Catching up on Zion.

October 28, 2010

Here we are again.  I am letting the big drink of water I just had pass through me before I crawl into my sleeping bag for the night, and Nick is whittling away at bundles of firewood that we bought, making kindling for a tomorrow nights fire.  Tonight we went to a Ranger talk about the night sky, and are skipping the campfire in service to early rising and needing to rest weary legs.  We’ve been in Zion National Park for 2 days now, and have enjoyed every minute of it (except maybe being driven into the tent or car to escape the wind, which I’m hope isn’t a trend).  Zion is, like all the National Parks so far, breathtaking and unique. 

This is the Watchman, overlooking our campground. 

There were so many spots that invited meditating, I wish I'd done more. 

Zion is so amazing, it makes me fly. 

I’m being called to bed: to be continued in the morning.

Zion is a desert, situated in a canyon, carved by the perennial Virgin River that flows through.  Having such varied land and water formations, this park draws amazing biodiversity, including plants and animals happy in arid desert climates, mountainous regions, and in the path of the rocky river.  In the desert areas in both Joshua Tree and Zion, desert tortoises!!!!! are found.  I did not see any, but we will for sure be back for a desert tortoise watch.  Interesting factoid about these neato creatures: when desert tortoises feel like they are in danger, they “void themselves” creating a potentially deadly possibility because they become dangerously dehydrated and in a desert climate it’s very challenging to replenish lost water.  The only time humans are to touch or come close to a tortoise is if she is on the road and is in imminent danger.  Fascinating.  We also saw spotted lizards, a variety of furry, small creatures, big birds (Zion is one of a few places with a content population of Peregrine Falcons) and copious mule deer with huge racks, these guys are thriving in such a protected area.  Some of the more elusive creatures that live in Zion are the cats.  Mountain lions thrive in this community, and we were not (or were we?) lucky enough to see one, but we have turned into quite the trackers.  As hikers we are so tuned in to animal tracks and (apology in advance) animal poo, and we’ve definitely seen evidence of mountain lions in their recorded tracks in wet mud, near the river.  They’re stealthy, a sighting would have been incredible, but it was pretty neat to see a variety of cat tracks on our hike.  

The real draw of Zion though are the rocks.  Zion is a geologists heaven, it’s enough to make a believer out of anyone.  Time becomes visible as you hike through different exposed strata, formed originally by sand dunes and shallow seas.  Ever present and always visible, the canyon walls and mountains share with us stories preserved in rock.  Of the many different formations, two interesting ones are the Kayenta Mudstone Formation which features dinosaur tracks, and the Moenkopi formation that shows a shallow sea withdrawing, the top and bottom layers have different marine fossils.  It’s amazing, and I don’t know enough about it.  This trip is really showing me how much more I want to learn.  

We were able to squeeze in a lot of hiking on this trip, we hiked Watchman Trail, up to a gorgeous view of Watchman Mountain at sunset on our first night (and found mountain lion tracks!).  We hiked the Grotto trail to three different Emerald Pools, naturally forming waterfalls descending into mountain pools, emerald by the color of the surrounding rocks.   

We walked under this gentle waterfall.

Upper Emerald Pool

Carved by water and wind and time. 

We also hiked the Hidden Canyon trail, which though a little treacherous, was so rewarding.  An amazing view, and an unmaintained trail leading through a hidden canyon and dry creek bed to a free standing sandstone arch.  The drop offs on all of these trails were real, and thankfully the park provides chains to hold on to as you walk on slippery sandstone ledges.  The power of nature in the form of wind and water is visible everywhere.  The canyons were cut by ancient and current rivers and seas, and finished by winds.  The strength of nature is tangible in the rocks, I touched the spirals and curves in the sandstone, carved by time.  It’s powerful. 

We were treated to a little bit of Fall!

Rocks soft enough to swirl.

Nick is a perpetual walking advertisement for Iowa.

Of course I needed to climb up and balance on a tree...

In the background you see the Hidden Arch

FLY

We barely caught sunset on our second night at Canyon Overlook, which was a drive up the mountain, through a 1 mile tunnel, and a short but scary hike up to a view of the whole canyon.  Nick’s officially tired of posed and scenic photos, so we’re switching veins and talking action shots!  No rocks or people were harmed in the process... 

You had to be there, the sunset was spectacular. 

Nick flies too!

Sun and wind burned, we’re in our “home,” heading northeast towards Arches National Park, driving through the high desert country of mountains and plateaus of mid Utah.  We feasted on a bit of NPR, and now have our choice of one country music station, evidenced by Nick’s non subtle frequent guffaw.  They’re all about pickup trucks, lost loves, cheating wives, and drinking, so predictable, singable, and awesome.    

I’m starting to lament the end of this iteration of our lives.  Arches is our last National Park, after which we will start the long trek to Dubuque, stopping at Nick’s aunt and uncle’s home in Colorado for a break.  Last night was the first time I started to look at the stars a little longer, to relish the tired feeling at the end of the day after great hiking surrounded by beauty.  I don’t like endings, and this wont be an end, only a transition to something next.  What follows is still blissfully unknown.  

Sunset from the road, on our last day in Zion.  See the cactus in the middle? So long valley in the mountains.