Labor Day Weekend

We love to get out of town for a final fling on Labor Day Weekend. Generally we head to Southeast Idaho/Yellowstone. I love it up there but it’s so COLD n the morning, especially if one has to make at trip to the “little girls’ room” at about 6:00 in the morning. Three years ago we decided to go to Southern Utah—Capitol Reef—instead. We had reservations and everything. Dad died on August 28 and the funeral was on Labor Day. So much for that! The past two years we gave in to our tradition and camped at Mac’s Inn. This year, we tried again to go south.

I had been to Capitol Reef, for just one night on the way home from Lake Powell, about 24 years ago. But we sure missed a lot of sights in the brief visit.

Friday, we drove along the scenic drive to the Capitol Gorge road.

The Capitol Gorge road was closed, so we couldn’t go past that point. On the up side, because of the closure, they weren’t charging $20 to get into the Nat’l park!

The drive back was lovely, also!

Saturday was the hike to Lower Falls on Calf Creek in the Grand Staircase Escalante.

View from the Hog's Back.

I can not believe that I’ve lived in Utah for over 30 years and never saw this till now. Truly awesome.

I’m not annoyed at the fact that this area was set aside as a Nat’l Monument anymore, just annoyed at how it was handled.

I hiked to Lower Falls. I about died. I’m very glad that I did it, I’m glad that I made it. And I’m glad that I never have to do it again.

I don’t remember much of the beautiful scenery after the first mile or so. I was just trudging! I’m glad Sarah took these pictures.

There were at least three miracles as I hiked—1). At the very point when I thought I couldn’t go on, Abby’s Steve came back and said there was a rock, in the shade, to sit on, just ahead. The shade was so welcome, I actually sat and leaned against a large, cool rock. It was a great relief. 2) At that very point, Sarah pulled some green grapes out of her pack. I had plenty of water, but the grapes made a big difference. 3) On the way back from the falls, about 2/3 of the trail was in the shade as the sun dipped behind the tall rock walls. I didn’t take any pictures, just put one foot in front of the other, but Abby did.

My first view of the falls.

I could hardly get my

shoes off quickly enough!

Caleb and Dinah were in the water by the time I arrived.

Caleb – Doesn’t have the sense he was born with!

It was SO cold!

Bekah and her Baywatch moves!

How can they do that? Did they not just walk as far as I did?

Elijah with Grandpa, happy to be out of the back pack! Elijah was here!

I checked every family picture we took at the falls. I had the same expression in each one. Happy to be there, contemplating the long walk back!

The walk back was beautiful. It’s true – you miss things when you stay in your car. I’m glad I didn’t miss this.

Caleb pretty much trotted the whole way Life giving water—green and lush along the creek.

Elijah hung in there the whole way.	Abby, Steve and Elijah
Miles to go……	Never faltering.
Literally along the side of the mountain	Red desert, green growth.

My favorite moment of the whole weekend was putting my feet in Calf Creek, after the hike. Calf Creek campground is right at the base of the hike to the falls. Calf Creek runs through the campground with easy access to the water. Several of us waded around for several minutes before driving back to our camp at Single Tree.

Abby, Eli, and Dinah

cooling their feet

in the creek!

We loved the area around Boulder, which we passed through on the way to Calf Creek, so much that we decided to go to church there so that we could visit the Anasazi Museum and drive the Burr Trail after church.

A few interesting artifacts in the museum, some actual homes that had been excavated, and a model of a home. And a bunch of over priced stuff in the museum store.

The Burr Trail was another awesome experience. It can be driven in a complete loop, but the last third of the way is not paved, with extreme switchbacks. It doesn’t necessarily say 4-wheel drive only, but we opted not to try it in our van. The best part is about 2/3 of the way through, which is down in the bottom of the gorge. It’s like descending into the bottom of the Grand Canyon. No water, this time of year. There is a dry river bed, which I’m sure runs like crazy in the spring.

Another of my favorite moments about the weekend was the balmy weather sitting around the fire in the evening, and no shock to the system getting out of bed in the morning, even at 5:30 am, or so. Sleeping was lovely and cool, just not bone-jarring cold!

We had thought we would do one more hike on Monday. But the kids had done the Cohab Canyon hike on Friday, big hike on Saturday, lots of driving on Sunday. I was prepared to try to be a good sport, even though my ankles and calves hadn’t yet recovered from the Saturday hike. Everyone decided that they had had their fill and we’d pack up and head home on Monday. “Ok, if that’s what y’all would prefer to do.” (Thank goodness!)

I think I’ll return to the area again, to poke around some more, especially the Grand Staircase area, especially between Bryce and Escalante—I’d like to visit Kodachrome Basin.