Trip Report: Travels in the West- Sierra Nevada, Yellowstone, Colorado Plateau and on. October, 2024

[Harlen]

My wife and son, along with two old friends, all headed north and east after our backpacking trip into Convict Creek.  Shaun and Tim (from Tasmania, Australia, and Manchester, England) were very keen to explore the wild west-- that is, the wild landscape, the wildlife, and in Shaun's case-- the wild outlaws. He has an interest in frontier history, and once sent me an excellent book documenting the life and death of Australia's Ned Kelly, their most famous outlaw, or "bush ranger," as they are called down there.  So naturally, Shaun was up on our own outlaw history, and foremost in his mind was the the Lincoln County War, and its protagonists-- Billy the Kid, and Pat Garrett.  In fact, Billy the Kid's and Ned Kelly's short, firey lives were contemporary-- Ned Kelly lived from 1854-1880, and Billy the Kid from 1859-1881. 

I mention all of this because Shaun's interest in it defined our farthest travels eastward.  After a fine beginning in Wyoming-- Yellowstone N.P., and The Grand Tetons-- we wandered through the eastern side of the Colorado Plateau, and then made a jog east into Lincoln County, New Mexico.  From there, we limped back to California in our failing old van (the brakes went first, and then the transmission began to go-- no reverse gear), passing through the Navajo Nation, and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

It was full of fun and wonders all of the way.  We chose to travel on quiet highways for the great majority of the trip, which I think really made a difference.  The giant Interstate Hwys, like I-40, 70, 80 and 15 are all rat-races compared, full of crazy truck traffic and speed-racer types.  We were all amazed at the wide open nature of that part of the West.  Here it is in pictures:

Our sightseeing trip really began on the West Coast.  We hiked on the northern Santa Cruz beaches and in the Coastal Redwood forest.  The next stop was Yosemite.  When we entered The Valley, I thought to stop early to get us out of the car.  We took a walk across the Merced River, and ambled through the forest and meadows till we had a fine view up at El Capitan.  We chose not to continue all the way into the developed area of the Park, but instead stopped a couple more times at quiet spots along the road to experience the amazing valley on our feet.  Then we raced off toward the Eastern Sierra. We stopped again at Olmstead Point, and immediately hiked up the pure granite slabs above the road.  See Tim on the ridgetop below.  Our friends loved this pattern of trying to enjoy the popular National Parklands while avoiding the big crowds.   

We had the luck to catch a Black Bear in the daytime, near the road by Tioga Pass.  We think that the bear found a dead squirrel on the road, and then sat down very close by to eat it.  It was Tim's first sight of a bear, and he got to view it very well with the binos. Sorry for the lousy photo.

The countryside was pretty scenic around the towns of Austin and Eureka in Nevada.  There are quiet towns along Hwy 50.  Many of these small towns have an old-- even a timeless feel to them.  We were so glad that our tour of the west included visiting these historic places.  There was mining history, old stone and brick buildings, and a lot of horses, cattle, and widely scattered ranches all along the way.  This is such a stark contrast to the hectic pace, and generic modern "travel islands" found along the major Interstates, each one a cultural desert with only giant gas stations and fast-food places.

In two long driving days we made it to the outskirts of Yellowstone National Park. Our wildlife adventures began tha night when a huge bull moose came bellowing through the campground, very near where we were sleeping!  I was without a tent per usual, so once I got over my shock at the size of it, I was able to train a light on him, and follow till he went into the trees.  Once again, it's the moose that end up scaring me while in Grizzly Bear country.  Camping inside the Park was all closed, or booked up, so we camped outside, and made daily forays in.  We headed directly to the Lamar Valley in the north to see if we could have any luck with Gray Wolves and Grizzly Bears.  The last time we were up there with our young sons we saw both Black and Grizzly Bears, and Wolves.  We knew that we would find the Bison and Elk herds up there, and with more luck, many other species of wildlife. 

We also saw many small herds of Pronghorn In the Lamar Valley, and all around Wyoming.  We saw a few Deer and Elk too.  

We were told that most of the Grizzly Bears were high up the slopes, fattening up on Whitebark Pine nuts.  We never found them though we looked long and hard.  

To the NE of the Lamar Valley there are at least three big mountains over 10,000.'  Mt. Abiathar is the highest at 10,900+ feet, and "The Thunderer" is 10,500.+  These would be nice mountains to climb up, and then blunder about looking for Moose to ride, and Grizzly Bears to pet.

[Harlen]

We never tired of watching the Bison herds, we finally moved off to try to find the Wolves.

