Bryce and Zion National Parks

Saturday May 11, 2013

Bryce Canyon National Park

This is our third day in Bryce Canyon National Park and despite some bad weather (thunderstorms and cold weather) we have had a very rich experience here. We have done the most strenuous day hike that the park offers (13 km and over 1700 feet of ascension – at the end, even Marie-Andrée was tired!) and a nice 7 km hike yesterday between Sunrise Point and Sunset Point – or, as I prefer to say: “we walked from sunrise to sunset”.

The scenery here is otherworldly – something one might see in a fantasy film, like Lord of the Rings (wink, wink, nudge, nudge Sheena). Once you hike down into the canyon, it is more ‘real’ and accessible but seen from above. The canyon seems to go on forever; one orange-pink-golden-red-hoodoo-sculptures after the other. 

 I feel very privileged to be able to hike here. I thought about all the people who built and who continue to maintain these trails. They set them up in a way, intentional or not, that you slowly acclimatize to the steep cliff drops and walking along narrow rims, with no barrier between you and the depths below. I am afraid of heights but some how I was able to do these hikes without experiencing too much vertigo. During the 4 hours of hiking the Fairyland trail I think we saw a total of about 25 people on the trail. It is so wonderful to be ‘alone’ in these landscapes. On shorter, more accessible trails, one has to wait on the trail while people constantly snap photographs of themselves (we don't do that ??? ) without seeing what is really in front of them. After being around them for a while I can’t take any more photos for a while.

Speaking of taking photos, Marie-Andrée is enjoying using my camera and is delighted with the process as well as the results. It is nice to see this passion growing in her. It is also wonderful to see her moving freely up and down the trails, having recovered from her knee surgery enough to be able to do this. I know she would like her knee to be as good as new, but the fact that she can hike and do sports now is a real achievement. On the days we can hike, she is happy and carefree. On the days that we are shut up in the vehicle due to driving long distances or extreme weather, she is like a lion in a very, very small cage! There seems to be two types of people in the world – those that must move often to be happy and those who can stay happily sedentary for long periods of time – she is the former and I am the latter.

Monday May 13, 2013 Zion National Park

Oh the extremes of weather! In Bryce Canyon the weather hit highs around 10 degrees Celsius during the day and around freezing during the evenings and night. We wore all of clothes we brought. For example I wore 2 Merino wool shirts, a down jacket and a windbreaker, not to mention 2 wool toques (one on top of the other !) and Merino long underwear and sweat pants, plus wool socks in the evenings. 

In Zion, we striped off most our clothes and wore only the  lightest t-shirts and shorts by the fire in the evenings and were warm. It is HOT here! The days go up to near 40 degrees Celsius during the day and the nights are warm at around 18-22 Celsius.What is interesting is that these 2 National Parks are less than 200 km apart. The reason for the extremes in temperature is the elevation – around 8000 feet in Bryce and around 4000 feet here in the Zion campground.One would ideally like an average of the two to be comfortable.

Because we are late risers and slowpokes in the mornings, by the time we get on the trail here in Zion it is the worst possible time to hike (and to take photos which are washed out by the midday fiery sun). For example, we 'did' the Angel's Landing hike today -- OMG -- I glanced at my watch and it was 13:00 when we took our first steps up the mountain. It was SO hot that my water quickly became more like weak tea than a cooling hydrating fluid.The hike was 7 1/2 kilometers straight up (and up and up and up) and then you turn around and hike the same 7 1/2 kilometers down (the photo above shows some of the tight zigzag path that is a bit like skiing slalom, but only UP! UGH!)

 

My description is unfair, as I am sure it was beautiful and spectacular and all of those superlatives, but for me, it was 3 hours (the up part took about 3 hours and the return around 1 hour) of agony and self-inflicted torture! Marie-Andrée does not mind extreme heat whereas I hate it. She was quite cheerful and was snapping photos of me (no, we don't do that) while I glared at her and the camera and everyone else I could glare at to articulate my agony (other people were all coming down the mountain -- we were amongst the only crazy people to climb up at mid day!!!).

