Friday, February 28, 2014

Canyonlands: White Rim Overlook

Distance: 1.8 miles round trip
Elevation: 6,040 ft
Elevation Gain: 129 ft
Dogs: No, National Park
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes
Date Hiked: 24 April 2014

Looking down on the White Rim Road from the White Rim Overlook in Canyonlands National Park
The Islands in the Sky section of Canyonlands National Park is filled with short hikes to stunning overlooks that gaze down on the valley below. The White Rim Overlook is one of the most spectacular of these.

The Trailhead. The trail heads straight out over this large slickrock section.
The La Sal Mountains from a sandier portion of the trail.
Our journey to the overlook began uneventfully, with a typical stroll over red sands and short slickrock sections. At the end of the trail however things got a little dicey. My hiking companion decided to work on her fear of heights by walking out onto the sandstone mushrooms that extended from the end of the trail. These pizza shaped rocks extended out into empty space like over-sized stepping stones across a creek. In this case, however there was 1,500 ft of air between each one.

Skeleton of a Utah Juniper overlooks the edge
The rocks my friend was jumping out on.
Not so nimbly moving  from rock to rock, my friend inched her way further outwards. I don't know who was more terrified, she or I. I kept nagging her to come back when she wanted ME to join her on this crusade. My eyes bugged out and I started inching my way back up the trail. It is fine to desensitize oneself of a phobia and quite another to do it in a location where death hovers just a foot away. A sneeze, a gust of wind, or a collapsing wall would have ended this psychological experiment for good.

Nothing but drop offs and open sky
A much safer place to lounge
I finally convinced her to return to terra firma and we lounged about admiring the stellar views. I relate this experience for those with children who have no fear and no sense, who will be equally tempted to stroll out onto these rocks. Heck, you may be too and more power to you! The White Rim Overlook is definitely a place to visit but I'll do it with my back to a size secure rock!

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Canyonlands: Murphy Point

Distance: 3.5 miles round trip
Elevation: 6,040 ft
Elevation Gain: 350 ft (cumulative)
Bathroom at Trailhead: No, nearest one is the Visitor's Center
Dogs: No, National Park
Date Hiked: 24 April 2013

Looking west and down, down, down, from Murphy Point in Canyonlands National Park
The trail to Murphy Point in the Islands in the Sky section of Canyonlands National Park is one of the few longer hikes one can take and still stay on the mesa. It traverses sand and slickrock with ever-changing, end-of-the-world views. Be forewarned! Looking off into that abyss is a transcendent Ozymandias kick in the solar plexus. One's whole life is reduced, in the casual stirrings of the desert wind, to meaningless drivel. Our weak brains can't even register the scale of the scenery without reducing it to a theatrical canvas backdrop. Your only hope is bring along sufficient chocolate chip cookies to stay grounded. A prolonged astral projection on Murphy's Point might just prove to be fatal.

Starting off in the deeply rutted road
Stay to the right here
Sagebrush
The trail to Murphy Point begins 8.6 miles south of the Visitor's Center along a deeply eroded dirt track that looks like it was made by a column of 10,000 cattle all racing to the edge of the world. A half a mile in the route splits. Stay to the right or end up on the much longer Murphy Loop/Hogback Trail, which descends off the mesa into eternity returning a few geological ages later.

Looking northwest at the rock formations obscured by haze
That is a cairn in the distance
After the dirt road, the route eventually switches to an easy "find the next cairn", slickrock trail along a narrowing neck of earth. Utah Juniper and Sagebrush dot the landscape and occasionnaly obscure the views. You can wander all over the area but realize there is nothing but 1,500 ft of open air between you and an "oh heck" moment.

Floating over the desert landscape
Sitting at the point looking down on the Murphy Hogback (that narrow elevation portion). You can see the  Murphy Trail as it travels out and around the area. Bring lots of water if you venture that far. 
I did not go anywhere near the edge and so arrived, sanity intact. We had the entire place to ourselves, which is always a treat. Canyonlands is big and it is easy for folks to spread out...and never to be heard from again...at least until the chocolate chip cookies run out. Then they congregate back at the Visitor's Center where they gobble up T-shirts and refrigerator magnets. So plan ahead and stay awhile at the end of the trail. It is not often we get to transcend our banal existence for something the truly sublime.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Mosquito Pass Road Snowshoe

Distance: 4 miles round trip
Elevation: 11,140 ft - 12,226 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,200 ft (cumulative)
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs: Off leash
Date Snowshoed: 18 January, 2014
Tags: #snowshoe, #leadville, #wintersports, #powerdays
Other snowshoes in the area: Treeline Loop,  Lower Mosquito Pass to 3B, Vance's Cabin

Mountains galore on a Mosquito Pass Road Snowshoe
There is nothing more sublime than a sunny winter day in Leadville, Colorado. With its mounds of whipped cream snow and American blue sky, this rustic mountain town takes on a sleepy, I-just-want-to-hibernate feel that is a welcome contrast to the nearby frenzy that is Ski Cooper and Copper Mountain. While the hordes are jostling for parking in lines two to three miles long, Leadville is devoid of humanity and filled with outdoor options for the back country skier and snowshoer.

