Room With A View In Monument Valley

Travelers now have the option of staying right in Monument Valley, in a new hotel located right at the Navajo Tribal Park. The hotel is called The View and it offers the only lodging available right in the valley.

The new hotel is described in this St Louis Post-Dispatch article. Apparently many people find the article interesting because it is now being reprinted by many new organizations. Below are excerpts.

The View Hotel looks out on one of the most spectacular vistas in the Southwest, the red-rock monoliths rising from the desert floor of Monument Valley. The hotel is the only lodging inside the valley, which straddles the Utah-Arizona border on reservation lands. Each balcony at the hotel frames three of the most famous of the formations, the two Mittens and Merrick Butte.

The enchanting landscape is one of the most photographed in America, and not just by tourists. Visitors to the valley some 60 years ago could have watched John Wayne chase Indians for the filming of John Ford's epic westerns.
Fifteen years ago, you could have seen Forrest Gump stop running.

The Ortega family, Navajos with a longtime reputation as entrepreneurs, built The View Hotel and pay a guest tax to the tribe. The hotel is an effort by the Navajo to bring jobs and visitors to their land. The Hopi, whose reservation is surrounded by the Navajo Nation, also are increasing tours of their villages and building their own hotel in Tuba City.

Harold Simpson, 42, is a Navajo who was born and reared in Monument Valley and now owns a company that gives driving tours of the tribal lands, including areas that are off limits without a guide. "That's our sandbox out there," Simpson said, as his brother, Richard Frank, drove a van over the rutted red-dirt road. "We played in the rocks, climbed in the sand dunes. I was the cowboy, he was the Indian."

Simpson welcomed the opening of The View as a boost to his business.

"We get about 300,000 visitors a year — the Grand Canyon gets into the millions, but that's too much, too overcrowded," he said. "They built the hotel on the perfect spot. Environmentally, they've tried to do the right thing with it. Visitors didn't have a lot of choices out here. Most people would drive in for the day and move on.

"The hotel is a good thing. Monument Valley is a special place. It's home, for us."

Grand Gulch Then and Now

My Icebreaker Backpacking Trip

(See more photos from this trip)

I pushed the season and enjoyed a great backpacking trip into Grand Gulch last weekend. We went in on Feb 27 - I think that's the earliest I've ever backpacked in Utah. We encountered a little ice and snow in spots, but not enough to cause problems. And we had the canyon's ancient ruins all to ourselves.

Grand Gulch is a beautiful canyon - it would be worth hiking there just to see the scenery. The big attractions are the many Anasazi (Ancestral Puebloan) archaeological sites. I'm fascinated by the sites and enjoy searching them out.

The Anasazi culture thrived in the Four Corners area some 1,000 years ago. The people formed large communities and built impressive rock structures in the area's rugged canyons. They also left interesting rock art.

You can see impressive Anasazi structures in many places in SW Utah along roadsides or at the end of short hikes. Why would someone want to put in the effort to backpack?

Well, I'm one of those crazy people who enjoy backpacking - getting away from civilization. Grand Gulch is pristine. As you drop down into the gorge you walk away from our modern world. There is no litter in the canyon - not a candy wrapper or coke can. No human sounds save our light footsteps. When the sunsets and the stars come out, they are unbelievably bright. It is a great experience in one of the few places you can still find solitude.

There are usually a few other people in the canyon. You have to obtain permits to hike or backpack there and the number of visitors is controlled to ensure a quality experience. If you want to go, get permits well in advance.

In Grand Gulch, most of the ancient sites still contain artifacts, and that adds to the interest. There are pottery shards everywhere. There are also ancient corncobs and grindstones and other items. More accessible sites have been stripped of artifacts - the stone walls and rock art remain but everything else has been hauled away by vandals.

It has been about 10 years now since my first pilgrimage into Grand Gulch. On this trip I intentionally retraced my original steps and photographed some of the same sites I had visited back then. I was curious to compare photos and see how much had changed during that time span.

Unfortunately, I have to report that I could not find some of the interesting artifacts I photographed 10 years ago. At one site, known as Perfect Kiva Ruin, my old photos show braided cords and a ceramic jug handle, but those items were not to be found.

There were impressive piles of pottery shards, but apparently not the same shards I saw 10 years ago. Every time the wind blows more shards are uncovered. Unfortunately, it appears that some hikers are taking them home. That is illegal and immoral and dastardly, but it appears to be happening.

