2022 - West - May 30 - Orderville UT - Red Hollow Slot Canyon

 Being gluttons for slot canyons, we found another just north of Kanab in Orderville - Red Hollow. It was beautiful but cut short by a few rockfalls. I was able to get over a few but then one was too much - even for Vaughan.

The first obstacle was not bad at all.

The next was a little higher and a crawl over.

This was taken on the other side of the 3rd obstacle. You should have seen Vaughan dragging me up and over that boulder I'm sitting on. The other side was a heck of a drop. 

The next was a tighter squeeze and uphill crawl to get to the big rock.

A little bridging and Vaughan was up and over.

The last was where he had to call it quits. First crawling up a limb to get to a rope to haul yourself up and over a boulder - a valiant effort but common sense won out. My begging him to stop helped.

2022 - West - May 29 - UT - Lick Wash, Bull Valley Gorge, Willis Creek & Cottonwood Canyon

 Today was all about the slots - not casino slot, slot canyons, that is. 

First was Lick Wash - we have been here several times before.  The slot itself is very scenic, but I like the interesting rocks I've found there.  Today was a wash (pun intended) in that regard.  But the short canyon hike of 2 miles was still worth the effort.

Every time we visit, Vaughan has me take this picture.  

Continuing along Skutumpah Road - I spotted this tiny arch along the road.

Bull Valley Gorge - from above - the pics don't do justice to the depth of this slot.

Willis Creek - this slot normally has a small stream running thru it.  Today it was dry.  We only hiked a total of a mile here.
 

Finally after 28 miles of dusty Skutumpah  Rd, we turned onto Cottonwood Canyon Rd.  45 miles of dusty and jarring washboard road.  That said, the pain was almost worth it.  Great vistas.

We ran into Cottonwood Narrows.  We didn't even know this place existed.  Yes another slot, another 1.5 mile hike.

 This reminded me of something, but I can't just put my finger on it.

Traffic was crazy - we got right in the middle of this cattle drive.  Cows & bull passing on both sides of the jeep.

2022 - West - May 28 - UT - Kanab - Mansard Trail Hike & Cutler Jeep Trail & Hike

 What a day!  In the morning we hiked Mansard Trail. Well, Vaughan did the whole hike. The first mile was all uphill with lots of switchbacks.  The Jeep is parked way down there in the valley below.

I got to a point in the trail that I had to say "No" to.  Climbing these rocks with bad knees is not an option.  Vaughan kept going, of course.

He hiked more than a mile to reach that white cliff in the distance.

Vaughan took some amazing pictures - it looked like the rocks had veins running through them.

Lots of petroglyphs - 

These were different - these were etched into the floor.

Views at the top - 

After returning to the coach, Vaughan found us another place to visit.  Cutler Point. Later that day we took This was another long, deep sand drive. The white cliff in the distance is our destination.

The alcove at the base is where we hiked to.

First we circled around the base - 

The quarter-mile climb through deep sand led us to the Grand Chamber which is a huge alcove with a giant sand dune in the middle.  The wind and sand has eroded the walls in in beautiful patterns.

That's Vaughan on the far right.

The rock formations inside the alcove were stunning.

The winds were so strong we had to pull our shirts up over our faces and still got sand-blasted hiking back down.

Dinner in downtown Kanab at the Iron Horse restaurant.  Not sure yet what tomorrow's adventure might be.