6/21/07 – Grand Canyon N. P.

Our first stop in Grand Canyon’s North Rim was at the Backcountry Camping Office. Although the ranger had stepped out of the office (which happened to be a small trailer) we were able to gain some useful knowledge from the information board outside of the trailer. We learned that the temperature at the bottom of the Grand Canyon for the day was expected to reach 112°F. There were also several warnings for people not to start hikes between the hours of 12pm and 4pm due to the extreme danger of dehydration. After stopping at the visitor center and taking in a few of the scenic viewpoints we decided to start our hike…it was 12:30 pm. Almost immediately after starting the hike down into the canyon it became obvious to us that in all of the information we had read about the Grand Canyon, there was one significant warning which had been left out. Nowhere in any brochure, book, or map about the Grand Canyon was there mention of the significant danger of vomiting or passing out while hiking due to the immense presence and/or odor of mule poo on the trails. It wasn’t even until our hike back up that we encountered a pack of these freely-pooing mule’s. Of course, in stride with our expectations, one mule in particular welcomed us to the trail by leaving behind a fresh sample of his own. Honestly, I’m not sure when the last time any of you have been here, if ever, but the poo problem is really out of control. Poo aside, we hiked down to a specific viewpoint, ate lunch and then hiked back up.

The hike proved to be very hot and taxing, and oh yeah…filled with poo. After the hike we drove out to several other viewpoints, however, we noticed our enthusiasm was being beaten down by the heat. Feeling satisfied with our exposure to Grand “Poo” Canyon, we decided to head back towards the Visitor Center hoping to find assistance in meeting a list of 4 demands we had generated. 1) Cold ice cream. 2) Cold beer. 3) Lake to go swimming. 4) Comfortable (and free) place to take a nap. To our surprise the Grand Canyon Lodge was able to meet 3 out of our 4 demands. After eating ice cream and drinking a cold beer we found two large leather couches in the Lodge to take naps. Perhaps it was because we looked so comfortable, or because we smelled so offensive, but either way we managed to nap for over an hour, without any hotel guests or staff bothering us.

After waking up from our naps to find the once crowded room nearly empty, again perhaps due to our odor, we decided to go set up camp and make dinner. Camp was at Marble viewpoint in the Kaibab National Forest, just outside of the Grand Canyon N.P. This free, middle of nowhere campsite was recommended to us by the ranger at the visitor center. Although the site itself was a little frighteningly deep in the forest, the viewpoint offered great views over the canyon and was worth the drive. After consuming, over the last two nights, all other dinner options we started heating up all that was left. The first course of the dinner was BIG Beef ravioli, the second was cheeseburger and mac-a-roni, the third was BIG beef rig-a-toni and the last (possibly the most painful) was cheese ravioli…thanks Chef Boyardee!

- Alex

6/20/07 – Canyonlands N.P. to Bryce Canyon N.P. to Kaibab National Forest, AZ

The plan for today was ambitious – drive four and half hours from Canyonlands to Bryce Canyon, “experience” Bryce Canyon, then drive another two and a half hours to an undetermined campsite outside of the Grand Canyon. We started the day off right by stopping at Wendy’s along the way and picking up a bottle of Wild Turkey 101 – anything to help us fall asleep on the ground for another two nights. We arrived at Bryce Canyon just in time to catch the 3:00 showing of a 22-minute movie at the Visitor Center. On stretches like this of the trip, those 22 minutes in a comfy theater go a long way. After the movie, we began our drive through the park.

We initially approached Bryce Canyon with perhaps a cynical attitude, but eventually we came to appreciate the place. After a half hour drive that ended with a view that left us both saying “eh”, we began to wonder if vistas with 50 miles of visibility were really doing it for us anymore. We then drove to Bryce Point, which gave us the classic view of the park’s famous Bryce Amphitheater. The massive canyon was filled with “hoodoos”, spires of pink rock. Other rock formations looked like abandoned city ruins. We decided at this point that we should really give Bryce Canyon a fair shot by taking a short hike through the hoodoos. Sure enough, experiencing the park by foot and up close was far superior to driving from view to view – a common theme for these national parks. After making ourselves a nice dinner of Campbell’s chunky chicken noodle soup, we caught the sunset at the Amphitheater and then headed for Arizona.

