DV to AZ 2022 winter trip

[Daymoth]

Ugh happy friday FINALLY.

So following from our fantastic time in Hopi land, and encouraged by our guide, we decided to check one of the south canyons of the Moenkopi. Im not putting names so its not searcheable on Google but its not like they are secrets at all.

But I have to say the rules of visitation were super obscure so I dont want to encourage potentially wrong info.

The Navajo Parks never answered my emails and it was closed for Christmas so I couldnt ask in person about permits and access. There was conflicting information about the border between the Navajo and Hopi and so who needed to allow us. Our Hopi guide told us we were fine going as long as we were respectful and left if we were asked to. But a week later I heard someone had been told the Navajo Parks had the area closed to visitors.....

I still dont know if we were allowed or not.

The place was beautiful. The colour palette in whites, purples and blacks felt really striking after all the orange sandstone.

Since we didnt have a permit and not wanting to disrespect our Navajo and Hopi hosts by walking into the canyon without permission we just stayed at the main viewpoint and enjoyed the stunning christmas sunset.



We thought about trying again for permits the next morning, but a considerable winter storm was going to hit Utah, Arizona and New Mexico in two days so we spent some time deciding our next move over an indian taco ant spotty internet at Cameron.

[Daymoth]

So there were two places we were intrigued and were hoping to see on this trip. We were hoping to make it to Bisti wilderness in NM and then loop around and see Petrified Forest NP on our way back westward. However, with a big snow storm coming our way wednesday looked like a hunker down and dont touch a car day. So we decided to change our itinerary and go to Petrified first so if the roads were unsafe and the badlands a muddy mess we would at last spent one day in one of the two places.

In petrified forest we were not going to have enough time before the storm to check out the backcountry as we were hopping, so we scouted the viewpoints and hikes on the map. It was nice but we were on a road and the trails were all paved and felt the opposite of adventure. Maybe its a me thing but i hate trails that are too obviously man made.

The badlands are super striking. They are purple and white. Like absurdly purple and white. And somehow the purple and white doesnt mix, they are in perfect stripes. And if thats not weird enough there is colourful petrified wood scattered everywhere.

We ended up going back to the badlands and taking a use trail that went up some white and purple hills and canyons, it was fantastic and way better than the official trails. Really want to go back and explore further.

The light was awful though. And my husband and my cameras rendered the colours completely different and different than how I remembered. Ive spent hours trying to make the photos look how I remember it but I GIVE UP, this is the best I can do.

But it was purple, like real purple. Crazy purple.









After sunset we went to a motel in Holbrook. I had picked up covid or the flu few days before and passed it on to my husband and it hit him like a truck. Good thing it coincided right with the storm. He spent all day in bed fighting a fever and I watched the Sopranos and monitored road conditions while the four corners got hammered with rain, snow and sleet.

[Daymoth]

Ugh i really dont want to work. So im going through photos.

The day after the snow storm the roads were a mess. NM was a no go with the interstate over Gallup having lanes closed and several crashes.

So we decided to go north and check out canyon de chelly and then go to bears ears in UT and check out natural bridges national monument. Husband was not feeling great yet so it was mostly a me driving and then streching our legs.





Wondered about the pueblos under the alcoves. Look at that rock fall! 

The ancients mist have considered where to put the structures to avoid the likelier rockfall areas. Or is this survivor bias? 

Drove all the way up to natural bridges just to get hit by snow. Could barely see anything.

 We were planing to camp there but we really didnt want to get stuck waiting for a plow so we left. It sucked because most of the day was just driving but oh well what are you gonna do.

We did stop for tamales a lady was selling on the side of the road from her car. BEST TAMALES EVER. Defenetly a highlight. 

We camped in goosenecks SP wich is at lower elevation. Still setting up the car for sleeping while getting snowed on was....type 2 fun. 


Next day we had a lot of fog, we were kind of giving up on the weather and running out of time and started heading back west. We had fantastic snowy views around Monument Valley as the fog burned out. 




We made it to Page, got fried chicken again.

[Daymoth]

In Page we went to check out an area of orange sandstone near the dam. There is a trail called Beehive wich was ok but we had fun going off trail and exploring the expansive sandstone, swirls, waves and caves.

We had a break from the shitty light and weather, it was great.









We then made our way to StGeorge, planing to be in nevada the next day.