These sites are fragile. At one point, grave robbers were the biggest threat to their survival. Robbers would bring in equipment and pound sites into rubble, searching for valuable items they could sell. Authorities have cracked down and that kind of activity in now rare. Now the biggest danger comes from respectful hikers, fascinated by the artifacts, who can't resist handling them and taking the pretty ones home.

I'll go back in 10 years and, hopefully, there will still be shards on the ground.
On this trip we took our time, pushed into rugged side canyons, and saw more ruins than I've seen on any of my previous trips. We also saw far more rock art on this trip.

We went in from the Bullet Canyon Trailhead and camped down near Perfect Kiva. From there we hiked and explored, and then returned up Bullet Canyon to our vehicle.
I had hoped to hike down to the Big Man rock art panel, about 9 miles below the junction of Bullet Canyon and Grand Gulch. Unfortunately, time did not allow for that excursion. I hope to get back down there within a few weeks and search that out.

The hiking/backpacking season is just getting started. The ice and snow we encountered with probably be gone within a week or so. Daytime temperatures were nice - perfect for hiking. Nights were cold, but we were prepared for that.

Temperatures will moderate quickly now. March, April and May are ideal months to hike Utah's desert canyons. Summers are very hot and hiking activity wanes. Activity picks up again as temperatures cool in fall.

Grand Gulch is one of my favorites. I recommend it.

- Dave Webb

Early Backpack into Grand Gulch

I'll be backpacking into Grand Gulch this weekend, taking advantage of the marvelous spring-like weather we are enjoying.

It is a little early in the season for such a backpack - so, I'm being cautious. As a sign that I'm getting old, I actually called the BLM ranger down there and asked about conditions. He said we shouldn't have any problem. Perhaps a little snow in shady areas, and some mud, but very nice conditions overall.

My purpose for this trip is to get photos and video that represent the Grand Gulch backpack experience. They will go on my site, and probably also on utah.com. So, I'll be working while I enjoy one of the best backpacking destinations on earth.

I plan to visit Perfect Kiva Ruin. I have photos of artifacts I took there about 10 years ago. It will be interesting to compare and see if any of those artifacts are still there.

The "normal" backpack route is down Kane Gulch, from the ranger station, and then out Bullet Canyon. That's about 23 miles and we would need two vehicles. Could do it in two days but three would be more comfortable.

We will probably focus on ruins near the junction of Bullet Canyon and Grand Gulch, going in and out Bullet. That is about 14 miles round trip from the trailhead to the junction and back. So, one night in the canyon will be sufficient.

That will give me a chance to day hike to another destination - probably the Big Man rock art panel. It is in Grand Gulch, about 9 miles below the Bullet Canyon Junction. The best way to see it is by coming into Grand Gulch via the Government Trail along Pollys Canyon. It's only about 10 miles round trip.

My buddies at KSL Radio want me to pack in a satellite phone so I can call the outdoors program Saturday morning. I suppose I will. With the phone and my camera gear, I'll be carrying about 20 pounds of electronic on top of my normal gear.

Should be a fun trip.

The Lower Lower Provo

My first fly fishing trip of the year proved to be a comedy, frustrating, but still fun.

We chose to fish the Lower Lower Provo (the section between Bridal Veil Falls and the mouth of the canyon). That portion of the river doesn't get much respect, doesn't attract nearly as many fishermen, and I was out to prove it is home to a good number of nice brown trout.

Down there the number of fish per mile isn't as high as on the famous fly and lure only section, and there aren't as many big fish, but it can offer decent action without the crowds found upstream. I've fished the canyon mouth several times and had good trips.

But this time the comedy hit quickly, as started to get into my gear. It seems that I've put on a few pounds since I last used my waders. They were tight - very tight. I squirmed in and waddled down to the stream, vowing to start walking off winter flab.

When I opened my fly box I discovered that all of my nymphs were missing. All of them. I have no idea where they went. My daughter probably "organized" my stuff for me.

Nothing was happening on the surface and so I tied on a black woolly bugger. No go. I found a glo bug and tried it, without success. A hares ear, pheasant tail or sow bug might have enticed fish. Without them, my fly rod was not an effective tool.

My companion Kevin, bouncing worms along the bottom, caught several nice fish. The biggest was about 14.5 inches. Not great but respectable.

I love to use the fly rod but I'm not a purist. If it isn't working, I'm happy to try something else. But I couldn't bring myself to use worms. I fished a Rapala for a few minutes and a 10-inch brown kept the skunk away.

