Utah - The Great Outdoors part two

Details
Parent Category: Travel Over There
Category: 2014 - Gap Year
Created: Wednesday, 22 October 2014 14:10

Bryce Canyon, Utah

Bryce Canyon, UtahBryce Canyon is not a canyon, canyons are carved by rivers over aeons. Bryce is actually an eroding plateau headwall, caused by frost wedging, mass wasting and chemical weathering through fractured surfaces. This erosion is what creates the Hoodoos, former cliff edges that are eroded into fins, then further eroded to sometimes include a window, then at last finally to stand alone as a pillar waiting for the final erosion.

Bryce has two campgrounds and a lodge for accommodation. The North Campground can be booked in advance, while the South is first come first serve, both are $15. There are other options for accommodation in the surrounding towns. There are ample facilities for people plus a coin operated shower and laundry at the general store.

15 trails are listed in the guide and the trailheads can be reached by private vehicle or shuttle. Bryce canyon offers a treasure hunt throughout the park with 9 special interpretive signs with hoodoo medallions on them for people to take a pencil rubbing or photo with, to qualify you need 3 medallions and to have walked 5kms.

Bryce Canyon, UtahAs we were only staying for one night here, we chose to catch the shuttle to Bryce Point and walk the Rim trail to Sunrise point into the Queens garden and out via the Navajo loop to Sunset Point (12.5kms). To say that Bryce was stunning is an understatement. As you walk the rim trail the sea of hoodoos never dulls, whether it is with the rim as a backdrop or the Grand Staircase Escalante, the colours and formations make this extraordinary. I can’t remember the last time I took as many photos of a singular place. The hoodoos from above is great but the Queens garden takes you into them where you take a trail that weaves through the hoodoos giving you a completely different appreciation of the formation.

Hoodoos, Bryce Canyon, UtahHoodoos, Bryce Canyon, UtahHoodoos, Bryce Canyon, Utah

Several Hoodoo formations have names such as Queen Victoria and Thor’s Hammer, which means you can play the Cloud game as you wander and see what other shapes you can find and name.

Hoodoos, Bryce Canyon, UtahHoodoos, Bryce Canyon, UtahHoodoos, Bryce Canyon, Utah

After our nice hike we retired to the camp for a rest before heading out to a rangers lecture called “Strange Universe”. Ranger Geoff Goins offers a brief overview of the formation of the park and how the physics work before delving into some of the weirder physics of the universe. It was a great show at the end of which we went to the lodge to view some stars with volunteers and their telescopes. They have several setup that are specifically targeted at objects in the sky such as Saturn, star clusters, and more. Ranger Goins also offers another talk on the night sky pointing out various stars, planets and constellations to finish off the evening.

Hoodoos, Bryce Canyon, Utah

Goblin Valley State Parkis an interesting park in the middle of the desert. Once the shores of an inland sea, the entrada stone has been eroded away over millions of years. Driving to the Goblins the view is of a great plain with the occasional mesa and in the distance, mountains or hills. It is not until you are almost standing on them that you see the Goblins; a surreal landscape that is surely the inspiration for an artist or two.

Goblin Valley, Utah

There are thousands of goblins, some smooth others textured, some standing five or six metres high, while most are two to three, and from a distance look like every forgotten piece of clay from an art class. There is no singular path to follow through the goblins, you choose your own adventure weaving in and out, up and down, letting your mind and body wander this melting playground. As you walk, you can see three distinct layers of stone, and the Goblins formed from the lowest strata. The Goblins provide a fantastic geological and visual contrast to Bryce Canyon, and add to the wonder of the visit.

Goblin Valley, UtahGoblin Valley, UtahGoblin Valley, Utah

We knew our visit to Utah would involve seeing some beautiful things but we honestly did not understand the scope of the beauty here before we came. When you look at a map of Utah, you will see huge swaths of the Map marked as Native Lands, National Parks, State Parks, BLM land, US Forest Service, and US Wilderness Areas. In the few days we drove southern Utah we barely scratched the surface of adventures possible here. If you choose to visit, (and why shouldn’t you?) I would recommend hiring a small campervan and spending a few weeks exploring the vast beauty of the land, whether from Zion in the South East to Escalante in the West, and northward over Hell’s Backbone to Capitol Reef, Canyonlands or Arches National Park, you will find an excellent, varied and beautiful adventure.

