Sunday, March 30, 2014, Bridge at Canyon Junction and Watchman Peak at Sunset, Zion National Park, UT

It was another misty, rainy day in Zion National Park, UT, so we spent a lazy morning hunkered down in the coach. After lunch, it threatened to clear up and Sam was getting cabin fever, so we took a ride up the canyon. In the center of the picture below is the Great White Throne nearly obscured by the mist. Closer, and to the right is the little cousin to Angels Landing (it surely has a name - I just never learned it.)  At the far right is Angels Landing which I hope has no hikers on a day like this. Those rocks were bad enough dry - how slippery would they be in the rain?

At Canyon Junction, the North Fork of the Virgin River and the Watchman were, again, beautiful as the skies cleared enough to add some blue sky to the scene. I think I can say that even a rainy day in Zion is a beautiful day! 

The bridge at Canyon Junction always has a handful of photographers capturing this scene.

Saturday, March 29, 2014, Nick Blaisdell Pottery, Zion National Park, UT

Moving day again! Managed another three days in Watchman Campground in Zion National Park, UT. Add another 0.2 miles to the coach (7,299.8 trip/66,780.9 total) as we relocate to our fifth site within the park. I'm not complaining, it has been well worth the trouble to be able to spend three full weeks in such a beautiful park.

These tiny little Western Bluebirds welcomed us to our new campsite.

Couldn't see a strenuous hike after all of the moving and set-up in our new location, so instead, we explored Springdale (just outside the park gate) a bit more. There are a lot of galleries featuring local artists including photographers, painters, sculptors, and potters. Almost all of the photography is in Zion National Park. I'm happy to have seen, in person, most of the places in the gallery photographs.

This remarkable marker was built using all of the diverse specimens found in Zion, including petrified wood.

There are at least 6 nice galleries in Springdale, just outside the park entrance.

 "Zion From Rockville Mesa" Jim Jones $300

 "Waterfall at the Temple of Sinewava" Jim Jones $700

There were some pottery glazes and treatments we had never seen before. The one below looked like bits of glass embedded in the glaze. The amazing thing is just how "hit-or-miss" all glazing is and how many really beautiful results the potters were able to create.

A return trip to Lafave Gallery was required so Joani could snap a few pictures of her favorite pottery by Nick Blaisdell and my favorite sculpture in bronze.

My favorite gallery deserved a return visit.

"The Painter" Bronze Sculpture, Ed Hlavka  $7200

Nick Blaisdell $100-$150

 ...and more Nick Blaisdell $90

Friday, March 28, 2014, Hike To The Top of Angels Landing, Zion National Park, UT

Joani wanted to see if she could make it to the top of Angels Landing and I was happy to go with her for my second climb. The peak in the center of the picture below was our goal. There were a few people visible at the very top. 

See the tiny people on top of Angels Landing?  Three hours and we will be among them.

This is a "strenuous" trail and here's a guy pushing a baby stroller. I think I mentioned the 1,488 feet you climb on this trail - it was steep! Joani was catching her breath as they breezed by. The baby made it to Scout Lookout before we did!  

That's all on me!  David could make the climb without stopping, but not me.

Once you reach Scout Lookout, the paved trail ends and the real workout begins. Usually, you can see where the trail is by spotting the chains. When there were no chains you had to follow footprints in the sand or note where others were hiking.

Oops! Don't look down!

Looking south down the canyon...

A young lady from Florida was kind enough to record our ascent to the top of Angels Landing with this picture.

We made it to the top in about 3 hours! The view was unbelievable.

The lady below had an apple in her hand resting on the rock to her side when one of the chipmunks took it as an offer. He climbed right over her hand to take a bite of the apple giving her quite a shock.

This woman was very freaked by the critter. She had no idea he was eyeing her peanuts.

Joani had been pretty focused on the trail on the way up, but at the top, she was free to snap away.

Looking north, you see the end of the canyon road and the beginning of the trail to the Narrows.

If heights mess with your head, this hike is not for you!

See the hole under the trail? Me too!

This trail is not recommended for children, but this 4-6 year old said he did it for the t-shirt he was promised.

Several huge boulders (4 feet in diameter) like this were sprinkled atop Scout Lookout. The small round nodules of its makeup were about 1.5 inches across.

Time to head back down Walters Wiggles into Refrigerator Canyon. The sun is getting low and the jacket stays on!

The sandstone walls in Refrigerator Canyon deserved another examination on the way down the trail. This is a closeup (maybe 10 inches tall) to show some of the detail that easily goes unnoticed.

Thursday, March 27, 2014, Foggy Morning and Bighorn Sheep on the East Side of Zion National Park, UT

This morning, while at Watchman Campground in Zion National Park, UT, I worked on the blog and Joani took Sam for a walk. When I finished what I was doing they were not home, so I headed outside. The rain had stopped but left the mists hanging on the mountain peaks. Joani had her camera and took a few pictures from the campground but there was so much more to see.

As soon as they got back from their walk we headed up the valley - breakfast would have to wait! Strangely, there was little or no fog in the valley north of the Grotto area making us wish we had gotten up just a little earlier. What we did see, however, was so beautiful and unexpected we were in awe.

A few of the peaks had a dusting of snow.

The Court of the Patriarchs was our favorite, shrouded in the low hanging fog.  

After lunch, it had cleared up, but we wondered if the higher elevations on the east side of the park might have some snow from last night's storm. The east side had been largely unexplored (except passing through it on the way to Bryce Canyon), so we headed that way, up the switchbacks and through the tunnel. There was no snow, but the trip was well worthwhile. We took advantage of many of the turnouts and spent a good deal of time enjoying the unique geology.

There is a layer of yellow in the higher elevations that dominates the east side of Zion.

Seen from the side of the road, this slot canyon was calling to us. Another day perhaps.

I have been looking for Bighorn Sheep for so long I had almost given up on seeing them. Rounding a corner, I nearly ran into a few crossing the road. Joani caught about half of the herd from the car as we passed. 

Upon researching Desert Bighorn Sheep in Zion, I learned sightings are somewhat rare. The population was all but wiped out by the '50s, but they reintroduced them to Zion in the '70s.

Now, the powers that be fears the sheep population is growing too fast for its own good. I count 7 babies in this picture!

Fortunately, these animals were not too frightened by our passing, so when we found a pull-off and stopped they were still around. I climbed up on some rocks for a better vantage point (but kept my distance). Look at this group posing for me!  What luck!  

Near the beginning of the Zion-Mt Carmel highway (just beyond the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive turn off) there is a beautiful, but easy to miss bridge. We pulled over and hiked to the water for a closer look. Obviously, back in the late '20s, they built this bridge to last and put some effort into making it a work of art at the same time.

One last stop on the way home for the iconic view of the Watchman. We stopped at this same bridge many times and always found the view to be sensational, but some cloud drama always makes a landscape better!