5/12/14 -- Arches to Capitol Reef to Bryce

Dear Dad,

Today Emily and I visited Capitol Reef on our way to Bryce Canyon after waking up on the top of a bluff right outside of Moab.  Thankfully, it did not rain during the night!  We were able to get an early start.  After filing up and checking all the fluids we drove north towards I-70.  As Emily drove, I was able to enjoy all the beautiful scenery Utah had to offer.

I couldn’t remember if you, mom, and Nadia chose to drive through Capitol Reef.  If you didn’t you missed out!  It is a spectacular drive.  In Hanksville, Emily stopped and I got some hard-boiled eggs and OJ from the gas station.  My ear had bothered me all morning and I thought some Vitamin C would help. 

Capitol Reef is a long skinny park that runs North-South.  Emily and I stopped to observe some petroglyphs as we drove across to the visitor center.  Inside there was an amazing aerial carving of the entire park.  We stopped for lunch under the shade of some cottonwoods.  The visitor center and campgrounds are located in the historic orchard town of Fruita.  It was quite quaint.  A bit further up the road is a combination pie shop and Mormon settler museum.  Emily and I thought the pie matched that in Julian, CA.  As we drive out, I left feeling this was my favorite park.  The pie was so good and the park so sleepy.

We stopped to do a short overlook hike.  The views of the canyon were great but we were wary of the dark clouds covering the white hills ahead.

Capitol Reef National Park!

Lots and lots of rocks

Aidan fixing lunch in the park

Mixed berry pie and raspberry ice cream!

"Goosenecks" -- places the meandering stream has cut deep
into the rock, forever preserving the original path

As we drove west and up the hills we noticed more and more snow in the high alpine desert.  Soon we were driving in graupel, then snow, then rain, and finally sun.  The views near the summit were too awe-inspiring for a picture to do justice (probably the theme of this letter).  The views just kept coming!  If you and mom haven’t driven Highway 12, I’d highly recommend it.

We stopped frequently along the drive through the Escalante/Grand Staircase National Monument and attempted to capture the immense landscapes, though to no avail.  Here is what we could manage.

A favorite picture of the whole trip!

You can see the diagram of the rock layers.

The red sandstone at the top is visible in the distance.
This is the same layer that Bryce Canyon developed in!

Upon entering Bryce Canyon National Park, we chose not to hike to the cave and drove straight to the visitor center, pleasantly surprised that the campgrounds weren’t full.  We set up camp in Sunset Campground and hurried out to explore the amphitheater.  We were blown away by the hoodoos!  We hiked Navajo Loop to Sunrise Point and back, stopping frequently, just amazed at the beauty before us. 

Bryce Canyon National Park!

The Bryce Amphitheater

Right at sunset

Thor's Hammer

Emily hiding in a hoodoo

This excited the geologist in me...

LOVE the way the sun hit the rocks!

Incredible!

The tree grows and the rock erodes

A point to ponder

After our short hike we rushed to the visitor center for change for a $20 to pay for camping.  Emily and I then rushed to the showers, hoping to get there before they closed.  For some reason the women’s showers didn’t explain the coin policy or where the change machine was.  I made change for a $5 and Emily and I parted ways to shower. 

Emily’s shower was almost too hot.  I did not have that problem.  What little heat I had was completely eliminated by the icy water in my shower.  I was miserable and wished I hadn’t even bothered.  Eventually I moved the handle a fraction colder, and the water became warm.  This was not enough to warm me back up!

At this point it was getting towards dark.  Emily was warm, happy, and hungry, I was just cold, miserable, and hungry.  We made grilled cheese and clam chowder with green beans.  It was warm…

Well, I am freezing so I will close.  Hope all is well with you and mom.

Love,

Aidan