Laurie of Arabia: 2013

Hiking Utah

There is no doubt that Utah's national parks hold spectacular beauty. But with that beauty come danger.

This is a desert, and has little water, and lots of vicious critters. Items that one should have when hiking in Utah:

A hat and sunscreen are a must. Many people find walking sticks to be very helpful on slickrock.
Hiking to Delicate Arch should NOT be done in flipflops - which I did witness. Appropriate footwear and wicking socks will keep feet safe from critters and blisters.

WATER!!!!! Smart hikers use backpacks called Camelbaks which have blue liquid carriers that can fit in the backpack itself. The water is then sucked out through a tube-like straw. My purple pack is actually what I use for cycling. I have two other sizes. I fill my blue bag with ice, and then just before setting off, I add Gatorade - I have a potassium deficiency. I keep litre bottles of water in my car. My pack can also carry small snacks. Fruit, such as apples, have water, and are easily carried. Carrying small bottles of water will NOT be enough! I have also seen people hike with milk jugs filled with water - impractical.

I love Rocks!

I will visit any rock shop, and I wasn't disappointed in Moab. Now, rocks don't rock the world of many people, but for those of us that love the things, these are treasure. This shop carries dinosaur bone and Anasazi pottery. If this is found on federal lands, it cannot be sold, but if found on private land, while doing one's planting - that can be sold. I was given a free dinosaur bone, an nice specimen as I am a teacher, and can prove it. I also got a piece of pottery.

Petrified wood

My newest acquisition -Bixbyite, a rare mineral. Not to be confused with Bixbite, an extremely rare form of red beryl. Knows as red emerald, Bixbite can only be found in the Wah Wah mountains of Utah. I have only seen pictures of it.

Hiking Arches National Park

        When I was a teenager, I went hiking for about an hour in Arches National Park with my older brother. We did not see any arches. I was disappointed. But, with a camper full of his kids waiting for us, going on one of the cool hikes wasn't an option.

        Delicate Arch is the most photographed and famous arch in the world, and I was determined to see it on my own. This was my main reason for my trip to the Moab area. Arches is home to more than 2,000 arches, most of which are off limits to the public. But what we can see are pretty spectacular. The park is also filled with fins, pinnacles, spires, towers, balanced rocks, and petrified sand dunes.

        As pictures are worth a thousand words, I will fill most of this post with them.

Petrified sand dunes

One of many balanced rocks

The Amazing Arches

North Window

South Window

Two views of the Windows. You must be a bit far from them to get this view as the rock is curved and they can't be seen together up close.

The next set of arches are Turret Arches, which are near the Windows.

Across the parking lot, and down a small arroyo are the Double Arches.

Wolfe's Ranch and Delicate Arch

John Wesley Wolfe left his home in Ohio, and settled in a remote homestead near Delicate Arch with his eldest son, Fred. A Civil War wound prompted John Wolfe to move to a drier climate, and he found just that.

His second cabin is still standing, along with the corral he built for his few cattle. He lived on the ranch for about a decade, returning to his home state of Ohio. He lived well into his 80s. He died in Etna, Ohio in 1909.

It is from Wolfe's Ranch, that the hike to Delicate Arch starts, about three miles round trip. Much of the hike is on slickrock, so appropriate footwear is important.

Part of the hike is on blazed trail through dirt and sand.

A good part of the hike is on slickrock, and this is where accidents can happen, as the rock is slick, and it is steep. Coming down is much more difficult than the ascent. When people feel sore the next day, it is from using muscles to brace themselves as they descend the slickrock.

It looks easier than it is to climb and descend. But, one thing is clear, hiking the slickrock is the only way up to the arch.

There is more slickrock near the top and near the arch, and the trail is not wide. Here are some views from across the cliffs:

The final destination - Delicate Arch

If You Build It, They Will Come

     About 50+ miles south of Moab is the town of Monticello, population around 1,000. My purpose in going there was to attend the Monticello LDS Temple.

     Like a good Mormon woman, I attend the temple. My goal is to get to all the temples in Utah. Trying for every temple in the world is out of reach. As this blog is open to the public, I know there are those of you who have seen the musical The Book of Mormon. You may be wondering after seeing this musical how I can believe in my religion. The writers of the musical like Mormons, they just think our beliefs are silly - silly is their word. Then again, these guys make fun of everyone! So, my question is who are they laughing more at - me and my beliefs, or the people who take their musical seriously? HMMMM!? (Oh, and by the way, I am Ivy League educated, speak several languages, and as you can see from this blog, I get around.)

      The Monticello Temple is one of the smaller LDS temples, and serves a population of ranchers, and others who just cannot get to the larger cities to visit a temple. This area of Utah is sparsely populated. One wonders if anyone would even go to the temple.

      My session was full, to the point of adding extra chairs to accommodate people. If you build it they will come.
Monticello now has two new hotels to accommodate those who cannot travel to the temple and back in one day.

The Trip Back to Moab

In my Sunday best, what we wear to the temple, and my hiking shoes, I did some hiking and photography on the way back to Moab. Here is what I found:

Wilson Arch - named for Mormon pioneer, Joe Wilson, who had a cabin nearby in Dry Valley.

People climbing around Wilson Arch

Kitch and Cheesiness in the Desert

Between Moab and Monticello is Hole N" The Rock not to be confused with Hole In The Rock, another feature found in the area and used by the Mormon Pioneers. Hole N" The Rock was the brain child of the Christensen brothers, Lee and Albert. Their father, or grandfather, I get confused here, had homesteaded the area.

The brothers decided to make "America's Most Unique Dining Room" by blasting out an existing cave. During the uranium boom of the 1950s, the diner was a popular place for just about everyone. Albert and his wife, Gladys, would eventually open a private dining/dancing club. Later the 5,000 sq. foot home in a cave would serve as Albert and Gladys' home.

The area around the home is home to much cheesiness, and makes for a great pit stop. One can tour the home, which I did. I was not allowed to take pictures. The following pictures I got from Google Images. Hole N" The Rock has its own website.

Albert only lived in the cave home five years before dying of a heart attack. Gladys would live on 17 more years. National Geographic has rated this place as one of America's best roadside stops.