The night drive from Bryce Canyon to Kaibab National Forest capped a crazy two-day stretch in Utah. Ever since the beginning of the trip, Utah was a wildcard. We weren’t sure what to expect or how we would even get to see all of the places that we wanted to. In less than two days, we saw three national parks, and while each focused almost exclusively on rock formations, the uniqueness of each park made each visit worthwhile. The trip through Utah was a whirlwind, and all of a sudden we were in a car at midnight driving to the Grand Canyon. Happy to eventually find a campsite, we set up camp in the dark (again).

-Jonah

6/19/07 – Arches N.P. to Canyonlands N.P.

Taking full advantage of the Inca Inn, we woke up just in time for the free continental breakfast, which for us consisted of handfuls of danish’s, several sleeves of muffins and coffee. Before leaving Moab, we stopped at the local food mart to stock up for the next leg of camping. Several gallons of water, 4 cans of chef Boyardee, one package of apple chicken sausage, pasta, more pb and j materials and another bag of trail mix. There are several things that tend to be sacrificed on multi day camping trips, and ones access to decent food happens to be one of those things.

Arches N.P. was our first real Utah experience and we had high expectations. For several weeks leading up to our trip we had seen dozens of Utah propaganda commercials. The commercials consistently showed people doing awesome things and having an awesome time in Utah, perhaps you’ve seen these commercials? Regardless, they were one of the main reasons why we decided to make Utah a multi day destination. You’ll be happy to know that Utah and Arches in particular did not let us down. From the roads, Arches offered awesome views of rock sculptures like nothing we’d ever seen. However, even more impressive, were the hiking trails through the balanced rocks, arches and fins. From these trails Arches N.P. became more like a giant terrain park. Jumping from rock to rock and climbing from arch to arch with the only barrier being fear of heights or personal injury (which turned out to be a concern of some legitimacy). After spending several hours longer in the park then we had planned, we stopped at the air conditioned visitor center to relax and watch the parks video.

Determined to fit in as much of Utah as we could, we left Arches and headed for Canyonlands N.P. The drive from Arches to Canyonlands was only about an hour and half but we arrived at the park late enough for it to seem like we were the only ones there. Unfortunately, the entrance booth had already closed down for the night so we were left only with the small map from our guide book. In an attempt to find the visitor center, and with the small map as an excuse, we made a wrong turn and found ourselves on White Rim Road, a “jeep road”, which hugs the canyon rim for nearly 80 miles as it drops 1,200 feet into the valley. With the promise of incredible views and great photo-op’s for the Land Rover we decided to push forward. With our first views of the park coming from this drive, it was obvious that Canyonlands was a worthwhile stop and another notch on the Utah post. We drove through the remainder of Island in the Sky (the northern segment of the park) with few sightings of other people and awesome views of the setting sun. The Canyonlands’ small campsite was full so around 11:45 pm we ended up finding a site in a nearby National Forest. It was around this time that we realized we had incidentally taken some of Arches and Canyonlands with us. Our feet, legs and hands were covered in a dark layer of desert sand. Hygiene is another one of those things that seem to get lost on a multi-day camping trip. With no running water around, we cooked our dinner of sausage and pasta (which was actually really good) and passed out.

- Alex

6/18/07 – Grand Teton N.P. to Moab, UT

We awoke from our fourth straight night of camping eager to arrive at our first motel of the trip in Moab, UT. The eight hour drive had us enter a new temperate zone – by the time we arrived at Moab, the temperature had risen above 90 degrees and the landscape had changed to red rocks and cliffs. Suddenly, we were in the desert. We would explore our new surroundings the next day at Arches N.P., but for now we enjoyed the comforts of our $50 motel room by ordering pizza and wings and drinking cold beer. Showering felt good as well. We took the time to catch up on our email and update the blog, which proved to be taxing – sometimes it’s nice to have an excuse for not checking your email. The sleep we would get that night would be our last indoors for another four days, so any attempts at debauchery were put on hold until LA.

-Jonah

6/17/07 – Grand Teton N.P.

