mesa verde, co

"These are people at their very finest." -- John Slevin, Mesa Verde National Park Ranger

The journey from Arches National Park to Mesa Verde National Park was not an easy one.  It began with the sound of sporadic raindrops hitting the tent at 5 30 am.  It then continued with 2.5 hours of driving through intermittent downpours, thunder and lightning, sleet, and even snow.  When we finally arrived at the visitor center, the cold rain started up once again as I darted inside.  I soon learned that while we had made it to the park, we still had another 45 minutes of driving.  Feeling a bit defeated and damp, I eased the Jeep back on to the road and we made our winding, wet way up to the top of Mesa Verde.

Eventually we arrived at Spruce Tree House just as the sun started to peek out from the cover of the clouds.  I remained bundled though in layers of long sleeved shirts and fleece-lined pants.  Not even the sun could ease the chill from the wind whipping about on top of the plateau. It's no wonder why the people of Mesa Verde decided to take refuge in the cliffs.  These alcoves provided refuge from the elements.  Even the design of their kivas created coolness in the summer and warmth in the winter.  

There's something about exploring an abandoned home that draws me in.  As I wandered about the community's remains, I wanted to know what the previous inhabitants lives looked like. What were their routines?  Where did they escape to for solitude?  What made them laugh? Artifacts can only relay some of the material needs and wants of a people but it doesn't provide the stories.

 After the tour, we wanted to stretch our legs and headed out on the Petroglyph Point Trail. Half of the trail is a series of ups and downs along the top of the canyon and and the other half leads you across the edge of the plateau ending up over the Spruce Tree House. If you look for them, you will find the ruins of smaller habitats along the way.  A persistent reminder that Mesa Verde was once a thriving community. 

 If it wasn't indicated with an arrow, I would not have noticed the drawings in rock above my head. It is thought that these petroglyphs tell the stories of the Pueblo people - their history and beliefs. Not knowing the story, I searched the mural looking for familiar images: two kissing birds, a bearded sun, a lone ram.   

The sun was beginning to set and the rain clouds had started to roll back in as we came to the end of the trail.  As we twisted and turned down the road and out of the park, I couldn't help but think of our ranger guide's parting words. He told of a recent dinner he shared with the descendants of the inhabitants of Spruce Tree House.  When he asked his host if there was anything she would like to tell the hordes of people that visit Mesa Verde each year, she replied, "We are still here."

notes:

- we arrived the first day of Mesa Verde's winter schedule so Spruce Tree House was the only cliff dwelling open to exploration and you must be part of a (free) tour.  our park ranger guide was amazing -  take a tour even if not required.

- there is an rv park/campground owned by the sweetest people on the opposite side of 160 from the entrance to Mesa Verde.  if you find yourself in a predicament of having not bathed for a couple of days, they will gladly hook you up with some hot showers.  i'm guessing they would probably let you shower there if you are a clean person too.  just be sure to bring a towel + toiletries.

arches national park, ut

I saw him heading for us. Just as I found a spot protected from the wind - a little nook behind one of the many arches we hiked to - he made his way toward our retreat.

This arch had been a bit of a beast to get to. The wind gusts made me feel blown about and I wasn't exactly stoked by the ridge we had to cross in those winds. Add to it that we had scaled down the side of a massive rock to reach the base of the arch since we failed to recognize the easier path and that tears were streaming down my face from all the sand being whipped about, and you could say that I was ready to sit down and have some quiet time.  

Side note: Arches National Park kind of looks like giant rocks just fell out of the sky and plopped down.  The wind has carved out all sorts of images.  My brain immediately associated them with sea sponges and submarines but maybe you would see spaceships and Martians.

You might think that given my previous experience in Zion I had learned to embrace opportunities for new stories. You would be wrong.  I wanted nothing more than to rest my bones, drink some water, and munch on a bar in my sand-free alcove.  But I failed to avoid eye contact - rookie mistake - and was soon enveloped in the standard where are you from, how did you get here, what do you do conversation.  

