Utah Capitol Reef and Escalante Hiking
May 16-23, 2009 - Trip Report
Guide Peg Abbott and Stephanie Shaw, guides with 10 participants

Sat. May 16 Salt Lake City / Mormon Pioneer Settlements / Torrey – Lodge at Red River
As most of our group arrived by 1:00 PM, Peg opted to travel back through time en route to Torrey, visiting the farms and small towns that form the earliest Mormon signature on Utah. We had a beautiful blue-sky day and turned off the Interstate at Spanish Fork south of Salt Lake City to follow Highway 89 through several National Historic districts. It was easy to see why settlers chose these fertile mountain valleys as we looked at the greenery blessed with abundant water.  We stopped at the Fairview Museum and quickly discovered we could have used a few hours there. A huge fruit tree in bloom marked the entry and inside was a treasure trove of early furnishings. We enjoyed both the historic section and the adjacent art and natural history building where classic and modern paintings intermingled with bones of pre-Pleistocene mammoths. The settlement of Spring Creek gave us the most complete picture of early settlement life with its rich collection of original buildings. Bob admired the barns and barn wood.  We admired the temple at Manti, then put the pedal down to head for our lodgings and welcome dinner at the Lodge at Red River.  How nice to arrive to a welcoming staff, a herd of grazing bison and a delicious dinner at this well-appointed and delightful family-run establishment.

Sun., May 17 Capitol Reef National Park: Cohab Canyon – Frying Pan – Cassidy Arch / Café Diablo Dinner
Today could be called Up, Up and AWAY.  UP for the effort needed to ascend the walls of Navajo Sandstone that rim the course of the Fremont River. AWAY for the sense of peace and awe that came over us today as we navigated a sea of rock and sky. Peg and Pat completed the needed car shuttle while others took a peek at the historic Gifford Barn, farmhouse and orchards.  We walked together into striped cliffs and recesses of Cohab Canyon. Our group fanned out as we started to climb.  A rock, shaped like a bear, drew us on. We topped out about lunchtime and enjoyed a chance to catch our breath, trade notes on lizard and wildlife encounters and power ourselves up with chocolate. The view from this place is sublime, a knock-out palette of color painted on a massive expanse of territory.  Our cameras were clicking, but really, there is no way to portray the vastness of this landscape.  There simply are no green expanses.  People here are sculpted as much as the flora and fauna; they may become honed by the starkness and grandeur of place.  Several of our group added a mile to the daily tally by going out for a closer inspection of Cassidy Arch from its upper side.  Others were happy to see the trail’s end in Grand Wash, a route for early trans-Waterpocket Fold crossings.  It was a great warm-up day with an infusion of Utah red rocks – a memory we will carry for many years ahead.

Showers felt like transfusions and dinner was all the more memorable with thanks to our efforts. We enjoyed Café Diablo’s creative menu and grand sense of presentation.  They love vertical good – and pile it on with gusto.  Flavors were blended with finesse and our evening meal proved a delight.

Mon., May 18 Capitol Reef National Park: Pleasant Creek / Lodge at Red River
We started the day as we would on subsequent days with a fine breakfast in the beautiful log dining room with views of Bison, Black-headed Grosbeaks and Lazuli Buntings. Their lovely selection insured that yoghurt/granola folks were as happy as those wanting eggs and sausage. They also packed us some great lunches, which we enjoyed under a wall of superlative rock art along Pleasant Creek. We drove out the park’s Scenic Drive, stopping for photos and views of the Golden Throne. Peg described the environments that prevailed at the time rock layers were laid down and detailed the processes that allowed them later to be revealed. The trailhead was near a historic corral and there we met Capitol Reef’s backcountry ranger out on patrol. He detailed a few highlights ahead of us for the day and soon we were packing sand into our boots and watershoes.

It got hot pretty quickly so the numerous creek crossings came as relief and many of us sought the creek route when given a choice.  It was wonderful to wade with magnificent views all around. We took in the textures of ancient sand dunes and marveled at the matrix of holes that mark patterns of water flow through sand before rock was formed.  We spread out according to our pace and enjoyed conversation or silence as we chose. Nancy spotted a Big Horned Sheep drinking in the creek and Carol and Al were with her and saw the female sheep leave the creek and run uphill. They were thrilled at the sighting! There were few others on the trail and we enjoyed a great sense of history and wilderness. History came from seeing rock art that decorated the walls; one panel in particular had giant figures depicted with tight parallel belt bands. 

