Mount Wrightson (Santa Ritas, AZ)

Holly and I had been talking about hiking up Mount Wrightson for a while, but with her time here in Arizona running out and her move to Alaska just three weeks away, the only open day to hike this 9453' tall mountain was Saturday, one of the hottest days for a hike. We expected it to be warm because the ten-day forecast predicted highs in the triple digits for Tucson, but rain in the evening was also forecasted for both Saturday and Sunday. We were a group of seven.

Holly, Ellen, Kent and his girlfriend Stephany and I met at Fry's at 6am. I brought Zeke and Sadie, with Sadie being the unplanned second dog who pushed herself out the door after Zeke was already in the Ford Escape. Since she's a strong hiker and gets along with other people, I didn't mind. What I didn't do was double up on the water I brought along.

We arrived at the trailhead at 7:32am, just two minutes later than planned. Adam and Phil, two more hikers that Ellen invited, also came along. I had hiked with Adam before last winter up Miller and Carr Peak, and he remembered Sadie from that time, but Zeke was new and of course loved on everyone. Phil took a liking to Zeke right away and the feelings seemed mutual. Having tuna in his backpack was perhaps one thing that helped! People just love Zeke because he's such a friendly, cuddly dog and I'm now seeing that. Sadie is aloof in comparison, and goes along on hikes to be my protector, and she takes her duties seriously.

The parking lot wasn't crowded at all and we all were able to park next to one another. On any given day, this parking lot gets packed quickly on weekends. Perhaps the temperature was going to be hotter than forecasted? I had heard 106F for Tucson, which would put it at the high 80s at the summit.

We started the hike at 7:43am going up the four-mile Super Trail. This was a shaded, pleasant grade up to Josephine Saddle, where in 1958 three boy scouts froze to death in a freak November snowstorm. A sign is still there in their memory. There was some water in the lower creek at this point, which I led the dogs to, but that was it. Bug Springs just before the saddle had some water left, but it was filled with bugs and green algae. Zeke still jumped in it to keep his paws cool. There was evidence of some water falling here because the grass was partially green, but no drainages were flowing, no massive displays of wildflowers that would normally cover the fields in August after weeks of heavy rains.

It was warm, but doable, but the dogs had to stop for plenty of water. The higher we got, the more humid it felt, too, which I find odd, and this humidity hit its zenith as we switchbacked the mile up to Old Baldy saddle. I was now in the rear. I noted to Stephany that there has been new growth coming back since the 2005 Florida fire; many of the pines are now 3-5 feet tall.

Here a young woman with a Great Pyreneese lunged toward Sadie. She was slowly going uphill herself. Big dogs like that, however friendly, concern me as Sadie is normally reactive to other big and small dogs. This dog ignored Zeke but went toward her, and I had to pull hard on the leash to keep her away. Sadie didn't attack back, something she normally does, so perhaps Sadie felt targeted. The owner could not hold the dog back. That short but intense incident got my heart racing a bit and I had to calm down before resuming the climb. That dog then came to the summit as we were going back down, but she moved off to the side and held her dog closely. There was no incident there. I wasn't upset with the owner, she did as best as she could, and I could tell she was upset with her dog as well. I know Sadie has shown aggression quite unexpectedly toward other dogs as well, so I can be empathetic.

The 6.67 miles to the peak took us 3.5 hours. We were the only ones there. Normally we share the peak with 10-15 others and the peak resembles a conference center. Not this time. There was also no breeze, no nagging bugs. There was not a sign of any storms coming when we got to the top. There were no clouds to diffuse the sunlight, no shade to relax under. Everyone sat at one end of the peak, I sat away from them at the old tower foundation, to keep the dogs from begging, but there was no shade there as well. I couldn't relax. I also noticed I was down to just one quart of water. I had been giving whatever they needed on the way up. I was concerned. Zeke's fur felt hot to the touch but his spirits were up, although on the way down I gave the dogs short shade breaks whenever they plopped down. Zeke's normally high-energy, but for him to be plopping down and panting is a sure sign he's suffering from heat exhaustion.

We could see a distant fire in the southwest sending a long smoke plume in the sky.