It turned out that this gentleman was the younger half of a father-son duo traveling about in southern Utah.  Our little group soon realized that we were all planning on taking the same route back and with that we headed for the trail.  The way back was advertised as a mile longer on what the park called a primitive trail as to the semi-primitive trail we took to get to the arch.  But as we continued down the path following the cairns, I began to lose track of time and became enveloped in the stories of my new companions.  Did you know that technically at noon the sun should be due south? Or that Mexico has sued the US over the Colorado River? 

Before I knew it, we were back at the trailhead with our new found friends.  Instead of being focused on my feet, I was completely enveloped in the conversation and just simply enjoyed myself.  Case in point, I have absolutely no pictures from the second half of the hike.  These are all from the way to that last arch.  Maybe next time I won't initially be so new people adverse.  Just maybe.

notes:

- we set-up camp at devil's garden campground in arches national park.  during the winter, it is first-come first-served and we didn't have a problem getting a site at noon on a saturday.  the campground is set in the midst of the park so i highly recommend staying there if possible.

- i really wish we had ventured into moab while we were at arches.  don't repeat my mistake - the town looks awesome.  i did manage to enjoy some wicked brew coffee early on a sunday morning... nothing like waking up to rain at 5 30 am and having to through everything into the jeep. i don't think i have ever been so thankful for a drive thru as i was that morning. 

bryce canyon and grand staircase-escalante, ut

This post could have also been titled "That Time I Tried to See All the Things."  As it tends to go with these types of things, this part of the journey started with the best of intentions.  Utah has crazy terrain and I had/have fallen in love.  The land is just so completely different from the Northeast with its canyons, cliffs, and giant globs of rock.  It didn't help matters that I had started to watch Ken Burns's National Parks documentary a couple of weeks before leaving for this trip.  Apparently, according to Mr. Burns and crew, there were many places to explore and many were in Utah so onto the itinerary they went and I ignored those minor details of mileage and timing. 

These two parks were visited on our way from Zion to Arches with an overnight in Escalante.  I discovered after the fact that the most direct route between the two is 359 miles.  In order to see Bryce Canyon and have a bit of an adventure in Grand Staircase-Escalante, we took the 402 mile scenic route which added 52 miles of off-roading.  While I love driving on crappy/non-existent roads (10 points to the brother who taught me how not to destroy a car when not on pavement), turns out my traveling buddy does not. Whoops.

Our first stop was Bryce Canyon National Park.  My main motivation for wanting to visit this park was the hoodoos.  I mean they're called hoodoos and they look awesome so who wouldn't want to drive a bit out of the way to check them out? It's like Fraggle Rock. In the flesh.  Only outdoors.  And not a cave... just trust me on this one.  If we had explored the area, I'm fairly certain that we would have found Wembley or at least Sprocket.  Unfortunately for our traveling duo, we did not have time to check them out.  So we did the next best thing and visited some sites along the auto-tour route.  

Driving around to viewpoints is always subpar, while I did get to see my beloved hoodoos it ended up being a bit of a tease. My next trip to the area definitely has the goal of mingle with the hoodoos on it. (Can you tell I like the word hoodoo? If you're counting along, we are up to 5).

After spending about an hour in Bryce Canyon, we hurried on our way to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.  We had to beat the sun if we were going to be able to hang out in some slot canyons that afternoon.  As the sun was just about to start thinking of setting, we made it to the trailhead and figured we could make our way through at least one slot canyon - Peek-a-Boo.  

At the start of the trail, it doesn't look like much - just a descent into a wash surrounded by some desert-like terrain and a few trees thrown in to mix things up.  But as we inched our way closer to the entrance of the canyon, I began to realize that we had initially been looking only at the top of it hidden in the terrain.

We began to wind our way through the curves of the canyon and it started to narrow making it harder to anticipate what was around the next corner.  My friend spotted some feathers in a pile which looked like a bird had been recently caught.  As we inched our way forward, I saw a fresh pile of someone's droppings so-to-speak which signaled us to hightail it out of there.  It might be pertinent to mention that the last time this particular friend and I were hiking together and a pile of bird feathers were found, there was a bear cub around the corner.  Oh and the night before the Bear Incident of 2014, we saw a mountain lion.  Cool? Yes. But I have absolutely no desire to encounter another predator anytime soon. I've reached my quota for the decade. 

