Nov 13 - Taylor Creek Trail - Kolob Canyon (the other side of Zion National Park)

Since I've already driven the 3+ miles, I stay the night in Cedar City so I can head to Kolob Canyon on Sunday morning. (It's only about a 20 drive south.)

Kolob Canyon is part of Zion National Park except it's north and west of the main park. I've been here once several years ago in March after a snow storm. Rangers had just opened the curvy road but it was still snowy/icy. I took the drive out to the viewpoint but because of fog, I could see absolutely nothing. So the visit really doesn't count. Today is supposed to be sunny and in the mid-60s so today will count.

My plan is to hike the Taylor Creek trail. The trail is 5 miles round-trip with minimal elevation change. The destination of the hike is a Double Arch Alcove.

Bright sunny morning as I head to Kolob Canyon. I arrive sometime after 9am and start my journey up to curvy road heading uphill.

Just as I roll up on the Taylor Creek parking area, I get my first glimpse of BIG red rock!

My original plan was to go to the final viewpoint (end of the road) first and then hike Taylor Creek on the way out. But after seeing the Red Rock (and only two cars in the parking lot), I quickly park and get ready for the hike.

The landscape is typical sagebrush country - pine, junipers, sagebrush with rock formations of various shapes, sizes, colors (mostly red).

The trail immediately heads down a series of steps thru the pines. Once down, the trail continues along mostly flat ground -- a packed red sand. The ground vegetation is dried/brown/dead as one would expect. Lots of fallen oak leaves on the ground.

The trail follows and crosses Taylor Creek. There's still water flowing; the creek isn't very wide but wide enough that the day will be filled with rock hopping across a rock or two.

The trail is heading towards those big red rock formations. Hard to see them since the sun is directly behind some but they are getting closer.

I wind my way thru the trees and numerous creek crossings (must have been over 20 of them before the end). It extremely quiet except for the flowing stream. I guess the birds aren't quite awake yet as it's still cool and the trail is still very much in the shade.

I do spot a few still blooming flowers along the way. (I can count the number of flowers I saw today on 2 hands so there weren't many.)

The rocks are getting closer.

In one muddy section, I find some mushrooms!

And still closer.

I pass a sign to a historic cabin -- I'll stop on the way back. It's the Larson cabin - circa 1930.

I finally reach the big rock and follow the trail between them.

Soon I pass cabin #2 - the sign says 1930 - Fife Family. Hardy folks because this cabin is really isolated.

After a while the trail gets a bit wilder - more trees, ground vegetation (even horsetails), etc...It also looks like my travels between the big rock is ending soon (it's opening up ahead of me). I must be nearing the end.

I'm seeing Maple trees now. Their leaves have just changed to their yellow colors. (Not sure why everything is in Winter mode except here but it looks pretty.)

Then I see the sign - Double Arch Alcove.

I make my way there. Lots of lime green vegetation along the ground. I can hear the sounds of dripping water down the walls.

I can see the 2nd arch above.

Pretty neat place.

Would love to get a photo of the entire Double Arch Alcove but it's way too close and the walls way too tall.

Time to head back.

Well I have to say that the way back is definitely brighter. The sun hasn't made it over the big walls - probably never does this time of  year.

More people coming now -- glad I came hear first.

I exit the big walls and enter the sunlight.

I'm getting closer to the end and turn to look at those rock formation now - much nicer.

I see a butterfly - a Viceroy I think. But unfortunately it flies the other way so I can't confirm.

Trail complete --- fun time!!

I head up the road the windy road higher and higher. The views of the red rock to the left are really nice. I head up to the viewpoint. (I think the views were better from the road.)

So I head down and stop at a few of the viewpoints.

And its time to head home.

On the way up I-15, I see lots of cattle, a few horse and donkey and the big surprise - a herd of Pronghorn (about 15 of them). They are near and irrigation sprayer (probably hay fields).

Awesome day! Great trip!

Nov 12 - Cedar Breaks National Monument

The unusually long warm Fall continues which is bad for the ski resorts but good for travelling to places that would usually not be accessible. So today I'm driving over 3 hrs to visit Cedar Breaks National Monument near Cedar City in southwestern UT. I've never been there so I'm seizing the opportunity. (And based on the forecast weather for middle/end next week, this should be the last week-end to do this.)

From the pictures I've seen, Cedar Breaks looks a lot like Bryce Canyon - colorful Amphitheater filled with red/white/etc rock formations (fins, hoodoos, etc).

