Off-Roading to South Coyote Buttes

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than lucky.

Last week, when we visited the BLM visitor center in Kanab, Utah, to try to win a lottery for permits to hike in North Coyote Buttes to see "The Wave," or, failing that, South Coyote Buttes - but failed in the attempt - we happened by the Kane County Visitor Center in downtown Kanab.  There, we were fortunate to encounter a local volunteer who strongly recommended that we visit "White Pockets," a rock formation that, according to him, the locals think is more impressive than The Wave.

We asked him how to get there, and he advised that we needed to hire a tour guide, unless we had a high-clearance 4x4 vehicle to deal with the miles of deep sandy back roads we would have to traverse to get to the little-known formation.  We found a local guiding service, Dreamland Safari Tours, who booked us for a trip to White Pockets.

Two days before our trip, however, the guides called us to say that they had other guests who were trying for a permit for South Coyote Buttes on the same day as our trip.  They offered that we could be added to the permit application, and if they won the lottery, we could join the trip to South Coyote Buttes, as well as White Pockets, provided the others could join us.  We said "Of course!"

As fate would have it, the others won the lottery, and we suddenly had a 14-hour trip to TWO destinations, plus companions to share it with.  Here is our group (L-R):  Joanne, Ray, David, our guide Don, Kathy and Mikael, as we started our day's adventure on Sunday, November 1, 2015:

Don rove us down a very sandy, rutty, eroded House Rock Valley Road, past the trailheads for Buckskin Gulch and Wire Pass, past North Coyote Buttes, and around to the south of South Coyote Buttes.  As we headed east, our road rose quickly, giving us a panoramic view across House Rock Valley Road to the hills west of us:

As the road rose, the sand grew very soft and deep.  We reached the top of a hill and spotted an SUV stuck in the sand.  The drivers were two of the many we had overheard at the BLM visitor center who contended to the rangers that they knew how to drive their low-clearance SUV's on dirt roads and weren't concerned about the rangers' warning that they needed high clearance, 4x4, the ability to deflate their tires, and experience driving in deep sand.  Our guide Don told us that it is common to find these over-confident visitors stuck, and he asked us if it was okay for him to take some time to pull them out of the sand.  We replied, "Sure!" knowing that this was going to be very entertaining. Besides, we couldn't get past them until we pulled them out.

After maybe 15 minutes of rescue efforts, we were on our way again.  In due course, we reached our trailhead at South Coyote Buttes:

As we started out the sandy trail, we could see the buttes in the near distance:

Don is an excellent guide.  Soft-spoken and unassuming, he is nevertheless an expert back-country driver and knowledgeable about the geology and features of this area.  He was also game to take adventurous photos of each of us when called for.  Here he is snapping a shot of Mikael while others in our group look on:

It's impossible to describe the variety, color and drama of all the formations we saw.  Don explained that geologists are not entirely sure what forces formed each of the things we saw, but he was helpful in relating to us the various theories why different layers of sandstone are differently colored and patterned, and why they deform in such unusual ways:

As you can see, there were more patterns to see than we could ever share:

The colors were both brilliant and subtle, and we found layer deformations in adjoining structures echoing each other:

Mikael, being the youngest in our group, was by far the most adventurous, both in his photo-taking techniques and in the ways he explored the environment.  Here, Ray captures Mikael mid-leap across a pool left by rain in one of the sandstone pockets:

We could have sat and looked at this work of art all day long:

In some cases, the patterns in rock played out on huge canvases spanning several rock formations:

In other cases it was the colors spread across formations like a watercolor painting:

We called this one, "The Wave" (not to be confused with the famous one):

Don said the locals like to call this formation "Dali" after the painter whose images the formation reminds to them:

Kathy spotted this unique color pattern crossing layers of sandstone.  Don had no explanation for this one:

As we left South Coyote Buttes, we turned back and noticed five sentinels watching us and seeming to stand guard over their territory.  David dubbed them the "Presidents," because, from one angle, they reminded him of the busts of famous presidents gracing Mount Rushmore:

By the time we had finished our exploration of South Coyote Buttes, it was lunchtime, and we repaired to the nearest shade to enjoy a meal prepared by our guide-cum-chef Don!

Next: On to White Pockets!

If you are interested, you can find all our photos from South Coyote Buttes here.

Lees Ferry Historic District

Hi Bog! On Saturday, October 31, 2015, we decided to pay a visit to Lees Ferry Historic District. In order to get from Page to Lees Ferry, one must cross the Colorado River. Unlike the early settlers who had to hike down between Glen Canyon and Marble Canyon and then take the ferry across, we just drove over the Navajo Bridge.We parked at the Visitors Center next to the bridge and discovered a Civilian Conservation Corps rest area from the 1930s. It is amazing how many CCC projects are still in use today.

