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John Morrow Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 1526 | TRs | Pics Location: Roslyn |
After the long backpack in the Needles District it was time to look up a friend of a friend in Capitol Reef National Park.
Capitol Reef NP does have a few classic backpacks: the Muley Twist Canyons, Spring Canyon hike-through, The Halls Narrows. But it is almost more ideal as a dayhiking destination on account of the long narrowness of the Reef itself.
I must be preparing to be home because I dedided on these last days to scramble high points in the park. Time to leave flat mesas and washes behind for some vertical gain!
May 2:
My friend Pam put me in touch with a friend of hers who resides in Torrey. He took me up a great crosscountry route onto Meeks Mesa where lithic scatter, petroglyphs, and views abounded. Gary knows the park as good as anyone, I'd say, and it is great to have a new friend in canyon country.
Meeks Mesa off trail Capitol Reef National Park, Meeks Mesa Meeks Mesa Petroglyphs and grooves Old Petroglyphs Beautiful Mesa Into Spring Canyon tuckaway spot on Meeks Mesa Descending home
May 3:
I was back solo and always wanted to go up Brown Benchmark 8964'. My approach doubles as the access to Upper Spring Canyon and the potential multiday hike through of the entire canyon I hope to do someday. The Visitor Center will give good directions to the "W" cleft in the Wingate walls that affords access into the canyon. Prior to the cleft some great petrified wood is scattered about.
Petrified Wood Lots of it Whole logs! Toward the "W" Gap
From there I went upstream in the South Fork and found a neat Wingate ramp exit of the head of the canyon and traversed around the head to the final andesite boulder hop to the top.
South Fork Doug fir! Western high hills
Great views of 2/3 of the Reef from the top!
View east over South Desert Spring Canyon Capitol Reef National Park, UT Little traveled country Spring Canyon and Reef The route out The Reef and color
Retracing my route was fun and included the need to find the key red Wingate ramp back into the canyon. Afternoon colors were great as I descended throught the different rock strata all the way through to the chocolatey Moenkopi Fromation.
More pines Brown BM 8964' The exit ramp Down S. Fk. Spring Canyon The "W" cleft Sulphur Creek headwaters Moenkopi Formation
May 4:
I heard great things over and over about the scramble of George Benchmark 7289', a prominent Navaho Formation summit in the middle of the Reef and a great Class 2/3 scramble after easy slab sandstone rim and wash approach hiking. The scramble itself was a thoroughly enjoyable friction and low angle face climb of sandstone with strange iron chickenheads!
Good route description:
http://www.summitpost.org/our-route/551347
Golden Throne, Capitol Reef National Park The Wash approach The scramble More fun scrambling View South George Benchmark, Capitol Reef National Park, UT Fern's Nipple and domes View east Portrait Distant San Raphael Swell The Throne and sibling Fun looking canyon Big Ponderosa Throne on exit Back at George BM
For my last night in the desert I placed my butt down in my thremalounger at Sunset Point to watch the evening unfold!
The Castle glow Sunset Point Capitol Reef National Park, UT. Castle's Shadow; Capitol Reef National Park, UT Losing light Cloudglow
May 5:
Time to say goodbye to another Canyon Country Spring so I began driving the long trip home after a few hour leg stretch in Wildhorse Canyon of the San Raphael Swell. A last look at a fine pictograph panel.
Wildhorse Canyon obviously, that is not a bow, though it may look like one. Winged creature White eyes! Classic Barrier Canyon Ghostly and faint together The wash San Rafael Swell
How I will miss the desert.....
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
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Randy Cube Rat
Joined: 18 Dec 2001 Posts: 2910 | TRs | Pics Location: Near the Siamangs |
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Randy
Cube Rat
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Mon May 07, 2012 4:02 pm
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Nice looking trips John!
Had a couple feet of new snow in the hills over the last week! Hoping for consolidation soon.
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Matt Lemke High on the Outdoors
Joined: 15 Jul 2010 Posts: 2052 | TRs | Pics Location: Grand Junction |
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Matt Lemke
High on the Outdoors
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Mon May 07, 2012 5:49 pm
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Capitol Reef is one of my all time favorite places! George Benchmark was one of my all time favorite summit views as well. You traveled some fine country my friend!
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El Puma Member
Joined: 13 Nov 2002 Posts: 341 | TRs | Pics Location: Inside, wanting outside |
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El Puma
Member
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Mon May 07, 2012 9:10 pm
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Same here - my favorite NP. So much diversity, so unexplored...
I'm overdue for a trip back!
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John Morrow Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 1526 | TRs | Pics Location: Roslyn |
Matt Lemke wrote: | George Benchmark was one of my all time favorite summit views as well. You traveled some fine country my friend! |
That was on your recommendation to me (and Dean's) a couple years back and it was a great one! Thanks Matt.
John
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
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puzzlr Mid Fork Rocks
Joined: 13 Feb 2007 Posts: 7216 | TRs | Pics Location: Stuck in the middle |
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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
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Tue May 08, 2012 9:44 pm
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Fantastic pictures. If someone forced me to spend the rest of my life hiking in desert canyons and mesas instead of NW valleys and peaks, I'd only be a little perturbed. I love how everything is exposed, not hidden under a skin of trees, as much as I like them.
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John Morrow Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 1526 | TRs | Pics Location: Roslyn |
puzzlr wrote: | If someone forced me to spend the rest of my life hiking in desert canyons and mesas instead of NW valleys and peaks, I'd only be a little perturbed. |
The great conundrum, puzzlr! What saves me is knowing it is about to get to be 100+ degrees there soon or I may have never come back. It is so simple there. No boots, no special gear galore, just a map and some water and start walking into scenes sublime....
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
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lookout bob WTA proponent.....
Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 3043 | TRs | Pics Location: wta work while in between lookouts |
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lookout bob
WTA proponent.....
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Thu May 10, 2012 7:16 am
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very lovely TR and pics!!
"Altitude is its own reward"
John Jerome ( from "On Mountains")
"Altitude is its own reward"
John Jerome ( from "On Mountains")
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