Mese Verde, Colorado

From Boulder Mountain one can practically see Mesa Verde. Well, not really, but, as the crow flies, it just ain't that far away. But, not being crows, the only way for us was to drive down to Hanksville, cross the river at Hite, go all the way north to Monticello, and then through Cortez. It was a long way. We went down on Saturday and stayed with Valerie in an historic hogan near the museum. We did a few short hikes on Sunday, but a trip into Cortez on Monday and another on Tuesday used up the rest of our time. This one was mostly about driving, I'm sorry to say.

http://picasaweb.google.com/aorlemann/MesaVerdeCO

Cedar Wash, Utah

Mark and Kristi came down for wind season after the resort closed. They came to Escalante on the day that Valerie left for Mesa Verde. So, they knew that they would be cooking for themselves. And washing the dishes. Plus, Ellen wasn't feeling well, so Kristi got to practice medicine for free. All in all it was a good deal for the Orlemanns. We tried to go for a hike at Cedar Wash Arch, but Ellen wasn't up for it, so we sent them to Egypt. After a couple more days with the Monument gnats, they returned to town for showers. We let them buy us dinner, make us breakfast, vacuum the house, and cure the common cold. OK, I made up the part about vacuuming. But, really, Ellen was sick, and I ain't much of a house dad.

http://picasaweb.google.com/aorlemann/CedarWashUT

Durango, Colorado

I went to Durango for work. I was indoors all day. But, in the evenings, I looked around. The Animas Valley is beautiful. I can see why it is spralling with commuters. I drove up to Purgatory. It is trying to be a resort now, too. The whole place is beautiful. The whole place is busy. Busy, busy, busy. Welcome to the new west, I guess.


http://picasaweb.google.com/aorlemann/DurangoCO

Pet Hollow, Utah

On Saturday we went up the Pet Hollow Road until we got to the Forest. We found a place to camp in a wash on the oil field. It was a pretty nice afternoon and the sun was warm. But the wind was just starting. Once it started, it didn't stop. It blew and it blew and it blew. It blew hard and it blew cold, and it blew some more. And did I mention the wind? We went for a hike in Pet Hollow, but had to eat dinner in the camper to keep the sand out of our teeth. It was windy all night, and all day Sunday. We hiked some more, but finally went home for a Sunday afternoon nap out of the wind.

http://picasaweb.google.com/aorlemann/PetHollowUT

Fine Art in Salt Lake City, UT

I made this picture in Alvey Wash last year. Valerie subsequently did a painting from the same area. That painting, and a dozen others by Valerie, will be on display at the Wine Store (255 S 300 E) in Salt Lake City starting next weekend. Valerie will be showing with Joshua Baird, a painter from Kanab, Utah. For this exhibit, the two artists have agreed to donate 10% of any proceeds to the Grand Staircase Escalante Partners. Check out websites for Baird and the Partners, below. Plus, Orlemann and Baird made the front page of the Southern Utah News. Check that one, too.

http://joshuabaird.typepad.com/

http://www.gsenm.org/

http://www.sunews.net/weekly/frontpage.pdf

Alta, Utah

On Monday I drove to Park City. On Tuesday I skied Alta with Mark and Kristi. Since it was my only ski day for 2007/2008, Mark thought we should warm up with a short hike to Gunsight. It was cloudy, the wind was blowing, and the light was flat. I couldn't see what I was skiing so I mostly skidded down on my edges. It wasn't really skiing, but, hey, there is no shame in a traverse. After that, we took a few runs on the Albion side. That helped me gain some confidence, especially after Mark let me ski the Rabbit. We went back over and took a couple of laps on Wildcat. The light was really flat and Kristi was having trouble seeing, so we took a break and sent Mark back to the truck for a couple of beers. He reached into the case, pulled out two bottles, and carried them back to us across the parking lot. One of them was empty. Kristi got a good laugh; Mark was really depressed; and I insisted on drinking at least six ounces out of the full bottle. Later, Kristi took a break in the lodge and Mark and I skied a bunch of laps off the High Traverse, including Alf's from the top. It was really fun, but my legs were done by about 3:30. After I fell on my face in front of some beginners side-stepping down Corkscrew (they were side-stepping, I was trying to ski), I told Mark that we'd better call it a day before someone got hurt. We headed for tacos at the Lone Star and, by Friday, my legs had stopped hurting. I truly enjoyed my 2008 ski day and I can't wait to do it again in 2009.