Trailhead
Heading past mining ruins
Approaching the junction where County Road 3B, which splits off to the right (at the blue sign)
On this particular day we headed to Mosquito Pass Road (aka 7th Ave, and County Road 3), which heads east out of town. The road is plowed for several miles and ends at a berm where the road would otherwise twist around a small hillside. From here it is simple to park and cruise up the road for whatever distance you please or detour off onto County Road 3B.

At the gate to the Diamond Mine
The Diamond Mine
Having crossed the gully, the route heads up the hillside before turning west again.
This area is traversed by snowmobiles, which churn up the snow making snowshoes a better option than Microspikes but just barely. At 0.75 miles the road takes a sharp left at the gate to the Diamond Mine, a modern looking structure with a tall tower that is hard to miss. This turn, at least from a distance is veiled by the terrain and we wondered if the route actually deadened at the gate. Keep going and soon you will see where it goes.

Turning west again. The saddle is in the distance.
Looking across the valley at Mt. Evans
Continuing upwards
From this point on the route stays to the left of the valley and continues relentlessly up the hillside towards a saddle at 12,200 ft. Beyond the saddle, the road switchbacks precipitously up another 1,000 ft before cresting out at Mosquito Pass at 13,186 ft. We tend to go to the saddle which has lovely views looking north into the valley beyond.

The views of Mt. Evans and Mt. Dyer from the trail
Up and more up
Mt. Massive from higher up the route
On Mosquito Pass Road, the higher one climbs, the broader the views. Visible to the west in one continuous wall of ice and rock is Mt. Massive (14,429 ft), Mt. Elbert (14,439 ft), and Mt. Hope (of Hopeless Crew fame, 13,933 ft). To the south is a concave bowl of jagged rock bordered on the left by Mt. Evans (13,577 ft) and pyramid shaped Dyer Mountain (13,855 ft). In the valley below are two lakes Diamond and Mountain, which on this trip were invisible.

The lower part of the route is more gradual, climbing only 330 ft in the first mile, but gets steeper on the final approach to the saddle. At 1.5 miles Dyer Mountain comes into view. On the slopes to the left were several natural avalanches. The 2013/2014 winter has been particular dangerous with several deaths already reported. That did not detour one perky couple from skiing up the road, across the hillside and down again in graceful S-curves, their equally perky dog bounding down beside them.

With no where to sit but the road itself, we plopped down on inflatable butt pads and had our lunch wallowing in the stillness. There is nothing like a sunny winter day in Leadville, Colorado. 

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Canyonlands: Mesa Arch

Distance: 0.5 miles round trip
Elevation: 6,040 ft -6,180 ft
Elevation Gain: 140 ft
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes
Dogs: No,  National Park
Date Hiked: 24 April 2013

Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park is one of the most photographed spot in the park.
The view beneath Mesa Arch
Mesa Arch in Utah's Canyonlands National Park is the iconic location in Islands in the Sky district that every photographer tries to capture at sunrise. While we were not there to capture the light, the view was still stunning, so don't hesitate to swing by on your way to or from some of the longer hikes in the area. It is a short walk that almost anyone can do.

The arch is just ahead. Note the long line of people...and this was a less crowded time of day.
Looking down from the Islands in the Sky is always amazing. That is 1,500 ft down! Note there is nothing to protect you so don't lean too far over.
Looking down on the arch. You can see how exposed the approach is. A few minutes before there was a woman standing on the expanse. She was not exactly setting a good example for her children who looked on aghast.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Natural Bridges National Monument

Distance and Elevation Gain: Various see below
Dogs: Not allowed...National Monument
Bathrooms: Several locations
Date Hiked: 23 April 2013

Water and erosion, the two key elements that formed Natural Bridges National Monument
So what is the best way to torture your kids on a long drive through the deserts of Utah? Why just regale them with your in depth knowledge of geological processes! You can lull them into a state of catatonia by using terms such as deposition, weathering, mesas and hoodoos. Then, just as they are about to reach for their video games, you can yank them out of the car and prod them down the trails of Natural Bridges National Monument to see how well they listened.