The original Navajo Bridge (on the left) was built from 1927.  It is still open to pedestrian and equestrian use. Highway 89A now uses the new bridge (on the right) to take travelers from Bitter Springs to Jacobs Lake and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  The new highway bridge was designed and constructed in 1994 using the same materials and construction techniques as the original (now pedestrian) bridge.

Walking across the original Navajo Bridge gave us a bird's eye view of the Colorado River below (looking north into the Glen Canyon).

After taking in the views and getting hiking ideas from the Park Rangers, we drove around the corner to the Lees Ferry Historic District. With Walking Guide in hand, we stepped back in time to 1910, when this part of Lees Ferry was alive with gold mining activity. There are a few sturdy stone structures which survived the numerous floods. Here is Charles J. Spencer's gold mining office.

Back in 1872, tucked away in this secluded part of northern Arizona, a modest ferry operation came into being. The Mormon Church was looking to expand its territory. They realized that a viable river crossing would support their mission. John D. Lee was appointed to a remote outpost at the confluence of the Colorado and Paria Rivers. Here the rivers create a short interruption in the canyon walls separating the geologic features of the Glen and Marble Canyons. Lees Ferry, as it became known, was the only spot for hundreds of miles in either direction where the canyon walls went from violently sheer to mildly sloping, enabling wagons and livestock to make it to the river's edge.

Returning forward in time to 1912, Mr. Spencer was under pressure from his Chicago investors to produce gold. To do that, he needed massive amounts of coal to fire up the steam engines, dredges and pumps. Huge boilers were brought in by ox team, the remnants of which can be seen along the banks of the river.

His investors came up with a plan to have a steamboat push an empty barge upstream, fill it with coal and then float the barge downstream to an energy-hungry market. Unfortunately, however, the doughty steamboat, fighting the currents of the Colorado upstream, used as much coal to go upstream to fetch coal as the barge could carry down.  Thus, Mr. Spencer had very little, if any, coal left to sell.  Useless, the steamboat was left tied to shore, never to be used again. No measurable gold was discovered and Mr. Spencer abandoned Lees Ferry around 1914. By 1915, high water left the steamboat stranded on the riverbank. Locals stripped the lumber from the upper decks. By the early 1920's, the hull sunk in the river. There is nothing much left to see today except part of the ship's boiler.

Railroads and automobiles marked the end of frontier travel, making the ferry operation an archaic form of transportation. The ferry made its final trip in 1928 when it capsized, killing three men in the process. Newly-constructed Navajo Bridge, crossing the river just a few miles south, made the ferry system a relic to a past way of life.  When one door closes, another one opens.

The construction of the Glen Canyon Dam, completed in 1966, has forever changed this section of the Colorado River. The mighty Colorado is no longer a muddy silt-laden river subject to seasonal flooding. The dam now controls the flow. Because the dam stops the river's flow at the lake, the sediment stays in Lake Powell and cold clear water is discharged below the dam. From a muddy river "too thick to drink and too thin to plow," the Colorado has become a popular trout fishing location.

Lee's Ferry, which lies below the Glen Canyon Dam, is also the starting point of most Grand Canyon float trips. We had fun watching the outfitters get their rafts ready for the next load of tourists.

Just up the Paria River from its confluence with the Colorado is the old Lee homestead. Lee was a practicing polygamist who built cabins for two of his families in what became known as "Lonely Dell" because of its remote location.

The Lonely Dell Farm had to be completely self-sufficient. Electricity didn't come to these parts until 1965! Just past the entrance gate is the start of the orchard. The National Parks Service still maintains the trees here and when fruit is in season, it is free for the picking. Unfortunately, we were a little too late to benefit from this year's harvest.

Each subsequent ferry operator added to the ranch. The original Lee buildings were torn down and rebuilt. Here are a couple of cabins built by the second operator - the Johnson family.

In 1935, the ranch was purchased by Leo Weaver and his wife Hazel. They hired a Hopi Indian by the name of Poli Hungavi, to build the “Paradise Canyon Ranch.”  The Weavers operated the ranch as a lodge, and provided boarding. They only stayed for four years before signing it over to Essy Bowers, who in turn sold the property to Gus and Romona Griffin the following year. The property was then turned over to the National Park Service in connection with the creation of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

We hiked further up the Paria River Canyon and came across Picture Window Cabin. This small cabin with a huge picture window was used by the caretaker of the ranch to keep an eye on the ranching operation when the owners were away.

As with many farm operations, when equipment dies, it usually stays where it last served.

Numerous owners tried in vain to dam the Paria River and use the water to irrigate their fields. You can still see the remnants of the irrigation system running along the left canyon wall. The paths next to the irrigation system are now used by hikers who traverse the Paria Canyon Trail over 37 miles northwest to Highway 89 near Kanab, Utah.

On our walk back to the truck, we happen to spot a short horned lizard.  Never saw this species before.  He looked a bit like a horny toad, but scampered like a lizard!

