Southern Utah

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein

I caught up with my friends, Karen and Val in Kodachrome Utah about 8:30PM Sunday, August 19th.  They were waiting to have dinner with me and I was ready! This state park offers some challenging and beautiful areas that seem to be overlooked by most.  There are hikes of varying degrees of difficulty and a lovely hike through and well defined desert garden, complimented with sayings.  The Albert Einstein quote is one.  During our 3 day stay in beautiful Kodachrome we encountered rain....a lot of rain!  Of course, after rain we are frequently treated with a lovely rainbow.  

However, during this timeframe, Karen and I made a grocery run into Cannonville.  It is about 20 minutes from the campground, which is remote and unreachable.  As Karen and I traveled it rained harder and harder.  Soon, I would receive an alert for flash flooding.  No joke!  We were driving right in it!  

When we were finished shopping, we found the road closed!  We were able to have someone at the Visitor Center call the ranger in Kodachrome and ask that a message be given to Val.  Luckily, by late afternoon we found the road crew had been out to clear 2 feet of mud off of the road in many spots.  We were able to make our way back to the campground. Just my luck....from a forest fire to a flash flood! 

 Karen and Val walked out on a narrow ledge....I watched. 

 Over a couple of days we would hike Bryce Canyon in a variety of spots.  Storm clouds full of lightning would keep us going at a good clip!

Tropic Ditch was completed in 1892 after two years of pioneers completing a canal to provide water for the surrounding areas.

 Soon, it would be time to leave Kodachrome Basin State Park.  We would drive through Escalante on one of the most beautiful state highways in America. Scenic Byway 12.  The photo below is Karen leaving with her trailer, trudging through mud left by the flashflood. 

 

 Along the way we would encounter a Farmer's Market and a peach orchard.  Pick all you want to eat on the spot for free and pay $1.00 a pound for those to take!

My dad was a geophysicist and brought plenty of rocks and purple bottles home.  I sensed him here! 

Historic school house in Fruita shown below. 

The effects of Uranium mining noted below in Capitol Reef National Park. 

If you look closely, you can see the highway switchbacks.  Pictures do not do this stretch justice! 

 We found a rock and replanted it elsewhere the next day. 

 We reached our next campsite in time for me to get a nap in!  It was higher in elevation and more pleasing for Karen and me!

Fishlake Lodge is a historic lodge that, like Lake McDonald Lodge has the entrance facing the lake water. 

 Travelers along the Old Spanish Trail would stop in at this lodge for respite.

Soon we would make our way to Dead Horse Point State Park.  This is where poor Ralph would need two new tires.  As we parked in the campground, Val pointed out that one of my back tires was nearly flat.  Well, for good reason....I saw metal protruding!  Val did most of the work changing out the tire and the next day they would slowly follow me into Moab for replacement.  Moab is a very busy town and it would take two days for tire replacement and alignment.  It worked out as we still had Arches and Canyonland to visit! 

 Thank you, Val!  Karen and I DID help, really!

 Me ready for a hot hike!

 Entry to Arches

Delicate Arch/Arches National Park

NO explanation needed.....

A place to sit and ponder the wonder of it all in Canyonlands.

 Val and I at the top of Whale Rock in Canyonlands National Park.

Karen treks to the top of Whale Rock. 

 Dead Horse Point State Park is worth a repeat visit!  

Beautiful sunset reflects in Solar Evaporation Ponds near Moab, UT. 

Sunrise at Dead Horse Point State Park on the day of departure. 

All hooked up....going home!

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.

John Muir

Summer's Surprise Part 1

Well folks, my Glacier experience came to an abrupt end August 12, 2018.
I had hiked the Firebrand Pass Trail the day before.

 Believe me when I say the last part of this 10 mile hike is NOT for those with vertigo.  Expand the picture above to see the scree crossing the bare and steep slope!

 The trail began in a boggy area, sometimes attracting moose.  I would not be so lucky to see one.  Even though it had been a hot and dry July, the wildflowers were abundant in the meadows.