To help you maintain your omniscient status with your kids, here is the difference between a natural bridge and a rock arch...shamelessly plagiarized from the National Park Service. Arches tend to form on cliff faces where wind, rain, snow, and ice slowly wear down the rock, causing chunks to fall out from beneath the arch. Bridges on the other hand tend to form in canyons where rushing water gouges out channels and meanders taking weaker rock with it. Delicate Arch in Arches National Park is the perfect example of the first process, while Sipapu Bridge below is the poster child for the second.

Map of the drive
You can see the bridges in the park via scenic drive (9 mile loop), a long loop hike at the bottom or via a series of out and back descents. We chose the latter because we were on our way to Moab and did not have all day to spend.

The individual hikes require scrambling down rock faces and ladders, which intimidated me at first since I am not fond of exposure until my friend reminded me that this was a National Park. So while I would not recommend the older set hiking these trails, anyone with a moderate level of fitness and stability can navigate them pretty well.

Sipapu Bridge
Distance: 1.2 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 500 feet

The trail to Sipapu Bridge is the gnarliest...by National Park standards... trail in the monument. It strolls along rock alcoves, down ladders, as well as slick rock faces with steps and chain link guides.  Unless you weep at the slightest incline or gaping maw of open air, you can do this trail. I did it with only a few white-eyed moments. The trip back up is much easier from a technical standpoint but is 500 feet in 0.6 miles, so it will get your heart rate going. Not a bad thing after sitting in the car for several hours.

Trailhead
Looking down
Returning via the alcove. I had my camera in my pack on the way down.
Heading back up the stairs
Climbing down one of the ladders.
View of Sipapu from a rock shelf detour. Be advised there is no guard rail!
Don't let this dinosaur stomp on you!
The journey downwards is filled with lovely views of rock domes, alcoves, and Gamble Oaks, while standing beneath this bridge I thought I was looking up at the neck of prehistoric sauropod. The desert varnish looked like scaly markings.

Katchina Bridge
Distance: 1.8 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 400 ft

Compared to the Sipapu Trail, the trail to Katchina Bridge is a piece of cake. It is mostly switch backs and stone steps with one steeper segment with handrails. At the bottom, you have to walk a tenth of a mile along a drive wash to stand beneath the arch. Nearby are the ruins of a small cliff dwelling with pictographs. I won't tell you precisely where, because people tend to disturb such ruins. We happened to be there when a National Park Archeologist and crew were working on the site, so we learned a little about the native cultures that once inhabited the canyon. I don't even want to know how they got up and down those walls!

Trailhead
Wide trail segment
Stairs
Slickrock bench
Note the handrails
In the canyon. The bridge is straight ahead.
Katchina Bridge
Owachomo Bridge
Distance: 0.4 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 180 feet

Owachomo Bridge is the easiest to get to. Alas, we had run out of time and just saw it from the overlook.
Owachomo Bridge
Sipapu Bridge is the second largest in the U.S., just behind Rainbow Bridge. Even if you don't hike the trails, just seeing the scenery from the scenic drive is worth a visit. Just think how much you kids will love you for all that education you are cramming into their resistant brains!

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Ice Lakes

Distance: 8 miles round trip
Elevation: 9,850 ft - 12,270 ft
Elevation Gain: 2,420 ft (net) 2,736 ft (cumulative)
Dogs: Off leash
Bathroom at the trailhead: Yes
Date Hiked: 27 Aug, 2013

Glacier ground rock causes Ice Lake near Silverton Colorado to be so blue.
Surreal Ice Lake near Silverton Colorado is mind-blowing in a good way. 
Ice Lakes near Silverton CO is one of THE premier hikes in the state. Not only is the destination an otherworldly cerulean blue lake nestled beneath towering spires, but the journey itself will take you up several shelves filled with water falls, majestic pines, and dramatic boulder fields. If you are traveling to Colorado to hike, this should be at the top of your list.

Looking up to the first shelf from the trailhead. 
Standing on a small spur trail looking at the upper falls. The trail crosses what turned out to be Clear Creek on some rickety logs far below and then switch-backed up to this point. It looks like the trail use to cross here, but I would stick to the new trail and not chance the dilapidated construction. 
The trailhead to Ice Lakes starts at the far end of South Mineral Campground. You get there by taking highway 550 north from Silverton for two miles and then county road 7 for 4 miles. While the route to the campground is well marked, there is no signage at the trailhead. If you find yourself continuing up a rough 4x4 road off into the trees, you will have gone to far. The trailhead is actually in a large parking lot across located across from the bathrooms. We missed it because it was empty and looked like just another part of the campground.