As luck would have it, we did happen to meet some biologists, who told us that 5 wolves of the Junction Butte Pack, were on the slope above Slough Creek.  When we arrived, there were no less than 3 spotting scopes set up by the Wolf Project biologists, and volunteers, who were happy to help visitors to find the wolves.  I made a point of asking if we would be disturbing their survey, and they said not at all.  I only saw 3 of the 5 wolves, and one of them had beautiful black fur.  Tim saw two of the wolves playing together!   

This is the Yellowstone River near Tower Falls.

Note the columnar basalt dike near the top.

We moved on to the land of the geysers.  It is a crowded, but fascinating place, and everyone but me loved it.  (I was in the van with Wolfie.)  Our friends thought it was worthwhile, though Ryan was bummed they didn't see his childhood favorite--the famously beautiful "Grand Prismatic Pool."  They did see an amazing array of sights, as their photos will show below:

Next iconic place was the Grand Tetons Range!  We hit it just in time to set up camp at a brilliant vantage point, and then enjoy a wildly colorful sunset.

[Harlen]

It's good to lie right out in the open so the Grizzly Bears can sneak up and lick your face.  (I coat my beard with honey.) 

 

I had been looking forward to the early morning light on the Teton Range, and it was everything I'd hoped for.

Mt. Moran and the Snake River.

We got to see lots of waterbirds, including a few White Pelicans.

"The Grand" indeed!


After leaving Wyoming we had a day of auto repair, since our brakes were making horrible grinding noises.  The tranny was going too, and we hadn't had any reverse gear for days.  It was no trouble for me the driver*- for "reverse" I would just send out the required number of people to push us around. (Note, the mechanic said he'd seen the rest of the gears go in a week, or they might last for years.  We have driven at least 2,000 miles on it so far.)  A long drive through The Plateau, including a small corner of Colorado, brought us to the Fisher Towers, east of Moab, Utah.  We stayed there for most of 2 days and nights, and did our best short hikes from there.  It is dog friendly BLM land, and fires were allowed to take the chill off  the nights and mornings.   

*I mostly drove, since both Shaun and Tim are from countries that drive on the wrong side ofthe road!

 

This is the same tower as the last, but farther up the trail.  

[Harlen]

View of the country to the west from Fisher Towers.

Heading into the Towers.

Notice the nice trail in the lower left.

We walked to the top of the regular trail, which begins at the campground, and then I found a scrappy route higher up, that led up to a level paradise of a garden viewpoint.  We stayed and stayed as the early morning sun rose higher, and finally lit  up our garden.

We had this place all to ourselves, but some tourist kept climbing about unroped, so Ryan had to get under him to catch him if he fell. 

Ryan and I hiked right up under the biggest tower, and I climbed it from there in my mind-- it was easy.

It was hard to leave this place.

We had a fine day in Arches National Park.

We checked to see if the "Balanced Rock" was still hanging in there

[Harlen]

Arches is a great National Park, but of course dogs are not allowed on trails.  Lizzie and I took turns hanging out with Wolfie-- walking the roads or paved area by overlooks while the others walked off to see the sights. 

Some of the places were nice and quiet, like here at "Sand Dunes Arch," but it is definitely a popular and well-traveled Park.  We were keen to get into some of the more remote areas of The Colorado Plateau, and toward that goal, we were heading to the Navajo Nation lands-- Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly.

Nice big arch, with 12 people in it, and about 20 more on the way.

We just drove down a dirt road, and found these lovely blond cliffs... nobody for miles!

Gooseneck State Park in southern Utah, on the way to Monument Valley.

The wildly meandering San Juan River flows 6 miles, but advances only 1.5 miles west on its way toward Lake Powell.  

One of the most interesting aspects of Monument Valley is that there are Navajo villages and ranches mixed in with the Monuments.  We all really enjoyed the feeling of traveling in a new country, with a different and fascinating culture.

Traditional hogan with woodstove.  A fairly good percentage of the properties we saw had either an old, or new style hogan.  

Ryan is checking out the old dwellings.

Extensive ruins built about 1200 years ago, and abandoned 300 to 400 hundred years later.

As in Monument Valley, the parkland of Canyon de Chelly National Monument is inhabited, and has active farms and ranches.  Because of this, there are only limited options for self-guided hiking, on most of the trails one must have a paid local guide. You can do this as a walking tour, on horseback, or in a jeep. The guide will be Navajo, and we heard mostly great reports about those trips.