The trail soon led to beautiful forested area, but quite loaded with mosquitos!

When I arrived "home", I found that Mother Nature directed a lightning strike across the lake near the top of Howe Ridge.  It is a scant one mile across Lake McDonald to the Lake McDonald Lodge and dorms.  I was not terribly concerned when I saw the smoke and small fire.  After all, there had been a fire in the area in 2017 that had closed the lodge early in September.  They learned from that, right? This, I said to myself for assurance.  

When I awoke just short of 7AM on August 12th, I heard planes.  I knew the fire was being addressed by large dumps of water from Lake McDonald.  It appeared to be a nice day so I got up, dressed, grabbed coffee and light breakfast and made my way to the shore.  Here I would find guests, day travelers and fellow employees catching photos and watching the activity of two small planes as though it were a spectator sport.  I watched for a long while, noticing the dumps were not really doing what they were supposed to do.  The fire was being fed by gusty winds of about 25 miles per hour.  About noon I left the shore and began to prepare for my shift that would begin at 2PM.  Throughout the afternoon, my boss, B-Rad and I fielded questions and concerns from checked in guests as well as those about to check in.  We encouraged them to attend the 8:30PM Ranger discussion.  We felt sure the topic would change to the fire, soon to be known as The Howe Ridge Fire.  I took my dinner break at 5PM and could not believe my eyes.  The fire had advanced to the Western shoreline of Lake McDonald and I could feel the heat from 1 mile away! My heart raced....this was not good. 

By 8:45PM, guests began to race to the front desk with information the ranger had given. "You need to get everybody out!  There is an evacuation!"  Oh, my gosh....I was stunned.  It was all I could do to hold it together. At 9:15 my boss turned to me and said, "Patty, go home and pack a bag. You have an hour.' I could not believe it! I scrambled as fast as I could with security making rounds every few minutes to see if I was packed. I could not take everything, just the basics. It was 11 PM when I was packed up and leaving the site. I was the last to leave my dorm and I felt a sense of panic and abandonment. The usual busy Going to the Sun Road was vacant aside from horse trailers being pulled in the oncoming lane. Of course! The horses in the corral would need to be gathered! I cried..I yelled...I cursed. it was a terrifying and unsettling night. 

I had been directed by security to get to the Red Bus garage just outside of Columbia Falls. I arrived about 11:30 PM to the employer evacuation site. The management had purchased tents, mattresses, blankets and sleeping bags for over 100 people. It was noisy in the garage and I decided to sleep in my Jeep.

 When I awoke, I found as many tents outside as inside.  It would be home for 5 days.

By Friday, August 17th, it was announced at the 10AM meeting that Lake McDonald Lodge was closed for the 2018 season.  We would be given opportunities to work at other properties operated by Xanterra, but I would eventually come to the decision to drive south, into Utah and catch up with friends camping and exploring the beautiful areas of southern Utah.  It did not come easily.  However, I felt it was time to soothe my soul.  I did not need to race to another location to readjust to new rules, new people, new dorms.  I needed serenity and so off I went ….wandering about in nature, once again!  

"The world is big and I want to have a good look at it before it gets dark." John Muhr

A Taste of the Chalet Circuit

Sperry Chalet is one of  nine chalet complexes originally built by the Great Northern Railway, providing travelers with the Western experience in Glacier National Park. In my last blog, I asked the reader to imagine arriving by train, then traveling by horse to one of the chalet sites.  I revisited the times gone by recently by taking an all day horse ride to the Sperry Chalet site, eating a meal and returning the same day.  Historically, travelers would have arisen, packed up and gone to the next chalet.

Going To The Sun Road was completed in 1932.  Once that road was in place, chalet visits by horse began to wain.  During WWII the chalets did not see any visitors because they were temporarily closed due to war.  During the closure, many fell into disrepair and were not refurbished.  Many were dismantled and no remnant remains.  However, Granite Chalet and portions of Sperry Chalet are in tact and continue to provide services.

