boat on Saturday but my morning projects spilled over into the afternoon and I ran out of time. I needed to go to Scofield to take some photos for a client, and that also took longer than expected. With the afternoon fading fast I didn't even try to put my boat into the water.

As a general rule, I catch more fish per hour when I fish streams, but bigger fish when I fish reservoirs. With just an hour before dark, I figured my best chance to catch a few would come down on the stream. It was a nice diversion - fishing is great at any time and in any place. But this experience did not provide the break I needed.

After a long, hard week this wasn't a particularly relaxing Saturday. Maybe I'll be able to sneak away from work a few hours early and hit another stream during the next day or two. The rhythmic motion of casting gives my body something to do while freeing my brain to process. Hiking works just as well. If I don’t get in enough of that kind of thing, I start to go stir crazy...

Friday, October 31, 2008

Will Work For Fish

Scofield Reservoir RainbowI'm hoping to take the boat up to Scofield for a little fishing tomorrow - I'll go if the weather isn't too bad.

If it is windy I'll leave the boat home and fish a stream somewhere - probably take the fly rod over to the Middle Provo. Unless it is pouring rain - then I'll stay home.

A storm is coming in and it will end what as been a streak of remarkably nice weather.

Sadly, I've been stuck in the office, not out enjoying the sunshine. This was been a busy week. On top of normal work activities, I built this completely new website: homesweethomeutah.org/. Created the design, programmed the pages and posted the text and photos in just two days. It is good info, if you know anyone who needs help buying a home.

I also created this flyer webbstuf.com/tm/zoo-10-30-08.htm supporting Hogle Zoo's efforts to secure more funding. They game me a list of about 18,000 email addresses and I used our special email server to send the flyer to them. Another good cause.

So I'll fish somewhere close to home this weekend, and relax a bit.

Temperatures will be markedly cooler next week - our Indian summer is probably over. But we will yet have mild days that are ideal for hiking the dry desert country.

I would really like to get in two more adventure hikes before winter really sets in. I hope to hike to the top of Notch Peak, in the west desert, and to Kolob Arch in Zion Park. The Kolob hike requires some minor wading but that shouldn't be too bad if I watch the weather.

November looks busy - I'll have to fight to keep stuff from infringing on my hiking and fishing time.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Fishing Powell's San Juan Arm


Lake Powell smallmouth
Typical smallmouth

Lake Powell striper
Our only striper

San Juan arm scenery
A pinnacle alone the San Juan

productive bass lure
This was our most productive lure

See more of my photos here.
See Aaron Webb's article about this trip

Smallmouth bass fishing was great on the San Juan Arm of Lake Powell over the weekend. We enjoyed it very much and had a great trip.

We had hoped to stumble upon a striper boil or two, but could not find any of that action.

We launched at Bullfrog and headed straight for the San Juan - about 40 miles away. We watched carefully for signs of striper boils, since wayneswords.com had predicted there might be decent striper fishing in isolated spots mid-lake. But we saw nothing.

We set up camp in Wilson Creek Canyon and fished nearby coves until dark. We caught smallmouth after smallmouth on shad-imitating lures. Hovering within casting distance of shore, we lobbed our lures up alongside weeds and rocks and then worked them back towards the boat. Most of the fish we caught were small but we managed to hook a few nice ones.

We trolled our lures as we boated between coves. In the open bay I caught a fat, 14-inch striper, the only fish of that species we saw during our trip.

Our camping spot was superb. It was sandy and flat, with a place to build a fire and plenty of kindling. We roasted hot dogs as it grew dark. The moon came up late and so we enjoyed an incredible star show during the early evening.

We seemed to be all alone on the San Juan arm. We saw a couple of houseboats anchored near the arm's mouth, and another group camped on the beach in that area, but we were probably 10 miles from them.

As the starlight grew more intense, a profound quietude settled over the lake. No sounds except waves gently breaking against the sand. The starlight was bright enough to allow us to perceive the form of the towering cliffs surround us, but we could not see details. Away from our group, there was no sight or sound produced by humankind. It was astounding.

The next morning a couple bass boats zoomed by early, and then we had the area to ourselves for the next several hours. About noon a couple more boats came by. It is amazing to have that much solitude on Lake Powell.

We explored up into the Neskahi area before turning back. We were cautious, not wanting to run out of gas. We could have explored a little farther had we been willing to boat downlake to Dangling Rope Marina to fill our tanks before heading back uplake to Bullfrog. Dangling Rope is some 15 miles below the mouth of the San Juan, so that option would have added 30 miles to our trip.

In all, we boated about 120 miles on 27 gallons of gas, in my 18-foot open bow. We had a 5 gallon can full of gas saved for emergencies. We enjoyed calm weather and glassy water during most of our trip. Had we faced a head wind, we would have needed that emergency supply.

Years ago I launched a small car-top boat at Piute Farms and explored the upper part of the San Juan arm. Now that I've gotten into the lower part I can honestly say I've poked around on every part of the big lake. To me, that's an accomplishment worth bragging about.

- Dave Webb

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Lake Powell For Summer's Last Stand


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Conditions look almost perfect and so I'm heading to Lake Powell this weekend. Weather should be very nice. The only down side is the full moon. (I think fishing is better when the moon isn't bright.) Oh well, I can put up with that.

I am actually taking this trip on assignment from utah.com. My mission is to explore and photograph the remote San Juan arm of the lake. That is the only part of the lake I have not been on. After this weekend, hopefully, I'll be able to say I've poked into every canyon on the lake. I'll be blogging and writing about the adventure.

I had hoped to go fish Scofield this afternoon but I haven't been able to free up time. Maybe next week.

I debated between going to Powell and going to Zion Park. Can't go wrong with either choice. But Zion will continue to be attractive for several more weeks. This may be the last weekend at Powell that is warm enough to play in the water.

