Slickrock and Shadow

  Columbine Spring is the source of a clear Leeds Creek.  Water just emerges from under these rocks! The origin of Leeds Creek is Columbine Spring.  Columbine Spring emerges from the ground in the foothills of Pine Valley Mountain, the largest mountain in the St. George region.  From the spring, Leeds Creek rambles down the mountain to eventually drop into Harrisburg Creek and then Quail Creek Reservoir.  Leeds provides more water for the reservoir than any other source.   Recently on a training hike I saw "Columbine Spring" listed on a map near Oak Grove campground.  Knowing this is a beautiful region, I wanted to find this spring myself.  After hiking to Oak Grove, I set off in the direction of Columbine Spring.  Be warned that travel to this water is not easy.  Shoulder-height bushes prevent easy movement and travel is slow for the whole 1-2 miles.  It feels like torture.   Having committed myself to go, and gettin...

  Poverty Wash glowing slot canyon walls My blog seems to be turning into a homage to Parunuweap Canyon and its' tributaries.  Poverty Wash is another lucky place.  If you make it here, you are lucky.  If you see the walls, wade through shallow but totally clear waters, you are lucky.  If you reach the last section ending in a circular room, you are lucky.   Getting into Parunuweap can be done in several ways.  I've come through Rock and French Canyons.  That's the hard part.  Once you're in, Poverty wash is a walk in the park without any obstacles.   French Canyon short cut into Parunuweap Traditional Route with good photos As you may guess, visiting Poverty Wash is a highlight for anybody's life.  Now that I've explored several sections of Parunuweap (Rock Canyon, French Canyon, Mineral Gulch, Fat Man's Misery and Poverty Wash) I'm thinking Poverty is my favorite of them all.   Poverty Wash curves around smooth...

French Canyon:  The Jungle in Zion that nobody knew existed As I kid I'd watch Indiana Jones movies and wonder at the world's most exotic and adventurous locations.  I'd imagine hacking my way through the jungle to discover an amazing secret spot.  I felt like a kid again this month as I hiked up French Canyon, a branch off of the East Virgin River, also known as Parunuweap or the Barracks. French Canyon begins mysteriously as a slot canyon immediately off of the Virgin River.  A gorgeous tree obscures the view into this narrow slot canyon, yet the clear water flowing over the sandy stream bed invite further exploration.  The canyon remains narrow for 1/3 mile.  In that short distance, you will trek over trees and through vines all the while in a pleasant 2-6 inches of clear water.  Nothing is really difficult.  The obstacles really create a special feeling of mystery and excitement.  Hiking here is fun, beautiful and Indiana-Jonesish....

Temples of Zion from Coal Pits Wash Coals Pits Wash is a beautiful spot for anyone wanting to escape the crowds of Zion National Park.  This secluded area has a great trail into remote canyons.  The further you explore, the more rugged the scenery and trail.  As this follows a wash, the climb is pretty level if you come up from Rockville area.  Another shortcut is from Dalton Wash Road, passing a landmark cinder cone. I came here for my birthday during the pandemic and saw no one else.  My daughters accompanied me as we explored to the ends of two canyons:  Coal Pits and the next-north canyon, Jennings Wash.  Both have water in the Spring, making drinking water an easy thing.  This is not the case in the hot summer, FYI. Coal Pits Wash, typical views in the lower sections.   Waterfall and Plant Life in Upper Coal Pits Wash Water Slicing Through Sandstone Layer in Coal Pits Wash Creating a Series of Tiny Lovely Waterfal...

150 Mile Canyon:  twisting muav limestone in beautiful white 150 Mile Canyon can be hiked as far as possible in less than 5 minutes.  It's short but sweet.  A bit of stemming is required to get over one large boulder chockstone.  That gets you into the sweet twisted white narrows you see in this photo.  This section is short because another boulder prevents further travel (see next photo).  Another suspended chockstone hangs high overhead.  See the last photo for that one.  It's pretty cool. Boulder Chockstone in 150 Mile Canyon Suspended high Chockstone Boulder in 150 Mile Canyon Gordon's hike rating: Hike Difficulty:                   ★★★★ Easy to the first boulder, technical to bypass Trail Condition:                   ★★★★ Rocky wash but very short Trail Hazards:                ...