A chilly wind blew off and on. When the wind died down the air felt almost warm and conditions weren't bad

So, I survived the ice-breaker trip. I'll get out again within a week or two, and I'll make sure I have my stuff together.

- Dave

Snow Geese Expected At Delta Festival

I've been doing website development work for Millard County Travel. Among other things, I've posted two video clips showing the annual Snow Goose Festival, which takes place every year during the last part of February. This year it is scheduled to run Feb 20-21.

The geese put on a pretty good show every year. They are remarkable consistent, with some 10,000 birds stopping over as they migrate north. DWR partners with Millard County to host the festival, which has become one of Utah's most popular wildlife viewing events.

DWR has spotting scopes so people can watch the birds as they rest on Gunnison Bend Reservoir, and as they forage in nearby fields.

The video clips are pretty impressive. They were shot for the Roughin It Outdoors TV show. I pulled them from a DVD and snipped out the pertinent segments.

Go to Millard's Snow Goose page for more info on the festival. That page also has links to the video clips. DWR also has info on the festival. See it here.

The same DVD has great video showing the Amasa Basin ATV trail in the west desert. Millard wants me to pull it off and put it on their website. I'll get that done during the next few days.

Share Your Insights As I Work To Improve My FishBytes Fishing Report

I have several projects in the works to improve my weekly FishBytes report. People seem to like the report and so I'm investing considerable time to make it more interesting and informative.

A key improvement, just completed, allows readers to easily submit comments and share insights related to fishing report and outdoor news. I can't do it all myself. If a few knowledgeable readers will share their insights, we can vastly improve the quality of the report.

Comments from readers now appear down the left side of the FishBytes page. It is very easy to post comments. The comments are immediately displayed on the page. I hope we can post new, interesting material every day, so people can read it while it is fresh, instead of having to wait until Thursday evening when I compile the complete report.

I've also just completed other website improvements. Here are two that seem significant.

1. Alphabetical index of fishing waters has been moved to the main fishing page. That should make it easier to find info about waters throughout Utah.

2. I've added a page describing southern Utah wild trout streams, using info provided by the DWR. These are small waters and perhaps most don't justify full sections on the website. In fact, I really don't want to focus too much attention on any one of them. But I love to fish these waters, and I know others share that interest, so I've made basic info easier to find.

3. I've also added a map-based navigation option to the home page, making it easy to go quickly to major sections of the website. I still need to tweak that, and add more info about some places, but the basic concept is already functional.

The number of people visiting this site is skyrocketing. User sessions are up more than 100% over last year. Month to month grown is very strong, despite the fact that this is generally considered to be a slow time of year.

People seem to like to site and so I'm working hard to improve it.

- Dave

Rattlesnake Attacks Bass Boat

I stumbled across this interesting video on BassFan.com. It shows a big rattlesnake swimming right toward a couple guys fishing from a bass boat. The snake is coming right at them, and it is big.

What would you do?

Rattlers do swim. It's not uncommon to see them swim across streams. This one was quite a ways from shore, swimming like a pro.

In my view, many people have unreasonable fear of snakes. Under normal circumstances rattlesnakes try to get away from humans, they only strike if they are cornered and harassed. They can't strike from much of a distance and they can't chase you down.

In this video shows the snake is coming right at the boat, and it keeps coming back even when they try to chase it away by hitting with their rods. Bass boats sit low on the water and the big snake might have been able to climb aboard.

The snake coils in the water and prepares to defend itself. It is very persistent and never backs down.

What would I do? I'd watch it with great curiosity. After I saw how persistent it was I would start my motor and move to a different fishing spot.

Some people would become obsessed with the snake and try to kill it. That's sad. There is no reason to harm the snake in those circumstances. The snake was in its environment--its home. The fishermen were the intruders. The fishermen could easily get away, at any time.

I live in a city and I don't want rattlesnakes in my back yard. I grew up in the country and we encountered rattlers on a regular basis. Basically, if we left them alone they left us alone.

Occasionally one would come in under the house, chasing mice or something. We considered that a problem and took action. But out in the fields, there's no need to harm them.

Snakes play an important part in an area's ecosystem. They are living creatures and deserve respect. I would happily yield my fishing spot to the snake.

- Dave

Planning For Adventure...

I keep my schedule as flexible as possible, so I can take advantage of opportunities as they develop. That's particularly true during spring and fall, when storms can ruin the best-planned trips. The flip side is also true--periods of dry, mild weather can produce amazingly nice conditions for hiking and backpacking--sometimes too nice to resist.