I've been creating short videos for utah.com, showing scenic adventures around Utah. I'm attempting to embed one here on houseboating lake Powell. Hopefully, the method we're using to present the videos lends itself to embedding. Click on it - I think it is working.

Now's a great time to houseboat Powell. We're moving into the shoulder season and so prices are coming down. Nights are cooling off and it is nice to be in a heated houseboat. Some of the top-of-the-line boats even have hot tubs and fireplaces. Now that's style.

Me, I'll be in a tent on the beach. But I enjoy that type of outing very much. Not a bad way to spend the weekend.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Last Trip With Summer-Like Conditions

Taylor Canyon WaterfallWith the weatherman forecasting beautiful conditions later this week and this weekend, I'm scrambling to plan trips to take advantage of what could be the last summer-like weekend.

Southern Utah temperatures will be pushing into the mid-80s. We will yet have many nice weekends for fishing, hiking, biking and exploring, but this may be the last weekend with temperatures warm enough to enjoy playing in the water at Lake Powell and the Zion Park slot canyons.

What to do... What to do...

I think I'll fish Scofield on Wednesday afternoon. Sneak out of work a little early and take advantage of the sunshine. Reports say fishing there has been very good.

For the weekend, I'm debating between Zion and Powell. Can't go wrong with either of those places.

My boss at utah.com has been talking about sending me to remote parts of the state to do a "Where's Dave" column for our monthly newsletter. I'll see if he really wants to get that going. If he does, I'll try to make this weekend's trip include a destination he wants me to cover.

Last week he had me taking photos around Ogden City, and in the adjoining canyons. The waterfall photo above came from that trip. Here are more.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Shooting Strawberry In The Rain

strawberry reservoir in the rainWent to Strawberry today to shoot video at scenic points around the reservoir. It was a fun trip and we got some good stuff. We fished for a few minutes but didn't catch anything to brag about. Little fish.

I almost didn't go, fearing the weather would not cooperative. It was windy and rainy at my home in Springville and I figured it would almost certainly be worse there. But the reservoir was gorgeous, with storm clouds blowing across, raindrops falling occasionally, sunlight penetrating clouds, a rainbow, all set against a backdrop of golden aspen and deep, green pines.

I only took a few still photos and I present one of the better images at top right.

I'm making a short video presentation about Strawberry. About all kinds of recreation in the area, not just fishing. Fishing is a big part, of course, but I also need ATV riding, snowmobiling, horseback riding - all the major fun activities you can do in that area.

I still need to get some shots of big fish - that is certainly a very important aspect of Strawberry. I'll probably head up in a few days, if the weather cooperates, and do my best to put people on big fish.

I usually do well at the big reservoir. I know people who do far better, who go up every week and know the reservoir like the back of their hand. I go up 3-4 times a year - there are just too many other great places and so I spread myself too thin to become expert on any one.

Actually, what I need to do is take someone who has zeroed in on big fish, and who looks good in front of the camera. I'm much more comfortable behind the camera, so even if I hook a big one I'll want to let someone else land it for the video.

Do any of you readers want to volunteer to catch a big fish on-camera?

- Dave

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Have Quagga Mussels Invaded Utah?

Water and wildlife managers are concerned because they have found the larval form of what could be zebra or quagga mussels in two reservoirs in NE Utah. The suspect reservoirs are Red Fleet near Vernal and Midview on the Ute Reservation).

Further tests are needed, and the larva may not be either of the invasive mussels.

Below are news reports about the concern.

- Troublesome mussels may have invaded Utah fisheries
- Utah waters may have mussels
- Unwelcome mussels may have entered Utah waters
- Despite prevention effort, invasive mussels may

Biologists have waged an intense battle trying to keep quagga and zebra mussels out of our waters. When they become established they cause all sorts of problems. They out-compete native organisms, sucking up available food sources. They clog pipelines and cause other kinds of damage.

The mussels are established in waters close to Utah and so sportsmen are reminded to take care that they don't transport them here. Boaters need to carefully clean boats and equipment before moving from one water to another.

The DWR has this good information about the problem, and how to help keep the mussels out: Quagga mussel update

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Feds Decide Bonneville Cutthroat Is Not Endangered

The US Fish and Wildlife Service ruled Tuesday that the Bonneville cutthroat trout is not endangered. That's good news for the fish and for Utah sportsmen.

The fish was once through to be totally extinct, before small populations were found in isolated streams in the Great Basin. Those populations were carefully protected, and biologists have been carefully transplanting the fish into other suitable streams.

The reintroduction program has been so successful that the fish is not considered endangered. Additional work is needed, and sportsmen need to be flexible as the fish is transplanted into more waters.

Had the fish been declared endangered, the federal government would have taken control of reintroduction efforts. That could have complicated Utah's extensive sport fish stocking program, and resulted in more major fisheries being managed specifically for the Bonneville Cutt, at the expense of sport fishing..

As is, Utah has carefully reintroduced the fish while also enhancing sport fishing in affected areas.

Below are some news articles about the decision.
Cutthroat trout ducks endangered species list
Feds won't extend protections to Bonneville trout
Bonneville Trout Isn't Endangered
Bonneville Cutthroat Stay off Endangered List

Monday, September 08, 2008

New map shows Zion, Bryce, part of Grand Staircase

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the government has released a "new geologic map covering parts of Kane and Washington counties in Utah and Coconino and Mohave counties in Arizona, covering 1,900 square miles."

The map shows Zion and Bryce Canyon nations parks and part of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

The Trip says, "It represents the most recent compilation of the geology for this area and uses new mapping in many places."

It covers some of my favorite areas and so I'm anxious to see it. It will be available at the Department of Natural Resources bookstore, 1594 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City, and probably from other retails, including some on-line sources.

