brodbeck.org > Dominique > Stories > Leaving CA
Leaving California

Introduction
Map

Mojave Desert
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3

Colorado Plateau
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14
Day 15

Sonoran Desert
Day 16
Day 17
Day 18
Day 19
Day 20
Day 21

Painted Desert
Day 22
Day 23

New Mexico
Day 24
Day 25
Day 26
Day 27
Day 28
Day 29
Day 30

Chihuahuan Desert
Day 31
Day 32
Day 33
Day 34
Day 35
Day 36

Texas
Day 37
Day 38
Day 39
Day 40
Day 41
Day 42

Day 5: Kolob Canyons

Sunday, March 17, 1996
820 miles
37° 26' 07" N / 113° 12' 05" W

Windy night. Before breakfast we zip up the narrow side canyon to check out Kolob Arch. Even though it's supposedly very large, it looks rather small from the distance and distinctively unspectacular. We arrive back in camp and shortly afterwards the sun reaches the canyon bottom.

Eroded cliffs in Hop Valley
Eroded cliffs in Hop Valley

Sandstone pancakes and butte above La Verkin Creek
Sandstone pancakes and butte above La Verkin Creek

After a sunny breakfast we head out for Hop Valley, which was filled up with sediments by an old lake and thus has a wide and flat valley floor with a stream meandering through it, and red cliffs rising vertically. We hang out for a while and make it back to camp for a meager lunch and then start our return trip.

Not much news there except that it feels very long and arduous, probably because of all the exploring in the morning or something. Back at the car we check out the viewpoint which is much too panoramic to capture on film. From there one can see all the way to the rim of the Grand Canyon, 70 miles away.
Finger canyons of the Kolob
Finger canyons of the Kolob

In St. George we check in at Motel 6 and have dinner at Sizzler (everything else is closed, it's Sunday). Ahhh, back in civilization.



© 1999 Dominique Brodbeck. Questions, comments, suggestions?
Page rendered on Monday, January 03, 2000