It was 11:46am when we began the descent. I stayed in the rear on the way down, watching both dogs. Now that the sun was higher up, there were fewer shaded areas. The exposed parts were now hot and the hot ground was bothering the dogs, who'd run up to the next shaded spot and wait for me there. Holly and Stephany were very sympathetic and gave me some of their extra water. I, who normally brings too much water, was now suffering from thirst as well! When we all regrouped at Josephine saddle on the descent, it registered 88F on my back's little thermometer.

My stomach was cramping, I felt a headache coming, my toes were getting jammed in my boots from the steep grade...I was miserable. Not even beer sounded good; I just wanted water. We all got back to the cars around 2pm to a parking lot was was no more empty than before, although we were surprised to see people taking off on hikes so late in the afternoon. Most people here were picnicking in the shade.

Adam and Phil were talking about meeting somewhere in Vail or Green Valley for ice cream, which normally I'd be for, but I was dehydrated now and needed water. Ellen gave me her Cranberry-Grapefruit Sobu to refresh with (a great taste combination I'd never had before) and I think she saw my fatigue and declined her friends' invitation. We all departed separately in the cars we came in. Ellen and I stopped at the Shell station in Sonoita for more iced tea and ice cream. Now the storm clouds were visible from the south, and it looked like they were going to hit Mt Wrightson as well.

Kevin was back from his Boston trip when we got home at 5pm. Sadie and Zeke attacked the water bucket but seemed fine otherwise. The drive in the back of the Escape with no working AC was probably not very comfortable for them, but they survived with no lasting damage. Both got a big chunk of steak for their efforts, while Sammy and Sweetie got a much smaller edge cut. Minnie never came out for her treat, staying instead in the bedroom panting. She's been suffering from the summer heat since coming back from the road trip and has shown no interest in going for walks, although she still loves to play fetch.

It stormed again at 6pm, cooling the air again nicely.

Day 30 Price to Hanksville, UT

I slept in, not waking up till 8:40am local time. Oh no, I thought, jumping up to make sure the dogs were OK. The van was now in the sun and only two windows were open. They were fine, still resting, but were thankful to be let out to pee. I let them into the hotel room while I showered, but both refused to wander around, staying by the door. Even the hotel room now was getting warm as I didn't turn the AC on. I didn't sign out until almost 11am. It was a slow start for me. Rains were forecasted at 40% and I saw storm clouds already at the southwestern horizon.

My general plan for the day was to hike part of the North Fork of Huntington creek in the Manti La Sal forest. That was not too far away. I headed south on UT10, with the mountain range to my west and the desert valley to my east. PacifiCorps sure does have a lot of power plants in this valley! Just outside Huntington State park, a small state park around a lake, the rain exploded, delaying my drive for a bit. I was on Mohrland Road, a dirt road that winds up the mountain. This is not the road I was looking for. I got .6 miles of walking in when a young rancher drove past me asking me if I had seen a stray cow on the forest road. I hadn't. I turned around and drove back into town, looking for the correct route northwest on UT31.

The towns I drove through each had a Mormon temple. Worshipers were coming in at 11am, men dressed in their standard white shirts, women in their dresses. The temples I saw were nondescript, nothing like the temples in Salt Lake City or Idaho Falls. These were once bustling rail road and mining towns. The rail road is gone, but the mines still remain.

I got to the trail head at 1:20pm local time. My van was the third vehicle in the parking lot. Two groups of young hikers were returning from their hike as I started on mine. They surely knew it was going to rain and started early. I took the risk and started mine late, knowing to turn around as soon as I saw heavy clouds billowing. I don't mind the rain, but I always worry about thunderstorms.

The area had seen a devastating fire in 2012 and the damage is still very visible. Large swaths of burned trees were visible on the hillsides. One hillside suffered a serious landslide that then caused at least one log jam in the creek, with another log jam further upstream. Herbal plants are now replacing the groves of aspen and lodgepoles that once stood there, but the farther I went on the trail, the more grassy the trail became, indicating a lesser traveled path. I turned around at the 2.3 mile mark as poky thistle were irritating my bare legs and the trail was slowly moving away from the water that Minnie needs. Clouds were indeed starting to come over the horizon.

