One of our members lives in Montana and offered to plan and host this year's hike. The area he selected was in the Bitteroot Mountains, an area the rest of us knew little about. This hike would be different because we would be staying in cabins maintained by the National Forest Service.
We also planned to visit the Big Hole Battlefield, one of the many battlefields along the long retreat of the Nex Perce Indians from the US Cavalry. I looked forward to this visit, having grown up near the Saratoga battlefield of the Revolutionary War and visited many of the battlefields of the Civil War during my meanderings in the Eastern part of the United States.
This year we decided to hike in Southern Utah, in an area that has received a lot of political attention, the Bears Ears National Monument and adjacent Natural Bridges. In addition to the beauty of the terrain, we would be able to see the "Annular Lunar Eclipse."
Due to the eclipse, the area was very crowded so we camped in a rather primitive site recconoitered by Al Rydman. Al's family joined us for the eclipse. They and Al fortunately had a good knowledge of the area.
The area has numerous ruins worth visiting, most of them within reasonable hiking distance and a multitude of side canyons to explore.We visited the original Bears Ears area which is a good climb by car from the national monument. The new area surrounds the National Monument and incorporates a lot of terrain from national forest. All-in-all, another worthwhile experience.
To hike somewhere we had never been together and to watch the "Annular" solar eclipse, we planned our trip to Natural Bridges National Monument. There is a concentration of natural bridges here -- there are others scattereds throughout the west -- and the steep canyon terrain is fascinating. Only one of the bridges was hikeable for us oldsters, due primarily to steepness, so we hiked several other areas inside and outside the monument.
Due to the eclipse, the area was very crowded so we camped in a rather primitive site recconoitered by Al Rydman. Al's family joined us for the eclipse. They and Al fortunately had a good knowledge of the area.
The area has numerous ruins worth visiting, most of them within reasonable hiking distance and a multitude of side canyons to explore.We visited the original Bears Ears area which is a good climb by car from the national monument. The new area surrounds the National Monument and incorporates a lot of terrain from national forest. All-in-all, another worthwhile experience.
This year to keep cool we hiked at 10,000 feet in Cedar Breaks National Monument. This is probably the highest elevation for a national park campground in Utah.
This area is covered with flowers in July, but summer was clearly at ending during our stay. The campground is small but we managed to squeeze in. The scenery is grand at the top of the Escalante Staircase leading down to the Grand Canyon.
We had a great time. It got pretty cold but the thunderstorms stayed away and the days were perfect for hiking. Cedar Breaks is a miniature version of Bryce Canyon but at a higher elevation. Visit if you can/
This year we hiked in Bryce Canyon National Park. In addition to being beautiful, it has a lot of easily accessible short trails and is near other beautiful hiking areas such as the Escalante Staircase.
Three of us made the trip this year. The first thing we did was to scatter the ashes of the hiking friend we lost last year and to say a prayer for another who succumbed to cancer. "To absent friends!" was a fitting toast the first evening of camp.
We had a great time. Despite threatning clouds, we had only one brief shower. It dropped below freezing at night, but daytime temperatures were perfect for hiking. The trails were in superb condition and the number of fellow hikers was not excessive. We found many things to talk about and the Wild Turkey hit the spot as always. All-in-all, a wonderful time.
We chose to visit Capitol Reef and Goblin Valley State Park
It has been a tough year. Only 2 of us made the trip. One of the charter members of our group has gone to hike in heaven. Another is in the terminal stage of cancer. A third injured his foot. Dementia and Covid-19 have grounded the others. Time and nature are merciless
Our a hike in the Superstition Mountains of Aridzona
Our little group has never hiked in the desert before although most of us have worked in the Mohave Desert and the Salt Lake Desert. The Superstition Wilderness in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona provides some desireable features.
2015 Annual Fall Hike in the Coastal Redwoods area of California
We have hiked here before but did not spend as much time in the Humboldt Redwoods as we wanted too. Also, the ride back via the dramatic California coast was very special. None of us had been here before.
2015 Hike in California Redwoods. 1st Row. Click Here.
2014 Annual Fall Hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire
The last hike I took here was in 1974. Both hiking friends were westerners and had not spent time in the mountains of the northeast. We hit the foliage just right, the weather was great (50 degrees F and no wind on Mt. Washington), and the crowds were not a real issue. My dad passed away in Utah during this trip but my wonderful children took care of their mother and grandmother. I spent a lot of time sitting by the streams and remembering my many pleasant times with him. Time well spent.
2014 Hike in New Hampshire White Mountains. 1st Row. Click Here.