I'll be up at that building tomorrow, helping Blue Ribbon Fisheries plan a new information website, so I'll see if they have any in stock yet.

The Trib also has this interesting new article: Flaming Gorge: Beauty and variety

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Hiking Zion Park's Subway

I was scheduled to lead a group on the Subway canyoneering hike in Zion Park early this week, but we postponed when they posted a flash flood watch. The Subway is a great hike but no place to be in a thunderstorm. We hope to make the trip next week.

I've cleared my schedule so I can go fishing Saturday morning. I'm still debating where to go - if I can actually get away for the whole day I will head up to Moon Lake, in the Uintas. I've wanted to put a small boat with a fish finder on that water, to hunt down the splake. I've got just the boat and so I'm anxious to try it.

Family matters may cut into my day. If that happens I'll probably go to Strawberry.

We're making good progress editing video clips for utah.com. Here are some we've recently created:
- Dead Horse Point State Park
- Slickrock Bike Trial
- Delicate Arch
- Devils Garden
- Arches Windows Section

Check out the amazing video clip on this page showing high water in Cataract Canyon.

The recent court ruling opening streambeds to the public is a major victory for fishermen and other recreationists. It brings the opportunity to fish more waters, but will only stand if sportsmen are responsible and show a spirit of cooperation.

Wes Johnson has written this thoughtful essay about the ruling, and its consequences.

Saturday, August 02, 2008

National Parks Multi-Media Content

People pay me to develop content for their websites. I work hard for them and so I never have time to work on this site. My team has just completed a massive project where we upgraded and expanded the national parks section on utah.com - adding new text, photos and video clips. You can see the new pages here:
- Zion
- Bryce Canyon
- Arches
- Canyonlands
- Capitol Reef

Utah.com ranks very well in the search engines and this content should help keep them right near the top for virtually any search term related to the parks.

Websites are never done - we'll continue to improve the information and add new content, particularly new multi-media.

We'll be adding a large number of new video clips during the next few weeks. We're using video shot for the Utah Office of Tourism. They had a company shoot high quality video for TV spots and other promotions. We're using their "B" roll, which includes some excellent shots of the national parks. We edit it and format it for the web.

We're getting very good at editing video. We're also pretty good at shooting it. Professional, economical and efficient.

Some day we'll have time to develop new clips for this site.
- Dave

Monday, June 02, 2008

Scofield's Sassy Trout

Scofield Reservoir RainbowI fished Scofield Reservoir over the weekend and found action to be surprisingly slow. We caught three - two rainbows and a tiger trout, and had an enjoyable time. The weather was perfect - warm but not hot. The scenery is beautiful up there. The snow is almost gone now - just a little bit in shaded areas.

But, it would have been more enjoyable had we caught a dozen or more trout. We worked hard for our fish, which were fat and fish. Maybe too fat. Definitely well fed, apparently dining on Mayflies. Perhaps the fishing would have been better had the fish been a little more hungry...

Others we talked to reported similar success. Lots of fish in the reservoir, we could see them on the finder. But lazy fish not willing to exert much effort to bit my hook.

But we talked to one buy who was really catching them. He was fishing dead minnows on a long leader under a bobber. Scofield supports a large population of minnows (I think they're red shiners). This guy starts his day by using a minnow trap to catch a bunch, which he keeps on ice and uses as bait throughout the day. (In Utah you can fish with dead minnows, but it is illegal to use them if they are live. Also, the minnows can't be small game fish and cannot be from an endangered/protected species.)

Scofield has a lot of cutthroat and tiger trout that love to eat minnows. Since this guy was using their favorite food, a minnow the fish recognize and love, he was catching big fish all over the place.

Now, I report this with some degree of hesitancy. When I fish I normally practice catch and release, and I fish with flies or lures. When I hook a fish on a fly the hook usually penetrates its lip and is easy to remove. Fish often swallow bait and so the hook goes deep. It is very difficult to release fish unharmed if they have swallowed a baited hook.

I don't have any problem with people keeping a few fish, within the legal limit, if they really will eat them. Scofield has a good trout population and it won't hurt anything if a few fish are harvested. Indeed, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has increased the trout limit at Scofield to 8 fish, to encourage anglers to fish there. (Statewide, the normal limit is 4 trout).

That said, use minnows or other bait if you want a great fishing experience, and you will really eat the fish you harvest.

Me, I'll stick with my flies and lures. It is still early in the season. As the water warms a bit the fish will become more aggressive and I'll do better there.

Scofield is a beautiful reservoir with a very nice campground. It's worth a visit.

- Dave

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Strawberry After Ice-Off


Fishing was tough at Strawberry on Saturday (May 17, 08). We managed to catch 4, all cutts, 17-20 inches, but we had to work for them. Others we talked to had similar reports.

We launched from Renegade and worked the shorelines out from Indian Creek without getting a bite. I thought fish might be moving up toward the mouths of tributaries and so we worked shallow until stopped by weeds, but didn't find the fish.

We marked a few fish as we cruised past the mouth of The Narrows and so we went in. We used the electric motor to crawl up the channel, casting in toward shore, and we had a couple hits but no hookups.

Finally we entered a couple small bays inside The Narrows and that's where we caught our four. All were caught within 2 feet of shore. We had a couple hits out in deeper water but they didn't stick. Two of the fish were caught on a yellow Panther Martin and two were caught on a black Rooster Tail.

We tried many other lures without any luck.

The guys we talked to who had troll caught very few fish.

The fly guys out in tubes caught a few - also working close to shore.

Water was cold and there was still snow down along the shoreline in many areas. The road to Renegade was clear except in one spot where we had to drive through snow. It was no problem pulling the boat through. The launch ramp was fine but there were no docks in the water.

