Remembering Field Camp.......

I can't believe that I completed field camp over 4 year ago. The reason I bring up my field camp experience is my son turns 4 years old next month and I still shock myself that I completed field camp pregnant. I enjoyed my 6 week field camp with the University of Nevada, Reno, as it was my first time on the Colorado Plateau. The first two mapping projects were completed in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument along the Cockscomb monocline (the first and second photos). The Cockscomb fold consists of the Carmel-Page Formations, Entrada Sandstone, Tropic Shale, Dakota Sandstone, and Straight Cliffs. The trace of the fold can be driven on Cottonwood Road. We mapped for 9 days and stayed at Kodachrome Basin State Park. One day was designated for travel to Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, Cedar Breaks National Monument and Brian Head. The below photo is the view of Zion Valley from the 1/2 mile Canyon Overlook Trail. I was over 2 months pregnant at the time and remember feeling sick, but that did not stop me from hiking.

Cedar Breaks National Monument consists mostly of the Clarion Formation, deposited as lake and river sediments around 50 my ago. Located on the side of the Markagunt Plateau, we arrived close to sunset, so the bright white and red rocks and associated hoodoos just absorbed the sun. The last photo is Grosvenor Arch located along Cottonwood Road. It was the first arch I had ever seen.

Hatfield et al., 2003, Geology of the Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah; in Geology of Utah's Parks and Monuments, 2003 Utah Geological Association Publication 28, 562 p.

My Favorite Pictures of Summer #5

Angles Landing is one of the most crazy hiking trails I have ever been on. I had been to Zion National Park before, but had hiked the Virgins Narrows instead, which is also a great hike.

So why is this trail crazy? Actually a huge percentage of the trail is not bad, the trail is located on a huge fin of Navajo Sandstone located in the middle of Zion Canyon, so the different viewpoints of the canyon are incredible. Highlights along the trail are Refrigerator Canyon (a much needed cool and refreshing shady spot, photo 2) and Walters Wiggles (crazy switchbacks, photo 3). The real test of this trail comes when you decide to hike to the very, very top and is known as "the chains".

This part of the trail left me breathless! I am a normally sure footed and a confident hiker, but this trail made me have second thoughts. I was hiking with a group of people who told me if I turned around now that I would regret getting close but not finishing the trail. Lets just say, I held on to the chains very tight, but I made it to the very top and was rewarded with wonderful views of Zion Canyon.

Luckily coming down, I could slowly and comfortably take my time and even took my picture in the steepest part of the trail, a shear 1,500 ft drop on both sides! I am glad I did the trail and look forward if ever in Zion National Park again, to complete the trail again. This is another one of those mout do trails for geologists.