[jkpaulsen]

Still setting up the car for sleeping while getting snowed on was....type 2 fun. 

Every adventure needs a bit of type 2 fun! I bet it was great to crawl into your sleeping bags that night.

You're pictures are great. Thanks for sharing them. Lots of new ideas for trips.

[Daymoth]

So my judgemental ignorant preconception of Lake Mead was obnoxious Vegas people in boats. I had no idea it was a vast gorgeous desert, with barely anyone around.

So when John Morrow showed his photos few weeks ago of some insane pink narrows  I last minute decided we had to check it out on our way back.

We were driving on northshore road flabbergasted at this new desert to explore we had totally off our radar.

Even husband who was not feeling great was perking up and getting all excited about this "new place".

The hills were all inviting, and some had these crazy fire ourcrops growing out of their insides.



The narrows were just incredible.










THANKYOU JOHN

[netllama]

Ugh i really dont want to work. So im going through photos.

The day after the snow storm the roads were a mess. NM was a no go with the interstate over Gallup having lanes closed and several crashes.

So we decided to go north and check out canyon de chelly and then go to bears ears in UT and check out natural bridges national monument. Husband was not feeling great yet so it was mostly a me driving and then streching our legs.





Wondered about the pueblos under the alcoves. Look at that rock fall! 

The ancients mist have considered where to put the structures to avoid the likelier rockfall areas. Or is this survivor bias? 

Drove all the way up to natural bridges just to get hit by snow. Could barely see anything.

 We were planing to camp there but we really didnt want to get stuck waiting for a plow so we left. It sucked because most of the day was just driving but oh well what are you gonna do.

We did stop for tamales a lady was selling on the side of the road from her car. BEST TAMALES EVER. Defenetly a highlight. 

We camped in goosenecks SP wich is at lower elevation. Still setting up the car for sleeping while getting snowed on was....type 2 fun. 

A ton of years ago, I endured 6 hours of sandstorms while camping at goosenecks. everything in the tent was covered in sand by morning. do not recommend.

[Daymoth]

Sand storm sounds like type 6 fun....

Ive been lucky the only time ive been near one was a haboob on sears valley making it for death valley as we were heading home.

[MojaveGeek]

Catching up here. Some nice photos even in the snow. Weather happens, what can you do? Sounds like you made the best of it. Been there, done that.

What is that canyon at Lake Mead? I know some of them nearer LV. BTW, Jim Boone (birdandhike.com) has documented an insane number of Lake Mead hikes. I keep getting drawn back to Bowl of Fire, perhaps because it was the very first desert hike I did countless years ago, carrying my then 3 1/2 year old daughter on my back, on our first (of many) trips without mom (who did not have the academic scheduling flexibility I did). Anyway, that looks like a very pretty area.

All in all, you covered a lot of area on this road trip, and I bet you have more that you haven't posted.

Oh, there's also a lot of good stuff in the St. George area, generally on the west side of Zion, though I prefer Hurricane, because it is more quiet.

[Daymoth]

@MojaveGeek thats anniversary right next to fire bowl and I used Jim's info to get there ( thankyou Jim for all your info!!).

And speaking about fire bowl.

It was very windy so we didnt scramble the ridge above the narrows, instead we decided to check that crazy red outcrop we had seen from the road.

It was a playground of red orange and pink gruyere cheese. We had a blast scrambling the pink rock and squeezing into holes.

A pink elephant!!



A tunnel! 







We loved this place. We really want to explore nevada more now that we have a car with a bit more clearance.

So that night we made it to Tecopa were weve never stoped before. We were planing to camp on the BLM around Spanish road but it was insanely windy and there was a lot of rain in the forecast. Not wanting to inhale a bunch of lake bed dust and then get stuck in lakebed mud we went to Tecopa proper. We stoped at a campsite and they wanted to charge us something absurd like $35 for dry camping. Thankfully a lady pointed out the county campsite was further down the road. Way more reasonably priced and we had trees to shelter us and a picnic table .

Rain started pouring at 2am and I get out if the car and I see we are pretty much on the water path of lest resistance on a lakebed, so with my husband in the back half sleeping I moved the car and all our stuff to a higher position next to some RVs. I was soaked but peace of mind was much better.

Next morning the mud was an inch to two deep. My plan of exploring the badlands was scrapped so we went to check out what this date shake is all about...