My guess is that fishing will improve within 2 weeks, as the water warms a bit.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Strawberry Tomorrow

I had planned to be a Lake Powell right now, soaking up the sunshine, catching striped bass and enjoying the big lake. But the two guys going with me both had to cancel and so I decided to postpone the trip. I decided it is worth waiting, to share the fun with them.

My plan is to explore the San Juan arm of the lake. That's a long boat ride and I'd definitely like to have an experienced hand or two with me when I make the journey. Reports suggest the fishing is great up there right now. It should hold for a few weeks, and so I'll still get to enjoy it.

Our plan now is to head down on May 29.

Meanwhile, I'll go fish Strawberry Reservoir tomorrow. The ice is off and I think I know where I can find some big cutts.

I've put a nice electric trolling motor on my little boat. Now I want to add a better fish finder. When I get that on I will have a sweet little craft that is good for fishing and very good for cruising and exploring. It will be fun to see how it works.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Great Hike in Zion Park

I enjoyed hiking in Zion National Park over the weekend, soaking in the sunshine while we hunted down ancient Native American rock art. We did find great petroglyphs. Along the way we enjoyed seeing wildflowers in full bloom, and we had fun playing in a waterfall on Pine Creek.

We managed to take some great photos, which you can see by clicking on the links below.

Deertrap rock art, located near the top of the pass between Deertrap Mountain and East Temple, approached via Pine Creek. About 1 mile from the road, up steep slickrock.

Petroglyph Canyon rock art, located just north of Hwy 9 on the east side of the park.

Zion wildflowers. Blooms were approaching their peak when we visited on 5-10. Should be impressive for a few more weeks.

Pine Creek waterfall photos. Located about .5 miles above the bridge where Hwy 9 crosses Pine Creek, just below the switchbacks that lead to the tunnel.

Saturday, May 03, 2008

My Boat's Ready For Powell

I had to postpone my Lake Powell fishing trip - the guys I am taking couldn't get away. So now we're scheduled for mid-May. Maybe that will turn out to be a good thing. The fishing should still be excellent, hopefully the weather will be nicer and the water will be warmer.

It will be a serious fishing trip, but it would be nice it the water is warm enough that we can jump in and play a bit.

I've done basic maintenance on my boat and I think it is ready to go. This delay will give me a chance to test it on a local lake just to be sure. It is a small jet boat that I've rigged for fishing. Not a bad little boat. I do want to put an electric trolling motor on its bow - then it will be a nice setup. Goes fast, economical to run, open so 2-3 people can fish easily. And it goes in shallow water.

I bought the boat so I could go on the Colorado at Lees Ferry and other such spots. Just need to make time to take it out.

Mid-May is coming fast.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Serious Spring Fishing

The next few weeks will bring some of the best fishing of the year and I've decided to make time to enjoy it. I'll start by fishing Lake Powell next weekend.

I don't have the time - business is good and that means I'm busy. But I need and want the diversion and recreation. And the social interaction. I'll fish with family and friends, and hopefully make new friends in the process.

I'm also going to make time to improve this website. It is becoming a valuable resource and it won’t be hard to make it much better. So, I'll be blogging on a fairly consistent basis.

My approach to blogging is changing slightly. I had viewed it as a means to post major, well-thought-out articles. Well, I haven't had time to do that. So, I'll post articles the old fashioned way and use the blog to talk about the website, my plans, what's in my mind - that kind of stuff.

I do look forward to going to Powell - it is one of my favorite places on earth. I hope to get up into the San Juan Arm. I've poked into virtually every canyon on the lake, except those in the distant San Juan, so this trip should help me complete a quest. And the fishing is supposed to be excellent up there.

I'll probably go out of Bullfrog, carrying enough fuel to get up the arm and then back to Dangling Rope.

If any of you have made that trek, I'm interested in hearing from you.

And I welcome comments about all aspects of this site.

- Dave

Monday, March 03, 2008

Sand Hollow and Snow Canyon

By Aaron Webb

Snow Canyon hikersI lived in Leeds, Utah when I a very little child—too young to be cognizant of much. I can’t picture the house; I don’t remember any of our neighbors. But I do have vague memories of the desert, specifically the red rock. I am sure that many of the images that come to my head when I think of my earlier years come from the now-legendary tales of my infant adventures, and not from direct memory, but there are specific images that have always been associated with my years down by St George.

Even after we moved up to Salt Lake City, we continued visiting the deserts of Southern Utah. Much of my dad’s family still lived down there, and we would head to Leeds, Pine Lake, or Black Canyon for family reunions, or just get together with a few uncles, aunts, and cousins and go explore the red rock.

It has been a few years since I have been able to spend consistent time in the Southwest desert as I have repeatedly moved around the country, and out of the country. Iraq is a desert, but without the awesome sandstone that makes up the slot canyons of the Escalante area, or the fins of Arches National Park. Argentina has a wonderful desert up on the northern border with Bolivia, a part of one of the most arid deserts in the world. But it lacks the red rock for which St George and Moab are famous, and the fluted canyons that have drawn tourists from every corner of the globe to Zion National Park.

Only recently, as I have returned to Utah, have I been able to continue my love affair with the desert, taking trips down to the San Rafael Swell, and Moab among other places. I have felt like a wayward son, returning at last to the family that had waited patiently and lovingly for him.

Two weeks ago I had the chance to return to Leeds and St George, my first time back in years. My dad was going down to take pictures of some of the tourist destinations, and my wife, my daughter, and I tagged along with him. Memories of our honeymoon—that is right, you can laugh all you want, but we enjoyed every minute of our honeymoon in the deserts of Southern Utah—came flooding back to us as we dropped down into the valleys below Cedar City. My wife and I marveled again at the awesome glimpses of the Kolob Canyons as we drove down I-15, tucked so cleverly behind the roadside mountains of ‘ordinary’ sandstone and shale.