Garden Creek Waterfall Ed said the Bright Angel Trail was better than Phantom Ranch .  The T-shirt and lemonade at Phantom Ranch sounded good to me but T-shirts and lemonade are manmade.  They exist outside the Grand Canyon but it'd be cool to say I got a T-shirt at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  However a seasoned GC hiker, Ed, said that the Bright Angel Trail up to Indian Gardens was beautiful and a much more satisfying adventure.  Plus I'd get to hike out with my friends until I met my wife and brother-in-law.  This was part of the exchange at Phantom Ranch.  Some were just doing half the canyon so they left and were replaced by other travelers. I chose to hike out and also explore.  The trail up Bright Angel is pleasant, beautiful, smooth and maintained.  This was a sharp contrast to the Tabernacle Trail a two days earlier.  The friends departing felt like close family members by now and it was hard to see them go.  We had ...

Buck Farm Canyon narrows and chockstone My hiking book said Buck Farm Canyon had some pretty sections near the end but I'd seen no other pictures of trail reports of this canyon.  When our guide said Buck Farm was our hike, I wondered what we'd find.  Our camp was at the base of this canyon so we took off after a nice lunch at our beach. The going is pretty easy here.  Hiking further up Buck Farm Canyon, I noticed more ferns and then a cottonwood tree.  The temperature dropped a notch and everything felt nice.  Unlike Saddle Canyon and North Canyon, Buck Farm is pretty easy, short and quick.  We reached the end and had a little geology talk before heading back to camp.  Getting my feet a little wet, I walked up the narrows and found a chockstone wedged in the muav limestone.  A pretty fern grew where the water seeped out.  I started clicking. Geology talk about Muav Limestone in the Grand Canyon's Buck Farm Canyon Photography note...

Saddle Canyon Waterfall and Chockstone Saddle Canyon is one of the best river hikes of the Grand Canyon.  Period.  The curve in the Colorado River allows an easy pull in for rafts.  The hike begins with a steady climb up an excellent trail.  Blooming brittlebush flowers were everywhere.  The beauty of Grand Canyon spring was on full display this year. Brittlebush flowers blooming in the Spring Trail higher up towards Saddle Canyon Gordon Smith in the flat plat of Saddle Canyon After the initial assent, the trail levels off for an easy saunter through the redwall canyon.  Photographically I found a few submerged stepping stones to be a colorful subject. Stepping Stones of Saddle Canyon The hike ends with a serpentine waterfall.  The thin silver strand of falling water made for a pleasant and satisfying end to this wonderful hike! Waterfall at the end of Saddle Canyon Gordon's hike rating: Hike Difficulty:   ...

Rock Creek Canyon with Scenic Small Waterfalls Rock Creek Canyon pierces the Hurricane Cliffs just south of the town bearing the same name.  Water flowing in Fort Pearce Wash several weeks after any active rain made me question where this originated.  The main tributary to this was Rock Creek.  This canyon goes back about 2 miles before a pouroff.  From satellite images I figured I could explore back at least that far and then see about further exploration. Another big storm forecast on my hiking day gave me hope for some waterfalls.  Mud and slippery rocks would be hazards.  I parked my car above the wash, not liking the rocky slick mud section with a storm coming.  I didn't want to get stuck with no help nearby. The trail up-canyon has clearly been used by cattle.  Once past the canyon mouth, the scenery closed in around me and I did find flowing water.  Plenty of enormous boulders had rolled far into the canyon.  They rested...

Racehorse Falls:  A photogenic landscape near Bellingham, Washington During a recent trip to Bellingham, Washington, I searched for photography destinations and saw some photos of Racehorse Falls.  This waterfall splits halfway down its' course, like an upside-down wishbone.  I'd never heard of it but it's beauty was without doubt.  With some very sketchy online accounts to guide me I drove to what Google called the trailhead.  Happily I discovered a good trail going directly into the woods.  Things were going great until I got to the river.  I heard water, I looked over the edge and saw two smaller waterfalls but not the big one I'd seen in photos.  Not Racehorse Falls. Trail #1 The trail turned up (left) so that's where I went. I continued to hear falling water and spied a rope tied to a tree.  This long rope went down a steep slope where I found another rope which continued to go down to the river.  At the bottom I discover...