http://picasaweb.google.com/aorlemann/Alta

Spencer Flat, Utah

On Saturday we went over to the Spencer Flat Road and found a place to camp. It looked like it might turn out to be a nice afternoon and we hiked down the slickrock towards Phipps Wash. In the event, the wind picked up substantially and the temperature dropped. Making dinner was unpleasant and we ate a lot of sand (Ya ate what?). Then, we ended up sitting in the camper--which I hate--because it was too cold and windy to go outside. By nine it was lights out and we had all dropped off to sleep when I heard a couple of voices. I thought I was dreaming, but, no, we had visitors. I am not kidding. Nine-thirty at night, in the middle of nowhere, cold, dark, windy, and we had visitors. They were looking for a place to camp. And, they found one . . . right next to us. Unreal. We were surrounded by probably five million acres of totally empty public land, we were camped, it was night, and someone pulled right next to us and set up their camper. What can be said? It is a free country.

Anyway, the next morning it was cold and gray. We drove out to Big Spencer Flat and climbed around for a while. The girls picked up a few clinkers--round as baseballs--and we took turns tossing them at things. It was snowing by the time we left. Back in town it was a blizzard. We ended up with about another three inches.

http://picasaweb.google.com/aorlemann/SpencerFlatUtah

Collet Canyon, Utah

The Tiptons were in Salt Lake. Jennifer was in class all day, so I begged Rob to bring the kids to Escalante. They showed up on Thursday afternoon--Rob, Harrison, Lillie, Sophie, and Madeleine. We went out to Calf Canyon for a picnic. The kids climbed the rocks while Valerie grilled burgers. Rob made a fire and I stood around with my hands in my pockets (Valerie had forgotten the beer). Ellen dropped her burger in the sand and cried about it for a while. We gave her another. It got dark fast and we went home early.

The next morning, all eight of us went out to the Collets. It was a lot of fun to ride in the back of the Chev. We climbed the slickrock, found the dinosaur tracks, and had a snack. We tried to drive up the Left Hand Collet Canyon, but the road was pretty bad and we ended up in the wash. Rob broke Madeleine's glasses, but I fixed them. Finally, we turned around and drove straight back to town: The Tiptons had to be back in Salt Lake by dark. Valerie asked, "Do you have any more friends like that? Let's invite them, too."

http://picasaweb.google.com/aorlemann/Tipton

Lee's Ferry, Arizona

Baba and Poppop were visiting Sedona, Arizona. We took Ellen to see them. It was the Blizzard of '08. We drove through a storm on and off from Escalante to Page. It was pouring in Page. We spent the night and found things a little better in the morning. So we went down to Lees Ferry. It was beautiful there--warm, sunny, quiet. We hiked up to the old ferry site and imagined crossing the river 80 years ago. During the afternoon we drove to Sedona. What can be said? Sedona has its good points, but is, um, busier than what we are used to in southern Utah. It was, however, great to see the folks, along with Art and Judy. The next day we drove back to Page. It was a beautiful evening in Page, and we spent another night. That was our second mistake. On Sunday morning it was snowing. It never stopped. Between Kanab and Escalante we were driving in the teeth of a blizzard. Much of Highway 12 was not plowed, and by the time we got to the Upper Valley we were surfing through eight inches of snow. It was a long day.

http://picasaweb.google.com/aorlemann/LeesFerryAZ

Bryce Canyon, Utah

Valerie wanted to play in the snow on her birthday. So we went up to Bryce Canyon on Thursday afternoon and stayed at Ruby's Inn. The snowpack was thin, hard, and crusty. Not much good for play. But, we went for a nice walk as the sun set. The next morning we went for a hike in Red Canyon, on the Dixie. Again, the snow was crusty, but the hiking was good. Until, as the sun got warmer . . . there was enough soft snow for a little play.

http://picasaweb.google.com/aorlemann/BryceCanyonUT