A Drive Through Hildale

September 13th

Hildale is the Utah branch of the polygamist community of Short Creek.  Its Arizona component, Colorado City, is better known because it was (is?) the fiefdom of Fundamentalist LDS leader Warren Jeffs.

Many of the houses are very large:

 

 

 

                               

Many are incomplete or not well maintained:



Most are behind high walls:

 



Angel Canyon, Peekaboo Canyon and Water Canyon

Friday, September 13th
Days Off #1 &2

Thursday

With a forecast of rain, thunderstorms and flash floods, we played with the idea of spending our days off in St. George.  However, the weather there looked no better than Kanab's and hanging out in a motel room didn't seem any more fun than hanging out in the RV. 

The skies were relatively clear on Thursday morning and rain wasn't likely until late afternoon.  That provided an opportunity to do something short and close to home; those sites we wanted to revisit in Angel Canyon fit the bill to a T!  We returned to the Indian granary in an alcove, the plateau at the top of a nearby cliff, Hidden Lake and Angel's Landing.

 Indian Granary

 

Tower on the plateau 

 Sacred Datura stamens

 

 Entrance to Hidden Lake

 

 Hidden Lake

Looking Out from Hidden Lake

Good weather reined after lunch so we headed north again, this time to Peekaboo slot canyon.  Recent rain had compacted the sandy road so tire-deflation wasn't needed.  It also made walking in the wash much easier and kept the temperature a bit cooler.  Before entering the slot, we followed the small wash to the north a short distance to a column of stone standing at its end.  We'd forgotten to do that on our first trip and it was well worth the short detour.



After many disappointing meals in Kanab's restaurants, we decided to try Rocking V, which gets glowing reviews from locals as well as tourists.  The décor is funky, the service attentive and the food is wonderful!  We enjoyed our meal and the somewhat quirky artwork and felt the evening justified the expense.


Friday

Although this morning's weather and the forecast were the best in over a week, today is Friday the 13th.  And it began like a Friday the 13th--with a problem.  Specifically, the gray water tank registered as full and the valve to drain it was stuck.  Fred pulled, jiggled, pushed and twisted but it remained s-t-u-c-k.  A phone call to Ramsay Towing (and general savior in matters automotive)  took care of everything; They've ordered the replacement part and will install it at the RV park early next week. 

With that issue handled if not solved, we took off for Water Canyon.  The route to the trailhead goes through Hildale, Utah, a polygamist town just across the state line from its infamous sister city, Colorado City, Arizona.  An interesting place...   The paved surface ended at the edge of town and the road continued as a dirt double-track interspersed with long, deep mud pits and occasional washes.  Two miles of dodging or surmounting various obstacles brought us to the beginning of the trail. 

Or rather trails.  Hikers have created a number of routes, all parallel to the creek but at various elevations, to reach the waterfall and you haveyour choice.  Hint:  there isn't an easy one!  On our way upstream, we encountered five youngsters from Hildale who'd captured tadpoles in water bottles.  They looked like brothers and wore similar outfits of dark pants and colored dress shirts.

Two miles and 400' of elevation gain brought us to the waterfall nestled in its lovely slot canyon.

Short Creek flowing out of Water Canyon

 



 Fred spotted Water Canyon Arch, about 1000' above the floor of the canyon

 

 



The waterfall

Pool below is colored by run-off from heavy rains.

 





If you proceed carefully, the climb above the falls rewards you with stunning views.

Arrowheads

After a few days of heavy rain, we found a couple more arrowheads near the RV. So far, each one has a different design, size, color and material.

 

 

Black one is a tip of an arrowhead

A Hit and A Miss

Thursday, September 5
Day Off

We did two hikes in Zion today--Shelf Canyon, the 'hit,' and middle Pine Creek, the 'miss.'

The Hit

Shelf Canyon is a pretty little wash just east of the long tunnel on Route 9.  It's possible to travel about half a mile by ascending broad ledges (shelves) before encountering a jumble of large boulders blocking the narrow passage.  It was fun to scramble up, over, around and through the obstacles and to watch the towering sandstone cliffs change color as the morning sunlight struck them.

Although parking can be a problem because all the tourists want to 'do' Canyon Overlook, this trail is virtually unknown.  We had a delightful 45-minute jaunt in a beautiful little canyon all to ourselves.

 

 

 

 

The Miss

 

The Pine Creek trail system is divided into three sections.  Upper Pine Creek is an easy, pleasant southerly wash that turns west at the creek's junction with Route 9, just east of the long tunnel.  Middle Pine Creek is a difficult, technical slot (permit required) which parallels the tunnel and switchbacks.  This portion ends at the third switchback from the west end of the tunnel, where the Lower Pine Creek section begins. 

 

Since we'd previously hiked from the Pine Creek bridge to the waterfall, we decided to tackle the upstream segment to the pools beneath the Great Arch.  To begin, we slip-slid down a precipitous bank from the parking area at the third switchback to the creek then headed north.  We quickly found that there is no trail.  One scans the landscape and tries to discern the best path forward.  Progress involved a great deal of rock-hopping, creek-crossing, boulder-climbing, bush-whacking and did I mention the bentonite clay?  When that stuff gets wet, walking on it is like trying to roller-skate on greased glass!  Adding to the challenges of following the creek, was the heat--Zion was forecast to reach 101*.  At lunch we agreed that neither the surrounding hillsides nor the creek had beauty sufficient to warrant continuing.  Lucky for us we discovered a quicker though steeper path up to the parking lot, turned on the Jeep's A/C full-blast and took off for Kanab.

 

 View of Tunnel Windows from Pine Creek
 

 Great Arch
 



 Rocks and More Rocks

 

After a quick dinner, we hurried into town for DocUtah, a free three-evening documentary film festival.  In a rush to be on time and forgetting that in Kanab any stipulated time is understood to be followed by -ish, we locked both sets of keys in the car.  The extra key was in the RV and both keys to the RV were...locked in the Jeep.  The only bright spot was the car repair shop across the street from the theater was still open.    Twenty minutes and twenty-five dollars later, we strolled inside, keys in hand, and took our seats.

 

 



Has Anyone Seen 50,000 gallons of Water?

Wednesday, September 4



 

This is how the pond above the dam looked on Monday.

 

 

 

This is how the same pond looked on Wednesday.



To Wonderland

August 30th
Day Off #4

We have wanted to see White Pocket ever since we heard about it soon after arrival but the directions for getting there (4WD, high clearance vehicle required; deep sand; unmarked roads; no cell phone service) scared me.  Fred has gotten us safely to similarly remote destinations over equally bad roads so when he said the recent rains have made driving through sand easier, I agree to make today White Pocket Day.

We started down House Rock Valley Road at 7:45  and two grueling hours later parked at White Pocket.  The shaking, bumping, thumping, rocking , bucking and washboarding were worth it!

 I lack the words to describe this place; all I can offer is our pictures which cannot do its harsh and unique beauty justice:

 

 

 

 

 

We spotted Fred Flintstone's vacation home!