Lower Buckskin Gulch The following morning, with lighter packs, we continued down Buckskin Gulch to the Paria River. It was about six miles downstream to the confluence. After a quick dunk in the river and a little playing around with quicksand, we were on our way back up the canyon. We stopped at the midway exit to grab our overnight stuff and then retraced our path to Wire Pass. (more…)
Deep in Buckskin Gulch. Buckskin Gulch has the proud distinction of being the longest slot canyon in the world. All slot canyons by definition have sections of tight narrows, but the depth and length of these narrows can vary. Some are actually quite short, often measured in yards. Others can go for longer, even as long as a mile, before it opens up and higher ground can be reaches. The...
One of the many rappels in Water Holes Canyon Water Holes Canyon is a slot canyon just south of Page, Arizona. It empties into the Colorado River from the east, just below Glen Canyon Dam. Like Antelope Canyon, Water Holes is on Navajo land and requires permission to access. (more…)
It was time for a fall desert trip, so a group of us headed down to Page, Arizona, with a list of canyons and slots to check out. We started with Antelope Canyon. (more…)
Looking north up the Waterpocket Fold in the morning. As you travel east (right) you pass through younger and younger rock strata. The Waterpocket Fold of Capitol Reef might be best described as a bend in the earth’s crust where subsequent erosion has exposed the underlying rock strata. Whereas the layers of desert rock are normally seen in a canyon wall stacked vertically, the layers of the Fold are tilted...
We decided to check out Capitol Reef National Park last weekend. Like many people, we had long known of this National Park in south central Utah but had never spent any actual time there. One of its major attractions is the Waterpocket Fold, a 100 mile long exposed monocline
Through some of the narrows on the descent from the East Rim to Weeping Rock. We ran the Zion Traverse last week– a linkup of existing trails across Zion National Park that measures about 48 miles and reportedly gains around 10,000 vertical feet. Christy and I are big fans of established courses such as the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim (or roundtrip) and the Four Pass Loop, so it was time to...
Mary’s Loop Like a couple of elk forced down to lower elevations by snowfall, Christy and I headed to Fruita to go for a run. Most people associate Fruita with mountain biking. While the biking is nothing short of awesome there, many of the trails work equally well for a run. The rolling, semi-technical Kokopelli trails are the best, since the bikers aren’t moving as fast and as a runner...
“Remember: Hiking to the river and back in one day is dangerous and never recommended due to limited shade, extreme heat and a near 5,000 foot elevation change!” – from The Guide- Maps and Information for Grand Canyon National Park, issued to visitors upon arrival. Christy on the snowy descent from the North Rim. Well they got the elevation part right, at least for the South Rim section of the...
I pulled out the GoPro last weekend while mountain biking in Fruita. Here’s a little clip I put together from a ride with Philip, Troy and Wheaton, down the 18 Road luge-course known as the Kessel Run. It’s set to music from the Boulder-based band The Amends. Their first, self-titled album was released earlier this summer and is definitely worth checking out.
We met in Aspen in 2000 and have been happily stuck in the rockies ever since, getting out in the mountains every day we can, in every season and by all means possible. Read More
Recent Comments