Hiking the slots

Okay, again Blogger really hates me. Why oh why can I not post pictures??? I will post as soon as Satan releases his grip on Blogger and allows me to again share pictures with my blog buddies. Until then, here is the written account of my weekend...

This adventure I just had in southern Utah was quite a contrast in temperature from the cool, damp Washington trip. “Cool” and “damp” are foreign words in the red Utah desert, but “beautiful”, “awesome”, “amazing”, and “inspiring” are words that were often uttered between Best Friend, Slot Canyon Boy (who also joined us), and myself during this weekend trip.

Scenic Highway 12 leads through the heart of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and took us to our hiking grounds. It was just as beautiful as I remembered it two years ago.

After camping out a night in Escalante, we had an early rise and drove down the long and bumpy Hole in the Rock Road to the trail head of Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Canyons. These two canyons are slot canyons, which are just the way they sound...extremely narrow, twisting canyons... just a slot through towering walls. I was very excited because I have wanted to hike a slot canyon and take photos of their striated, twisting walls with rays of light barely making their way through casting a glow down the tight passage ever since I saw pictures of them in Backpacker, National Geographic Adventure, and Outdoor Photographer Magazines.

To get to the first of the slots, Peek-a-Boo, we had to first descend a steep trail and hike a while. Finally, we came to the entrance. To enter this canyon, you must first have to climb into it. It proved very difficult for me, not being as tall as Best Friend and Slot Canyon Boy. I am quite sure that I wouldn’t have made it in if it weren’t for their help with making my way up the smooth slickrock walls. I busted up my knees, but I made it! And I’m so glad that I did because it was so beautiful in there. The walls were twisted and swirled with color. It was incredible to say the least. Luckily, I did not have as a difficult time exiting as I did entering the slot.

We hiked another half mile down a dry wash to Spooky Canyon. There was no climbing into Spooky, but maneuvering around was trickier than Peek-a-Boo as it was way tighter and more narrow. In fact, it was so narrow that backpacks must be taken off to squeeze through and so little sunlight made it through to the bottom that it was quite dark in there, hence, the name Spooky Canyon.

Both of the slot canyons were what I was hoping for and I am so happy that we were able to make this hike. It was well worth my busted up, bloody knees.

After our hike through the slots we headed back down the highway and stopped off at Calf Creek Falls Recreation Area. Two years ago, Best Friend, Goofball, and I hiked the six sandy and hot miles through the desert to the oasis of Lower Calf Creek Falls. It was so beautiful then that we thought we would give it another go. The three miles leading to the falls seemed longer and hotter than I had remembered and I began drinking my third liter of water before it was over. I was not disappointed as we finally reached the oasis and the shade of the cliff from which Calf Creek Falls spill. The pool of water is the coldest water I have ever touched. I honestly can’t see how there are no icebergs floating around in there! I got in it and wet myself and relaxed in the shade. Then I got in it again and re-wetted myself before finishing up the last three miles back to the car. I stayed much cooler on the way back, but was completely dry before I made it to the car.

I had so much fun and am looking forward to our next adventure. I loved it all from sleeping beneath a sky full of twinkling stars to squeezing through the impossibly narrow slots to refreshing my feet in water so cold that my toes were numb.

I would recommend this trip to anyone who has plenty of water, is not afraid of climbing up tall slick rock, can handle the sun beating down on you, is not claustrophobic, and doesn’t mind treading miles of loose sand.