Fish behave in predictable ways and it is easy to predict angling success during particular time frames. For example, walleye in Utah Lake will begin to spawn in late March or early April. It's more difficult to predict what weekends will bring peak action. I try to stay flexible so I can be there for the frenzy, no matter when it occurs.

That said, some adventures have to be schedule in advance. I'll be backpacking Grand Gulch this spring and permits there have to be worked out well in advance. Next fall I'll be floating the San Juan River between Mexican Hat and Lake Powell--if I can get permits the needed permits.

I try to take one major trip a month and then patch in 2-3 minor fishing or hiking trips. Below I list my dream list of major adventures for this season. I never actually go on all the trips I plan, but I do most of them. And, because I'm flexible, I swap in others as I learn about great opportunities.
- Fish Lees Ferry below Glen Canyon Dam
- Fish Lake Powell 2-3 times
- Fish Flaming Gorge 1-2 times
- Fish Green River 2-3 times
- Fish/Backpack in the Uintas 1-2 times
- Fish/Backpack Boulder Mountain
- Backpack Grand Gulch
- Backpack Dark Canyon
- Hike The Maze to the Harvest Scene

I consider those pretty major trips because they take 2 or more days. Below I list some day trips, which I consider to be minor outings.
- Fish Strawberry 8-10 times
- Fish Provo River 4-5 times
- Small stream fishing - numerous trips
- Desert camping/hiking - numerous trips

I usually take people with my on my trips--mostly family or buddies. But I go on more trips than my associates can handle and so I sometimes go looking for companions. Let me know if you are interested in any of the trips on my list--maybe we can join forces.

- Dave

Quagga Mussels Found in Red Fleet Reservoir

(DWR provided the news release below)

Quagga Mussels Found in Red Fleet Reservoir

DWR continues to receive test results

Laboratories in Colorado are still testing water samples taken from 38 lakes and reservoirs in Utah in 2008.

The lab workers are searching for tiny, destructive organisms called quagga mussels and zebra mussels.

Their testing is almost done. And so far, the results the Division of Wildlife Resources has received are encouraging--most of the waters tested do not appear to have mussels in them.

Mussels found in two waters
Mussels have turned up in two waters, however--Electric Lake in central Utah and another water just added to the list, Red Fleet Reservoir.

Red Fleet is about seven miles north of Vernal.

"So far, all of the mussels found have been very small juveniles," says Walt Donaldson, Aquatic Section chief for the DWR.

"That’s a sign that the mussels may not be well established in these two waters yet."

Learn more
You can learn more about mussels--including the damage they can do and what you can do to prevent spreading them--at the DWR's new mussel Web site.

The Web site address is wildlife.utah.gov/mussels.

Are Fishing Shows on TV the Next Hot Commodity?

This article in USA Weekend says fishing shows are hot and getting hotter. I wouldn't know because I don’t watch them. Do you? I'm interested in get comments on this.

Below are excerpts from the article.

Like golf and auto racing before it, sportfishing has quietly become one of the hottest sports out there -- both out on the water and on TV.

"People who don't even fish tell me that their kids are watching me on Saturday morning," says Ish Monroe, 34, an angler who has his own ESPN2 series, "Yo, Ish!" ... It's not uncommon to find Monroe playing hip-hop, trash-talking his prey and showing off the snazzy 20-inch rims on his boat trailer.

Such antics are luring viewers to the action, including the "Super Bowl" of sportfishing, the annual Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport-Bossier City, La. The event, airing on ESPN2 starting Feb. 21, will feature the wiliest fishermen in the land -- and one fisherwoman -- 2008 women's Bassmaster Angler of the Year, Kim Bain-Moore, 28. She will be the first female angler ever in the 51-person field vying for the top prize of $500,000.

What do you think? Will trash talking fishing hosts hook you? Are you into fish TV?

Bald Eagle Day is Feb. 7 and Feb. 14

(DWR provided the news release given below.)

See Bald Eagles

Bald Eagle Day is Feb. 7 and Feb. 14

If you've ever seen a bald eagle in the wild, you know it's an experience that can take your breath away.

In February, you'll have two chances to not only see bald eagles, but to learn more about them.

The Division of Wildlife Resources is holding its annual Utah Bald Eagle Day.

The event will be held on two different Saturdays. On Feb. 7, eagle viewing will take place at sites in central, northeastern and southwestern Utah. On the following Saturday, Feb. 14, Utah Bald Eagle Day will be celebrated at two sites in northern Utah.