The dogs were enjoying the water and the shade, but my return hike was at a faster pace. There were several parts along the trail that already were showing storm erosion. Parts of the trail are cut into the sides of already slided terrain and I didn't want to be stranded on the wrong side should there be a heavy storm. Even the day use camping area is right at the creek level and could be quickly flooded. Just 22 minutes after getting back to the van, with no one else around in the park,the storm began again, this time over the valley as well. We had hiked 4.6 miles along the creek, a good enough distance for the dogs and me.

The drive continued in a southwesterly direction, through the towns of Castle Date (entrance to the San Rafael Swell and fossil beds among slot canyons) and Ferron, then crossing I-70. A short drive on the interstate west and I turned off on UT72, another two-laner that quickly ascends the mountain range. A rather prominent round mountain and its basins now stood before me, as I meandered uphill. The land now went from desert to lush alpine landscape rather quickly. What a scenic drive! Even at the 9114' pass there were RVs camped right off the road. UT72 then ends at UT24, which I continued in an easterly direction through the alpine farming towns of Fremont and Loa. I gassed up in Loa for $2.49 a gallon. The convenience stores and gas stations were all open along this route, a popular access point for travelers heading to Capitol Reef, just outside the town of Torrey.

I got to the national park in the early evening. The fee booth was also closed but cars were able to drive through. I knew I only had two more hours of daylight left. What could I see in this time? A crowded campsite is right inside the park, with an optional scenic drive to the Great Gorge, an eight-mile, one-way drive along some spectacular rock formations that jut out. The stones were already glowing in their orange and reds as the sun began its final descent. Small dirt roads led into turn-offs but I stayed on the pavement until it ended at the Gorge, then turned around and battled a setting sun in my eyes. Since dogs are not allowed on any trails in national parks (a rule that really irks me), I had no reason to linger.

Fruita is a small fruit orchard community that once was a prosperous growing orchard and which is on the western side of the park. Here is where the campsite is and where most of the people linger. The trees still bear fruit, albeit small fruit. I picked one nectarine that wasn't any bigger than what grows on my own tree. Its flesh was dry and not very sweet. I stopped at a turn-off to let the dogs pee, then resumed my drive on UT24 that crosses the park and offers more spectacular redrock scenery.

The sun was now below the mountains and dusk was setting in. More canyon streams appeared, more distant buttes and finally desert plateaus. The drive offers the entire gamut of terrain. I had no idea where I was going to stay for the night, but when I pulled into Hanksville, UT, I realized that this is where I should stay. The town caters to travelers, with two diners, three hotels, two gas stations and several RV parks. I paid $16 for a spot at the Dukes Slickrock RV park, a spacious park for tenters, RVers and cabin users, although the cabins all looked vacant. One other tenter was nearby and I picked the green area farthest away from the other tenters so that the dogs wouldn't bother them. Then I ate a grilled chicken sandwich across the street at the Shack, a family diner connected to a gast station/convenience store that also offered free wifi. This is where the young people in town hang out. The place and just about everything else in town closes at 10pm.

I went back to the RV park to start my late-night reading and writing, but I could not successfully access the park's wifi. The clerk had perhaps given me an expired password. The park was dark, no one was awake, and for a while I parked the van under the one main spotlight, so I could read a bit. I'm already a few books behind on my Amazon review list and am locked out to pick any more until this old list is completed. I don't mind being locked out, it's actually less stressful this way as I've discovered it takes me about two to three days to really read a book while on the road. Once these books are reviewed, I can pick more items from my list and start again at a far less hectic pace.

I ended up barely sleeping. I couldn't get any rest, I had had far too much caffeine in me and Minnie was on my cot. I let her stay there as I fidgeted in the front seat. The night sky was beautiful in the dark. The Milky Way was prominent. I watched one meteor jet across the sky. The RV park was silent. True beauty in the middle of nowhere.







More later

Day 29 Flaming Gorge, Vernal UT to Price

A tingling in my left foot's third toe woke me up, as if a nylon string had tightened around it. There was nothing there, as I reached down to feel my foot, but it did feel swollen. Oh no, was this an emergency? But whatever caused that sensation quickly dissipated and soon forgotten. Maybe a strange sleeping position pinched a nerve in my foot.