I have been reflecting on fear – fear of not having enough water; fear of extreme heat; fear of not being in shape enough to be able to do a specific hike; fear of heights; fear of impending bad weather and getting caught in a terrible storm in the wilds of the back trail; fear of a mountain lion grabbing one of us for lunch; fear of rattlesnakes … All these fears are real in the context of our outdoor life right no, but they are also a waste of vital energy. I am trying to learn to let go of fear and just live in the present moment. I say this, but I swear that I look like a total boy-scout on my hikes – equipped with my outdoor GPS, my multiple bottles of drinking water, my emergency blanket, my first-aid kit, my animal pepper spray (does it work on rattlesnakes?), my knife, my Steripen (we are in a desert for goodness sake – there is NO water to sterilize!!). Oh well, one day I will evolve into a calmer, more enlightened human being!

Next stop ... Lake Powell. Hopefully some kayaking into slot canyons ...

Bandelier,Taos, Parc National des Arches et de Grand Staircase-Escalante

Dimanche 28 avril 2013

Nous sommes allées voir le Monument National Bandelier, près de Santa Fe

pour voir la formation d’ancien volcan, dont le Frijoles qui date de plusieurs millions d’années et comment les peuples (ancêtre des pueblos) vivaient dans ces espaces il y a environ 10,000 ans. Nous avons donc vu de petites habitations dans les falaises, où l’on creusait dans la partie déjà érodée pour s’abriter et mettre à l’abri leur approvisionnement !

Nous avons vus des petrographes, de petits dessins (dinde, spirales, etc.) sur les murs de la falaise du canyon. Il y a aussi les ‘Kivas”, grande structure circulaire fabriquée pour les cérémonies et rassemblements !

À partir de la matière première (partie de la roche) présente, l’obsidian et le basalte, ces gens fabriquaient des outils de toutes utilités, de construction, de marquage et aussi comme moyen de subsistance.

Mardi le 30 avril 2013

Nous repartons en direction de la ville de Taos. Nous décidons de passer pour de petites routes secondaires afin de voir un peu de l’arrière pays. Nous voyons beaucoup de gens hispaniques et autochtones, ces populations étant bien présents avant la conquête des américains . Les habitations sont plutôt modestes mais ils ont beaucoup d’espaces pour y vivre !

À Taos, avec une population d’à peine 5,000 habitants ! Il y a aussi beaucoup de maisons de style ‘adobe” et un bon nombre d’artistes se sont installés. Des galeries d’arts et de fabrications artisanales, tel que les tapis tissés à la main de style mexicain sont bien présents dans la ville. Nous constatons aussi que la vie ici est un peu moins propère qu’à Santa Fe.

Petit arrêt à Navaro Lake State Park, toujours au Nouveau-Mexique au frontière du Colorado pour y dormir seulement ! Nous avons eu peur car nous devions traverser un chemin du barrage Navajo Lake, ouf mais quel chemin !!! Nous devions faire environ 200 mètres d’un chemin qui n’avait aucun rampart et le précipice (de chaque côté du chemin) était d’une longueur de plusieurs mètres !

Nous avons tout de même pu admirer ce magnifique lac à même notre camping !

Nous avons vu un coyote à cet endroit !

Mercredi 1 mai, jeudi, 2 mai et vendredi 3 mai 2013

Le mercredi nous repartons pour Taos vers le Parc National des Arches. À notre passage, nous remarquons des maisons alternatives ‘écolos”, appelés ‘Earthships Biotecture”. Ces maisons sont fabriquées de matières recyclées, avec un désign spécial et intéressant à regarder ! Allez voir leur site sur internet !

À l’approche du Parc, nous commençons à voir le rouge de la terre et des montagnes…WOW, quel spectacle !!!

Il fait encore assez frais, autour de 13-18 degrés Celcius le jour et 5 à 8 la nuit !

Nous sommes ici pour 3 jours, nous devons aller vers le Bureau of Land Management pour y dormir car le camping du Parc National affiche complet jusqu’en juillet !!! Mais, ce n’est pas un problème car nous y découvrons des emplacements magnifiques qui longent la rivière du Colorado avec vue sur montagnes des Arches, pas mal non plus !!!