After waking up at 7:45 am, which is thus far the latest we’ve slept while camping, we took a short walk down to Jackson Lake. From here we could see Rolling Thunder Mountain, Bivouac Peak, Mount Woodring and the tallest among them, Mount Moran at 12,605 ft. Having booked a rafting trip at 2 pm and still feeling hiked out from the day before, we spent the morning viewing the park through scenic drives and various pullouts. After taking a very short walk around String Lake toward Leigh Lake we stopped for lunch which consisted of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (we’re on our second loaf of bread, but still the original jars of pb and j). Anticipating that after the rafting trip we were going to try and find free camping outside of the park, we realized that this afternoon would be our last time spent in the park. Although the time spent at Grand Teton was minimal, it is obvious from the pictures taken that the park was a unique place with stunning scenery.

Before Jonah and I left Yellowstone we called several whitewater rafting companies in the Grand Teton area and booked ourselves on a trip down the Snake River. The rafting trip left from the town of Jackson, just south of Grand Teton N.P. We arrived a half hour early, as instructed, and signed the necessary release forms. After picking out water shoes we returned to the car to change into proper rafting gear. When we returned to the rafting headquarters we met and talked with a family from Phoenix, AZ. They offered several pieces of advice for traveling through the Utah National Parks, including the recommendation to stay in Moab for a night before taking on Arches National Park (our next destination). The next thing we know, the transportation bus arrives and everyone starts loading up. We jump on the bus and are greeted by the friendly driver, Lou. Over the course of the 45 min trip to the drop in point, Lou entertained us with interesting factoids about the places we passed as well as snippets of his own personal life. Arriving at our destination we met our rafting guide, Jason, who spends his summers as a whitewater guide and his winters as a ski instructor. Jason informed us that in his hundreds of trips down the Snake River, this was by far the windiest day he’d ever seen. In any case, we boarded the raft and pushed off. Our fellow rafters included Jason and a family of Texans, who would prove to contribute little to the paddling efforts and in general be a family of “Debbie Downers”. The river took us past class II and class III rapids by the names of Lunch Counter, Big Kahouna and Champagne. One of the highlights of the trip was when a bald eagle flew over and circled the raft. The eagle sighting left only one desired wildlife animal to be seen, the elusive moose. Exhausted and cold, the bus ride back to the rafting headquarters in Jackson provided ample napping time. When we returned to town we gave Jason a generous tip and inquired about free camping nearby as well as suggested places for food and beverage. Having hung around the rafting shop for several minutes after the trip and feeling fully satisfied with our whitewater experience we headed out to the car. Now, everything written thus far has been a factual representation of the events which occurred surrounding the rafting trip. Certain details and realizations have been purposely omitted. Such details may or may not be those which involve the exact cost of the trip, how such payment was tendered and at which point in the story (if any) was payment tendered. However, I’d like to highlight the fact that despite being budget travelers we felt justified in giving Jason a very generous tip (that part is actually true). Attributing any possible miscommunication around payment as a clerical error (and feeling confident that those who deserved payment, received payment via tip) we promptly left the rafting headquarters and treated ourselves to a fine dinner of Taco Bell.

After dinner we ventured over to the local micro-brewery, Snake River Brewery, to try some of the local beers. Debating whether or not to stay in town for a while or go set up camp, we decided that since we weren’t even sure where we were camping we should probably take care of that first. Following Jason’s advice we headed up into the nearby National Elk Refuge. After making the drive up into the mountains on non-county maintained roads we decided that it probably would be a bad move to try and navigate the roads again in the dark. Therefore we set up camp and decided against heading back into town. Instead we built a fire, finished off the scotch and slept peacefully in the National Elk Refuge. Any day with a free rafting trip (there I came out and said it, just in case you couldn’t follow the innuendo’s above) is a good day by me.

- Alex

6/16/07 – Yellowstone N.P. to Grand Teton N.P.

Awaking at the campsite reminded me of the wonderful solitude that we had discovered in this place. The chill in the air made the steam emerging from the nearby fumerals even more drastic than the day before. As I walked toward the water, a lone mule deer explored the edges of our camping area before retreating to the mountain side. I find myself truly appreciating these early mornings, when the air is cold, the sun is bright, and everything seems still. Deyle and I took our time leaving the campsite, soaking in the secret location that we had made our own for a night. With the 1200 foot incline staring us in the face, we eventually repacked our bags and began our ascent.

