Valley of Fire S P, Nevada (Part 2) - March 20, 2007 (Re-run)

 The most obvious evidence of human occupation of this area are the petroglyphs carved into the rocks by the Basketmaker culture about 2,500 years ago, followed later by the Anazasis who occupied this valley from around 300 BC until around 1150 AD. Paiutes were living in this area in 1865 when Mormons settled at nearby St. Thomas.

Valley of Fire S P, Nevada (Part 1) - March 20, 2007 (Re-run)

 The motor home was due for service and the only certified dealer was in St. George, UT, so that is where we went.  Leaving the rig for a full day, we decided to make a dash in the Honda into the state of NV and re-visit Valley of Fire State Park.  This park, in my opinion, is on a very short list of the best state parks in the entire country.  I've been there several times and still have not seen all its geologic wonders.

The 46,000 acre park was formed in the Jurassic Period, was inhabited by early man at least 11,000 years ago, and was finally designated a state park in 1935.  No doubt it would otherwise qualify as a national park.  The sandstone formations left behind when seas subsided and land rose were further shaped by wind and water.  For reasons unknown, the variety of colors found in the rock here exceeds that of most other locations in North America.  The shapes often defy description, and photos fail to convey the magnificence of Mother Nature's handiwork.

Cathedral Wash, Arizona - March 18, 2007 (Re-run)

 Cathedral Wash is a relatively unknown canyon south of Page, AZ, a 3.5 round trip through an amazing grotto that ends at the Colorado River.  I had never heard of it until the day I actually hiked it, and yet it proved to be one of the best adventures of this trip.

More than a simple hike, yet not so technical as to require ropes and other rappelling gear, Cathedral Wash is more of a challenging puzzle in finding ones way.  Numerous times on the trail, there are dry falls with sheer drops of 10, 20 or 30 feet, with no obvious way to proceed.  However, ledges on both sides of the canyon offer a path to continue on.  Unfortunately, some ledges end abruptly with nowhere to go, so the trick is to pick a ledge that allows you to keep going.  In some cases, a ledge leads to another ledge, that ledge to another, and so on.  Crawling between ledges is sometimes required, and a bit of climbing or scrambling is frequently necessary.

As I progressed through the canyon, several times I observed others following, but then never saw them again.  Obviously, they were unable to figure out a path or unwilling to deal with the ledge hopping.  

The return trip can be just as challenging, since everything looks different from the canyon floor.  Of course, it helps if you can remember the route you took on the way down the canyon and return the same way.