Zion was not our destination this time, however. We were there to tour Sand Hollow Reservoir and Snow Canyon.

We arrived at Sand Hollow late in the afternoon, just as the winter sun was beginning to sink to the horizon. The red sandstone of the reservoir blazed in the setting sun, contrasting sharply against the dark water and the darkening sky. It was cool, but not cold out, even as the rest of the state readied for another night’s freeze. We only had a half-hour or so to enjoy the scenery before the sun set, so we started scrambling across the red rock on the reservoir shore. We showed Katie (our 15-month old daughter) the bass lurking around the deeper rock-enclosed pools of water, and the hundreds of birds that flocked to the rock-islands out in the middle of the reservoir. She took to climbing the sandstone immediately, and though she needed our help in the endeavor, she enjoyed it immensely and determinedly, refusing to give up. She only fussed when the sun set and we had to take her back to the vehicle.

Our goal for the following morning was to drive into Snow Canyon and find a trail that appealed to us. Though we were not going to take the little girl on a grueling hike, the trail we sought could not be too short, because all of us, even Katie, wanted time to soak up the desert air, and enough mileage to satisfy our itch to explore.

Snow Canyon State Park is gorgeous, 7,400 acres of wilderness consisting of lava-capped plateaus, drifting sand dunes, riparian river bottoms, and the iconic Utah red rock in all of its variety of hoodoos, slots, and spires. There are over 18 miles of hiking trails within the park, along with a well-maintained, full-amenities campground and numerous picnic areas.

We decided on the Hidden Pinyon Overlook, about half-way up the main canyon. It would be short enough to allow us time for other excursions, and to keep the kid happy, but provide a good sampling of the canyon, lava flows and all.

One of the interesting—and potentially—beneficial things about Snow Canyon is how interwoven the trails are. I could hike from the Whiterocks Trail up at the north end, all the way down to Johnson Canyon without touching the main road for more than the one-time, thirty-second period that it would take me to cross it on the way from the Whiptail Trail, towards the canyon.

From the Hidden Pinyon Trailhead, we had the option to follow the Hidden Pinyon loop, or to visit the overlook, or to continue on the Three Ponds Trail, crossing West Canyon Road. Alternatively, we could have headed south or north once we reached the junction with the Whiptail Trail, or entered the Petrified Dunes once we reached its junction.

I would imagine that so many options could seem confusing and disorienting to some visitors, but all of these trails coincide within the same small section of canyon, only 5 miles long, and 2 miles wide, and most of them are within sight and sound of Snow Canyon Drive, the main road that sits at the bottom of the canyon. There are signs placed at nearly every trail intersection, making it easy to judge direction and distance to your destination.

We decided to keep it simple for time’s sake, following along the Hidden Pinyon Trail until it reached the Overlook. There were other hikers on the trail, but not enough to make it crowded, mostly small families. The path was easy to follow and in good repair, but still primitive. I personally do not like hiking trails that are grated and improved so much that they might as well be paved—if that was what I wanted I would be walking on the road. There were some tricky places, where hikers have to duck under an overhang, or scramble between two narrow walls. That kind of hiking adds to the experience in my opinion, and I would have welcomed more. For those who do not enjoy such obstacles, either for problems related to health, age, etc, there are generally secondary routes that go around the obstacle, though I intend on taking the hard way for as long as my aging knees and back permit.

The officials at Snow Canyon, as in so many other areas of Utah, have determined to keep hikers on the pathways and away from the soft sand and vegetation. There are some good reasons for this; desert flora can be very fragile. I know we all imagine the amazingly tough and hardy cacti and junipers when we think of desert flora, even as we tromp through the tiny wildflowers, or the biological soil crust that includes algae, lichens, mosses, and fungi, all vital parts of the arid ecosystem of the desert. There are large sections of bare sandstone for those who are itching to get off of the trails, and the trails themselves are plentiful and interesting enough to sate our wanderlust without having to disturb the environment any more than we have to.

My daughter thoroughly enjoyed the trail, putting more miles on those little legs of hers. She would run away from me when I tried to rescue her from a seemingly difficult section of red rock, preferring to do it herself. I still grabbed her every now and then so that we could maintain a decent pace, more from the fact that she liked to stop and study the bugs, rocks, sand, leaves, and whatever else might have found its way onto the path, than from her not being able to keep up.

Hidden Pinyon Overlook is a bluff that sticks out over the sandstone and lava rock of the West Canyon Road and the Three Ponds Trail. The Overlook itself is capped by black lava rock and scrubby desert brush. The whole Snow Canyon area is one of the gems of greenery that Utah is famous for, tucked into the red and brown folds of the southwest desert.

From where we stood atop the Overlook, the view of the canyon below us opened up impressively. It was very peaceful up there, the only sounds coming from the light winter breeze—remarkably warm despite the horizon-grazing inclination of the sun—and the movement and conversation that we initiated.

Our no-fear daughter was adamant about exploring the very edge of the cliff. It was not a far drop, only 30 or 40 feet before the next tier, but that was enough to make us nervous. Much to her irritation, we kept her away from the bluff, only allowing her to play on the rocks on the trail.

All too soon it was time to head back. We still had a few other places to visit before the short winter day was through, and it was now early afternoon. The hike back down the trail was quicker—we had already explored all of the eye-catching scenery that we could find along the way up, and Katie was tired, so we carried her instead of letting her set the pace.

With Katie and my dad resting in the car, Rebecca and I took a stroll to the Sand Dunes to enjoy some leisure time before leaving the canyon. The Sand Dunes sit at the base of the canyon, below West Canyon Road, and beside Jenny’s Canyon. The area of the dunes is rather small, only a few hundred feet wide, and 1,000 feet long, but still sufficiently large enough to roll down the sides of the dunes, or to play football on the flat stretches. The picnic area is directly above the dunes, as are the restrooms.