The sun rise was nondescript. I was cold, and I realized I was cold because the sleeping bag was completely unzipped! A strong aroma of sage filled the air as I stepped outside to start the day. What a nice way to start a short morning walk to stretch out those legs and paws. Sadie looked refreshed, but Minnie still looked exhausted. I slowed down to her pace. She didn't look like she wanted to walk. Campers around me were already getting their day ready. One Black Lab approached Minnie but Sadie cut that encounter short. One camper parked next to me fired up his truck and boat trailer and headed out to the lake before the sun had risen completely over the horizon. The dogs napped in the back while I sat in the front reading more from last night's book "Patient H.M" by Luke Dittrich, an interesting book about mental illness.

Our campsite for the night was perhaps the nicest group site I've been on during this road trip. Although I prefer being more remote to give the dogs some room to roam, the views were nice. People kept to themselves but several large RVs looked to be part of a group, as people from the three rigs mingled by a fire last night. Sun rise wasn't as spectacular as I had expected as the sun rose above the high plateau in the east, but the views only got better as I continued the drive south, first on UT44, the Sheeps Canyon scenic byway, and then US191. The geological formations along the sides of the road, from flipped sandstone to fossil beds, is worth another more detailed visit to this area. Signs describing the various formations are posted along the road. Red, coppers, whites and browns of all hues shined strongly as the sun got higher. I could easily spend a few days here.

I stopped at the dam that was built in 1964, a dam built as part of the larger Colorado River connection. The Green River is dammed here, the river continues south into the Colorado River near the Arizona border. A small island off the parking lot affords osprey watching. People had paid to tour the dam but I was more interested in some short hikes, but the clerk only recommended some books to buy. I ended up hiking the Bear Canyon trail for another 2.8 miles. It advertised itself as a rim trail with scenic views, but I never saw the canyon from the trail. The trail instead went behind a campsite, a murky pond, and down into a verdant meadow with a large house on the end. I turned off before the house and trekked back along the shaded rim to make my own loop using my phone's GPS. Spotted a chirping marmot, magpies and a few other high desert dwellers. The ponderosa pines and red rock remind me of the Flagstaff area.

Vernal, UT was 35 miles away, across beautiful high desert, then high mountain passes (8720') and down into the mining regions north of Vernal. US191 snaked down into town. To my relief it's a big enough town to satisfy a hungry traveler, with a variety of fast food restaurants along Main street. I needed to find a grocery store for some raw meats as Sadie hasn't been eating her kibble (Minnie is!) and I was hungry, too. I found a Smith grocery store, fed the dogs chicken (Sadie got most), then stopped and chilled for two more hours at a Taco Bell as I was hungry, too. I hadn't had a decent meal since leaving Salmon, ID. Then on to Roosevelt, a small town of around 6400 people right along the Uintah and Ouray Reservation that provides the jobs for people in the area. The landscape remained crumbly red rock, with the high Uintah mountains to the far west and dark monsoonal clouds forming in the south. I had to stop at the Taco Bell again for another pee break. Two indigenous-looking women looked at me and asked me if I was from around here. I had to smile and reply "Do I look like I'm from here!," referring to this town being a native town. "We're from the Four Corners Area" said one of the women, another beautiful indigenous area where Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico meet.

The drive the rest of the day was a very scenic drive along US 191. This is the Utah I like, void of the stark Mormon temples or white-shirted men and the mind-numbing traffic. This is mining, rail road and Uinta tribes flanked by brittle sandstone hills. I had been in part of this region back in 2009, driving from Provo to Park City (a ritzy town with attitude) and the Nine Mile Canyon drive before continuing on into Colorado. But this was new territory going from north to south.

South of Duchesne the highway entered a very scenic section, gaining altitude as it entered the Ashley National Forest again. The hills were pointed, the canyons narrow. A narrow band of green meadow hugged the highway, with a few homes and abandoned cabins that stood out against the green background. Even a herd of cows off the shoulder slowed me down. At night these cows could have been fatal, another reason why I don't road trip at night. Many of the trees looked diseased or dead, as swaths of healthy trees were enveloped by waves of dead trees.

I opted for the Price Canyon Recreation Area as my goal for the night, but just as I summitted a 9114' pass and stopped for a pee break, it began storming. The thunder scared Minnie and she ran back to the van without peeing. I didn't want to rest here and slowly drove downhill, but that was hard on my breaks. My steering wheel vibrated and I was relieved to be back on more level ground when I got to the small town of Castle Gate, where a power plant stands at a sharp corner where US6 and US191 meet. It seems so odd to have a power plant right at a traffic intersection.