The hike up the face of the canyon was challenging with our 60+ pound bags on our backs, but perseverance made for an exhausting yet rewarding hike. With burning legs and pounding hearts, we completed the uphill portion of the hike in just under an hour. Energized by our feat, we continued for the remaining few miles of the hike and completed the journey in less time than it took us to climb down. We then immediately rewarded ourselves with sandwiches and ice cream. Deyle and I had just completed our first true backcountry camping trip.

The rest of our time at Yellowstone seemed like an afterthought after our tiring hike, but we made sure to at least see the major attractions of Yellowstone Falls and Old Faithful. The Lower Falls proved to be impressive at 309 ft, but the walk to the top of the falls took its toll – a 3/8 mile path with a 600 ft drop. Walking back up this path practically put us over the edge. We then drove to Old Faithful, but not before catching a brief glimpse of our first Grizzly Bear along the way – perhaps there actually are bears in Yellowstone. We arrived at Old Faithful just in time to miss an eruption, so we had to wait an hour and 15 minutes to watch the great geyser erupt 100 feet into the air. Feeling satisfied with Yellowstone, we drove south for the Grand Tetons.

We arrived at the adjacent park in time to set up our camp as the sun was setting. A rolling thunderstorm inspired us to drive to a turnout and view the storm. As we sat in our chairs, we had the magnificent mountains to our left, a huge thunderhead storm cloud to our right, and the stars above us. Nearby howling coyotes made the setting even more impressive. As the air became colder, we packed up our chairs and headed back to the campsite. With the 5 mile uphill hike under our belts, we were sure to get a good night’s sleep. Even the couple camping next to us, who showed little appreciation for campground etiquette with their late night “noises”, couldn’t ruin our sleep.

- Jonah

6/15/07 – Yellowstone N.P.

On the drive down to Yellowstone Jonah and I had begun reading through all of the information we had on the park. We read all about the threat and danger of bears, the possibility of walking on “thin crust”, which could result in horrific third degree burns and apparently there is a tick problem throughout the park. Taking all this information into account we decided that Yellowstone would be a perfect place for us to try our first backcountry camping trip. After packing up our campsite at Madison, we jumped in the car and headed for the backcountry ranger’s office at Old Faithful.

At the Ranger Station, we explained that we were looking for a challenging hike around 5 miles long that would take us to an awesome place to camp. The three of us reviewed the park map which showed all of the backcountry camping sites. The decision process of where to go was guided by the Ranger saying things like “You guys look like you’re in pretty good shape, right?”, “There are way to many bears there right now” and “I’m hesitant to send you there…”. “There” referred to a hike down Seven Mile Hole into the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone which would lead to a campsite right on the bank of the Yellowstone River. The first three miles of the hike are along the top of the canyon and the last mile and half plummets down 1,200 feet to the very bottom of the canyon. After some mild justifying we decided this would make for a challenging but worthwhile backcountry trip.

The drive to the Seven Mile Hole trailhead took us past Yellowstone Lake which proved to be yet another beautiful body of water surrounded by snow capped mountains, truly a landscape I’ll never grow tired of. After arriving at the trailhead we did one last check through our camping packs to make sure we had everything we thought we’d need. This would be the first time we were cooking dinner and spending the night somewhere out of sight from the car.

The hike down to the campsite took us a full two and half hours. Along the way we stopped often for pictures of the amazing view down into the canyon. There were also times where we had to stop and assess exactly where the trail was supposed to be taking us. The last mile and half of downhill hiking was comprised of narrow trails, daunting switchbacks and unexpected geothermal features. The campsite itself was a stretch of flat land 20 feet above the fast flowing waters of the Yellowstone River, with trails that led down to the fumarole lined bank of the river. Dinner that night consisted of two cans of chili and a can of minestrone soup. An impending strenuous hike back up the canyon and with limited water supply, we were unable to properly clean out our dishes and soup cans. However, after putting everything away and hoisting our camping bags 10 feet in the air we were confident that no bear would be able to infiltrate our rope and pulley system. Having set up camp and finished dinner with ample sunlight left, we took some time to take in our surroundings. After a game of gin rummy (I won) we enjoyed a glass of scotch while overlooking the river from outside our tent. Away from the small towns built up within the park, and from the crowds of people we were able to enjoy a part of Yellowstone which felt uniquely untouched by man.

- Alex