CONSTANT UNIVERSAL CHANGE

Everything changes. A few weeks ago a group of us hiked down to Havasupai falls. It is the third time I have been down there in the last four years. This year it was amazing to see the change that last years flood caused to the area.

We started down the trail late in the afternoon just as the sun was setting thus avoiding the hottest part of the day.

Early the next morning we hit the trail again. We hiked about 7 miles to our camp site.
The camping areas were filled with trees that had died due to the influx of water.

You could see how the mud and water changed the area.

Mooney falls was drastically altered at its base. This year they added wire cages filled with rocks which will eventually be covered by silt and a hard crust of minerals. The pool at the base will be much bigger that the previous one which will allow for more picturesque reflections of the falls above and a larger swimming area. Though it will be altered by man it will still be a great scene.

Here is Havasupai falls before and after. The majority of the change was in the travertine pools at the base of the falls.

It will be interesting to see what changes await the next time we visit.

Southeast Utah Adventure

It all started with seeing a photo in a magazine, then I had to find out where it is . Find a map, get directions, pack the gear.  Now we start the adventure
The trails out here are not that easy to find so I borrowed a GPS unit to narrow the location down a bit. After much trial and error I figured out how the contraption worked and then managed to track my trail to and from the ruins.  I now know the exact location the photos were taken which will make is easier to find next time we go there.
Here is the typical parking arrangement out in the bush.  Not quite parallel parking. Just enough space is left in case someone wants to get past on the road.



The power of a photo  is amazing . Recently I had been looking at some photos in a photo magazine and one in particular caught my eye.  It was of some ancient ruins in Southeastern Utah.  Well after looking at it many times I decided that I would like to find that particular spot.  I consulted with several maps and web sites and finally came up with the approximate location.  Wandering around in the desert in search of these places is somewhat like looking for that needle in the haystack. Fortunately for us we happened upon the right trail and  developed a few friendships along the way in our quest for our own images. The people who visit these remote places come from all over the world. Some have come several times over the years.

Great day at the cabin

Grammy was trying to see who could give the best bear hugs but was a bit overwhelmed when they decided to take on the challenge all at the same time.

Paul and Hunter are ready to go for a ride in the bright sun while PaPa wrangles Micah and Emmeline on the larger 4 wheeler.  


As the sun was setting there were a couple of large buck deer that came in close view.  The kids were amazed at how close they came and the reflection on the snow had a nice warm glow.


What a great way to get out of the valley smog and into the sunshine. We went up to Paul and Natalie's cabin in Fairview and spent the night with the family.  The grandkids did their thing which was to race around and make as much noise as possible while we sat around and had BBQ and relaxed. Mike and Rachel were there as well as Paul and Natalie so we had plenty of stuff to talk about.  Even though the temperature outside was hovering around the single digits we were nice and warm and cozy inside.  

Photos of the week

Ok here goes my attempt at doing the blog thing. I am not one that can go on and on about the nature of things but I do like to get out and take pictures, enjoy nature and put my body through such torture  as 50 mile hikes and such. 

A little over a year ago I decided to revisit Havasupai Falls down in the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I had previously made the trip 2 years earlier with a groups of scouts. It is crazy how you forget the hard parts of the journey and only remember what a great place to relax and enjoy. As we hiked down we occasionally were passed by people who had chosen alternative ways to make the trip. They had their gear packed down on horses while they rode down. Some how this just didn't seem like an option to me.

Well this trip after hiking 8 miles down my legs decided to cramp up and I could barely make the last 2 miles.  It took me a couple of days to recuperate and climbed out with ease. I think the going down is more difficult than going up. Anyway here is a picture of myself and my son Nik at the start of the trail. Way to much stuff on my back. Most people probably took pocked sized cameras by not me. I had to take the big digital SLR with the assortment of lenses.  We ended up with ample food and clothing of which we could have done without but the photos and memories are priceless. What a great adventure. I will have to do that one again soon.