We spent much of the day along the creek, so much so that few of us took in the fabulous petroglyph panel close to the road.  Bob detailed it for us, remarking on how extensive the panel was and how long one could look and continue to see.  Toward day's end we ventured home. Peg took advantage of the lodge’s hot tub – guaranteed to cure hiking’s aches and pains.  We had dinner at the lodge, which made for a relaxing end to the day.
 
Tues., May 19 Capitol Reef National Park: Navajo Knobs & Hickman Bridge / Return to Café Diablo
Today we split into two groups as some wanted a challenge and others sought an easier reverie. Tom ended the Knob’s hike saying (with a smile) “It was grueling”.  He led us at a stiff pace over the slickrock terrain, up and up at a steady pace. We walked in admiration of endless views. It was fun to look back over to the rock bear that had watched over our climb to the ridge above Cassidy Arch.  We looked down to the Fremont River where homes and cars soon took on a toy-like appearance. Peg and Bob worked on shrub identification and we all watched ravens play.  It was fine to be high above the world enjoying such fine red-rock terrain.  At the Knobs, Bob and Tom climbed up on the very tip-top where a 360? view could be had.  With their encouragement Peg had to join them – what a rush.  Again, photos could not capture what we saw but all measured it a very fine day. 

Stephanie led the rest of the crew to the base of dramatic Hickman Bridge where one could see blue sky behind the massive strut of rock.   We got some great photographs of ourselves under the rock bridge to show the huge scale of the natural structure.  Pat and Meredith continued on to the overlook.  When we got back down to the parking area, Stephanie took us to BLM just outside the park to hike where she often goes with her roommate's dogs.  We got many photos of Claret Cup cactus in bloom.  We ate lunch in the shade of junipers and headed back only when we heard the rumble of thunder.

At the day’s end we ended back at Café Diablo as all had more than one choice for dinner and had mulled over their alternatives over many a mile.  The pecan-encrusted chicken was a big hit, as was the wild mushroom and spinach salad.  Peg and Carol thought the empanadas gave us an epicurean return to Argentina. How nice to find such a fun place to eat in this small town surrounded by beauty.  Café Diablo wins an easy listing in Peg’s Epicurean Birder Blog  www.epicureanbirder.wordpress.com

Wed., May 20 Boulder Mountain / Strike Valley Overlook / Lower Muley Twist
After a final elegant breakfast, we packed our bags and headed on to the next grand part of our journey. We had plans to drive around the rugged Notom Road but the majority of our group was not feeling ‘rugged’ and instead we chose a fine route over Boulder Mountain.

At two rest stops we took in views of what seemed to be half the world, the latter revealing many of the layers of the Grand Staircase, a portrait of time. We dropped off some of our gear at Boulder Mountain Lodge and then turned east along the historic Burr Trail. 

Today we wanted it ALL - grand vistas and canyon intimacy - so we planned two hikes, one to a grand viewpoint and the other amid a canyon “so tight it would twist a mule.”  We elected not to drive in the road marked “Four-wheel drive recommended” and though we likely could have made it, we would have missed Peek-a-boo Arch, a natural bridge and a wonderful welcoming sense of exploration.  Carol spotted a Leopard Lizard at the road junction with the trail to Strike Valley Overlook and it posed at length for our inspection. This predacious lizard is quite a chunk and it seemed unperturbed by our presence. We enjoyed lunch atop the Waterpocket Fold, a geologic feature pronounced enough to be seen readily from space. Peg reviewed the process of formation and showed the hinge-line of the fold before us, but words could not do it justice. Earth raw and powerful was the motif for our lunchtime lingering. After enjoying time with hundred mile views, we descended, retraced our steps and headed on to view the switchbacks of John Burr’s trail.

It was hot, and by afternoon and our energies sagged, but Stephanie lured us on to explore the intricacies and colors of the Lower Muley Twist.  Al and Pat saw another large lizard and Carol identified this one as a Collared Lizard, our seventh species of lizards on this trip.  Tom, our trailblazer, led the way but caught a foot and before our eyes, fell.  Every accident happens quickly and we were lucky that Tom was resilient and strong.  Peg raced for ice, he stayed in good humor and all breathed a sigh of relief!  A bit of retail therapy at the Burr Trail Trading Post ensued, followed by a great dinner at Boulder Lodge’s Hell's Backbone Café.

