Hole In The Rock, Youth Conference 2010

In the late 1870's church leaders called a group of extraordinary Southern Utah residents to pack up their belongings and move across the Colorado River and establish a settlement. It was to be a buffer between the colonized settlements in Utah and the Indians, outlaws and ruffians who were gathering to this lawless area. It was known as the San Juan Mission.

Many of these pioneers came from Cedar City, Parowan, and even Kanarraville and New Harmony. It was a daunting chore, made even more so by the fact that this was the last area in the lower 48 states to be explored and mapped. The route that was chosen required them to blast and chisel their way through a gap in the rocks on the edge of the Colorado River Gorge in what is now Garfield County. The continued on, when most thought it was impossible. Jens Nielson, a Swedish immigrant who nearly lost his feet crossing the plains with the Willey Handcart Company, is quoted to have said, "We mus go troo, even if we can not!" Then he added, "Vhat ve need now is stickity tooty!"

Our Stake leaders decided that these great pioneers could serve as an example to our youth , and selected an expedition to the Hole In The Rock as our youth conference. We met at the Stake Center on Thursday, June 3rd at 8:00 am and from there proceeded across Cedar Mountain to the rest area at The Pines near Bryce Canyon. We ended up with around 270 youth and leaders. After a brief history break we continued on to the town of Escalante, where we had lunch on the park and a presentation by a history buff named Roundy.

Lunch on the park in Escalante

Just out of Escalante you are on dirt road. It seemed like forever.

We finally arrived at our camp site, 40 mile wash. the boys camped by a cow camp and the girls camped a little to the north down in the wash. Did I mention the wind? I don't think it stopped blowing the entire trip.

After setting up camp we joined a group of youth from the Blanding Stake for an activity at nearby "Dance Hall Rock". A couple of girls played the fiddle and many enjoyed the pioneer dance we had practiced earlier in the year.

Our group photo at "Dance Hall Rock"

Stake leaders prepared Dutch Oven potatoes and pork, with salad and brownies for supper.

Friday morning was about 15 more miles of dirt road, then a four mile hike and we arrived at the "Hole".
It now seems impossible that around 80 wagons were taken through this slot, not to mention some 250 men, women and children and around 1500 head of livestock.
Erosion has taken its toll over the years, and now it is even a little difficult to hike.

This is known as "Uncle Ben's dugway", where the road was built up using Juniper posts and brush to the level of the track you see here that was chiseled out of the side of the rock.

Lake Powell makes the journey to water somewhat shorter than it was in 1879. The kids were told not to swim, and can you believe it, most of them obeyed!

The trip back to our camp was interesting and colorful, yet dusty, hot and bumpy. When we got back to the truck the thermometer read 95 degrees.

Saturday on the way home we stopped at the Dry Fork trail head and hiked some slot canyons there. In this photo we are hiking down into the Dry Fork wash.

Here we are hiking the Dry Fork Narrows.

A rest stop while trying to decide if we are in the right canyon. As it turned out, we weren't. so we went back down and started over.

Hiking back to the main wash. Fifty Mile Ridge is in the background.

After hiking the wrong slot first, we were short on water to finish the hike so some of the boys went back to the truck to get more, then went on to find "Spooky", a short, but very narrow slot canyon.

After hiking up Spooky we cut cross country about a half-mile to Peek-a-boo, another short slot canyon.

Nearing the exit of Peek-a-boo.

Making our way out of Peek-a-boo canyon.

Hiking out of the Dry fork wash back to the trucks at the trail head. Upon arrival there the temperature read 99 degrees.

Back in Escalante we enjoyed sandwiches, drinks and frozen yogurt at Subway. It was air conditioned, and heavenly! the Bishop's truck broke down coming home over Cedar Mountain, but that was the only fatality on the trip. Other than a little heat exhaustion and a few cuts and scrapes we were in good shape, and very appreciative of those great pioneers.

I Saw The Elephant

The phrase I Saw the Elephant came into use during the Civil War. It means to see life or to gain experience during devastating events, particularly near-death experiences.

