Thursday, May 5, 2022 -
We start out early to leverage the rising sunlight.
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.
Rusting paint on the old truck.
Truck paint in the desert sun.
There were a couple of wild horses on the far side of Lee's Ferry.
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.
Looking down the Colorado River from Lee's Ferry.
The mountains surrounding Lee's Ferry.
There are a couple of old homes still standing on the banks of Lee's Ferry. Shooting through the window was a
challenge.
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.
Tumbleweeds and the Vermilion Cliffs
The rough edges of the Vermilion Cliffs.
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.
Our camp from the top of White Pocket
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.
The red, white and yellow rocks combined to make beautiful formations - everywhere you turn.
Red rock swirls into a canyon. The rocks were pretty easy to scamper over.
Yellow rock flows.
A rock formation called the Lollipop would be a focus of many pictures over the three days.
Hard to figure out the forces which twisted rock into pretzel like shapes.
Rock flows like water across the rocks.
Rocks moving one way suddenly move a different way.
The main hills are rocks of white and pillow like boulders wedged together.
From the top of White Pocket you can see into the colorful mountains of Utah.
Odd rock - almost like a face with a small window carved by the water and wind.
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.
Rock art
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.