The Hole-in-the-Rock Road near Escalante, Utah, is the route used in 1879 by Mormon pioneers on the way to settle the Four Corners region. Huge cliffs descending to the Colorado River blocked the way, so they blasted a slot through the rock where wagons could be lowered 1,000 feet down the the canyon bottom. This passage was named Hole-in-the-Rock, and evidence of the incredible event still remains. Lake Powell now occupies the bottom of the canyon where much of this accomplishment took place, but the road still exists and can be traveled year round by vehicle and by bike.
Tag: Southern Utah
Utah skeleton is not Everett Ruess
Outdoor enthusiasts and history buffs alike were astonished last spring when the remains of Everett Ruess were found. DNA tests revealed that the skeleton found in a grave on Utah’s Comb Ridge belonged to the vagabond writer, which solved a decades-long mystery. But the University of Colorado at Boulder issued a press release on Wednesday, October 21, revealing the test results were incorrect.
Rock climbing Castleton Tower’s North Chimney
Castleton Tower is a place that is one of the “must climbs” of the country. It’s a perfect sandstone tower right out of a Roadrunner cartoon that rises up from the desert floor near Moab. Spring is a good time to go and tackle the tower as mild temperatures keep the climb comfortable, especially while ascending the North Chimney route.
Canyoneering in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
When it comes to outdoor adventure in Southern Utah, there is nothing quite like canyoneering through a sandstone slot. Canyoneering gets you down into the earth, where you are forced to touch and interact with the rock, sand and water. Canyoneering is dirty, wet, sometimes dangerous,
Hiking in Arches National Park
When Utah’s red-rock desert is mentioned, one of the most common images that pops into people’s heads has got to be Delicate Arch in Arches National Park. It is the single most iconic image in all of Utah. From commercials, to promotional tourist publications, to the Utah State license plate, Delicate Arch is everywhere. So it’s no wonder that Arches National Park sees some of the most tourist traffic in the state. There’s good reason for the droves of people who flock to Delicate Arch at sundown to take pictures, as it remains the most awe inspiring landscape in the west. And spring is, like everywhere in Southern Utah, an ideal time of year to make the pilgrimage.
Hiking Chesler Park in Canyonlands
When I first moved to Salt Lake City, a co-worker told me that Chesler Park in Canyonlands National Park is the most beautiful place in the State of Utah. When I finally made it down there with my wife, Callista, I saw first hand what he meant. Of course there is the usual red-rock formations…
Mountain biking the White Rim Trail: Day four
The morning of the fourth day on the White Rim Trail broke clear and sunny. The horrible wind that plagued us the day before was gone, but the storm left cold air behind. We dusted ourselves off, packed up, ate breakfast and started biking the last leg of our trip.
Mountain biking the White Rim Trail: Day three
The warm weather and sunny skies were gone when we emerged from our tents on the morning of the third day on the White Rim Trail. It was overcast and the wind was not promising an easy ride. Keeping a positive attitude, and the hope that the weather would clear up later in the day, we ate breakfast and saddled up on our bikes.
Mountain biking the White Rim Trail: Day two
On the second day, the longest stretch lay before us. There was 28 miles to ride, split by the steepest hill on the trail, Murphy’s Hogback. The morning started out clear and sunny, and with the Hogback in mind, we loaded up on a big breakfast before packing up and heading out.
Mountain biking the White Rim Trail: Day one
The first day on the White Rim Trail started out freezing cold. The ground around the Island in the Sky Visitor Center was covered in snow, and a sharp wind was blowing across the top of the mesa. We bundled up in ski coats and gloves, and rode our bikes down the Shafer Trail switchbacks that descend to the White Rim of Canyonlands National Park.