Other USA Articles

Alamosa, Colorado

Colorado - The Great Outdoors

American Conservation Experience - Catalina Island

Catalina Island - USC Indigenous Food Experience

Salt Lake City

Utah – Food & Liquor in the Land of Purity

Utah - The Great Outdoors part one

Utah - The Great Outdoors part two

Utah - The Great Outdoors part one

Details
Parent Category: Travel Over There
Category: 2014 - Gap Year
Created: Thursday, 23 October 2014 13:21

Zion National Park, Utah

Utah is beautiful. To properly explore this area you would need months, even years to do it justice, and my friend Danielle has been doing just that. She is an avid camper and hiker and explores when she can. On this trip she offered to take us camping, the hardest decision of which is which gorgeous place to choose from? Utah is like a top class buffet of nature, with a large amount of land set aside for public use. There are the Canyonlands, The Arches, Escalante, and more, literally thousands of square kilometers of options. We settled for a quick taster through the south of Utah including Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon, and whatever else we saw along the way.

At every park you visit, the rangers will provide a colour brochure with some information and at the larger parks a seasonal broadsheet with extra information including special events and more detailed information regarding activities. I recommend that you visit the visitors centres for any further information as the staff are more than happy to help you enjoy the areas. A word of note though, there can be a large line of people in peak season at the larger parks. Also, it is very hard to take a bad picture, it is so very photogenic. Be sure to click on one of the thumbnails and go through the gallery.

Temple of Sinawava, Zion National Park, UtahZion National Park is located where the Colorado Plateau, Great basin and Mojave Desert meet, and has four separate habitats. The primary feature of the park is the Canyon stretching for 24 kilometres.

Zion Canyon has several options for accommodation including two campgrounds and the Lodge. The campgrounds have good facilities although there are no showers, each site is sizeable enough for a car or small campervan, a tent and fire pit. The watchman campground can be booked up to six months in advance ($16-$20) but the South Campground ($16) is first come first serve. If you don’t want to stay in the park there are quite a few other options outside the park at Springdale or Rockville.

There are 18 trails listed for the park, 15 of which are located in the canyon area. Zion canyon gets so busy that between April and October they restrict private vehicles from the scenic drive and provide a shuttle bus instead. Check the guide that is provided to you for service start and finish times. Most of the shuttle stops have access to drinking water and toilets. The scenic drive is around 12 kilometres long from the Visitor centre to Temple of Sinawava.

The Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah

As we were only staying one night here, we opted to begin at the end of the Canyon with The Temple of Sinawava and The Narrows. This is actually two walks combined, the Riverside (3.5kms round) and Narrows (11kms round) Walks. The Riverside walk is an easy trail with wheelchair access, a broad trail is has easy for all ages to walk, taking you beside the river between majestic cliff faces. At the end the gorge opens up slightly for the temple then continues onward through the narrows. The Narrows is a river walk where you wade through the river, the depth of which varies from ankle to thigh deep. The river bottom is also variable with areas of smooth sand and small pebbles to large submerged rocks. The Narrows is considered a strenuous walk which also has a range of advice to go with it. Check with the visitors centre for weather conditions before this hike. Danielle told me that there is another way to see the Narrows which is approaching it from the other end via the Subway. Which I think I may have to return for.

The Grotto to Emerald Pools, Zion National Park, UtahWe also walked the trail from The Grotto through the Emerald Pools (6.7kms linear). The first half of the trail is listed as a moderate with the final 2kms an easy paved trail. The trail from the Grotto takes you on a relatively gentle uphill before flattening out and providing an excellent view of the canyon. After 1 1/2kms the trail splits between the upper and lower Emerald pools. The upper pools provide an excellent place to relax, nestled in a lightly forested nook the pool sits at the bottom of a sheer cliff face. Walking to the lower pool requires a steep descent but is a good trail which curves around under a ledge with a small waterfall that feeds the pools. The final decent is very easy.

Zion is a beautiful place with many activities for people including hiking, canyoneering, horse riding and mountain climbing. Two or three nights should be plenty to explore the park, and if you want there is a backpacking hike available by permit.

