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The Fort and the Park

Jason and I traveled to Colorado recently to attend a family event and spend some time in Estes Park with said family. My sister, her husband, and my dad were amongst those present. It was a short but fulfilling trip with plenty of pines, climbs, dines, temperature declines… and other things that poorly rhyme, which I will not mention at this time.

On route to Estes Park, we stopped in Fort Collins for a day or so. Fort Collins is one of two towns that inspired Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A. Its charming edifices surfaced unexpected cravings within me for Matterhorn-shaped macaroons and tipsy pirates. Instead, we toured the New Belgium Brewing Company, shopped in Old Town, and drank tea peacefully at a darling teashop while lightning splashed the sky and thunder growled constant complaints.

a whole lotta lightning
I wasn’t making up that lightning storm bit.
along the Lawn Lake Trail
The Lawn Lake Trail continues for nearly 12 miles. We didn’t continue for 12 miles.

After our respite in Fort Collins, we were off to Estes Park where we had rented a cabin situated in a hilly nook with log beams and room to hang. We wasted no time heading out into the opulence of nature in Rocky Mountain National Park, which is one of the primary reasons visitors swarm Estes Park in the summer. We did the Alluvial Fan Trail, but it was too short to satisfy. So, we followed the Lawn Lake Trail until darkness dissuaded us.

to The Pool
The Fern Lake Trail runs along the Upper Big Thompson River and affords ample magnificent scenery.
Arch Rocks
The path to The Pool passes between two boulders the size of houses.

The next day, rain was in the forecast. We were confident we could beat or outlast it, but I’m not sure there was any logic behind that conviction. If logic wasn’t in our corner, at least luck seemed to be as we trekked to The Pool on the Fern Lake Trail, about 3.5-miles roundtrip. We got back to our car just before the showers picked up substantially. Some members of our group ran (literally) the extra mile out to Fern Falls in order to catch that cascade and still stay ahead of the downpour. It all worked out somehow. Beauty was beheld, proper exercise was performed, and dowsing was delayed.

The Stanley Hotel
Does this historic facade look enchanting or sinister?

After our hike, we had prudently scheduled an indoor activity: a ghost tour at the famous Stanley Hotel. The Stanley Hotel was built in 1909 by Freelan Oscar Stanley of steam-powered-car fame. This 142-room resort is famous for inspiring Stephen King’s The Shining and for providing a set for Dumb and Dumber. The ghost tour was a little spooky but mostly just fun and informative. Learning about the unusual history of the owners and buildings was my favorite part.

Spring or Santa?
Snow accumulated on the ground the night before we left. It felt like Christmas in an alternate universe.

Although it was May, a winter storm warning was issued for the Estes Park area the next day, and we barely missed the worst of it when we headed out. Cute Colorado supplied much to jolt our systems: May snowstorms, historical phantoms, fermented concoctions, and quirky company.

Rachel August 3, 2019 No Comments

Spiking 150

You history buffs may recall a monumental conclusion that occurred 150 years ago. If not, let me spike your memory. This May marked the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad at unlikely Promontory Summit, Utah. In celebration of this anniversary, 150 parties took place around the state. Jason and I were delighted to be part of one of these and to be able to visit Promontory Summit itself during its three-day celebration.

hooped and boxed
The Heber Valley Railroad utilizes cars built from 1910 to the late 1940s.

The Heber Valley Railroad (Heber Creeper) is the sole historic railway in Utah; it’s the only place in the state you can ride a 100-year-old train. So, it was a perfect track for one of the many sesquicentennial festivities. Before the Heber Creeper rolled down its 15-mile line hauling eight cars filled with 400 people, our vintage dance group enlivened those riders with moves from the 1860s. On the platform, we taught them to chasse and skip along with us.

Big Boy
Big Boy weighs 1.2 million pounds and is over 132 feet long making it the world’s largest locomotive.

During the ride through Provo Canyon, our twirling troupe traversed cars and chatted with attendees. Their passion was contagious. With so many train enthusiasts from all over the world aboard, the Heber Creeper was feeling the love that night. I enjoyed wandering the compartments and conversing with people, but it was a challenge to fit my hoopskirt though the aisles and even harder to sit down. Apparently, train cars aren’t built to accommodate 4.5-foot-wide passengers.

the last spike
During the summer, reenactments of the driving of the last spike happen every Saturday at Golden Spike National Historic Park.

We managed to get tickets for the Sesquicentennial Celebration the following day at Golden Spike National Historic Park. The weekend’s festivities were completely sold out with thousands of attendees. On the way to Promontory Summit, we stopped in Ogden to see Big Boy, the largest and heaviest steam locomotive ever made. Decommissioned in 1959, Big Boy No. 4014 was restored to operating condition in honor of the sesquicentennial by the Union Pacific Railroad. The crowds to view Big Boy were dense, even thicker than the throngs we encountered later that day at Promontory Summit. It was worth the wedging though to examine that beefy chunk of a bygone era.

rolling perdition
We partied like it was 1869 with some family members who also came to Golden Spike.