We made it back to the trailhead without incident, which was perfect timing because the sun had just started to slip behind the horizon. Escalante is not only an amazing place to explore - there are so many other spots in the park I want to see - but it also gets bonus points because you can camp pretty much anywhere for free.  Being two ladies from NYC, we obviously chose the spot that had cell service, was 100 yards away from one of those camper rv things, and was near the main road.  This may have lead me to waking up 547 times throughout the night thinking we were about to be run over whenever a car drove by but at least I knew there were other people around.  Someday I'll graduate to more remote camping in new places.  Besides which I definitely have to come back.  Twenty-four hours in these parks is just not enough.  Lesson learned.

notes:

- if you are heading to any of the spots along hole in the rock road in escalante, make sure you have enough water, food, gas, etc.  there are absolutely no amenities once you are there.  

- the surrounding dixie national forest looks beautiful.  i would have loved to spend some time there as well.  just you know some food for thought.

#deathbysouthwest

Death by Southwest was coined by my supervisor/work buddy after I proposed the itinerary.  We had traveled together before while away for a conference but those were much shorter trips and involved nights at a hotel interspersed with a night or two of camping.  Our hikes had previously been limited to well known spots with lots of other vacationers and our trips always ended with a spa day.  Fear not, this trip was no exception.  It's not really a vacation unless spa day is included and celebrated.  The morbid label was the result of some additional activities that were about to be undertaken - mainly backpacking 20+ miles, surfing in the Pacific, canyoneering at Zion, and spending many nights in a row in a tent.  But YOLO right?  Isn't that what the kids call it these days?

Because I love numbers and because I think this trip has gotten a wee bit confusing by this point, here is an overview of all things one may or may not want to know about #deathbysouthwest.

THE ITINERARY

Day 1: LAX to Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Day 2: Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Day 3: Joshua Tree National Park, CA to San Diego, CA

Day 4: San Diego, CA

Day 5: San Diego, CA

Day 6: San Diego, CA to Peach Springs, AZ

Day 7: Peach Springs, AZ to Havasu Falls, AZ

Day 8: Havasu Falls, AZ

Day 9: Havasu Falls, AZ to Las Vegas, NV

Day 10: Las Vegas, NV to Zion National Park, UT

Day 11: Zion National Park, UT

Day 12: Zion National Park, UT to Bryce Canyon National Park, UT to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, UT

Day 13: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, UT to Arches National Park, UT (via Capitol Reef National Park... we barely stopped for magnets)

Day 14: Arches National Park, UT to Mesa Verde National Park, CO to Pagosa Springs, CO

Day 15: Pagosa Springs, CO to Santa Fe, NM to Albuquerque, NM

THE ROUTE

THE STATS

Miles Driven: 2429

Nights Camped: 8 out of 14

Total Number of Not Named Traveling Companions: 8 (although only 1 made it through the whole trip)

National Parks Visited: 6 (7 if you count Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument; I made good use of my annual park pass)

Miles Hiked: 45+ (the plus is for hikes that weren't on trails per se -- maybe another mile or 2?)

Spas Visited: 2 (no trip is complete without at least 1 hot spring and 1 massage)

Inclement Weather Days: 1 (difficult to label this one as it rained, snowed, sleeted, and hailed all in one day and almost all in Colorado)

Fatalities: 10,000s of insects (may they rest in peace - they stood no chance against the windshield) + 1 toe nail (it fought the good fight) + 1 tent pole (someone learned that tent poles have boundaries too) 

Times I Had to Apologize to One or More Traveling Companions: 1 (no casting bets on how many times I should have apologized...)

SUPERLATIVES

Best Campsite:  Havasu Falls, AZ

We spent a good hour making shadow puppets on the canyon walls.  Don't judge me.  It was ridiculously fun.  Shadow puppets.  Who knew?  It should also be said that depending on who you ask this could be the worst campsite as some rangers' horses were nearby.  Apparently eau de horse is not for everyone.