 

Emerald Pools, Zion National Park, UtahZion National Park, Utah

Zion National Park, Utah

Willis Creek, Grand Escalante Staircase State Park, Utah

Also in Southern Utah is the Grand Escalante Staircase, a national monument located next to Bryce Canyon. The staircase offers an incredible view of the geological stratification of the area, and is considered to be one of the most comprehensive open stratifications on Earth. A vast area, it was the last location mapped in the US and was declared a nation monument in 1996. Scientists of numerous fields utilise the area for research including studies of bees and pollination in desert environments to NASA searching for water on Mars. There a dozens of opportunities to explore and appreciate the Staircase, depending upon the direction you approach it.

Willis Creek, Grand Escalante Staircase State Park, UtahWe stopped off at a ranger’s station in Cannonville, on the north eastern edge of the Staircase, to see if there was anything in the area we could explore in a few hours before we drove north. We were told about Willis Creek, a narrow and shallow slot canyon that has been carved into the desert. Willis is a series of five slots that are quite beautiful to behold, smooth rock faces reaching twenty metres or more above the creek that formed them. Canyons are beautiful and often grand; slot canyons are subtle in comparison.  For the most part you are up close to the rock and walking in the river or creek as it carves out potential future notoriety. It was an excellent diversion and quite refreshing to experience the subtle beauty of nature after the grandeur of others.

Continued in part two

 

 

Willis Creek, Grand Escalante Staircase State Park, UtahOther USA Articles

Alamosa, Colorado

Colorado - The Great Outdoors

American Conservation Experience - Catalina Island

Catalina Island - USC Indigenous Food Experience

Salt Lake City

Utah – Food & Liquor in the Land of Purity

Utah - The Great Outdoors part two

Utah – Food & Liquor in the Land of Purity

Details
Parent Category: Travel Over There
Category: 2014 - Gap Year
Created: Wednesday, 22 October 2014 16:02

Fire and smoke roll across my tongue, the warmth and aroma filling my head before cardamom and nutmeg blossom over my tastebuds, sweetening the palate to a light toffee finish. High West DistilleryFire and smoke roll across my tongue, the warmth and aroma filling my head before cardamom and nutmeg blossom over my tastebuds, sweetening the palate to a light toffee finish. The High West Distillery’s Campfire Whiskey is an excellent example of blended malt scotch, Rye Bourbon and Whiskeys…

Utah is widely known as a Mormon state and being that Mormons aren’t supposed to drink alcohol, the legislature has installed various quirks over the years but are slowly being reformed since the 2002 Winter Olympics. There are the usual limits with regard to age (21) and the hours of service but before 2009 if you wanted to go to a bar you had to pay a cover charge or be a member. There is also the ‘Line of Zion’, a demarcation in liquor establishments, for example if you are at a winery for a tasting, the line is located between the tasting area and the retail area. You cannot buy your wine from where you are tasting it. If you go to a tasting, you can have a maximum of two glasses in front of you. These quirks actually work in favour of enjoying the experience, enhancing through rarity and ritual.

Kiler Grove WinesOne of the first things we did in SLC was visit Kiler Grove Winegrowers. Kiler Grove is owned and operated by winemaker Michael Knight and his wife Elva, they source their grapes from California but produces thee wine here, and they are passionate about it.

A things I love about wine, which entices me to taste more, is how the environment changes the grape’s flavours and what winemakers create with those grapes. In the USA I found that the wine is more often than not sweeter than I am used to, but still enjoyable.

Kiler Grove offer a small selection of wines, in the Rhone style and staying on the appropriate side of the ‘line of Zion’, I tasted their wares: Riesling, Petite Syrah (very soft and smooth), Grenache, and Zinfandel (beautifully fruity with a lasting pepper taste), as well as a range of blended wines utilising those same grapes.

The Knights are great hosts willing to share with you their experiences and their wine, enhancing the tasting. We bought a bottle of the Interpretation (blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, Petite Syrah, and Zinfandel) for a dinner later in the week as well as a Late Harvest Zinfandel (a semi-fortified after dinner wine that is excellent with dark chocolate).

