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In Our Element Part I

What is antimony? A notion, an element, an antidote to Billy Idol? It is an element, but it is also a small town in central Utah with about 100 residents and proximity to multiple national parks. How did we end up in this tiny settlement? And how did the ending up end up? Those elemental answers await you.

the Antimony silo
The silo we stayed in used to house grain for cattle. The grain is gone, but the cattle remain.
Osiris
Osiris’ creamery was built in the 1920s but was soon abandoned due to unfavorable weather and farming conditions.

For Valentine’s Day this year, I gave Jason a “Would You Rather?” gift. Apparently, he would rather stay in a silo than a treehouse or a giant glamping tent. That silo was in Antimony. Did we know where Antimony was when I reserved the silo, or what was in Antimony beyond a silo? No.

the Woodard House
The Woodard House is one of two historic structures remaining in Widtsoe. The other is a one-room schoolhouse.
the remains of the heyday
In the 1920s, Widtsoe’s population peaked somewhere between 365 and 1,100. It had two hotels, a confectionery, a church, four stores, a schoolhouse, and a post office.
from hip to hollow
Extended drought, erosion, and an overabundance of rodents eventually made Widtsoe one of the most impoverished towns in the state.
the specter of Widtsoe
In 1935, the 29 families remaining voted to accept a resettlement package from the federal government. By 1938, the last of them were gone and Widtsoe was no more.

It turns out, Antimony is a place where cellphone service cannot be found for almost an hour in any direction. That’s what isn’t in or around Antimony. So, what is? Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Otter Creek State Park, Piute State Park, and Kodachrome Basin State Park. Yes, near Antimony you can experience much but tell no one.

Widtsoe by Dorothea Lange
The famous photographer Dorothea Lange came to Widtsoe in 1936 to document the federal government’s resettlement plan.
Lange at the LOC
Dorothea Lange’s photos of Widtsoe can be found easily on the Library of Congress’ website.

Our first full day in Antimony, Bryce Canyon National Park was our destination. On the way, we wanted to commune with the forsaken at two ghost towns. We stopped at Osiris, which seemed more like a building than a town, and visited Widtsoe. We had explored Widtsoe last time we were in the area almost 10 years ago and were surprised to find that during the last decade people had begun to move back to this long-abandoned settlement. While the original one-room schoolhouse was still there and the ever-interesting Woodard House, the scattering of brand-new structures amongst these seemed to dematerialize the spirits of the past. We even returned to the Widtsoe Cemetery, a location we thought strange and slightly unsettling last time, only to find it just a somewhat unconventional, peaceful spot.

100 years later
A century after Widtsoe’s apex, it’s hard to imagine a thriving town in its dry, solitary spot.

Although Jason and I had both been to Bryce Canyon National Park at least three or four times prior to this visit, we had not investigated many of its trails. On this outing, we inspected one of the unfamiliar, the Fairyland Loop. The Fairyland Loop is 8.3 miles long and considered strenuous. Its path passes points of interest like Oastler’s Castle, Chinese Wall, and Tower Bridge. Figuring out which hoodoos corresponded with which titles was often unachievable, but we saw it all even if we didn’t know what we were looking at.

crimson nymphs
Throughout the Fairyland Loop, windows, fins, hoodoos, plateaus, and pinnacles of crimson and rust form abstract structures and fantastical creatures.
the wonders of weathering
Bryce Canyon experiences freeze/thaw cycles every day for nearly half of the year. Those are the most significant source of weathering in the park.

We had read conflicting reports of this path’s busyness and were a little puzzled about what to expect. The proclaimers of emptiness were right; it was much less trafficked than other trails in Bryce. We saw exactly zero people after we passed Tower Bridge, suggesting hikers were just going to the bridge and not doing the complete loop.

the Chinese Wall
Both form and color surprise at Bryce.
the fairies of the Fairyland Loop
It takes limited imagination to envision these fanciful shapes and dazzling colors the workings of nymphs and goblins.