Most Valuable Gear: My sleeping pad

This was originally a toss up between my sleeping bag and my camping stove but then I remembered the glory that is my sleeping pad.  It's just so comfortable and has the added bonus of keeping me toasty.  My camping experience is changed forever. Dramatic but true. 

Most Delicious Meal: The Maui Burger at Oscar's in Springdale, UT

In my everyday life, I do not like ground meat (texture) and I certainly do not like bacon (so salty).  This burger had both plus pineapple and it was divine.  If you are in the neighborhood, eat one for me.

Scariest Hike: Devil's Garden Trail at Arches National Park, UT

Apparently, I don't like being on top of tall, narrow things when there's a whole lot of wind.  For the record, there were wind gusts of up to 36 mph. Totally worth it though - I will definitely be visiting again. 

Seemingly Longest Drive: Hole-in-the-Rock Road, Escalante, UT

Twenty-six miles one way doesn't seem long until you are bouncing about on a dirt road and trying to avoid popping your rental car's tires.  It was fun for the first twenty minutes or so.  After that I thought I was going to be shaken out of my body.  

MVP: Mr. John Slevin at Mesa Verde National Park, CO

Not only did Mr. Slevin deliver an inspiring talk at Spruce Tree House (go on one of his guided tours - definitely a trip highlight), but he provided excellent advice for a hot spring complete with hotel recommendations. I love all the National Park Rangers but John Slevin deserves a special shout-out. 

TRIP POSTS

joshua tree, ca

san diego, ca

havasu falls, az

zion national park, ut

bryce canyon and escalante, ut

arches national park, ut

mesa verde, co  

And that's it, folks.

zion national park, ut

When we rolled into Zion National Park, there were only two of us left.  We had dropped off half of our posse in Las Vegas and made our way into Utah.  Most of my excitement leading up to the trip was centered around this part of the journey. Not only had I read about the ridiculous terrain that was about to greet me but also I had the good fortune of winning a bet which meant that my remaining traveling companion and I were going canyoneering. 

I only learned that hiking for the sole purpose of throwing oneself over ledges could be a thing within the last year or so. Previously, my experience with rappelling was either self-fashioned with neighborhood kids and trees or was the result of a climbing wall in a gym circa 1998. Regardless, there was much effort to get up in order to get down. It had not occurred to me that perhaps there was another way. 

I do that in life quite a bit. My previous experiences dictate my options. And that's incredibly boring because you lose creativity with your outcomes. You tell yourself over and over again that there is one way, one path to reach your goals. And of course in this scenario your goals are myopic as well since a static route can really only have one destination. 

We were our canyoneering guide's last trip of the season and probably a bit anticlimactic but I like to think we made up for it with our northeast camaraderie and crass. Who wouldn't find that endearing? As the day wore on, we got to chatting about future plans and their tendency to not go the way they're supposed to. And as he shared how his failed plans resulted in something much better than he could have created, I turned a deaf ear in the moment. I refused to see myself in the story because I have my plan. I know the way things are supposed to go. If I dot my i's and cross my t's, then everything will fall into place. And if I don't, then nothing will work out.  Dramatic? Yes. But it's a surprisingly easy trap to fall in to. In the days that followed though his words stuck with me, holding me accountable to the rigid mindset I had subconciously created.

 Work/vacation mash-ups are a funny thing for me because it juxtaposes two different lives - my science nerd life and my let's explore all the wild things life. You could easily say that these two are related. Research requires a certain level of risk-taking which is inherent in the adventures I seek out and lately my sabbaticals into nature have included my direct supervisor at work (ain't no party like an epidemiology party). But these two parts of my life still feel very, very different. My previous and for all intents and purposes current way of dealing with this perceived dichotomy is to divide myself into completely separate entities. I've become resigned to it. But thinking about life this way makes work more blah and play more escapist. It's not a mindset made for longevity. I have by no means figured this one out but at least I've been challenged to use my imagination a bit more.  (PS I am open to almost all suggestions on how to meld these. Emphasis on the almost.)