There are a number of other amazing hikes within the small confines of Snow Canyon. West Canyon Road is the longest hike among the many within the canyon, open to hikers, joggers, and bikers. It extends from the Sand Dunes to the upper end of the park. The Cinder Cone Trail at the north end of the park takes visitors to the top of a 500-foot cinder cone crater, one of a few that are part of the Santa Clara Volcano, a field of volcanic activity that covers all of St George. Jenny’s Canyon is a small slot canyon just across the road from the Sand Dunes. It is short, easy to get to, easy to navigate, and makes a great candidate for an afternoon of exploration.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Florida Girl Learns to Ski

By Rebecca Webb

(See more photos from this trip)

Rebecca SkiingWhat did I do well? I went fast, very fast. Stopping, on the other hand, proved a tad more difficult for this first time skier.

My never-been-skiing-either sister, Rachel, met us before we headed out at 10 Saturday morning to rent equipment in Orem before making it to Sundance. David explained that the equipment and prices are always better when rented someplace other than the ski resort (and after the $5 hotdogs I was a believer!).

The entrance to the rental room was in the back of a posh sporting goods store but the restroom was in the front so I spent some of my time running around the building. The helpful employees explained the package options and proceeded to help us locate the necessary equipment. “The ski boot is suppose to fit tight,” they explained, so when the heel of my fat, uh, wide foot had lots of wiggle room the knowledgeable employee handed me an entirely different model shoe. Cool. But since this one seemed to fit even worse and the rest of my party were just about finished with their renting I went with the first pair. The whole process took longer than I had expected, 45 minutes or so for the 3 people needing supplies. I was glad we arrived when we had because I would have hated to be part of the line that formed behind us. Some advice, do not over-tighten the boot knob in an effort to compensate for heel freedom; it only serves to cut off vital blood flow to the leg.

Rebecca FallingSo with boots, poles and slender pieces of composite material, we headed off. In an effort to ward off the cold I did what any supply-lacking, warm-blooded (and intelligent) person would do: I dressed in layers. Unmentionables, long johns, jeans and sweatpants covered my bottom half while the turtleneck, shirt, sweater and coat engulfed my top. Now, you can laugh, but of all the things I was that day, I was not cold.

Parking provided a practice-run in skiing. We were directed to park in an obscure location and given the option of skiing down a steep hill to the lift or “hike” down to the road to catch a bus of sorts. I thought the steep hill suggestion was a joke offered by the glove-less traffic director but marks in the snow proved otherwise. I’m sure the fact that we decided to go skiing on a holiday weekend at Sundance during the Sundance Film Festival had nothing at all to do with the crowds. Still, compared to Disney World, it was nothing.

Hiking downhill in skis and/or ski boots is probably doable if you are familiar with how to ski. Much to the amusement of others, my sister and I spent most of our time learning how to get up. Once we made it to the road it did not take long to board and be dropped off near the park’s entrance. We waited in line to exchange our vouchers for lift tickets. Most people were purchasing lift tickets, which come in either half or full day allowances. I concluded that I would probably only make use of a half-day ticket. Why? Because it’s extra cold in the morning so I wouldn’t make it out as soon as the park opened and then after all the physical excursion and injuries to be had, a full day would be cut short. Nope, half a day would be long enough for this beginner. A word of advice, we were given a thin metal triangle and a sticker that made up the ski lift pass. Attach the metal device onto the zipper of your outer coat and then cover the device’s opening with the adhesive ski lift pass. This way it doesn’t fall off while you’re cursing/tumbling down the mountain.

Now, not everyone in the party was to be skiing this day. David would be taking photos and Jenny and Xanthe were going to be snow boarding. Jenny has had a bit of practice and enjoys this high-speed balancing sport but Xanthe was as inexperienced at snow boarding as a baby is to crawling. After her first frustrating, long and painful trip down the slope she traded Aaron for his skis. It worked out perfectly really, my husband had a great time bruising his caboose (literally) and Xanthe enjoyed staying upright.

Watch out for the ski lift. It consists of benches that fit 3-4 people. (Neat side note: Sundance’s lift is operated on wind energy!) That seat will come up on your fast and knock you right over if not careful. I found the key was to be positioned in front of the bench, in a row with your companions and ready to sit before it comes around. The first time for me was rough because the workers won’t stop the machine for anything!

Going up the mountain was as inspiring as skiing down it is exhilarating! If you hold your breath and ask your companions to shush, there is just crisp cold, white snow, sturdy evergreens peaking out from beneath and an amazing presence of silence. It’s gorgeous.

The lift exit comes up quick and I had to watch the people in front of me sliding off to know that I wasn’t intended to continue all the way up the mountain. Getting off the lift proved pretty easy because you just have to give a little hop down and you’re there! Seeing that the benches then quickly rise up left me with no worry about being hit in the back of the head.

Most of the first trip down was spent getting back up after a fall. The concern about breaking an ankle was lessened after I found that the boot would disconnect from the ski when I fell at a threatening angle. There are only two down sides to this. 1) The ski can slide away from you while it is detached and 2) getting the boot clicked back in is a challenge when just standing is difficult. Still, I got the hang of it. I found that leaning some of my weight onto my poles made it easier.

Back on my feet, I’m cruising down this mountain, trying to keep the snow off my glasses when the next thing I know is that I have to find the beanie because it belongs to someone else. It took several seconds to gather enough of my wits to realize my glasses were missing. By this time pain was spreading from the side of my face, which had apparently made contact with the ground, throughout the rest of my head. This was bad. What a hard fall! Was there blood? No. Glasses were still intact and I spotted the beanie several feet away. This was it; I was not going to go down again. Or would I?

