Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Escalante area. How are we going to top yesterday? Well, lets' go down another crazy road and do a true slot canyon. Take off down Hole in the Rock road, starts about 5 miles out of Escalante, off highway 12, 27 miles of "road" to Peek A Boo slot. First 15 miles really good, cross county line,road changes to way bad, last 10 bad clay ruts. Took about an hour. Get to trail head, we are 3rd car there. Came back 3 hours later, same 3 cars, no more. About 1.5 mile walk down into Dry Fork wash, then up side canyon called Peek a boo. Not real slotty, as in real tight, just beautiful. There are two other slots in the same wash, called Spooky and Brimstone, they are very narrow and not for claustrophbics. We passed, not mine nor my daughters' idea of fun. Pictures tell the story

Well that was fun, walked back into Dry forks wash, upstream to another wash canyon with huge walls, until it dead ended, about 1/2 mile each way.

Flowers were blooming pretty well, not sure if prime or not, but there were plenty. Close up to far away views.

They can also grow anywhere they get enough water and nutrients, apparently. This is a columbine growing right out of a canyon crack about 10 feet off the ground

Random shot of scenery right from road on way back. So easy to get jaded about unbelievable scenery on this trip. Think in background of this pic, I got only clouds seen for 9 days on trip.
Back up road 15 miles to Devil's garden, wild sculptures in a 200 acre area, about 1/4 mile from road, but not visible at all from it. Was too hot to really explore a lot, about 100 degrees and crazy bright out, we ate lunch in car, walked around some, back to car before melting. More rock crazy stuff

Back to Escalante, to visitor center. 3 pm and hot. What to do? Asked ranger, she says "Posey Lake" OK, we go. 16 miles on generally better, yet still gravel and washboardy road up into Dixie NF, more or less straight up from Escalante. Wow, nice small lake, maybe 50-100 acres, temp about 75, ponderosa pines, way pretty. NFS campground there. No pics, but snacked, enjoyed the views, saw trout swimming in lake, chilled. Back down road to highway 12, headed east to Boulder, about 30 miles over stunning high points. Unreal drive, plain and simple. At one point the road goes on a hog back as it is called, sheer canyons on both sides, no guard rails or shoulder to speak of in the narrow spots. Going off the road was literally death, if you screwed up. My eyes were glued to the road as the rest of the family ooohed and aahed. Stayed in Boulder Utah, ate at Burr Trail grill, another outstanding dinner.