It was now getting into the early evening and clouds were still looking stormy. I opted to get a room in town, at the National9 Inn, for $66 which included the pet fee. Oddly enough, neither dog wanted to come inside the hotel room. Minnie didn't even want to get out of the van! I hope she isn't injured or sick, as she's been rather lethargic today, although she did do OK on the Bear Canyon hike. I'm thinking she is starting to develop arthritis like Sara did at the same age (five), and I need to slow down her mileage. She ate well enough, although she didn't touch her raw chicken this morning. I will keep my eyes on her tomorrow. If she's looking sick, I'll just drive straight back to Hereford. She's not vomitting or having soft stool, though. She just looks tired. I'm getting a bit tired being on the road, too. The monsoon has started in southern Arizona and things are greening up.

Day 29 Flaming Gorge, Vernal UT to Price

A tingling in my left foot's third toe woke me up, as if a nylon string had tightened around it. There was nothing there, as I reached down to feel my foot, but it did feel swollen. Oh no, was this an emergency? But whatever caused that sensation quickly dissipated and soon forgotten. Maybe a strange sleeping position pinched a nerve in my foot.

The sun rise was nondescript. I was cold, and I realized I was cold because the sleeping bag was completely unzipped! A strong aroma of sage filled the air as I stepped outside to start the day. What a nice way to start a short morning walk to stretch out those legs and paws. Sadie looked refreshed, but Minnie still looked exhausted. I slowed down to her pace. She didn't look like she wanted to walk. Campers around me were already getting their day ready. One Black Lab approached Minnie but Sadie cut that encounter short. One camper parked next to me fired up his truck and boat trailer and headed out to the lake before the sun had risen completely over the horizon. The dogs napped in the back while I sat in the front reading more from last night's book "Patient H.M" by Luke Dittrich, an interesting book about mental illness.

Our campsite for the night was perhaps the nicest group site I've been on during this road trip. Although I prefer being more remote to give the dogs some room to roam, the views were nice. People kept to themselves but several large RVs looked to be part of a group, as people from the three rigs mingled by a fire last night. Sun rise wasn't as spectacular as I had expected as the sun rose above the high plateau in the east, but the views only got better as I continued the drive south, first on UT44, the Sheeps Canyon scenic byway, and then US191. The geological formations along the sides of the road, from flipped sandstone to fossil beds, is worth another more detailed visit to this area. Signs describing the various formations are posted along the road. Red, coppers, whites and browns of all hues shined strongly as the sun got higher. I could easily spend a few days here.

I stopped at the dam that was built in 1964, a dam built as part of the larger Colorado River connection. The Green River is dammed here, the river continues south into the Colorado River near the Arizona border. A small island off the parking lot affords osprey watching. People had paid to tour the dam but I was more interested in some short hikes, but the clerk only recommended some books to buy. I ended up hiking the Bear Canyon trail for another 2.8 miles. It advertised itself as a rim trail with scenic views, but I never saw the canyon from the trail. The trail instead went behind a campsite, a murky pond, and down into a verdant meadow with a large house on the end. I turned off before the house and trekked back along the shaded rim to make my own loop using my phone's GPS. Spotted a chirping marmot, magpies and a few other high desert dwellers. The ponderosa pines and red rock remind me of the Flagstaff area.

Vernal, UT was 35 miles away, across beautiful high desert, then high mountain passes (8720') and down into the mining regions north of Vernal. US191 snaked down into town. To my relief it's a big enough town to satisfy a hungry traveler, with a variety of fast food restaurants along Main street. I needed to find a grocery store for some raw meats as Sadie hasn't been eating her kibble (Minnie is!) and I was hungry, too. I found a Smith grocery store, fed the dogs chicken (Sadie got most), then stopped and chilled for two more hours at a Taco Bell as I was hungry, too. I hadn't had a decent meal since leaving Salmon, ID. Then on to Roosevelt, a small town of around 6400 people right along the Uintah and Ouray Reservation that provides the jobs for people in the area. The landscape remained crumbly red rock, with the high Uintah mountains to the far west and dark monsoonal clouds forming in the south. I had to stop at the Taco Bell again for another pee break. Two indigenous-looking women looked at me and asked me if I was from around here. I had to smile and reply "Do I look like I'm from here!," referring to this town being a native town. "We're from the Four Corners Area" said one of the women, another beautiful indigenous area where Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico meet.

