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

[Nanno]

After the Window hike, Herb, Phil, and I all went exploring up a small canyon and then up over the rock hillside behind our camp. There was no trail so we encountered a few tricky spots where we weren't sure if we could cross some of the deep cuts in the rock, but we always found a way and so made a nice loop up and around without having to backtrack.  
   

   

We encountered some steep terrain on this hike. If the camera weren't tilted this would look even steeper!  
   

   

Herb brought his rock portrait of Bacchus to hide. "Make sure there are no scorpions or mousetraps in that hole, Herb!"
   

What a pretty portrait! 
   

We had seen some neat-looking outcroppings of flashy red and bright yellow rock on our way up, but they were across a deep chasm or two so our goal was to find some way to get over or around the cracks so we could access those outcroppings. We eventually made it! Unfortunately the rock color didn't come out so bright in the photos.  
   

Herb's crew: so boss! 
   

As always, I like to dress for the occasion. Fashion being my greatest passion in life, it is no surprise that I carefully selected this t-shirt to perfectly compliment the rock outcropping we used for this photo shoot. Expect to see me on the cover of every chic magazine in the check-out aisle at Walmart and your local grocery store.
   

   

[Nanno]

On Friday morning we broke camp early. Eldon and Debbie caravanned out with Taffy. Herb had left late on Thursday night since he had animals to take care of in the morning back home. Phil and I weren't heading home but were on our way to Escalante for our own Utah "goat vacation" sequel. Robert and Connie had a little wiggle room in their schedule so they followed Phil and I to Little Wild Horse Canyon for a bonus hike that Herb had recommended. Phil and I had been to Little Wild horse four years earlier but we'd had to turn around because Cuzco couldn't make it over some of the obstacles in the slot canyons. We thought we could complete it with Finn and Sputnik.  
   

Robert and Connie only made it a short way into the canyon before they encountered obstacles that their goats weren't prepared to face. They were forced to turn back so we said our goodbyes in the canyon. 
   

   

Usually Finn steals the spotlight, but this was Sputnik's day to shine. We generally kept Finn and Sputnik leashed since this is a popular canyon and we expected to encounter quite a few people. But since I had the camera, I let Sputnik go a few times to free up my hands. This meant Sputnik did all the exploring and wall-climbing. I'm sure Finn was very jealous. 
   

   

   

   

   

I love it when goats peer up the canyon walls. I don't know if they're trying to see how high it is, or if they're looking for a way out, or a ledge to play on, or just admiring the scenery like we humans do. 
   

   

[Nanno]

This bush is mostly root.  
   

The walls are so cool!
   

"How high is that?"
   

Little Wild Horse is a beautiful canyon, but I'm afraid I can't recommend it for goat packing. It's incredibly narrow in places to the point where panniers must be removed, and there is no place for traffic to pass. This can make it very stressful on goats and on people who are afraid of unfamiliar animals and/or animals with horns. Since half the tourists don't speak English it can be difficult to communicate that the goats won't hurt them and they should just squeeze by. 
   

   

And this was the stopping point. This was the same obstacle that turned Cuzco back the last time we were here, only this time instead of being held up by an elderly goat we were held up by crowds of tourists. Phil had scrambled ahead of us over the rock. Finn measured the height, backed up, and was just winding up to leap onto the rock after Phil when a group of several tourists came down the canyon. The goats and I had to scrunch against the canyon wall to get out of their way. They passed and I climbed the rock and turned to call Finn when another group came up the canyon from behind us. I had to climb down and scooch Sputnik and then Finn out of their way so they could pass us. We started again for the third time when yet more tourists came. After that it was an unending flow. The place had turned into Disney World and my goats and I were holding up the lines! As soon as there was a momentary break in the crowd, I backed the goats up to a convenient turn-around place and headed straight back out of the canyon. If it weren't for all the people, Finn could easily have cleared the obstacle, but Sputnik would have had a difficult time. 
   

Our original plan was to hike up Little Wild Horse and down Bell Canyon, forming a nice loop to avoid backtracking. Herb had never been up or down Bell Canyon but he thought it should be goat-friendly. At first we thought it would be too. For one thing, there were no crowds. Nearly everyone hiked up Little Wild Horse and back, skipping Bell Canyon entirely.   
   

   

But not far up the canyon we came to a narrow place with a good 5-6 foot jump/climb/scramble. It was very narrow and the killer was that there was no good take-off spot for the goats to leap from--just a pile of loose, rounded rocks that varied in size from softballs to beach balls. Finn assessed the climb and gave Phil a sad, pleading look. While I'm certain he would have tried to make the jump, there's a good possibility he could have hurt himself in the attempt. So Phil and I gave up on Bell Canyon, ate our picnic lunch, and enjoyed the stunning views before heading back out and on to Escalante.
   

[Taffy]

As always, I like to dress for the occasion. Fashion being my greatest passion in life, it is no surprise that I carefully selected this t-shirt to perfectly compliment the rock outcropping we used for this photo shoot. Expect to see me on the cover of every chic magazine in the check-out aisle at Walmart and your local grocery store.


You go girl!  You're really struttin' it!