Last Friday we were invited to go hiking with some friends, Tait and Susan. The selected destination was Elephant Arch, located in the foothills a few miles north of Washington. It has a unique shape that looks like the head and trunk of an elephant.

It was a beautiful day, the temperature in Dixie was approaching 80, but was tempered by a mild breeze. The clouds were gorgeous, and as we hiked they offered occasional shade.

The wildflowers were in full bloom. It was nice to be able to ask Tait the names of the various flowers and plants, which are his specialty. Not that I will remember them too long. Susan has her own specialty that she likes to photograph, but in the interest of propriety it will not be discussed here.

Desert Marigold

Globe Mallow

Wild Four-o-clock

Thistle blossom

Flowering Cactus

As you get further into the hills the trail follows a wash that is full of interesting formations. this one reminded me of cliff dwellings.

Ellie got a little heat stroke or something and decided to rest here and wait for us. I stayed with her to make sure she was going to be okay, then caught up with Tait and Susan. This formation sort of looks like an eye-less ear-less elephant don't you think?

There are no marked trails to this arch, so we had to do some exploring to find it and it took a while. I didn't want to give up because a little over a year ago I tried to find this arch while hiking with Richard Jensen and failed. We split up and Tait finally located it. It isn't too obvious until you get fairly close, and even then it may be hard to spot depending on the light and angle of view.

Susan is sitting below the elephant's trunk in this photo, directing Tait and I to get her best angle. I climbed up and sat on the elephant's head, that's the closest I have ever come to riding an elephant.

The elephant, and Susan, from a different angle. After taking photos I decided to head back so Ellie wouldn't think we had returned by a different route and left her there.

We were all a little exhausted, dry and hungry when we returned to the truck. We figured we hiked somewhere around eight miles, a lot of it in sand. I would suggest if you want to do this hike and want to make it a little easier that you get a key to the gate, which I understand is available from Saint George City. If you drive to the city water well at the end of the road it would cut the hiking distance down to about three miles.

Before returning home our friends treated us to dinner at Chuck-A-Rama for Ellie's birthday which was about a week ago. We stuffed ourselves and I must have guzzled a gallon of water and fruit punch.

Snowflowers Are Out!

Yes it's true. The Snowflowers are out! I went hiking today, wearing my new snowshoes, I want up the Anderson Valley trail almost to The Big Wash, then cut up over the back of Lawson Hill and down through the boulder piles. As I got near the bottom where the snow was melting around the rocks and trees, the Snowflowers were poking their heads out. For those of you who are like me and think that is a sure sign of spring, it's really good news.

I may have posted this last year, but I am going to again if I did. What we call Snowflowers are actually a Violet Butter Cup. Genus: Ranunculus; species: Andersoni; Southern Utah subspecies: Juniperinus.

Regardless of the name, scientific or common, they are probably the most welcome flower I know of around here. Most anyone that has lived in the valley has hiked Lawson Hill, or one of the other places where they grow. It kind of gives you a little reassurance that spring is really coming, in spite of the snow and cold. Some things just won't be denied the chance to grow and share their beauty.

You usually find them on the north or east facing slopes, in moist areas near rocks or trees. It is usually in loamy soil made from decaying vegetation, often that which has fallen from Pine or Juniper trees. Their root system is a tuber, which stores moisture for their relatively short growing season. Once the moisture is gone they go to seed and dry up, disappearing until the next spring.

I am grateful for Snowflowers, which is what they will always be to anyone raised in New Harmony. They will always be one of the first sure signs of spring. Even though much of the vegetation on Lawson Hill was destroyed by fire last summer, the Snowflowers are a sign to me that life goes on, some times pretty much as usual, and that we can too.

The Last Gasp Of Winter... I hope!

I'm sorry old man, but I'm through shoveling. I simply refuse to pick up another snow shovel until next winter, say maybe December. I know, I know, that really sounds harsh. It is not, however, directed toward a person. The 'old man' I am referring to is Old Man Winter.

