GROUP HIKE! -- One Week In The San Rafael Swell

[Charlie Horse]

The next morning we did the "Wild Horse Window" hike.  This one was the main goal of the trip for Taffy, Eldon, and Connie.  It was the only hard hike due to the fact you must hike up the front of the reef.  While smooth, you do gain altitude and the rock can be lumpy in places.  In other places, the sand is soft and slows you down.

I scouted ahead but couldn't find the official trail-head everyone thought must be there by looking at the map, but our campground was close, so we left from there.  I saw plenty of 'lost' vehicles trying to find a good starting point later, so I am not the only one!

   

Here's the group as we began heading up.


   

There's no actual path since its all hard stone.  You look for cairns as you plan your ascent.  If you get on the wrong finger of rock, you may have to backtrack to cross a deep, steep crevasse.  


   

The goats really love this kind of hike.  Someday I want to camp up on the reef.


   

Taffy couldn't do this hike last time because she had a bad knee, and we started from the other end of Wild Horse Canyon, making it a dozen miles of hiking.


   

Debbie is an amazing artist and painted this rock while looking at Bacchus resting the day before.



   

We started hiding our painted rocks at this point.  The one of Bacchus above  got hidden in this formation to enjoy the view.  I hid my scorpion rock where someone might step on it.  Others got placed in sandstone pot-holes, nooks, and crannies.



   

Taffy taking a break with Bourbon.  That goat is soooo loyal to her!  I really admire him as a pet and as a pack goat.



   

Bourbon again, starring in his own art-shot.