Crossing some of the rock rivulets on the first shelf
The route leaves the upper shelf through a series of steep switchbacks that wander in and out of stands of Spruce and Fir Trees. 
Even though the elevation gain on this hike was close to a hefty 3,000 ft, the trail was so soft and the switchbacks so continuous, that I practically glided upwards. The only confusing moment came around 1.0 miles near the upper segment of a large water fall that the trail laboriously skirts. Near the top of the falls the trails begins to descend again and heads off in a totally different direction. Since we did not know where the lake was in relation to the various cliffs visible from below we wondered if we were meant to take one of the many social trails around the falls.

The first view, at 2.6 miles, of the second shelf. Ice Lake is on the next shelf. 
Walking through the fall color to base of the second shelf
A half a mile from the upper falls, the trail breaks out into a wide sloping meadow below the first set of cliffs. Rivulets of rock cascade down from above and the route crosses these several times as it inches upwards. Don't worry about the imposing vertical barrier ahead. The trail will sidle off to the left and enter the trees where a few tenths of a mile and a hard pounding assent will take you up to the next shelf.

The second shelf is surrounded on three sides by vertical cliffs dripping with waterfalls. 
Looking up at some old mine tailings. 
The stroll across this middle shelf was a journey to a Coloradan Shangri-La. Despite the fall color, the air was humid and the ambience tropical. Had we passed through a wormhole that had transported us to Hawaii? There were waterfalls cascading down all three sides of the amphitheater-like bowl and water was clinging to our shoes deposited there from the overgrown shrubbery. I did not want to leave this unusual place but my friends had already bolted ahead towards the final pitch (at 3.3 miles, 11,500 ft) so I gamely began to climb the cliff face near a large waterfall on the left.

We got quite wet crossing this stream to get to the base of the second shelf. If you follow the stream into the meadow a bit there are a couple of places you can jump over with little difficulty. 
Heading up the wall of the second shelf. The route will go close to the waterfall on the left.
We did run into some mid-westerners who had turned around at this point claiming the exposure and terror of this segment drove them whimpering backwards. With some trepidation I began to ascend the well defined but steadily upwards-sloping route at the base of the bowl. Within two tenths of a mile the route did indeed get rocky but it was at least ten to fifteen yards wide and only required the most modest of bracing on the uneven terrain. Unless you have never stepped off the sidewalk in your life this portion will be a piece of cake.

Looking down on the route from half-way up the wall of the second shelf
The easy trail to the third shelf
From this point on, the route traverses horizontally across the face of the bowl as it weaves in and out of the steadily diminishing shrubbery. There is still a ways to go once you reach the upper shelf, but you will sense the lake is near and hasten your step for that final view.

Oh and what a view it is. Ice Lake is a geologic marvel. Its startling color looks more like a fancy liqueur than a mountain tarn. The blue comes from "rock-flour", superfine ground up rock produced by glaciers. When the glaciers that used to exist there melted, they deposited this material in the lake itself. This rock is so small that it remains suspended in the water instead of sinking to the bottom. These particles absorb the reds, yellows, and oranges in sunlight allowing only the blues to be reflected back to the eye. Ice Lake is seriously and totally blue. The kind of "did I toke too much?" sort of mind-blowing blue. Wow is all I can say.

Once you reach the third shelf, the lake is still a ways away. 
After sitting awhile, my brain cells popping in awe like overheated popcorn, I wandered off to the left where a short distance takes you to a small, alas boringly green, tarn further up the shelf. This is pleasant though because you get better views of the eroded spires that frame the lakes. You can continue another half mile to Fuller Lake but after 4 plus miles I was not in the mood to wander all over planet. I wanted another fix of Ice Lake.

Ice Lake...ahhhhh
To the right of the Lake is another trail that heads up and around the cliff face to Island Lake that apparently has a small round outcropping smack in the middle of it. We did not go there either but several other hikers did. Apparently it is worth the extra effort.

Small but scenic Upper Ice Lake

North Rock Creek Snowshoe

Distance: 4 miles round trip Elevation: 9,180 ft to 9,780 ft Elevation Gain: 600 ft Dogs: Off leash until the wilderness boundary North...