The drive the rest of the day was a very scenic drive along US 191. This is the Utah I like, void of the stark Mormon temples or white-shirted men and the mind-numbing traffic. This is mining, rail road and Uinta tribes flanked by brittle sandstone hills. I had been in part of this region back in 2009, driving from Provo to Park City (a ritzy town with attitude) and the Nine Mile Canyon drive before continuing on into Colorado. But this was new territory going from north to south.

South of Duchesne the highway entered a very scenic section, gaining altitude as it entered the Ashley National Forest again. The hills were pointed, the canyons narrow. A narrow band of green meadow hugged the highway, with a few homes and abandoned cabins that stood out against the green background. Even a herd of cows off the shoulder slowed me down. At night these cows could have been fatal, another reason why I don't road trip at night. Many of the trees looked diseased or dead, as swaths of healthy trees were enveloped by waves of dead trees.

I opted for the Price Canyon Recreation Area as my goal for the night, but just as I summitted a 9114' pass and stopped for a pee break, it began storming. The thunder scared Minnie and she ran back to the van without peeing. I didn't want to rest here and slowly drove downhill, but that was hard on my breaks. My steering wheel vibrated and I was relieved to be back on more level ground when I got to the small town of Castle Gate, where a power plant stands at a sharp corner where US6 and US191 meet. It seems so odd to have a power plant right at a traffic intersection.

It was now getting into the early evening and clouds were still looking stormy. I opted to get a room in town, at the National9 Inn, for $66 which included the pet fee. Oddly enough, neither dog wanted to come inside the hotel room. Minnie didn't even want to get out of the van! I hope she isn't injured or sick, as she's been rather lethargic today, although she did do OK on the Bear Canyon hike. I'm thinking she is starting to develop arthritis like Sara did at the same age (five), and I need to slow down her mileage. She ate well enough, although she didn't touch her raw chicken this morning. I will keep my eyes on her tomorrow. If she's looking sick, I'll just drive straight back to Hereford. She's not vomitting or having soft stool, though. She just looks tired. I'm getting a bit tired being on the road, too. The monsoon has started in southern Arizona and things are greening up.


I'll fill this day's report in next week when I'm back home.

Day 28 - From eastern Idaho to Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area

I had my first uncomfortable night with the dogs. Minnie hogged the cot and I slept in the driver's seat, cuddled in a fetal position to keep warm. I had parked in the back of a lodge parking lot off US26, right next to an automatic sprinkler that came on at 3am and woke me up. The dogs at least got to get up to pee in the dark before I resumed my pre-dawn drive...very slowly as I was too tired to feel energy and stopped a few times off the road for naps until it was light enough to see. I followed the camp host's suggestion to go toward the Palisades Dam, and in the daylight saw the dirt road he was talking about. And he was right, there was plenty of dispersed campsites here, and plenty of campers under large shade trees claiming their spot for the long weekend.

I was looking for a shaded place to hike. After yesterday's hike and the lousy sleep I had last night, though, I could feel my fatigue and the dogs didn't look any more energized than me, especially Minnie who seemed to be hurting again. I drove toward the Bear Creek trail signs 16 miles away, on a well-graded, wide gravel road that climbed up and offered expansive views of the Palisades Reservoir, which straddles both Idaho and Wyoming. People were flyfishing in the creeks; I waved back.

Bear Creek trail was a bit of a disappointment, as it was more high up rather than right next to the creek. What I did find interesting was that the trail was an old wagon trail from the pioneer days, and marked as "Idaho Great Western Trail." I was to see many more of these old wagon trails across Wyoming later. Mostly a single track, the trail at times broke out into a dual-track with tall grass in the middle. It was exposed and getting hot, so at the 1.2-mile mark I turned around. It would be enough for us in the morning, and a nice break after yesterday's long hike. I took a quick wash-up in the creek before resuming the drive east on US26 into Alpine, Wyoming and then US89 south.

More later