Sperry Chalet was damaged in the Sprague Fire in the summer of 2017.  A great deal of effort was made to protect the buildings on the site.  However, the dorm building did take on an ember in the roofing which caused the demise of the building.  Once the fire was extinguished, only four walls remained.  The Glacier Conservancy has committed to rebuilding that dorm.  Work began in July 2018 and is expected to be complete 2020. Read, "It Was a Gut Punch" at www.flatheadbeacon.com for more information.  This fire would also be the reason Lake McDonald Lodge was closed nearly one month early in 2017.  I am grateful that a ton of effort was made to save the lodge.

The 6.2 mile trail is rocky and steep, especially the last two miles.  It is a gain of 3,595 feet and I did not feel capable of hiking it, but certainly wanted to experience the site.  What better way than taking a horse trip, just as early travelers had done?  I discovered Swan Mountain Outfitters near Lake McDonald Lodge had just put together a day trip and I signed up to take the very first one!  I would be joined by a local photographer as well as a father and daughter team.

We began our accent about 9AM with an overcast sky.  Only a 20% chance of rain was predicted and we saw none during the day.  I had not been on a horse in over 25 years and had my concerns.  Those who know me won't be surprised to read that I threw my concerns out the window!  I did, however, did some yoga before the ride.  I would take my mount on Gunslinger, a good boy that had been and still used as a pack horse. He set a comfortable pace and never gave me concern. To my amazement, I reached the top without experiencing any soreness or unease.  I sought out the building labeled, "Kitchen" and took a seat at one of the tables.  I was quickly served a nice bowl of vegetable soup and asked which sandwich I would prefer; turkey, ham or roast beef.  All would be served on freshly baked whole wheat bread.  The sandwich was delicious and presented with sides of pretzels and a sweet pickle.  Lunch included a choice of "cookie", meaning cobbler, scone, brownie and 3 other tempting treats! Here are some photos from the site of Sperry Chalet:

Some area is blocked due to rebuilding of the dorm. 

Some of the construction crew eating lunch when I arrived. 

View of the KITCHEN building from the restroom. 

Large tent to accommodate the construction crew. 

After about an hour and a half break for lunch and a look about, we began our decent to the Lake McDonald Corral, about 3 hours.  This would be a decent I will never forget as the horses would need to find their footing on long, slightly pitched sheets of rock. Oh my, I would just lean back and trust Gunslinger to do his job! Needless to say, the decent did leave me sore after an entire three hours of resistance "training"!

I hope you enjoy this brief recount of something so special in our history.  The experience, for me, was reflective and special!

The top of the mountain is a perfect place to quote Helen Keller:
"Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye."

July - MID POINT ALREADY!

I can't believe it is mid point for my seasonal job already!  It has become hotter now and almost all the snow that could be seen on the nearby mountain tops has nearly melted. Water levels are down a lot in the rivers.  You can see "islands" now that were covered when I arrived in May.  However, one only needs to get to a hiking trail off the Going to the Sun Road in order to encounter it.  Another indicator that it is mid point is the amount of traffic coming into Lake McDonald Lodge.  It is busy!  Day visitors must outnumber those staying on the property 5 to 1! The bonus there is that talented folks of all ages sit and play the piano in the lobby.  Can you only imagine the memories being made for those who sit in a 100 year old lodge and peck our show tunes or classical music?  I am so lucky to witness on a day to day basis!

As many of you might have done, I sought out fireworks on the 4th of July holiday.  I worked until 7 and then set straight out to Whitefish Lake Beach. I always like fireworks over water and this would not disappoint.  The folks in Montana take fireworks seriously and stands abounded before the big day. I set up my blanket and prepared to watch the display over the lake.  As I waited and looked around, I found fireworks being set off in every direction.  Once the spectacular official fireworks started at 10:30, those little displays stopped. Whitefish, Montana, you did not disappoint.  It was awesome to sit on the beach watching the reflections and the last light over the mountains.  It will be one I always remember!