We made it to Golden Spike in time for the afternoon reenactment, which was packed but entertaining. We heard some true tales about the completing of the railroad, ate from a plethora of food trucks, and visited “Hell on Wheels.” The working replicas of the Jupiter and No. 119 locomotives, although not new, were new to me. I loved how they breathed tangible steam and smoke into the stillness of the past.

No. 119
The original Union Pacific No. 119 was scrapped in 1903, but this operating replica is pretty convincing.

As a history nerd, I was super excited about the sesquicentennial, and it did not disappoint. Being a part of the revelries with our dancing group made it even more extraordinary. It was surprisingly easy to get swept up in the momentum of an occurrence that changed this continent 150 years ago.

Rachel July 26, 2019 No Comments

A Monumental Adventure

This year’s anniversary festivities fell to me for the planning. I’ve been curious about Monument Valley for years. On this occasion, as it often does, curiosity got the better of me. So, Jason and I were soon off on a monumental adventure.

Balanced Rock
A rock can be balanced by a bow.

We stopped at Arches National Park on our way to Monument Valley. I was hoping to photograph the slew of wildflowers anticipated after Utah’s unusually wet winter and spring, but the blossoms were just starting to pop out. Arches was far from a photographic bust though. I happened to be shooting Balanced Rock at sunset when a double rainbow unexpectedly materialized over it. Shot score!

Run Forrest!
You may recognize this hill from a famous running scene.

The following day, we proceeded into the middle of nowhere because nowhere is exactly where Monument Valley is located. Although remote, the drive to Monument Valley passes some stimulating scenery like Mexican Hat, a massive rock that looks like a sombrero stuck upside down.

Goulding's
Goulding’s Trading Post Museum makes for an interesting interruption.

Before heading into Monument Valley, we stopped at the Goulding’s Trading Post Museum to learn a little about the over 100 movies that have been filmed in Monument Valley. Don’t remember any? Perhaps you recall Forrest Gump, Back to the Future III, National Lampoon’s Vacation, The Lone Ranger, Mission: Impossible II, Wild Wild West, and Starman? Four John Wayne movies placed Monument Valley on the cinematic map and countless others have kept it there.

West Mitten Butte
Most hiking in Monument Valley requires a guide. The Wildcat Trail is an exception.

Monument Valley is a mystifying mix of fantastic buttes and crowds. The nine stops you can make on the 17-mile Valley Drive without a guide are gorgeous but might test your patience. They may be packed with tourists taking 50 pictures of themselves doing the exact same jump over and over again in front of a butte you are waiting to photograph. (Yup, that happened, and no, 50 isn’t an exaggeration.) If you want to avoid the surplus throngs, I’d recommend using your feet.

John Ford's Point
This overlook in Monument Valley is named after John Ford, the Hollywood director that made Monument Valley legendary.

There are only a couple places you can hike without a guide in Monument Valley. One of them is the Wildcat Trail that circles the West Mitten Butte. Despite the masses at the visitor center, we saw exactly seven people and two equestrians on this four-mile trek. Hallelujah for hominid lethargy!

Totem Pole and Yei Bi Chei
Buttes erode into pointy beauties.
Three Sisters
Spring flowers bloomed around the Three Sisters.

Our last day in Southeastern Utah began with a visit to the Bluff Fort Historic Site. Bluff is a tiny town of 320 surrounded by a challenging landscape. Its fort was the first Anglo settlement in the Four Corners region. These initial settlers came from Escalante in 1880 via the Hole in the Rock Trail. Their story is pretty remarkable. The recreations and restorations at the fort are maintained with obvious pride and love. It’s a great place not only to gather historical tidbits but also information on points of interest in the area. The staff is knowledgeable and plenty of maps are available. As an added bonus, admission is free.

North Window
The only unguided driving one can do in Monument Valley is on a loop with just nine stops. Each one is magnificent though.

The rest of our day was packed with Native art and ancient structures. We stopped at the Sand Island Petroglyph Panel first. This panel is easy to access and continues for more than 100 yards. It features varied rock art between 800 and 2,500 years old.

Wolfman Panel
The Wolfman Panel is distinct and sophisticated… and a distinct reminder that humans are often disappointing creatures. Bullet holes? What the!

Next, we visited three ruins and some petroglyphs along Butler Wash, which is now part of the Shash Jaa Unit of Bears Ears National Monument. Through Butler Wash many archeological sites can be accessed. We chose to investigate the Wolfman Petroglyph Panel with its nearby edifices, Split Level Ruin, and Monarch Cave Ruins.

Wolfman's den
We encountered pictographs, petroglyphs, metates, and pottery shards at the ruins we visited.

Although we hiked to three ruins, none of them felt like repeats. The ones near the Wolfman Panel contained a number of compartments. Split Level included hand pictographs and petroglyphs. Monarch’s curved structure reminded us of the buildings at Hovenweep National Monument. None of the required climbs were particularly long, ranging from about a mile to just over two, but we were rained on repeatedly at surprising moments during our treks.

Monarch Cave Ruins
Rain dampened our weekend numerous times, especially during our trek to Monarch Cave.

Our trip to Monument Valley encompassed areas beyond that epic basin. We explored many parts of Southeastern Utah previously unseen. You don’t have to journey across the world to experience new things; just around the four corners wonders await.

Rachel July 16, 2019 No Comments
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