Beyond a lack of hominoid clusters, we also lucked out on weather. Due to its high elevation, Bryce is typically about 10 degrees cooler than the surrounding region. That placed its temperatures somewhere in the low to mid-eighties on this particular afternoon. Even with elevation considered, after experiencing the hottest day on record in Utah right before our trip, we were still expecting some sultry misery in the canyon. However, thick clouds came in, and a breeze sprung up early in our expedition making it mighty pleasant. The sun didn’t show itself until about five o’clock. By then, it could only blast us briefly before hoodoos shadowed our way.

Hoodoo? You do.
Hoodoo is a fitting name for a strange spectacle.
atypical steeples
Someone must have told Mother Nature to think outside the box.
the Sinking Ship
It’s not hard to visualize a ship sinking into this sea of vibrant sand and wavy stone.

Were all the paragraphs above devoted to just one day? Umm… yes. That leaves the rest of our Antimony escapades to next week’s recount. Don’t worry, it will be longer than a fifth-grade book report but shorter than a dissertation… probably.

Rachel November 23, 2021 1 Comment

Bluffing

With vaccinations lifting restrictions last spring, my family was eager to spend some closer-than-six-feet time together. Therefore, my sister suggested we all assemble somewhere in southeastern Utah. After some research and a bit of random selection, we ended up in Bluff for this last-minute excursion. Though you probably haven’t heard of this Utah speck, maybe my post will convince you too to do a little bluffing.

Natural Bridges
In 1908, Natural Bridges was designated a national monument making it Utah’s first contribution to the national park system.

Although Bluff is a small town with only about two hundred residents, it is situated amidst grandeur and opportunities for adventure. While busier than its size might suggest, it is far from being a hub of tourism, which we appreciated.

Sipapu
All three bridges at Natural Bridges formed from an entrenched meander system.
Horse Collar Ruin
Horse Collar Ruin is well-preserved and unique.

We went to Natural Bridges National Monument our first day in the area. Due to its remote location, Natural Bridges gets fewer guests than its magnificence deserves, which makes for an even pleasanter visiting experience for those willing to wander way out. Jason and I have been to Natural Bridges before, and the trail we took was mostly a repeat, but we noticed more archeological sites, pictographs, and petroglyphs in White Canyon this time. From granaries high on the canyon walls to those accessible in hidden places, we were shocked by how much we had missed on our first visit. We had planned on hiking the full loop between Sipapu and Owachomo Bridges, but my dad fell and pulled his hamstring not long after we stopped at Horse Collar Ruin, about two or so miles into our trek. He was in horrible pain and struggling to walk, so most of our group took the trail to the top of the canyon after Kachina Bridge to aid him. Jason and I continued with a couple of the bolder kids through Armstrong Canyon to Owachomo Bridge. A vehicle awaited us at Owachomo, cutting our trek down to 6.6 miles. Thanks for a three-mile minivan shortcut Sis!

undetected edifices
Natural Bridges contains many undamaged and practically whole prehistoric structures, most of which remain undetected by hikers.
Kachina
Kachina Bridge is more mass than grace and is still being worn by flood waters.

With an injured father, we decided the best activity option for the next day was checking out Valley of the Gods. Valley of the Gods is a basin full of odd shapes and towering buttes created out of Cedar Mesa sandstone over the span of 250 million years. As it is basically a drive with about a dozen or so stops, it is a perfect place to take a stubborn father with a leg injury so he can enjoy the outdoors without straining himself further. Thanks Mother Nature for your kind consideration of wounded pops!

Owachomo
Owachomo Bridge is in the late stages of its life and is no longer being eroded by flowing water.
Castle Butte
Valley of the Gods is a smaller, and much less popular, version of Monument Valley.
Setting Hen Butte
This photo can only be explained by the nearness of Setting Hen Butte and the exhilaration of long-overdue family nearness.

Since we were just a few minutes from Gooseneck State Park, we dropped by after exploring Valley of the Gods. Gooseneck State Park gives an excellent view of the San Juan River as it flows over six miles while only moving 1.5 miles west. This is one of the best examples of an entrenched meander anywhere in North America. If you don’t understand what an entrenched meander is, I’d recommend watching the 2 Minute Geology clip on the subject via YouTube.

