August 13, 2016

We woke up, broke camp, and headed into Arches National Park.  It’s going to be hot and we want to see the most famous arch here before things get too rough.

The hike to Delicate Arch begins with a ranger warning you of the dangers of heat and checking to make sure you have enough water.  The trail head is also where a ranch used to be.  Had to be a hell of a place to run cattle.

Pictures can’t do this justice.  So many colors.  The sand is blue.  Literally blue.

We’re in the desert!  I love the desert!  I may be biased, but it’s always just so pretty and amazing.  Also, I’m feeling better today, which I’m pretty sure has to do with the desert.  Or warmer temperatures, whatever.

It’s dry, hot, and gorgeous.

Now we head up.  This is solid rock and grips pretty well.  JA has been out in Moab mountain biking before – apparently this type of rock is the common stuff out here and is a lot easier to ride on than the limestone we have in Austin.  I can definitely see myself on a bike roaming around out here.  Well, not at the National Park, but surrounding areas.

Like so many other ‘this is steep’ pictures, it fails to do it justice.

I love the desert.

Gotta stack rocks everywhere.

The climb isn’t terrible.  I’m pretty sure most people could handle it just fine.  The heat is what gets folks, but even that is not too terrible if you hydrate properly.

Have I mentioned I love the desert yet?  This park is just insanely gorgeous.  I haven’t even seen an arch yet.

Oh look!  An arch!  No one was taking pictures of it but me, so maybe it’s not a famous one.

Look how cool the pattern in the rock is here.  Wind and rain etched on the stone.  This is fantastic.  I want to go run all over this.

Another arch!  Once again, no one else cares but me.

Same from before, just a little closer.

At this point, JA, who has been here before, told me to wait and count to 30 here.  Pretty sure the main attraction is around the corner.

…and yeah.  That’s pretty damn amazing.  Holy cow.  I’ve seen pictures before, I didn’t realize it was that big.

This place is amazing.

This huge ‘bowl’ is below the arch.  Again, pictures just don’t do this justice.  I just don’t have the skills to convey the size of this.  It’s deep too, not nearly as shallow as this picture makes it look.

This place feels like another world.

The rocks that line the viewing area for Delicate Arch.

Gotta run in there and get my picture under the arch, just like the rest of the tourists.  I’m skipping, in case you can’t tell in this picture.  I’m just so happy to be out hiking, feeling good, and in an environment I love, just completely in awe.

JA and me!

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people here.  A LOT.  It was a challenge to take pictures without other people in them.  Going to the backside of the arch helped with this.  Plus it was a steep drop off so folks weren’t wandering close.  The rock grips really well though, like sandpaper, so the traction is amazing.

JA for size comparison.

Obviously enjoying myself thoroughly.

Another arch!

Just another amazing thing.  A little patch of life in the rock.  JA and I are just roaming now, enjoying the views, marveling at the sights.

Another angle of the big bowl.

Heading back to the car.  I could stay out here all day.  But, like before, we have limited time.  We’ve been so rushed this trip, except in Portland.  Next time we need to plan on double or triple the time everywhere.

We didn’t take the beaten path.  We found some rocks to crawl over.

Not sure what caused that in the rock.  Rain, maybe?  Animals?  who knows?  This wall was a little taller than me.

We came upon another ‘entrance’ to Delicate Arch.

I can’t get enough of it.

Dead moss, for KL.

 

Back to Grand Teton ::: On to Arches & Canyonlands Part 2