I made it down the rest of the mountain by falling whenever the trees zipped by too quickly. Speed wasn’t so much the problem as not knowing how to slow down! I was trying everything people suggested but it just didn’t seem to work for me! Unfortunately, the last slope is the steepest but dropping my rear and going down on three “skis” made it possible.

Everyone in our party met up at the foot of the hill and shared stories. Xanthe had a rough time on the snowboard but Jenny had stayed with her. Aaron wanted to try the snowboard and Rachel had also fallen a lot. Everyone prepared to head down a second time and I just had to go again, I couldn’t waste a ski lift pass! But oh how my head hurt!

No lift mishap the second time around had me feeling like we were off to a good start. Aaron spent most of his time falling down the first slope but it was good practice for him. Apparently, snowboarding presents quite a challenge. Xanthe was managing well on her skis and Rachel seemed to be falling less.

As for myself, I rationalized that I would dedicate the first few, more level slopes to improving the slowing techniques. Things did not go as planned. I couldn’t slow down! Now, at first the speed is exhilarating. How could it not be? I could feel the cool air whipping around but it just felt crisp and wonderful. The skis made the same sound like they do on TV and I suddenly understood adrenaline junkies. However, “You’ll have to stop sometime,” became conscious and I wanted to cry. Thank goodness I could steer! Leaning to one side and the other came so natural. Avoiding gazing bystanders and using the zigzag technique to dampen gaining speed I shot down the mountain. The resolved to fall in order to stop was painful but what else could I do? So that would be the plan, stay upright (but crouched to maintain some control) until the very last slope and throw myself on the mercy of the land. That’s just what I did.

Upon seeing someone speeding down the mountain, David began to snap photos from the bottom of the slopes when suddenly, a cloud of dust. After realizing whom it was he was considerate and tried to keep the laughing to a minimum. But I didn’t care, for all that mattered at that point was: I hadn’t hit my head! What fun.

Careful contemplation concluded that I owed it to society to not go down again until I’d learned how to slow down and stop. So I took the advice offered earlier and joined the tiny kids on their little slopes to practice. I felt a little like Will Ferrell in Elf at Santa’s shop. Still, the skills improved and I had a good time.

Everyone else enjoyed themselves too. On her fourth time down Rachel proudly announced, “I didn’t fall this time and I even went faster!” I was just a tad bit jealous. If I get a chance to do it all over again I will certainly still dress warmly but add waterproof gloves. I will be sure to stay hydrated this next time and to practice practice practice before heading to the big slopes.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Petrglyphs and Pictograms

Black Dragon Rock ArtBy Aaron Webb

(View more photos of Black Dragon Canyon; photos of Petroglyph Canyon. Area map.)

Somewhere around the New Year, I had a chance to make a quick trip down to the San Rafael Swell and to take my toddling daughter along for the ride. This would be her first hiking trip—she is only 14 months old—and I was excited to see how she would handle the uneven, rocky trails, and the separation from a warm, comfortable home, with toys, sippy cups, and most importantly, mom.

We were tagging along with my father, little sister, and the family dog. Our goal was to find Black Dragon Canyon and Petroglyph Canyon near the junction of Highway 6 and Interstate 70. We wanted to get some pictures of the artwork, and of the surrounding rock formations. Beyond that, it was simply an excuse to get away and enjoy the marvelous outdoors that Utah offers.

Along with Katie’s first time hiking, this was my first time in a while (I’m not going to count military marches), and I was more than a little excited to be scrambling through the redrock again as I had as a youth.

The drive from Utah County to the San Rafael Swell was relatively quick, only three hours—I am used to 18 hour trips where 12 of them are spent on the road, just to nab some photos of an arch or a set of dinosaur tracks. But three hours is still long for a girl who is has just barely seen her first Halloween. So I was delighted when my little girl was pleasant almost the entire way. I owe my sister, Xanthe, for that one. She is great with kids, and Katie has taken an instant liking to her. We spent a little more time at each fuel stop in order to let her run around and explore the snow. That seemed to keep her happy. You can never appreciate too much having a baby that is easily amused and well-behaved on a long car trip.

The temperature had dropped as we reached Soldier Summit, but now continued to steadily rise as we neared our sanctuary: the vast reaches of the magical Utah desert. I ought to let you know now that I grew up in Salt Lake, among other places, but almost all of my remaining childhood memories take place within the slot canyons, evergreen forests, and hoodoos of southern Utah.

By the time we reached the San Rafael Swell, the temperature had finally started flirting with a warm 32 degrees Fahrenheit or so. Perfect for us seasoned wasteland-dwellers. Katie on the other hand was not so thrilled. She has been hesitant in her acceptance of snow, something I had not expected. When we moved here from North Carolina, I had fully expected her to delight in the wondrous Christmas snow. Instead, she—the daughter of a Floridian girl, mind you—had tentatively touched it once, and then signaled that she wanted mommy to pick her back up.

And now she was staring dubiously at the frozen ground as we got out of the truck and started preparations for the short hike to Black Dragon Canyon. I mentioned that it was warmer now. Sure, warmer than the negative temperatures that we had been watching tick across the display of our vehicle on the way up Soldier Summit. But a temperature of a few degrees short of freezing is darn cold if you’re brand-spanking-new to it.

Katie did remarkably well. At first, starting away from the truck, I was holding her. I would put her down in the dry wash, trying to urge her to hike with us, to explore. She would take a few steps, get uncomfortably mired in a patch of sand or half-way atop a teetering rock, and she would start to whine for help. Then I would pick her up and catch up with my dad, sister, and our border collie.

