Apr 29 – Delicate Arch

It was a cold night and a cool morning so we did another afternoon hike.

Delicate Arch is the premier hike and location in the park and it is easy to see why.

The hike is about 5 km and you climb about 500 feet. You can’t actually see the arch until the last corner when you are about 100 yards from it.

Out of the parking lot there is a steep little incline just to get you going.

You walk up and down a few small hills but you can see off in the distance what is up ahead.

A long climb up some slickrock. It was not that steep but the length and constant grade made it tiring. Everyone was puffing at the top.

Looking back down.

You follow a wash and some cairns for a short while.

It was hard to miss this one.

And finally some fun, narrow ledges for Jennie.

 

And then there it is.

When we were at the viewpoint down below, the other day, we wondered why so many people seemed to line up so far away and not get close to the arch. From a distance it looked easy.

In reality, you have to go around this very steeply sloped ledge.

Which looks out on a deep valley.

Initially, Jennie sat part way around but a bit too close to the edge for comfort. Someone dropped a water bottle here. When they went down and found it at the valley bottom, it was smashed to bits.

I walked over to get the regulation picture in the arch. Everyone took their turn.

Jennie moved up to a more comfortable position and we had a snack while we enjoyed the view.

I went exploring down in the valley. I am the little dot in the center, below.

Looking back up.

It was a long climb back to Jennie.

I couldn’t stop taking pictures of it.

After a very long time people and view watching we headed back.

On the way up we hadn’t noticed a little window in the wall.

One final look.

My feet got a bit sore from the steep downhill.

We noticed that we could see the South Window Arch from the other day.

On the drive back we stopped at a viewpoint off, of the park road, of the La Sal mountains.

It looks like it is raining but it is not. It is just thin wispy clouds “raining” down from the more solid ones. When we first went out in the morning it looked like this in the direction of Delicate Arch. I was worried that we were going to get wet.

Moving across the horizon.

The Windows section that we hiked the other day.

And the South Window Arch from this side.

And then home.

Apr 28 – Corona Arch

After doing a bit too much yesterday we took this morning off. I watched our neighbour get ready to leave and load his off road something.

To get into it he has to climb on the hub, then onto the top of the back tire, walk along the little ledge to the front and squirm into the seat.

The back of his travel trailer is his garage.

It is a really long trailer.

After lunch we decided to do the relatively easy 4 km return hike to Corona Arch. It is outside of the parks off the same road we took to get to the Schafer Trail.

It was another really windy, kind of cool day. We ate a lot of sand. At least we are not getting tornados like they are in the mid west.

We first climbed up from the parking lot next to the river. There is a free campground on the other side of the road.

Crossing the train tracks that go to the potash plant. It must have been an expensive rail line to build through these hills and keep it level.

The arch is in the valley around the next corner.

It was not that steep here so we think the railing is only needed when it is wet.

Everybody makes a cairn at this spot.

Our first view of Corona Arch on the right and Bow Tie Arch just right of my head.

We had to climb this steep lip first. There is a cable and some steps cut into the rock.

From far away they don’t look that steep but they were.

Next we had to climb this little ladder.

Then we worked our way around the very broad ledge to reach the arches.

Bow Tie Arch.

Then to Corona Arch. It is 140 feet tall by 105 feet wide.  There were only a few people here. We saw, maybe, 15 on the entire hike.

We went though to the other side and had a rest and snack.

The wind really stirred up the sand here so it was not the greatest spot to be eating anything.

I went on a bit farther to see what was around the corner. The railway tracks are far below.

And this valley with a lot of ledges.

Heading back across the ledge.

With the changing sunlight we noticed another arch across the valley. There was no way to get to it.

I ate a lot of sand here. Jennie was OK with her bandana.

The token flower shot.

Up on the wall I saw a giant face.

We headed back to the RV to be blown around in it. The wind is supposed to die down tonight.