EVAN's SLOTS!!
Disclaimer: Excuse the poor quality pictures. My Rebel XTI was on a setting it should not have been!
To officially kick off our spring break, Even, Gregg Lindsay(well Lindsay sold out) and myself (also Evans wife Janessa and my brother Trevor) decided to do some hiking this week. Evan, acting as our guide, drove to the trailhead. We started the hike at about 9:00 AM. The hike began with a brisk walk across the high desert(near the Ledges Golf Course). We quickly saw signs of development and unfortunately I did not see any survey stakes to pull up (I dont actually do this for it is a crime but the thought of doing pulling them up is a good one!!!). Soon we left the desert and entered a maze of slickrock. As we dropped down into the slickrock Evan pointed out a mini slot canyon. We entered the canyon and at first I wasnt very impressed. It wasnt extremly narrow, nor did it have high cliffs, perhaps only 15 feet to the top. As we hiked further in, me leading, Janessa pointed out some faded petroglyphs that I missed. This was interesting! The petroglyphs appeared to be very old and it was cool that they were in a narrow slot.
We soon left the slot and began to hike across the slickrock. The weathering of the slickrock was very scenic and we often paused in awe at what mother nature had accomplished over thousands of years.
After around 2 miles of easy scrambling we arrived at the end of the trail. Below us was a 500ft or so drop off straight into Snow Canyon State Park. This was the climatic moment of the hike. For several minutes there was not much talking as all the intrepid hikers sat pondering what we saw in front of us. It was a very good, semi spiritual moment.
On the hike back we continued to enjoy the slickrock formations and even had another surprise, another panel of petroglyphs in another slot. This time we had some initial difficulty finding the canyon and also finding an easy way to drop into it, but our perserverance paid off as Janessa found a simple scramble under a ledge of slickrock. This second panel was more well known and sadly more desecrated. People had outlined and colored in the petroglyphs with chalk. While it does make them easier to see know, the long term damage of such is not worth the temporary visual aide.
All and all this was a fun, easy hike with scenic beauty and archeological value!
We soon left the slot and began to hike across the slickrock. The weathering of the slickrock was very scenic and we often paused in awe at what mother nature had accomplished over thousands of years.
After around 2 miles of easy scrambling we arrived at the end of the trail. Below us was a 500ft or so drop off straight into Snow Canyon State Park. This was the climatic moment of the hike. For several minutes there was not much talking as all the intrepid hikers sat pondering what we saw in front of us. It was a very good, semi spiritual moment.
On the hike back we continued to enjoy the slickrock formations and even had another surprise, another panel of petroglyphs in another slot. This time we had some initial difficulty finding the canyon and also finding an easy way to drop into it, but our perserverance paid off as Janessa found a simple scramble under a ledge of slickrock. This second panel was more well known and sadly more desecrated. People had outlined and colored in the petroglyphs with chalk. While it does make them easier to see know, the long term damage of such is not worth the temporary visual aide.
All and all this was a fun, easy hike with scenic beauty and archeological value!
Marie holding Emma (above)
One of the most impressive vistas was the Fire Canyon Overlook. It was amazing how the red and white color change was so abrupt.
One of my favorite parts of VOFSP is rock art record left by ancient inhabitants. Even in such a desolate, out of the way place, ancient civilizations found the place to be sacred as proven by the record of petroglyphs. The first picture is of the famous atlatl rock. I have a better pic of the atlatl that I will find later, but if you look at the very top you can barely see the atlatl.
I have been desirious to look at the petroglyphs located above the Santa Clara river for several months, but either due to weather, or lack of time I have not been able to go. Saturday I decided I would find them. As my wife and I drove towards St. George to run errands, I asked if she cared if we went on a little adventure. Luckily for me I am married to someone who understands me! She told me I had an hour, I would like to remind any reader she is over 6 months pregnant and hiking is not high on her list of things to do right now. As we hiked along there were several indicaters of rock art left by the Anasazi who lived in the area, and we found several panels on the top of the rocks. These petroglyphs are a little strange compared to the others I have seen. Traditionally they are carved on a verticle rock, most of these ones were carved on the top of horizontal rocks. After an hour my time was up and we decided it was time to turn around. As we began hiking back the same route, I heard voices coming below us. The voices were stationary so I assumed they must be looking at something. We hiked toward the voices and found the best panels of the entire hike. One shaman figure on one rock, and on another rock two very large goats with what appears to possibly be a mountain lion following them. Finally after my hour was well up, I thanked my beautiful wife for coming with me. I told her that finding these sites is like a pirate finding his treasure. 
Over the summer I went on what basically amounted to a field trip for teachers. It was a memorable trip, but one with several missed opportunities. One of these opportunities was Monument Valley. We drove to within view of the monoliths but that was it. After the trip I decided to return someday. The ole wife, cory (bro-in-law) Jackson (nephew), Trevor(bro) and made the trip, this time to actually explore Monument Valley. The trip was a quick two dayer and we covered a lot of ground. We were up by sunrise and didnt put our heads down till well after sunset. 
Our first stop was the Betatakin ruins of Navajo National Monument. Unfortunately for us the rangers werent willing to hike with us down to the ruins and without the guides you are not allowed down to them. Fortunately for us they wouldnt go because it would have been a long cold, hike into the snow filled valley! In fact just hiking to the overlook young Jackson slipped on ice and threw a fit that could have awoken a hibernating grizzly. NNM is surely a place I will return to.
Day 2 of our trip we decided to head further south, and made our way to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Being at over 7000 ft it was frigid but at the same time was exhilarating. The air was clean and crisp and visibility was amazing. In fact we were able to see the Arizona Strips Mount Trumball from the South Rim. I would recommend a trip to the South Rim for everyone living in the southwestern United States. It is only a 4-5 hour drive from Southern Utah. I know the North Rim is much closer but going to the South Rim is a completely different experience from that of the North Rim.
SUNRISE ON THE SOUTH RIM
Hoping to get our blood pumping and warm up we decided to hike to two arches, a window and magnificent alcove above the wave. Thanks to the directions from Tonya and Bo's website "http://www.zionnational-park.com/coyote-buttes-paria.htm" we scrambled to the top of the slickrock mountain and found top rock arch, melody arch and window, and the alcove. Even though they are not extremely difficult to find it is still exhilarating when after hiking around semi turned around we found such places. The feeling must be somewhat comparible to finding a buried treasure! 
