After spending two weeks (one) (two) in Death Valley, and a week in the Mojave Preserve before that, I figured it was time to get out of the Mojave Desert for a bit. My first inclination was to head east towards Cedar Mesa to continue my search for the Juniper Tree ruin. This, I figured, would be a relatively straightforward affair, since I'm confident that I've narrowed down its location, so I knew I'd need more to fill a trip.
Pouring over my usual sources of inspiration, I came upon a reference to the Shamans Gallery along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and was blown away. For those - like me - who are unfamiliar, the Shamans Gallery is one of only a handful of rock art sites that fall into a group known as the Grand Canyon Polychrome, nearly all of which are found on the Esplanade. Over the next several days, I searched diligently for clues to any of the remaining sites. Alas, those who know where they are, also know how that keeping them special means keeping their locations unknown. Still, I was able to find several more places in the Arizona Strip to keep me busy over the course of a few days, so I put the Juniper Tree ruin on hold, lined up my permits for the north rim, and set out for the single-digit temperatures that would make for a few chilly days in the strip!
3000 Feet Down at Toroweap | Chilly Strip #1 - 1 After spending two weeks (one) (two) in Death Valley, and a week in the Mojave Preserve before that, I figured it was time to get out of the Mojave Desert for a bit. My first inclination was to head east towards Cedar Mesa to continue my search for the Juniper Tree ruin. This, I figured, would be a relatively straightforward affair, since I'm confident that I've narrowed down its location, so I knew I'd need more to fill a trip. Pouring over my usual sources of inspiration, I came upon a reference to the Shamans Gallery along the North…
Shamans Gallery | Chilly Strip #2 - 1 Our night - near the Tuckup Trail - wasn't nearly as miserable as we imagined it would be. I don't know if Mike ever turned his engine to warm up his cab, but my earplugs and heated socks made for sound sleep on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Photos of deep canyons are difficult to capture once the sun is blazing down from above. With one side of the canyon bathed in light, the other is deep in shadow, a contrast that's hard to balance with anything but the human eye. And so, as is often the…
Miserable Miscalculation in Upper Snake Gulch | Chilly Strip #3 - 1 There's almost nowhere I like to camp more than on the edge of a cliff or on the top of a mountain. The expansive views and feeling of being on the edge - literally, I suppose - are the reason I love to explore. So, it was with a good dose of hesitation that I made the decision to leave my campsite on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon less than two hours before sunset, opting instead to camp at a trailhead parking area. At least it would allow me to get an early start on the following…
There Are Not Many Place Like This | Chilly Strip #4 - 1 Back at the Tacoma, and after consuming breakfast a smidge late, I packed up the tent and hit the road immediately. I'd hoped to tackle a top-secret hike - to some allegedly amazing rock art - for much of the afternoon, but my late arrival back at camp left no time for such activities. Instead, I needed to turn on the afterburners to reach my next camp site; even then, I'd was almost certain I'd be arriving in the dark. Rolling out of Snake Gulch. Amazing how places can look so different from the air. It took a couple…