The scenic drive is all above 10,000 ft. The road closes after the first major snowfall - according to the Park's paper, the area receives an average of 15 feet of snow. The paper also indicates that the name Cedar Breaks was given by the Mormon pioneers who mistook the area's juniper trees for Cedars (oops). And "Breaks", well it describes an uninhabitable area with gullies and ravine.

Forecast for today is for partly sunny skies in the mid-60s. Cedar Breaks in up over 10,000 feet so it'll be in the 40s or low 50s - I have plenty of layers.

Time to go -- Off to something excitingly new!!

The drive heads south down I-15. Nothing too exciting on the drive - plenty of cows, a few horses and one herd of sheep.

I get off at Parowan and head east. The road heads right into/thru the park. (The road also heads to Brian Head Ski Resort.) It's a curvy road that climbs for 21 miles thru a forest. At one of those uphill curves I see a deer on the side of the road.

As I slowly pass, I see deer #2. Oh, and deer #3.

After more curves and one of the sharpest hair-pin curve I've ever seen, I pop out of the trees to large high mountain meadows - dry and brown at this point. Its not all bare as there are scattered grouping of trees.

I pass thru the Ski Resort and reach the Pass at 10,700 ft. (It's all downhill now.)

Soon I enter Cedar Breaks.

There's no fee as the park is technically closed for the winter (i.e., no rangers, the Visitor's Center is closed, as are the bathrooms). But the road is still open as is access to the 2 trails and scenic overlooks.

I reach the first overlook (North View @ 10,435 ft). It's cloudy, 43 degrees and so windy (brrr!). But the views are incredible!!

Have to wonder how this a geological formation got here. I just climbed a mountains filled with trees and meadows and then the wonderful colorful canyon. How, why ....? The awesomeness of Mother Nature.

Next stop is the Alpine Pond Trail. The trail is ~2 miles and is a double loop (each is a one-mile loop) - lets say a figure 8. On paper this is an easy hike (elevation gain/loss around 160ft) but that doesn't take into account the thinner air due to the elevation.

 I head out on the lower part of the North Loop. It starts out as a meadow but quickly heads thru the trees. There's one really rocky section to the left but mostly trees. The only flowers I'm seeing are of the dried/dead variety. Many pine cones laying on the ground as well as many dead trees.

I'm not hearing any birds either.

Soon I reach the pond. It's a frozen algae filled pond surrounded by trees.  (Green is good.) I bet it looks so pretty in the summer.

I head uphill to the upper loop but instead of taking it back to my car, I head along the upper part of the other loop (Chessmen Loop). Pretty much the same landscape on this portion of the trail. But I am starting to get peaks at the colorful Breaks off to the right.

I complete the upper section and loop back on the lower section. I quickly stop a bunch of large hoof prints in the dried mud. These are large so it's not Mule Deer (and confirm that after seeing fresh scat); has to be Elk. (This is not Moose territory.)

Well this part of the trail is interesting because there are decent views of the formations below.

Soon I find the only part of this entire Figure 8 that has frost still!

And I see my first squirrel of the day -- such a black tail.

I reach the pond again.

And re-climb the same hill that I did about a 1/2 hour ago - but this time I head back to my car through the trees. There are glimpses of the Break from this portion of the trail especially when I reach the rocky section of the trail that I past before.

Seeing several squirrels running around now.

And I find an actual flower! The very hardy Dandelion (just one)!

I complete the trail (the lower portion of the south (Chessman) trail is the best) and continue down the road.

Next stop is the Chessmen Ridge Overlook (10467ft).

And then Sunset View (10354ft)

I finally make it to the the Ramparts Trail. The trail runs along the rim reaching Spectra Point (10285ft) in one mile and Ramparts Overlook (9952ft) in another mile. So 4 miles roundtrip - about 400 in elevation change. I head off - still in the low 40s and very windy.

The trail runs along the rim (giving me the heebee geebees at times) but the trail has some good width to it - thankfully.

The views are awesome!!

I soon I head up hill to a couple of tanks (perhaps water tanks); this is the highest part of the trail.

I think this a Spectra Point but no,

it's still ahead. I can see the trail on the white rock.

I continue along the trail (which is now downhill and thru the woods -- still with great views). I pop out of the forest to this wonderful almost barren area. There are Bristlecone Pines (one of the oldest living trees).

And I hear (and see) Chickadees flying around.

I follow the path along the rocky area to a viewpoint -- this is Spectra!!

Off to the Ramparts Overlook!

The trail continues downhill. I'm back in the forest now heading down several switchbacks. Soon I start getting some views again for a short period of time.

Before heading back into the woods.

And then the end comes into view. And so did the views from the end!!

More Bristlecones!

Time to gain that elevation back.