Rangers offer a wide variety of programs and ranger led hikes throughout the park and at all hours.  I decided to take a hike within walking distance of the lodge on a given Saturday.  I found I would be the only guest that ranger had joining her on the hike!  It was great as she would pace with me!  We walked to Snyder Lake, a moderate hike once the initial elevation change would be done in the first few miles.

 The trail would wind through dense forest reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest.  Soon we would encounter the burn area left from the fire of 2017 that resulted in the destruction of Sperry Chalet and forcing Lake McDonald Lodge to close a month early.  I learned there are four types of fires.  The ranger pointed out how the foliage and trees might appear with each fire type.  Once we reached the lake we took a lunch break and enjoyed the beauty of the area complete with water falls.  We saw little in the way of wildlife, but plenty of birds along the 8.8 mile hike.

I was grateful the pit toilet survived - but, mystified!

My next ranger encounter would be Glacier's Night Sky Astronomy in the Apgar Visitor Center's parking lot at 10PM.  They set up three large telescopes for attendees to look at Jupiter, Saturn and the moon.  The rangers spoke of the constellations and the Milky Way in addition to how one might see the auroa borealis.  It's impressive to see the amount of knowledge these rangers share with visitors for free!  I have downloaded an app for my phone to be able to see the rating of the auora but so far have not had the good fortune to see any wild colors.

I have discovered a small, yet lovely 3 mile hike a short drive away that seems fitting to do a few times a week just for the sake of exercise.  The nice thing about the Rocky Point Hike is that it skirts Lake McDonald and the lake's look can change dramatically with the light. There is easy access to the beach and it 's fun to see the lodge from the other side of the lake.

I took and quick trip to Anaconda to stay two nights with friends from Vegas.  It was so lovely to be away from the frenzy and enjoy some peace and quiet.  Of course, the five hour drive  was not all that relaxing, but the drive was certainly beautiful! We enjoyed a well represented art show in lovely weather. Here is Denise an her husband, Brian.

Beautiful Lake Georgetown was my escape for a weekend!

Izaak Walton is another historic lodge.  This one was built for railroad workers.  It was later turned into a spot for visitors.  They even rent out the cabooses!

My boss, B-Rad (yes, he is) and I took a day and visited the East side, taking in a couple of short hikes and boat ride on St. Mary Lake.

To finish off the month, I did a lovely hike that took me to a spot where one of the original chalets stood until after WWII.  Imagine, if you will, that you have boarded a train in the Midwest about 1920 and headed to the mountains of Montana.  All around the train you will read the slogan, "See America First."  Many folks spent their vacations traveling to Europe and with Glacier now becoming more "developed", it was hoped that travelers would set their sights on the "Switzerland of America".  You have been greeted by a local with a horse for you to ride over the next 7 days.  You travel by horse from chalet to chalet viewing what native Americans called "The Backbone of the Continent".  The scene would be beckoning travelers for decades to come. For more information look up Historic Lodges and Chalets under Glacier at www.nps.gov.

Chalet visitors would have seen the above scene looking South and below looking North.

Look carefully for a footing from the original chalet.

I followed up the short hike with a trip to the Museum of  the Plains Indians in Browning, MT.  I watched a short film that was narrated by Vincent Price.  It covered the migration of natives as well as animals and quite informative and poignant in spite of being somewhat dated.  I was impressed to see two local artisans in a room demonstrating their trade. (www.doi.gov)

I saw Blackfoot Dancers and Singers at the Visitor Center and recommend all visitors attend!  This piece above was beautifully worn by an award winning dancer.  I was astounded to hear that she dances with this 63 pound regalia on her! 

I am beginning to love the Going to the Sun Road and returned in the evening, stopping at Oberlin Bend Lookout where I saw this guy counting cars!

I will leave you with this lovely quote by Louis L'Amour:
"The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail.  Travel too fast and you miss all you are traveling for."