Gooseneck State Park
At Gooseneck State Park, 1000 feet of rock is revealed. Those 16 layers date back 300 million years.
Alhambra Rock
Alhambra Rock, a relic of ancient volcanism, can be seen from Gooseneck State Park.

Before heading home the next day, we stopped at Edge of the Cedars State Park. This place features the largest collection of Ancestral Puebloan pottery in the region, a restored kiva you can enter, and a partially excavated village. While not as impressive as nearby Hovenweep National Monument, the museum at Edge of the Cedars contains plenty of information and noteworthy artifacts to merit a visit.

Solar Marker
This interesting sculpture at Edge of the Cedars transforms on the winter solstice.

The landscapes and historical relics were captivating near Bluff but hanging out with my family was more so. After we’d spent over a year meeting at parks and chatting from a distance, we got to cram uncomfortably into vehicles and sit at tables together! Our joy at the normalcy of our outing was almost overwhelming. We occupied our evenings sitting around fires chatting and giggling. My family is amazing because we readily laugh and joke around, yet we are still fully willing to have meaningful, serious conversations. More than the majestic bridges and buttes, I will remember the exquisite reconnection.

Rachel November 2, 2021 No Comments

The Great Salt Lake Bird Festival

Birdwatching does not require, as one might assume, an in-depth knowledge of fowls. Curiosity, sharp observation skills, and a present focus are all that are necessary for this hobby. Last spring, Jason and I attended the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival, a birdwatching pageant, for the second time. Did we have what it takes to look at birds? Read on, and all will be revealed.

There are over 50 billion birds on this planet. Yet, they are a part of the environment that usually goes unnoticed. They become background noise, often literally, to the more “important” stimuli that occupy our attention. Birdwatching encourages you to slow down and be more aware of your surroundings, all the things you miss in your hurried life. Focusing on the world of the winged almost becomes a meditation, and like meditation, bird watching has been scientifically proven to decreases stress and improve well-being.

Antelope Island
Antelope Island’s atypical ecosystem includes a herd of bison and lots of biting gnats.

While identifying birds is a satisfying part of birdwatching, it isn’t compulsory for enjoyment of this interest. The habits of birds and the motivations behind those habits are what it is all about, labeling matters less than perceiving. You may not know if you are looking at a house finch or a barn sparrow, but you can still wonder about the purpose of its calls, modes of movement, social behaviors, and feather patterns.

In springtime, many birds stop at the Great Salt Lake, the biggest saline lake in the entire Western Hemisphere and the largest lake west of the Mississippi, during their annual migration. It is critical to birds’ yearly travels because it is the greatest (pun totally intended) body of inland water on the Pacific Flyway, a major north-south migratory path. Like this unique body of water, the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival is fairly remarkable.

Anna's hummingbird?
This might be an Anna’s hummingbird. However, it is nearly as plausible that it is not.

We attended two field trips at the festival this year, one in Croydon and one on Antelope Island. Over decades, a family in Croydon has turned a section of their expansive backyard into a bird metropolis. A number of species are attracted to the seeds, fruit, and nectar offered. We noted these birds for over an hour and discussed their habits with a group of like-minded eyewitnesses.

Antelope Island, the largest of the Great Salt Lake’s islands, is home to a sizeable population of burrowing owls. Burrowing owls, unlike other owls, are often active during the day, and incidentally, they are also small, fluffy, and adorable. During our field trip, we spotted many, along with a family of great horned owls.

great horned owlet
This fluffy owlet was just weeks old and mamma didn’t appreciate our presence.

Curiosity is one of my constants. Slowing down, on the other hand, is a characteristic I struggle mastering. Still, next spring, you are likely to find Jason and me at the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival again concentrating on the layers of feathery drama around us and practicing our appreciation of the moments.

Rachel October 4, 2021 No Comments
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