It only took twenty minutes for her to become comfortable with the concept of hiking. She still struggled and fell every here and there, but she adamantly refused my hand from there on out. By the time we reached the black dragon, she was ignoring my attempts to help her climb, preferring to find her own way up the rocks. I just climbed beside her, ready to catch her when she fell.

The rock art panels in Black Dragon Canyon are marvelous. There are ornate human figures, a dog, and of course, the dragon. They are located just over half a mile up the canyon, at the base of the looming north wall—though it requires a bit of a scramble up the mounds of fallen stone and deposited sediment in order to reach the base of the rock face. The rock art is surrounded by a log barrier that makes them hard to miss. The barrier has an opening at the trailhead that leads up the loose rock.

Unfortunately, the dragon and its cohorts have been vandalized—someone outlined the drawings with white chalk. For some reason, past visitors have felt the need to add their own artistic signature to those of the ancient Indians; they scrawl or gouge their graffiti with complete disregard for the history and preservation of our dwindling examples of ancient southwest art. Just as bad, but somehow excusable to such people, they outline ancient rock art in chalk to better photograph them and make it easier to notice the figures from the trail. These practices destroy petroglyphs and pictographs and ruin the exciting experience of searching for and finding such sites for future generations.

Finding rock art is a spiritual experience for me. There is something profound about the sincere representation of a person’s life, culture, and religious beliefs left scribed onto the side of a cliff for me, hundreds or thousands of years later to come along and ponder. The earliest forms of writing and recorded history were conceived on the walls of ancient caves and canyons, giving us a link to those who passed on so long before our modern world.

I sat under the eaves of the north wall, Katie playing in the rocks at my feet, and I gazed up at the massive canyon that rose about me. The subdued red, brown, and gray of the sandstone contrasted sharply against the crisp blue sky. As I sat there I realized that I have not seen a sky so crystal blue in a long time; it almost seemed electric. I have been back east, and in the Middle East for quite a while now, surrounded by the haze and the humid gray of development and smog. Even Iraq lacked the color of the San Rafael desert around me. This was a therapy session for me.

All too soon it was time to move on. We backtracked toward the truck, walking slow so that Katie could keep up with us. She would stop every thirty seconds or so and examine the pebbles on the trail. She likes to take rocks home for her mommy. We got back to the truck eventually and drove to the trailhead for Arch Canyon and the route to Petroglyph Canyon. I took twenty minutes to run up Box Spring Canyon located at the trailhead, taking pictures of the frozen creek, while the others ate.

Then we were following a ravine that ran perpendicular to the reef, into Arch Canyon. The hike up the westward canyon is short, though steeper than Black Dragon, which is relatively flat up to the dragon itself. Arch Canyon splits a little ways in, going to the right while the tiny Petroglyph Canyon heads left. We went to the end of Arch first, eager to explore. The canyon ends at what could be a decent swimming hole dependent on the temperature of the water—in the cold of winter it served better as a skating rink as we ran and slid across its frozen surface in our hiking boots and running shoes. Katie daintily started out across the ice, and promptly did the splits as her feet flew out from under her. Bewildered but undaunted, she finally accepted my help as she stood and started out across the slippery surface again.

Above the ice rink the canyon walls close in and create a dead end that would require climbing gear to mount. At the top of the canyon wall is a set of three small arches, two of them very close, the third farther down and to the right. These arches give the canyon its name. Arch canyon is labeled as possessing a triple arch, which is a misnomer as the arches are not connected to each other.

We explored the end of Arch Canyon for a bit longer and then turned back to where Petroglyph Canyon branches off of Arch Canyon and heads in a southwesterly direction. Petroglyph is an extremely short, blunted canyon with its rock art along the black-varnished west wall, very close to the end. The walls of Petroglyph were darker than Arch, and very angular. There are two sections of rock art here, petroglyphs of herd animals and their tracks etched into the dark varnished area of wall, and then, harder to find, a faded panel only a stone’s down canyon of that. Sadly, this smaller panel had been vandalized in the past, gouged with a blade. Visitors who witness the vandalism of a rock art site should report it immediately.

Katie was starting to fuss now as we entered the canyon in search of the rock art panels. It was later in the afternoon and she was getting cold and hungry. The early evening wind was becoming frigid, and though she was bundled up, my little girl was starting to feel the clinging cold on the ends of her fingers and nose. That cut our exploration short slightly; we took enough time to find the petroglyphs and take some photos of them, and then we took off, emerging back into the gulch beside the great San Rafael reef.

I carried Katie back to the truck, anxious to get the little kid out of the cold, and to get some food in her belly. I hate hurrying through the sandstone deserts of southern Utah. I enjoy taking my time and soaking in the scenery. Like the ancient petroglyphs and pictographs and their timelessness and mystery, I have always felt that the desert hides great wonders that I will discover if I only stay long enough to watch and listen. I feel different after a weekend of bouldering or canyoneering. It is rejuvenating and awakening. I certainly enjoy the climbing itself. I enjoy the feel of the single-track racing by under my tires. I crave the adrenaline boost that fuels my last pull up a rock face. But there is something underneath it all when I stop and relax. Something subtle and quiet, almost religious.

For Katie, I doubt that the experience was so humbling. Instead, I think that she concentrated on the rock-scrambling. That is all right with me. Culture increases as awareness grows. I am not worried that she will long remain blind to the history and ecology of her home. Until then, it is neat to see her develop a taste for the outdoors, to see her focus on one stone and the path that she will have to take in order to climb around or atop it. I am eager to see in two or three years how much her love for hiking and climbing has grown.

Until then, I am going to continue to share the experience with her. I am going to continue to let her explore the vast deserts and sub-alpine forests of Utah. If she is as much of a sandstone junkie as I am when she grows up, I will know that I have done my job.

Brainwashing at its finest.