Yes, I am done. I simply refuse to shovel any more snow. Whatever comes, I'll drive through it, I'll walk through it, wade through it, or even swim through it, but I have shoveled enough.

Brent brought me some snowshoes yesterday that were owned by our Uncle Reed. They look like they might be World War II vintage. If I have to put them on and hike to town for food, I will. If I have to live off food storage oatmeal and powdered milk I will. I might even do bodily harm to the next person that says they are thankful for more snow(Watch out Deanna).

Actually, I can be a very patient person if I have to. How long can it take to melt seven inches of new snow. It had settled to about four inches before it started snowing again this afternoon. I just checked the weather radar and there is another green/blue blob headed our way and will surely dump some more on us tonight. Then there is more in the forecast about every other day all week. But I'm not going to shovel any of it. And don't ask for my help shoveling your place either.

Just how much is a person supposed to be able to take? I want to see green grass. I want to feel the sun on my bare arms. I want to romp and play in the flowery meadows... well maybe that's a little overdone. I want to go fishing. I want to hike Lawson Hill and find Snow Flowers. I want to golf with the prairie dogs in Cedar City. I want to ride the four wheeler and leave a trail of dust. I want to till the garden. I want to see leaves on the trees. I want to hear crickets, and frogs. I want to listen to the grass grow... could that be worse than listening to the snow melt?
Do you get what I'm trying to say here? I'm simply tired of winter. I guess I have Spring Fever. I have heard it is quite contagious, so you better not get too close. In fact it is so contagious you might catch it just from reading this blog.

Signs of Spring

I guess I am an optimist, but even though there is a foot of snow outside, and it is threatening to snow again, I see signs of Spring everywhere. First of all, look at the calendar. We are a week into February! Okay, so Spring doesn't officially come on the calendar in the northern hemisphere until March 21, but when the snow melts and the Snowflowers come out, its Spring to me. I have photos of Snowflowers taken the first week in March for the last two years. I don't care what that fat rodent in Pennsylvania says, Spring isn't six weeks away, maybe three.

I took this shot of icicles on Redd Creek yesterday about 9:00 am, then when I returned about noon they were melted.

One problem with Spring coming is that I want to be out hiking and riding in the hills, and I don't nearly have all my winter projects done. I really want to get the cabinet doors installed in my den. I've had them for almost a year and was saving that as a winter project. I wanted to get some more finished on the inside of my shop, and I haven't even looked at that, other than to make room to get all my equipment inside when it started snowing.

This photo taken yesterday shows new green growth from the roots of a burnt Quinine Bush.

Another problem with Spring is the mud. I really don't like mud, and it seems like there is a lot of it around in the Spring. However, we are not exempt from mud in the winter and we have had more than our share already this year. At least when Spring comes you know it will dry up eventually.


Birds at the feeder are another sign of spring. All winter the Pinion Jays are king of the hill, getting first choice of the seeds. The Spotted Towhees, Juncos and a variety of sparrows are plentiful. A couple of days ago I saw a Gold Finch and a House Finch. Definitely not winter birds around here. They would have made a good photo, but were quite timid and I couldn't get close enough.

Snow melt and a sunny southern exposure has some green grass showing.

I love green. I think it is my favorite color. Trees with new green leaves. A grove of quaking Aspen. Willows along the creek. A beautiful meadow. A field of waving grass or alfalfa. Freshly mowed grass, especially on a golf course. Money.

Newborn calves are a pretty good sign of Spring.

Spring means new life. Concealed in the ground all winter, it begins again. With the first warming days buds shape, then open. Blossoms and flowers explode, briefly flaunt their beauty, then generate seeds to perpetuate their vanity. Leaves appear and dress cold naked branches, enticing myriads of birds to make their summer homes. Everything seems energized in spring. Green begins its synthesis, replacing our exhaust with breathable air. Babies are born; animals, birds and fish reproduce their species. The poets say that even a young man's fancy turns to love in spring.

Spring also means new starts. It means that no matter what mistakes we made last year, we have the chance to start again. A chance to do better. I like that a lot.