Dans le Parc des Arches, nous avons fait plusieurs marches pour voir ces magnifiques formations d’arches et monuments (Balanced Rock, Courthouse Towers, Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, etc) aux couleurs rouges vifs à nuancés, toutes belles avec leurs particularités, tellement spectaculaires ! Nous avons vu aussi la vallée de sel et les dunes pétrifiées.

J’adore les arbres sous toutes leurs formes, même ceux qui ont une apparence d’être mort !

Samedi 4 mai 2013

Nous sommes à Goblin Valley, nous dormons gratuitement dans le Bureau of Land Management. Les routes sont à peine carrossable mais nous y allons prudemment près d’une montagne, nous sommes que deux campeurs dans ce coin reculé ! Nous avons entendu le silence pour la deuxième fois (la première fois étant à La Grange, en début de voyage)! C’est un peu plus chaud et sentons que le ciel se couvre, nous faisons un feu !

Le lendemain, on visite le Parc National des Goblins, encore une fois, magnifique! Ces formations de roches sabloneuses, très fragiles, ressemblent à des champignons, beau spectacle!

Dimanche 5 mai, lundi 6 mai et mardi 7 mai 2013

Nous sommes au Monument National Grand Staircase-Escalante ! Juste à l’entrée du Parc, nous constatons la grandeur de ces canyons immenses, profondes et vastes, aux dégradés de jaunes et de rouges ! Belle découverte !

Nous avons fait des randonnées pédestres dans le parc national entre autre dans le ‘Lower Calf Creek Falls”, où nous passons dans la vallée qui nous donne l’effet de l’immensité du canyons !

Nous voyons tout de même beaucoup de floraisons et de feuilles immatures qui sortent tranquillement mais qu’ils nous émerveillent à chaque passage !

Pour la première fois, depuis La Louisianne, nous avons de la pluie (oui, oui dans le dessert!!!), nous avons dû s’arrêter pour une journée en terme de randonnée et visite. Il fait froid, environ 12-15 degrés celcius et 5 degrés la nuit !

Côté genou, tout va bien ! Il tient le coup, pas d’inflammation, encore un peu de raideur mais bon! Je constate qu’il doit être en mouvement, alors losque nous avons beaucoup de route, je me garde un peu de temps pour marcher un peu ! Je ne porte pas mon orthèse (je ne l’ai pas apporté) toutefois, je ne prend aucun risque donc je fais des marches très modérées !

We finally made it to Arches National Park!

Friday May 3, 2013 Arches National Park area

Today is sunny and hot. We got up late and are drinking coffee and scribbling notes about our adventures. We are camped on the Colorado River just outside of Arches National Park. Apparently you have to have reservations six months ahead of time to get in the National Parks. Forget that!

Luckily the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has primitive camping sites set up all along the Colorado River, just a few kilometers away from Arches NP. They fill quickly and because the first-come-first-serve is based on an honour system (you post a little tag saying you paid for your spot) that can cause BIG tension. We had to stay in a parking lot overflow site the first night in the area (very noisy and crowded) but I walked around the campgrounds that first evening and noted the sites that would be liberated the following day. I found a perfect one and came early the next morning, paid, placed the tag and went back to our parking-lot-overflow-place. At noon, the official time to set-up, we pulled up to our reserved site and someone had already moved in. Our reservation slip was gone, gone, gone and hence no proof of payment and no other available sites. There was a moment of tension because there is a lot of competition for very few spots. Luckily the couple was very decent and moved without any hesitation, saying that they had misread our slip. Phew. We even talked about the possibility of doing some kayaking together down the Colorado River. Another reminder of the life lesson for me to stay calm, be polite and give strangers the benefit of the doubt. Those who know me well know that it doesn’t come naturally (haha!).

