Thursday, May 5, 2022 - We start out early to leverage the rising sunlight.

whitepocket2022
We visited an old Mormon Farmhouse built at Lee's Ferry - one of the few places the Colorado River can be crossed. There are several old artifacts left in the sun around the property - now a state park. This truck is slowly disintegrating on the desert.
whitepocket2022
Rusting paint on the old truck.
whitepocket2022
Truck paint in the desert sun.
whitepocket2022
There were a couple of wild horses on the far side of Lee's Ferry.
whitepocket2022
It was easy to see the access for boats on the north side of Lee's Ferry - I could not see the same access on the south side. There were several rafts getting ready for the journey down the river.
whitepocket2022
Looking down the Colorado River from Lee's Ferry.
whitepocket2022
The mountains surrounding Lee's Ferry.
whitepocket2022
There are a couple of old homes still standing on the banks of Lee's Ferry. Shooting through the window was a challenge.
whitepocket2022
On the way back to the hotel were several good view points for the Vermilion Cliffs. Huge rocks and towering buttes. The cliffs are so pretty with reds and yellows.
whitepocket2022
Tumbleweeds and the Vermilion Cliffs
whitepocket2022
The rough edges of the Vermilion Cliffs.
whitepocket2022
We met the outfitters at the hotel and 4-wheeled into the desert for 1.5 hours to White Pocket. We camped at the base of this mountain.
whitepocket2022
Our camp from the top of White Pocket
whitepocket2022
After getting settled in camp we then took our first hike into the White Pocket park - which is pretty much a series of hills/mountains of various colors. The geology is complex - it is thought that the formations are from soft sediment deformation of the sand back in the Jurassic time before the sand turned into rock.

Called a pocket because water is collected in the rock formations in natural pools. Too arid when we were there - no water is in any of the pools.
whitepocket2022
The red, white and yellow rocks combined to make beautiful formations - everywhere you turn.
whitepocket2022
Red rock swirls into a canyon. The rocks were pretty easy to scamper over.
whitepocket2022
Yellow rock flows.
whitepocket2022
A rock formation called the Lollipop would be a focus of many pictures over the three days.
whitepocket2022
Hard to figure out the forces which twisted rock into pretzel like shapes.
whitepocket2022
Rock flows like water across the rocks.
whitepocket2022
Rocks moving one way suddenly move a different way.
whitepocket2022
The main hills are rocks of white and pillow like boulders wedged together.
whitepocket2022
From the top of White Pocket you can see into the colorful mountains of Utah.
whitepocket2022
Odd rock - almost like a face with a small window carved by the water and wind.
whitepocket2022
Lollipop rock up close with its distinctive red and yellow bands.

It was time for sunset, but the sun was not cooperating - it stayed behind clouds.
whitepocket2022
Rock art
whitepocket2022
Fins leading toward Lollipop rock.

Back to camp for our first of two nights sleeping under the stars. It was a very pleasant night, although I did not sleep much - the moon was very bright.


Top
Top