This day was something that seldom happens to through hikers: a day where we did not move camp. It was also noteworthy for a second thing: we got a "late" start.
Breakfast was oatmeal and coffee (so in other words, like almost every other breakfast I have in real life).
Our total mileage today would end up being a very short (but not light) two miles down Deer Creek to Deer Creek Falls.
Slot canyons are fascinating to me. The narrowness and the depth are almost hypnotic if you stare into them too long.
A handprint dating at least hundreds of years if not more. FOTB (Friend Of This Blog) and resident optimist Ed, who visited this place 25 years ago, has an interesting story related to it.
Multiple hands, we were told, represents a family.
Emerging from the Slot Canyon at the Colorado. From here, we go down.
Deer Creek Falls:
Just after where the falls hit the ground, there is a pool deep enough to fall back and go underwater in. Names at the moment the Deer Creek Falls Baptism, we all had a go (even, atypically, me).
We spent about four hours along the Colorado River, soaking up the sun and the coolness of the water. We had high hopes that rafters would float by so we could hit them up for some beer, but sadly we were out of luck.
Looking back to Deer Creek Falls:
Plato, the Colorado River, whisky, and no cell service. This may be peak living.
Lunch was peanut butter and jelly tortillas with Fritos inside. This may be the most iconic hiking food I know of.
All too soon of course, we had to head back.
After our hike back, we were at leisure for the afternoon a combination of napping, chatting, walking the canyon, and just relaxing.
The amount of layers in what was a 3 foot section of rock was amazing.
For dinner we had rice and bean burritos. Everything tastes better on the trail.
Bats feeding at sunset:
I’m glad such places are difficult to get to and as a result, Deer Creek canyon and falls looks the same as it did 25 years ago. Had it been near a parking lot off of the interstate, the handprints would have been covered in graffiti. I guess because we did everything in the course of part of a day and then floated downstream to our next campsite, I didn’t have time to get baptized under the falls.
ReplyDeleteEd, I came to a similar conclusion as well - although for that matter, if it were off the Interstate likely the path down would be fenced off as inevitably someone would have slipped and fallen and sued and to avoid litigation, no-one would be able to go there.
DeleteHaving 4 hours to just be in a single place is a luxury on through hikes. I rather enjoyed it.
Refreshing to hear the sound of moving water TB, here it's frozen and covered in white. Since bats appeared any mosquitos around?
ReplyDeleteNylon12, oddly enough mosquitoes were not a problem at all. I have no idea why; I do not think it was too late in the season and had gotten too cold.
DeleteAs opposed to the Sierras, where they are a hazard during the high hiking season.