[Harlen]

I finally got around to making a report of our fall travels in the West. I have a bit more to add, but I've tapped out for today. From Canyon de Chelly National Monument we headed east into New Mexico, so our friend Shaun could check out the frontier history at the town of Lincoln. We passed through Window Rock, famously named for this:

The last highlight was to finally explore a bit of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, a place I had never been due to my fear of Tour Buses. We had a great time there, and even saw some giant Elk wandering on the rim of the canyon-- which was quite a surprise! I'll finish up yet. Harlen.

[Jim F]

Harlen,

Thanks for this massive and stunning TR!

BTW, I was in Moab Oct 31-Nov 2 and observed that on Hwy 70 a typical big rig speed would be 80 mph.

Jim

[Harlen]

Monument Valley is very well known for its towering sandstone formations; it is less well know for the more rare, but equally amazing "volcanic plugs" like the one seen here.  You climbers will very likely know about the one called "Shiprock" in New Mexico, as it was one of first runs of "last problems" in the climbing community of the late 1930s. It was ultimately climbed by a Sierra Club crew, including Raffi Bedayn, Bestor Robinson, and David Brower.  From Monument Valley well into New Mexico, these volcanic plugs (AKA: "v. necks," or "inselbergs") are scattered widely about.  Many are striking geologic formations in their own right.  We must've passed at least 10 of them on our way to the town of Chinle, outside of Canyon de Chelly.

There are at least 4 volcanic plugs/necks in this picture. You can appreciate how hard it may have been to summit some of these peaks.

After leaving that great Monument (BTW--it's pronounced Canyon de Shay), we went through Window Rock, and had to stop to see the grand, circular arch. 


 We carried on all the way to Lincoln, and to our surprise, we all enjoyed the scene there.  It is a sleepy quiet town, whose fame is all about the preserved, and restored old sections of town.  They have done a great job of it, and it includes the original General Store owned by Billy the Kid's mentor and employer-- the Englishman ** Tundall.  The jail where Billy was held is still there too, and little changed since the day when Billy escaped, killing the 2 deputies.  Below is the plaque commemorating the murder of Billy's nemesis Bob Ollinger.

 Here's pretty much the only photo of "The Kid."  Our friend Shaun has read at least 2 books, and several articles about this period, and he says that there are radically different takes on what Billy the Kid was like.  I had only read the account describing him as basically a sociopath, but as I learned more, I am left wondering.  He was indeed killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett, about another 50 miles outside of Lincoln. 

 We made up some time by making two long drives, first from near Lincoln all the way to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon (GC). After enjoying just one late afternoon and sunset, and then the next morning, spent roaming all along the South Rim trails and overlooks (*the only legal place to walk your dog), we drove all the way back to the coast.  We passed some scenic desert regions, swam in an arm of the Colorado, and stopped at Joshua Tree, where our historian from Tasmania wanted to visit the hotel where the influential musician Gram Parsons died of a heroin OD., to pay his respects.  

Sadly, covering miles sometimes spells the end for wild animals who must cross the roads.  We found this Kit Fox, Vulpes macrotis, dead in the roadway.  I lifted his perfect body off the road, and over to a grassy field.  I hope he lived a good life.

Sunrise from the South Rim was awfully fine too.

[Harlen]

The van abides.

Theres Ryan at dawn, staring into forever!

Our son had a blast, and we hope it is one of many more successful travels for him.  We all had a great time on this trip.  We took it as slow as we could, and stopped often to get out of the confines of the van.  We all enjoy rough cooking-- either on the dirt, flat stones, or the luxury of the campground tables we often treated ourselves to.  So we had a great time spilling everything out of the van and cooking meals.  We had big plastic bins full of kitchen and stove stuff, a nice cooler for salads and beverages, and a 2-burner Coleman stove that continues to be trouble-free.  We enjoyed quite a few nice, warming campfires, and though it was cold at times, we never suffered from any bugs, heat, wind, or rain.  Tim, from sodden old England, was baffled by all of the blue skies.  
We could have gone any route we wanted, and had talked about a very different M.O., which could have been brilliant too.  That is, we'd considered just making one backpacking trip after another for the month we had to spend together.  So four, week-long trips into various parts of the Sierra Nevada.  After our first grueling backpacking trip up in Convict Creek, our friends were a bit sore, and the idea of van-camping, and day hikes appealed to them.  However by the end of it-- after suffering the long driving days-- the backpacking option crossed our minds again, and we wondered if we hadn't missed out on a wilder experience.  The wonders of hindsight, and all of that.  In the famous words of Pooh's friend Eeyore-- the glum and sarcastic Donkey-- "Nooo Matter."   Happy travels, the Harlens.

[windknot]

Wow, this is a great collection of photos of some amazing landscapes. We are lucky indeed to live where we do and have access to experience these places. Sounds like an excellent road trip, thanks for sharing!