There is no cost to attend Bald Eagle Day. Viewing times are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. except at the Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area site, where viewing will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On Feb. 7, you can view eagles at the following locations:

Fountain Green State Fish Hatchery, located east of Nephi. If coming from the north, take I-15 and exit the freeway at the second Nephi exit (Exit 225). After exiting the freeway, turn east on SR-132 and travel about 10 miles. About 1 mile before the city of Fountain Green, a Bald Eagle Day sign will point you to an access road that leads to the hatchery.

Once you reach the hatchery, you'll be given a driving map of the Sanpete Valley that highlights the best areas in the valley to view eagles. Literature, displays and bathroom facilities will also be available at the hatchery. If eagles are near the hatchery, Division of Wildlife Resources staff will set up spotting scopes so you can view them. Spotting scopes will also be set-up at a viewing location about one mile from the hatchery.

Split Mountain/Green River, located north of Jensen and below the Dinosaur Quarry in Dinosaur National Monument (DNM). To reach the site, drive north from Highway 40 in Jensen on the road (SR-149) to the Dinosaur Quarry. Your first stop should be at the staging area located just inside the DNM boundary where displays, spotting scopes and possibly bald eagles and other raptors await. From the staging area, biologists will direct you to other sites where you may have better views of eagles and other wildlife of interest. In past years, visitors have seen bald and golden eagles hunting and feeding, as well as prairie falcons, hawks, mule deer, river otters, pheasants, turkeys, sandhill cranes, porcupines, mergansers, Canada geese and other wildlife.

During your trip, you may also want to stop and visit the Dinosaur National Monument. The monument's dinosaur quarry is closed, but you can see a few dinosaur bones at a temporary visitor center near the quarry. The visitor center also includes a small bookstore.

Rush Lake Ranch, located on the Minersville highway (SR-130) about 12 miles north of Cedar City.

On Feb. 14, viewing will take place at the following locations:

Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area (Compton's Knoll), located about 10 miles northwest of Corinne. To reach the WMA, take Exit 365 off of I-15 and travel west on SR-83 through Corinne. Stay on SR-83 until you get to 6800 W. (Iowa String). Travel north to 6800 N. Travel west on 6800 N. until you reach the Salt Creek WMA/Compton's Knoll Watchable Wildlife site.

Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, located on the west side of Farmington at 1325 W. Glover Lane (925 South).

If you're traveling north on I-15, coming from Salt Lake City and other areas south of Farmington:

To reach the WMA, travel north on I-15, and exit the freeway at Exit 325. Turn left on Park Lane and travel west. The road will angle to the south, and you'll come to Clark Lane at the first traffic light. Turn right. Travel west to the first stop sign, which is at 1525 West, and turn left. Travel south to Glover Lane, and turn right. Travel west on Glover Lane for about two blocks until you come to 1700 W. Turn left on 1700 W. and travel south to the Great Salt Lake Nature Center. You can park in the parking lot.

If you're traveling south on I-15, coming from Ogden and other areas north of Farmington:

To reach the WMA, travel south on I-15 and exit the freeway at Exit 325. Go to the stoplight and turn right on Park Lane. Travel south to the next light, which is at Clark Lane, and turn right. Travel west to the first stop sign, which is at 1525 West, and turn left. Travel south to Glover Lane, and turn right. Travel west on Glover Lane for about two blocks until you come to 1700 W. Turn left on 1700 W. and travel south to the Great Salt Lake Nature Center. You can park in the parking lot.

If you attend the event at Farmington Bay, you may want to drop by the Great Salt Lake Nature Center at the north end of the WMA. In addition to participating in fun activities, you can learn more about becoming a volunteer at the WMA. Volunteers lead birding tours and help with other projects.

Get a close look
"We'll set spotting scopes up at each viewing site so you can get a good look at the eagles," says Bob Walters, Watchable Wildlife coordinator for the DWR. "Biologists and volunteers will also be on hand to help you spot the eagles and to answer any questions you have."

Information about bald eagles, and wildlife watching and birding opportunities in Utah, will be available at each location. You can get the materials for free, or for a small cost.

The best time to attend
The best time to see eagles on Feb. 7 and Feb. 14 depends on two things.
If you want to attend during the warmest time of the day, attend late in the morning or early in the afternoon. "The warmer temperatures are especially important if you bring young children with you," Walters says.

Late morning and early afternoon is also the clearest time of the day to see the eagles.