On our drive back out Lees Ferry Road, we stopped at the balanced rocks. Dave was feeling a little uncomfortable waiting for me to take this photo. Can't imagine why.

This guy seemed to have lost his balance and just barely tipped over.

If you are in the Page area, or traveling east or north from the Grand Canyon, Lees Ferry makes a great little day trip.

Grand Staircase Escalante: What To Do When You Don't Win the Lottery for "The Wave"

Well, we tried again this morning for a permit to hike to "The Wave" in the North Coyote Buttes Section of the Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.  We set that blamed alarm clock for 5:30 am Arizona time.  Woke up.  Stumbled down and made coffee. Slurped down our cereal and soy milk.  Climbed into the truck and made the 75 minute drive to Kanab, Utah.  Again!  Got there ON TIME this time (we properly accounted for the time difference between Arizona and Utah).  Sat down with the 67 other applicants and listed to our instructions for the application lottery:

Ten spots were available.  They called out the numbers:

Nope.  We didn't win.  But we had backup plans ready.  We headed out and first drove up Johnson Canyon to see what we could see.  The morning was auspicious:  the waning gibbous moon looked down on us as we arrived at the head of the paved road:

There was snow on the distant pink peaks!

Had we been willing to drive 30 miles north on that dirt road, we would have returned to Kodachrome State Park in Utah, one of our most favorite southwestern hiking destinations!  But we decided to work our way back down Johnson Canyon Road.

We saw these cool white cliffs with hoodoos and such:

More hoodoo cliffs watched over us as we drove back down south toward US 89:

Another white cliff graced us with its blessing:

Our road followed Johnson Wash, and at one point, we climbed out of the truck to peer down into a particularly picturesque section of the wash, complete with deciduous trees whose leaves were turning golden in the fall air:

Looking back behind us, we got another view of snow on the pink peaks:

Halfway back down Johnson Canyon Road, we stopped at the trailhead for the Crocodile/Hog Canyon ATV Trail System.  These trails span at least 25 miles from Johnson Canyon Road, north of Kanab, up to US 89 on its way north to Panguitch.  We decided to hike in a mile or so, because there were some cool pink rock formation we had to examine:

David decided to use his feet to examine them:

At this point, the pink rocks and white rocks converge, and Kathy found a smooth round white fellow she liked:

Here are some white hoodoos we spotted as we looked out over the landscape from our walk:

Our second stop on our Consolation Hiking Marathon was to drive and hike up to see Pariah Town Site and the Pariah movie set, east of Kanab.

Pariah is a ghost town on the Paria River.  It was first settled in 1865, and thrived into the late 1800's with 42 families and about 130 residents.  A gold mine was established here, although it was not successful.

In later years the film industry became interested in using the town site's canyon vista background as a location for making Westerns. Several scenes for "Buffalo Bill" were shot there in 1943.  Producers of other movies and television programs used Paria in the 1950s. In 1961 the old ghost town was used as a major location for the Rat Pack film "Sergeants" and again for the filming of "The Outlaw Josey Wales" in 1976.  That was the last of the filming done at the site.  Flash flooding severely damaged the set in 1998, and BLM employees and volunteers recreated the movie set structures from 1999 to 2001. However, in 2006, the rebuilt set was destroyed by a suspicious fire.  It has not been rebuilt, and all that remains of the original movie set are some historical markers.  The town site itself, down by the river, is marked by remains of the foundations of some original homes, but no structures remain standing.  What does remain, however, is the dramatic scenery that inspired the original residents to move here and the movie producers to film here.

We didn't expect to see a lot when we parked our truck about 3 miles above the town and hiked down the road to the site.  However, we were blown away by the scenery.  The sandstone formations and patterns were as colorful as the rainbow:

We found toadstools and hoodoos galore:

Kathy was very impressed with one of the buttes above Pariah Town Site and concentrated very hard on getting just the right photo:

We were so impressed with the cliffs and color around us, that we took this 360 degree video of the Pariah Canyon around the Pariah Town Site.

Here is another view of a butte that appeared in the movies filmed at Pariah, but from the vantage point of an unusual sandstone formation by the road:

We hiked down as far as the Pariah Cemetery and decided that, since the original town site has nothing left but some old stone foundations, we would rest satisfied with the scenery and not obsess over hunting the ghosts further.  The cemetery was refurbished by descendants of some of the original settlers, so that new headstones were placed on the graves, but no grave site was individually identified.  Instead, those who were buried here are acknowledged on a central brass plaque attached to a stone marker in the middle of the cemetery.  Here is the view that the Pariah ghosts have from their resting place:

Our hike down to the Pariah Town Site was about 3 miles, so, naturally, we had a 3 mile climb back to the truck.  But the hike back went quickly and, before we knew it, we were hurtling back toward our campground, another day of hiking and exploration under our belts.