In Search of a Marble Tub | Hiking #3

As is my custom, I set my alarm for half-an-hour or so before sunrise. As with the time immediately after sunset, this shadowless hour of the day is often aglow with pastel tones and a fleeting stillness that I enjoy every time.

My plan for the day - like every one of this trip - was to hike. And - like every day of the trip - the route would begin at the foot of an alluvial fan, my hopes high that my research would pay off, and that within a few hours, I'd find myself immersed in a glorious canyon.

Only today, I was in search of something else, too.

From the look of my clothing in the first few photos, I'd gotten an earlier start than I had on my hike into ██████████ Canyon the previous day - the morning chill hanging in the air. In fact, it was only as I neared the top of the alluvial fan that the sun made its first appearance above the mountains that I planned to explore.

Before I knew it, success! There, as I rounded a corner in the wash, the morning sun having climbed just high enough in the sky to illuminate half of the contents a brilliant blue, was the Marble Tub. Or, more precisely, a tub of marbles.

After poking around for a bit - hoping that the sun would rise faster and illuminate the rest of the tub more quickly - I finally gave up on the idea of seeing the entire thing bathed in light, and pushed on. You see, not knowing exactly where the tub was, I'd planned an entire foray for the day, which I had no intention of cutting short now!

Entering the canyon, I knew I was in for a special treat. Even at its mouth, the colors of the walls - some in shadow and some in the brilliant sunshine - beckoned me in.

Almost immediately, the narrows began. Squeezing inward and towering above, I had to consciously slow myself down - the urge to see what was around the next corner, strong.

As I wandered the narrows, I wondered whether my investigation would be cut short by impassable falls, my fingers crossed that anything I encountered would be easily navigated - or at the very least, scramblable.

And then, as if what I'd already experienced wasn't enough, I the walls themselves morphed into a gallery of art. Gazing at the walls, I found myself transported back in time - to the days when earlier explorers must have done the same. It was, a very special place.

And then, as if what I'd already experienced wasn't enough, I entered a palace of petroglyphs. The walls - along both sides of the wash were lined with rock art, some of it decipherable, much of it not. But none of that mattered to me - excitement of its discovery, reward enough.

On a hike full of surprises, I pressed on - curious what I would find next. The answer - to my delight - was more narrows. I didn't know how long they would last, but I certainly wasn't going to complain.

At the top of the canyon, it was exciting to see the landscape open up once again. A mountain meadow, as it were, stretched out in front of me. Lush with plant growth and still with a dusting of snow, I enjoyed the spaciousness after the tight walls of the slot. And I imagined - that over the centuries, this meadow would funnel literal mountains of water down through the narrows, carving them into the splendor that they are, today!

I must have stood in that meadow for the better part of half an hour. Part of me wanted to push on further, part of me wanted to head back for a relaxing afternoon in camp. In the end, the lure of the smooth walls of the slot canyon was enough to pull me back down the wash, perhaps to visit again to complete my exploration!

Before long - and after a few dry fall descents - I popped out where I'd started. The mouth of the canyon still shady - though the sun was now spilling across the valley - I took a final moment to reflect on this special place, before heading out onto the alluvial fan, and back towards the Tacoma.

With two of my three hikes complete, I returned to the Tacoma with my spirits high. The trip so far had exceeded all of my expectations. Little did I know, that my hike the following day would end up being the most difficult - and still, perhaps my favorite - of the entire adventure!

 

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