If you want to see the greatest number of eagles, attend between 2 and 4 p.m. "In mid-afternoon, the eagles start flying to trees to roost for the night," Walters says. "If you want to see the greatest number of eagles, mid to late afternoon is usually the best time to attend."

Items to bring
If you attend Bald Eagle Day, dress in warm clothes and bring waterproof boots. Also, if you want to get pictures of the eagles, bring a telephoto lens.

"The eagles will be some distance from the viewing areas," Walters says. "In the past, we've had photographers try and get close to the eagles. They ended up scaring the eagles away."

Utah's most popular viewing event
Walters started Bald Eagle Day in 1990 as a way to introduce people to Utah's wildlife. "Bald Eagle Day was started as a way to arouse people's interest, whet their appetite and make them aware of the wildlife around them," Walters says.

Since it began, Bald Eagle Day has become Utah's most well attended, and one of its most enjoyed, wildlife-viewing events.

For more information about Bald Eagle Day, call Walters at (801) 538- 4771, or Division of Wildlife Resources offices in Ogden, Springville, Vernal or Cedar City.

Fishing Videos and Photo Galleries

We've posted an ice fishing video - you can see it here.

It is a good little video showing a kid fishing for perch at Pineview. The video is a little old - we've just now found time to get it edited and posted. It captures the fun of ice fishing - which is always more enjoyable when you help a kid actually catch fish.

Photos
I've been experimenting with different photo gallery techniques, for use on this and other websites. Here's an example of a new technique we may start using on utah.com. I think it looks nice and works well. Trouble is, the code conflicts with the dropdown menu at the top of each page on that website.

I put a similar gallery on my own business website, you can see it here. It works fine there - no conflicts.

I might use it on this site when I want to embed several photos into one page, but I don't think it will ever replace my big photo gallery, which now includes 2146 items.

A Winter Wander Through the Joshua Trees

See more of my photos from this trip
- Beaver Dam Wash
- Warner Valley rock art
- Warner Valley dinosaur tracks
- Huge petrified logs

I was wandering more than hiking. When I hike I have a specific destination in mind. I hike to reach a lake or arch or some kind of attraction. But I wasn't out to reach any specific place as I wandered through a Joshua tree forest on the edge of Beaver Dam Wash, west of St George. I was just enjoying the warm sunshine and the area's interesting vegetation.

It was great to get out of the snow, get away from the frigid temperatures and haze found in northern Utah. It was a great way to start the new year.

It was Jan 2 and I was out to enjoy the warmest temperatures in the state, in an area where the Mojave Desert pushes up into Utah. I also took time to search out some St George-area rock art and some dinosaur tracks, and also found some huge petrified logs. It was a fun mid-winter adventure.

What is there to see in the Beaver Dam Wash area? Not much, unless you like cacti. The Joshua tree, trademark of the Mojave Desert, grows tall and proud along the wash. So do barrel and chollas cacti. The area is stark, desolate, remote, rugged... In short, it is my kind of country.

The Mojave is a high desert. In winter nights are usually cold and days are mild. It is probably close to 50 F today - perfect weather for hiking.

Before I-15 was pushed through the Virgin River Gorge, Old Highway 91 was the major route west from St George. Today it is a scenic backroad that crosses the Beaver Dam Mountains and dives into Utah's Mojave Country. A dirt track, called the Joshua Tree Road, loops below Hwy 91. In years past it wound through a beautiful Joshua tree forest, but vegetation in that area was destroyed by a major brush fire a few years ago and the desert is just starting to recover. Joshua trees are slow-growing and it will be many years before the forest returns.

We had to probe deeper into Mojave country to find substantial stands of Joshua trees. We drove the dirt Eardly Road and Indian Springs Trail along the east side of Beaver Dam Wash to get the photos that illustrate this report. Both roads have steep spots and we encountered plenty of mud. We definitely needed high-clearance 4-wheel-drive on our trip. During drier months a 4X4 may not be needed.

Most people don't visit southwestern Utah just to explore the Beaver Dam Wash area. You come to visit the National Parks or play golf. (February and March are ideal months to hit the links around St George, before they become crowded in April.) But I enjoy solitude and stark beauty and so I recommend the Beaver Dam Wash area as a pleasant day trip.

Note: There are no services - no gasoline, food or water - in the Beaver Dam Wash area of Utah. If you go, bring along a good map, emergency gear and plenty of food and water.

New Year's Adventure

I'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

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.

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.

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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

Me and The Wolf Man (Rock Art)

(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

Green River & Other Video Clips

We 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

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