Oh Zion, you ended up being good for my soul in ways I could not anticipate as I was forced to be outside of my own head and stare in awe at the monstrosities surrounding me.  I really only scratched the surface of places to visit and trails to explore - a fact I regret as I could have used at least a week here... Or maybe more like a year.  Something about those giant canyon walls has turned me into a total Utah-convert. Not that I'm ready to give up my salt water addiction quite yet. I'm just a little bit more open to a temporary leave of absence from my beloved Atlantic Ocean. Until next time Zion. 

notes: 

- we pitched our tent at watchman campground. there used to be a bunch of free spots around zion but those are now closed to protect the environment. make your reservation early - these sites go fast.  

- there are no showers at watchman but there are showers down the road in springdale at zion mountain school. while you're there book a canyoneering, rock climbing, mountain biking, etc. trip with a guide. you won't regret it.  

- two other things you won't regret  - dinner at oscar's and breakfast at deep creek coffee. 

havasu falls, az

After some California lovin' in Joshua Tree and San Diego, our little group plus a new addition crossed over into Arizona for the next portion of our adventure: hiking into Havasu Falls. 

We awoke before dawn, attempting to beat the sun while heading into the canyon.

Apprehensive and excited, we arrived at the trailhead ready to descend 2000 or so feet in a mile and a half of switchbacks followed by about 9 more miles to the campground. Logic and reason would tell you that perhaps preparing for a backpacking trip of this sort would be wise. Practice hikes with your pack, getting to know your gear, maybe even just making sure you can walk 10 miles easily without any major elevation changes and gear. But for the most part, we did none of this. At least not to the extent that we should have. So somewhat naively, we began our trek high on adrenaline and excitement for what was waiting for us around the corner.

The beauty of the canyon is not to be underestimated nor can I adequately describe it.  It is to be seen and taken in - appreciated for the incomprehensible number of years it took to form as well as for the the seemingly infinite time it will last long after we are gone. We took our time making our way to the campground, stopping along the way for frequent snacks and to just simply stare in awe. 

Once in the canyon, you are in many ways untouched by the outside world.  Your only companions are other backpackers and those living at the only village in the canyon - Supai. After a day of hiking in with 25+ pounds on our backs, we wanted nothing more than to play around in the falls and explore the surrounding area. The color and size of the falls are unreal. They cascade into one another creating pools of turquoise water, perfect for lounging in while resting one's tired bones. Inflatable inner tubes are always a necessity. 

After spending some quality time at Havasupai Falls in the morning, two of us made the slippery descent down at Mooney Falls. This is not for the scared of heights and falling for them crowd. The path takes you through two enclosed tunnels of rock and down a series of chains and ladders. At one point I stopped moving, my knuckles white from clutching mud-laden chains, because I had no idea of how to proceed. Ten points to fellow hikers who helped me find my feet (and also offered some exploring tips).

The anxiety-provoking path to the bottom of the falls is completely worth it.  The canyon walls are covered by ferns and moss due to the constant mist from the falls. Taking the less traveled path means that there's a lush, overgrown creek leading from the falls. We wandered about for a bit climbing up and over various boulders and trekking through side creeks, finding one spot more stunning than the next at every turn. 

Due to an unintended knee injury for one of my travel companions, we ended up riding horses out of the canyon. The perspective offered by being along for the ride is something I will never forget. Instead of keeping my focus mainly on my feet, I was able to stare up at the canyon walls and appreciate what time had created. I realize that this all may sound kind of cheesy. It's some rock and waterfalls, how different could it be? But there is something special about Havasupai.  Something that needs to be experienced and felt. So go. You will not be disappointed. 

notes: 

- know your limits. besides my buddy's bum knee, i saw a girl have to be medivac'd out due to an injury from waterfall jumping. 

-   horse is my preferred mode of travel. if you have limited or no riding experience, riding a horse for 10+ miles out of the canyon will not be entirely pleasant. you've been warned. 

- we spent the night at the Hualapai Lodge before hiking in the next morning. it was well worth the dough to be well rested before the hike. for a fee, you can also shower there on your way out.  

- fill up your gas tank before getting off of the main road. for us, this was in kingman. there are no places to refuel once on the road to the trailhead.