Peter took me on a wonderful trip to the Needles District of Canyonlands the last weekend in March. What an amazing part of the planet. Some of the places we saw are new entries on my list of all-time favorites. I ♥ the Colorado Plateau, I ♥ my camping partner, and I ♥ exploring a new-to-me place, so what was not to love? Some might answer: the sleet, snow, wind, hail and unseasonable cold that met us. Apparently our superpower is to bring unlikely snow to camping trips. Uintas in August? Check. Canyonlands, the last week of March? Check. But we came prepared with warm and waterproof clothes, and I had my love to keep me warm. Fact is, while we were out in it, I was making a mental list of some of the advantages of hiking in rain or snow:
- More saturated scenery colors
- Dramatic lighting/moodier skies
- That "hyper-3D" effect of the low light on the landscape (Do you know what I'm talking about? Please say you get what I mean.)
- Fewer people on the trails (we saw hardly a soul in some of the most popular areas of the park!)
- Comfortable temperatures for hiking. You stay warm enough because you're moving, but you don't get overheated.
- You don't have to worry about getting sunburned
- You don't have to carry as much water
- Your pack's lighter because you're wearing everything you brought "just in case"
More pictures from the trip (and a video!) at Peter's blog.Meanwhile, as winter hangs on and on here in Utah Valley, I'm just dying for warm, golden sunshine. We've had some good times together, but Snow, I guess what I'm saying is, I'm over you, and it's time to move on.
Picture Peter took in our backyard the day before yesterday.
4 comments:
You guys are such a model couple. I want to be just like you!
What an adventure! Loved the photos of your tulips! Utah is having typical Chicago weather. So sorry about that! I showed Bryan your tulip photo and he commented that my tulips are about ready to bloom and that I should go look at them before the deer eat them.
I have no fondness for unexpectedly bitter cold weather in Southern Utah (we've had more than our share, too) but I think it's because I usually *have* had little ones along to worry about. Or there was the snow on the trail to Delicate Arch and my fears of Dean falling off the trail (he was wearing slickish tennis shoes) or when we tried to revisit the spot where we got engaged and it was too blustery to stay there for more than a couple of seconds.
But I'm glad you had a good time! :)
What a wonderful portrait of the two of you.
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