Thurs., May 21 A Day with an Archaeologist / Calf Creek Falls /
Pat Owens of our Naturalist Journey’s office, along on this trip, had requested a visit with our group by Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument’s archaeologist Matt Zweifel.  Matt’s parents have a home in Portal and we wanted very much to make a connection.  Matt was so knowledgeable and so comfortable with that knowledge that our morning passed all too quickly. 

We all felt it was just a remarkable experience to wander across slickrock, through braided canyons to reach one of the many-hundred archaeological sites of the region.  We saw archaic rock art, likely at least 3000 years old.  It was nestled in an alcove on a colorful expanse of rock. Carol sat and said without pause, “I could live here.”  Peg was distracted by the calls of baby ravens, nestled in a thick stick nest on the opposing wall. They uttered loud calls of hunger, begging from adults that came in like clockwork. They were barely feathered and so bold, one could only hope no Great Horned Owl held court in this perfect canyon. 

The morning passed quickly and all too soon Matt was called to complete the other tasks of his day.  We went to the Kiva Coffeehouse, which is perched on the rim of rock above the junction of Calf Creek Falls and the Escalante River.  This motherlode of archaeology is also strikingly beautiful.  After our walk, the ability to SIT, drink gourmet iced teas and coffees and gulp down yummy baked goods – wow. 

Refueled, we moved on to Calf Creek, a centerpiece of beauty within Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument with its 126 ft. waterfall.  Several of us pushed on to see its entirety at the end of a 6.2 round-trip hike. Along the way we saw an 800+ year old granary, a panel of rock art with large hand-holding ‘warriors’ and brook trout swimming in a crystalline stream.  Some of the group turned back after a blitz of bird song (Scott’s Orioles, Common Yellowthroats) and wildflowers (mats of orange Globe Mallows) lured on by the comforts of ‘home’ and rich treasures of the Burr Trail Trading Post.  Tonight was a free night for dinner and we all fanned out – some sampling the nearby Burr Trail Grill and others enjoying another round at Hell’s Backbone Grill. 

Fri., May 22 Rainy Day amid the Canyons / Boulder
An unusual region-wide low-pressure front moved in during the night and we all woke up to something rare – May rains on the plateau.  These were not light showers, but rather steady and prolific waters that led to streams and then rivers across the sandstone.  We witnessed first-hand what makes flash floods happen. Though we missed out on our exploration of a bench rich in rock art, we drank in smells of rain and contented ourselves to explore inside ventures. We watched the film and took in exhibits at Escalante’s Visitor Center, then ordered coffee and shopped with abandon at the Escalante Outfitter’s store.  We tried to travel on the Hole-in-the-Rock road to Dance Hall Rock and Devil’s Gardens but spinning tires and Stephanie’s local expertise warned us away. Returning to pavement, we opted for a return to the comforts of our lodge where we ate our lunches in the common room overlooking the 11-acre wetland with its resident Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Ruddy Ducks and Canadian Geese with goslings. We went up to nearby Anasazi State Park to learn from exhibits inside and out.  Being our final afternoon, our group was divided – some wanted to walk and others to lounge, both perfect solutions to the rainy day. 

Sat., May 23 Boulder Mountain / Departures from SLC
Don and Jan had a treat this morning – waking up to White-faced Ibis feeding on the edge of the pond right outside their window!  We all woke to rain that continued into a two-day front, which only facilitated efficient packing and we were soon underway back to Salt Lake. We took a break at the Robber’s Roost Coffee House in Torrey and then said good-bye to amazing red rocks and our most congenial group.  Until the next adventure! 

Photo credits
Lodge at Red River – Pat Owens
View behind lodge – Don Allen
Pleasant Creek –Don Allen
Hickman Bridge – Don Allen
Carol in cranny – Pat Owens
Strike Valley – Don Allen
Alcove – Don Allen
Peg + Jan – Don Allen
Water Falls – Tom Silva
Matt Zweifel – Carol Simon
Group Photo – Matt Zweifel
Hikers – Tom Silva
Café Diablo – Pat Owens
Tom + Nancy – Tom Silva
Claret Cup – Pat Owens
All others by Peg Abbott

 

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