We also dined at a bar called the Garage, located in the industrial area the Garage looks like a rough and tumble saloon that should be filled with bikers. The menu is what I assume is traditional American – onion rings, chicken wings, various types of potatoes, cheese steak, burgers, fried chicken and the like. I felt compelled to try the Chicken Waffles, which turned out to be 3 pieces of deep fried chicken served atop a waffle. The chicken was good although the seasoning could have had more spice to it, and a waffle covered in syrup is always a good way to end a meal. While at the Garage we also drank pitchers of Utah produced beer.

The Garage, Salt Lake City, UtahChicken Waffles, Traditional American Cuisine

High West Distillery, Park City, UtahWe visited a saloon bar in Park City after spending a couple of hours wandering the Kimball Arts festival. Established in 2007, High West wants to honour the tradition and history of the American West but also bring something new into the world. The bar is classically designed but with appropriately modern. The bar staff are friendly and knowledgeable about their whiskeys and wares, and don’t mind having a conversation about it either. I ordered their High West Reserve Flight for $14, a selection of four whiskeys to try (of which you can only have two in front of you at any time due to Utah’s liquor laws):

Rendezvous Rye– a blend of 2 Rye Whiskies, 1 16y/o and a 6y/o, it is lightly spiced with a smooth finish improving with each sip.

A Midwinter Night’s Dram– another blend of two rye whiskies, a 6y/o and a 16y/o, but finished in Port and French Oak Barrels. The Dram is rich, dark and creamy with a sweet caramel like finish. The Dram was made for cold weather and would make a great introductory whiskey for new enthusiasts to learn from

American Prairie Reserve– This limited whiskey is actually the Rendezvous Rye aged in Port and lightly charred French Oak barrels. It is lighter that the Rendezvous and has hints of cinnamon on the finish. While tasting this I thought that this would complement wonderfully with a Syrah Poached Pear

Campfire– This is the whiskey to try if you enjoy the Single Malts Scotches. Another blend, this time a straight 6y/o Bourbon, a 5y/o Rye Whiskey, with an 8y/o Scotch. The Campfire is an excellent blend and highlights the skill and passion of the whiskeymaker.

The High West Distillery and Saloon in Park City is a great destination for the whiskey enthusiast, offering a range of whiskeys and bourbon from their own distillery and America and some very choice selections from the world.

Micro brewing has grown in popularity everywhere, including Utah and they have managed to produce some good beers with great names. I would heartily recommend that any beer aficionado try a few of the local brews and see for themselves what they are accomplishing.

Wasatch is the oldest brewery in Utah, opening in 1986 when the owner, Greg Schrif, arrived here from Milwaukee to find an absence of local beer. Schrif also opened the first brew pub in Utah. Wasatch has since been joined by other breweries and brew pubs and is part of a vibrant and thriving industry.

Polygamy Porter, Wasatch Brewery, UtahOne beer that is worth trying is Wasatch’s Polygamy Porter, if for nothing else aside from the name. The Polygamy is a low alcohol porter 4% and is very easy to drink. The darkness of the liquid when you pour, belies the medium body, with it quickly settling to a deep red/orange. It has a slight sourness and low hop for a porter and is very easy to drink.

Another is from Uinta brew company that I tried only for the name: Hoodoo Kölsch Style Ale. I found this as I was heading to Bryce Canyon to see the Hoodoos and thought that it was fortune that put it in front of me. A golden style of ale, it is slightly bitter and quite effervescent, filling the mouth with a smooth hoppy aroma.

There was more of a variety of local brews, whiskeys and wines than I was expecting here (I was expecting none at all) that I was pleasantly surprised. The variety is enough that you will be able to have quite the adventure finding the drink that you enjoy the most, or just trying to taste them all. Utah may be primarily for Mormons and outdoor enthusiasts, but a gastronomical adventure is also possible.

Other USA Articles

Alamosa, Colorado

Colorado - The Great Outdoors

American Conservation Experience - Catalina Island

Catalina Island - USC Indigenous Food Experience

Salt Lake City

Utah - The Great Outdoors part one

Utah - The Great Outdoors part two

Joomla! Debug Console

Session

Profile Information

Memory Usage

Database Queries