I reach the tanks again and start my way back along the rim. The sun is lower now and the Breaks are even more livelier.

Great hike! But time to head for Cedar City.

I continue along the road. It's all downhill and very curvy. Through the forest at first. But then I start heading west on HWY 14 and enter big rock/canyon country. First there were the white rocks (with grey), then formations that looked like colorful petrified sundunes (mostly yellow-ish), then white cliffs and then the red rocks. Such a wonderful drive!!

Fabulous day!

Nov 4 - Mirror Lake/Ruth Lake (Searching for snow in the Uintas)

Hoping to find some snow today as I'm heading to the Uintas. The snow has to be there; the elevation is 10,000 ft. My plan is a simple day; 1) a walk around Mirror Lake and 2) a walk to Ruth Lake.

Sunny morning today; temperature are in the 40s when I leave around 8:30.

As I close in on Park City, it's snowing! Not from the sky but from snow making machines at one of the resorts. Not sure their testing the machine out or actually trying to lay a base.  But since many of the ski resorts just released tentative opening date around the Nov 19th so perhaps its the latter.

Driving by the Jordanelle Reservoir heading to Kamas, I brake for 2 deer crossing the highway.

Oh no, my nice sunny day has a big dark cloud hanging over Kamas. Just the one cloud; blue sky everywhere else. I'm hoping the cloud moves away from Mirror Lake Hwy area. I arrive in Kamas and my sunny day is gone....for now (hopefully).

The drive, despite the naked trees, is pretty as always. There's no snow on the ground here but I'm not expecting it. (The elevation is around 6400ft.) But in the distance, I get glimpses of snow on the Uinta Mts.

A few chipmunks scamper across the road. And then I come to a quick stop as a deer crosses.

My first stop is the Provo River Falls (9350ft) with the sun partially out. The first falls is the biggest.

It's still flowing but there is some ice on the bottom pool of water.

I walk down the trail

to the next waterfall.

This one has a trickle waterfall on the non-trail side. Icicles formed last night are still visible.

And then the final falls.

Time to continue on up to Bald Mt Pass.

Soon I can see Bald Mt and Murdock Mt -- not much snow on them but I'm looking at the sunny side; there may be snow on the other side. And then I reach Bald Mt Pass (10,700ft). I pass the overlook because I'm back under the cloud again.

There's snow on the ground now - just a few inches. Now its downhill to Mirror Lake (10,000ft).

I reach the side road to the Lake. Thankfully the downhill road is snow-free....until the bottom where there's a section of ice. My car slides a bit but I get down safely.

Now this is why I came today instead of Saturday - there's only one car in the parking lot!

At only 37 degrees and cloudy, it's so crisp and fresh out! (The sun is coming though.)

I head down to the lake. It's frozen on this side but open on the other. The ice is not very thick; I put my foot on it and there are bubbles and cracking noises. On top of the ice there are tiny scattered white snow flakes - very cool looking.

I start my way around the mile loop.

Love the early morning's crystallized snow

On the other side of the lake, I finally get to open water. Lovely reflections.

And I'm seeing more birds now. There are Woodpeckers (Hairy Woodpecker I believe)

Gray Jays

And a Mallard pair!

Also nice to see traditional signs of child's play in the snow :)

Wonderful stop!

Onward to Ruth Lake (10,300 ft) which is several miles further down the road towards Evanston WY.

I arrive to an empty parking lot (yea!).

Plenty of snow here but the other people have already blazed the trail thru the forest. The trail is a perfect Fall combo of snow packed, icy, dry, and muddy. It's only 3/4 mile to the Lake.

Lots of trees and tons of rocks - such a pretty landscape.

When I turn around, there are lovely views of Hayden Peak.

I arrive at a large meadow. The evening's frost has already burned off but there is lots of water (some frozen).

Next come a lake (unnamed as far as I know). It's mostly frozen with some cool star shapes in the ice.

And some circles. Not sure how or why but it's pretty cool.

I continue around the lake; there's a great view of Hayden Peak from the other side.

And onto Ruth Lake.

Ruth Lake (like the other) is mostly frozen but it does have more open water especially along the edges.

I find a few trout in the open water by the shoreline.

I continue around the lake to the far side. Again, Hayden Peak is the focal point.

And I see a few more trout.

The trail ends without a good place for lunch so I backtrack to a nice log with a great view for lunch.

In the distance a large dark cloud appears to be heading my way so it's time to head back to the car.

I see more Gray Jays on the way back to my car.

On the drive back, I make one last stop just after Pass Lake (I'm not sure the name of this lake) for a nice shot of the snowy side of a few peaks. Perfect!

Awesome day!