 This site is wonderful and quite private, which is what we really needed. As I write this I can hear the river rapids below and the birds chirping and digging in the undergrowth, looking for their breakfast. Once you get out of the direct sun there is a cool breeze. When I packed for this trip I thought there would be places that would require warm-weather clothing and places that we would need to dress lightly. In fact, everyday requires a shift from light clothing to mid-weight to heavy-duty warm wear, all in the same day! The nights are still colder than we expected and every piece of covering, even the kayak emergency-outdoor-tinfoil-like “blanket” is needed! I wear my down jacket over my head and every morning I wake up and see Marie-Andrée with her Australia toque pulled right down around her eyes!

The days continue to pass quickly and we are now in the month of May – meaning we have been on the road for almost a month. Some days pass much too quickly with too much driving and not enough outdoor time. This leads to two grumpy, frustrated people in a tiny van. The good thing is that we both have the maturity to try harder even though we are confronting the basic faults of our characters – the ones that time and space allow us to hide from others under “normal” life conditions. By facing them and realizing that we have to change, even a little tiny bit, means that we are growing in the process. It is not easy, but it is our reality.

At this point in the trip we have arrived at the landscapes that both of us have always wanted to see and experience. Driving into Utah, I had imagined that suddenly the red monuments, cliffs and natural sculptured landscapes would appear, as if magically, in front of our eyes. In fact, we entered into snow-capped mountain peaks, through Colorado, that were nothing like I thought I would see (those of you who live year long in the mountains are a brave and crazy group ... 

It seems that every time we climb up one side of a mountain range, we descend into a whole different world on the other side (a bit like walking into the wardrobe in Narnia). The first sign of the rich, red, rock sculptures looked to me like the Buddha.

I wanted to run up to it and hug it and yell something like “I am finally here!!” It was beautiful, but each rock formation after it was continued to be incredible. Yesterday, and today, we have hiked through the trails in the park. Sometimes there are way too many tourists, which is an annoying paradox because the land should be experienced in a private, spiritual, way (not just another “photo-op”).

Luckily, as soon as we walk farther, on less well maintained trails, we are usually by ourselves and get to experience the landscape fully... then we are happy campers!!

For the next several weeks we are happy that we are driving only very short distances on any given day and most places we are staying for at least 2 nights and many for 3 nights, in order to hike and kayak. This is what we imagined, when we imagined this trip. It makes the long-frustrating-grumpy days seem OK after all, and the perfect days even more perfect! 

Nature, city and many other paradox ...

April 26, 2014

It is coffee time and the sun, the blue, blue sky and San Andreas Mountains greet us. This is one of the wonderful things about this kind of travel: although the daily rituals of living remain the same – set-up then tear-down the campsite; make the coffee and breakfast, clean up the dishes, etc., etc. – the environment in which it is all done changes dramatically from day-to-day and often many times within the same day. It is the thing that I find the most interesting about traveling. For others it is the food, or the culture, or the customs (all amazing!) but for me it is more about the physical & natural environment. From oceans to deserts; from prairies to mountains; from cities to country … I love these changes.

Today is the 26^th of April. It is my father’s birthday and I am thankful that he is alive and fairly well (better than in previous years) and that I will see him soon. Today would also have been Dominique’s birthday – 51 years old – it will soon be 6 months since his sudden and extremely regretful death. Being on this road-trip is good for Marie-Andrée. We speak daily about Dom and so many things about the trip bring up memories of him. Her grieving of her brother will take a lifetime, but she is allowing herself to be in the grief and at the same time, see beyond it. My thoughts are with his whole family, especially Sylvain, his twin brother, his wife and his children and of course his mother.  

As we arrived at the base of the San Andreas Mountain range where we camped last night (at campsite number 26 to mark their birthdays), Marie-Andrée looked up and said “those two peaks are my twin brothers, the one next to it my mother and next to it my other brother”.

I looked up at the jagged range beside them and said “and those are all the Thifault sisters – strong, beautiful and omnipresent”.

 We both felt comforted by looking at them through the evening and this morning.

Last night the full moon rose over the mountains and we had a fire burning. It was cool, but not cold (which is very different than other nights where we wore every piece of clothing we could find) and there are no other people nearby. It is peaceful and we are feeling at peace.

I suppose I should try to give some kind of chronological account of our trip (Marie-Andrée has been doing that very successfully in French) but my mind doesn’t work that way, really. My thoughts are more abstract.

There was so much preparation for this trip that I find although there are daily surprises; I already had an idea what things would be like. For Marie-Andrée, who did not do any of the planning everything is a major surprise. The second half of the trip will be a surprise for both of us because I ran out of energy to map out the whole 3 months in detail. Although we have had no reservations, I had a fairly good idea where we would camp (even GPS coordinates to get us there) and the dates we would be at any given area. We have had the freedom of changing things – adding destinations (the caves of Sonora … wow!) and leaving other areas earlier than planned because of weather or less interest or what ever. For the following weeks, I really have no idea where we will stay or how to get there. That will make life a bit more complex and will slow us down a bit, but it will be a new experience and even more surprises for me, too! (check out the license plate above: "I'm lost" :)

Sunday April 28, 2013

We have been in the Santa Fe region now for 2 nights, where we are staying is the extreme opposite of our previous campsite I described above. Here we decided to stay in a KOA commercial site. It is pretty awful! Crowded, ugly, dusty and uninteresting but we have our reasons for staying – they have great showers and laundry facilities and WiFi (although the reception is lousy and each photo I add to the blog takes about 5 minutes -- ggrrrrrrr). Since American cities can be dangerous (not the case with Santa Fe I think), we tend to stay in commercial campgrounds near cities. I will rethink this in the future, but for now it has worked OK.

Speaking of Santa Fe – I am in LOVE (coup de foudre) ! It is rare that I fall in love with a city but Santa Fe seems perfect. Approximately 300 days of sun per year (oh the glorious light!), the desert hills and mountains as the backdrop, and the city full of beautiful adobe homes and buildings (the city has enforced this type of construction for many many years so there are no ugly suburbs and no ugly chain stores visible in the downtown areas. The city is full of art and culture.

I finally went to the Georgia O’Keeffe museum (which I have wanted to do for many, many years, n'est-ce pas, Aline?) and will likely go to her ghost ranch near Taos tomorrow.

The population has a very strong Native and Hispanic communities and we haven’t seen the kind of extremes of wealth and poverty (side-by-side) that I have seen in all the other cities that we have visited.

Annie Leibovitz’s work was showing at the Georgia O'Keeffe museum, too. What a treat!

I met a young woman from Winnipeg, living in Santa Fe for the past few years for her studies, who confirmed my opinion of the city. She has no intentions of returning to Winnipeg anytime soon if she can help it. Gee, I wonder why? (Sorry Alissa but I don't think you would trade Montreal for your native Winnipeg, either?)

Other amazing sites and experiences during the past week: the White Sands National Monument (I will leave out all the part of it being a military missile deployment site – WTF?). Incredible mountains of white gypsum sands created by the former landlocked waters that evaporated and left the gypsum behind. This normally doesn’t occur in nature because it is very rare that water is landlocked and usually any dissolved gypsum using remains dissolved and finds its way to the ocean. Or that is how I understand the phenomenon. I put many nice photos in Marie-Andrée's blog post and since downloading takes a lot of time, I will let you look at the photos which follow in her text.

What is fascinating, too, is how the White Sands suddenly appear on the horizon as a kind of a cloud of blowing sands. We had just descended the Sacramento Mountain range (thank goodness for good brakes!), which on the Eastern side is all conifers and rugged land, and the Western side is bare red rock and cliffs. After crossing several miles of nondescript flat, desert lands, suddenly the white cloud appeared and then the sand dunes and then the pure white sand mountains. Walking on the hills of sand is interesting because the sand is cool even on the hottest of days since gypsum does not absorb heat. Also, wherever there has been moisture, the gypsum is in large crystals which are much firmer to walk on. By observing carefully you can see where the loose sand 'pools' and where the firmer sand banks and allows for easier walking. We might have borrowed toboggans and slide down the hills, as some people did, but we walked and photographed instead. (Sand surfing, Rägi?).

After spending a lot of time doing these blogs and several loads of laundry, I will sign off now and go enjoy more of what Santa Fe has to offer. Au plaisir!