This trip was all about exploring the Swell, and I had a
bunch of hikes marked in my Kelsey book that I wanted to try. I began the day
with a drive down Temple Mountain Road, taking it all the way
through the reef to where it hits I-70. On this drive, I was treated to
beautiful views of Temple Mountain:
The Swazey Cabin (I thought the rock behind it looked like
Mox, Jack and Allison’s dog):
And some rock art:
My next plan was to hike one of the canyons in the Kelsey
book, but the road was just too rough. Roads in the the Swell are no joke…
After this trip, I started thinking that I need a new car. I consulted my
Kelsey book again and decided to hike Forgotten Canyon, a slot canyon that is a
tributary of Eagle Canyon.
I followed a long, winding dirt road for miles without
seeing another car. I parked as soon as the road curved back to the west and
headed northeast with just a map and compass. There was no type of trail, and
this terrain can be difficult to hike because it all looks the same.
My compass didn’t fail me, and soon I came upon this view.
I even found a little cairn marking the spot where I should drop in. I felt
euphoric and couldn’t wait to get down into that canyon. I sat down on a ledge
and was about to climb down to the next level when my common sense came flooding back.
I was the only person around for miles.
I didn’t know a lot about this canyon. I saw a few spots
that I wasn’t 100% sure I could get back up.
If I had even one other person with me, there would have
been no hesitation. But it was probably not wise to do this extremely remote
hike by myself.
It was a terrible moment. Not only was it nearly impossible
to walk away from such a beautiful sight, but it was just a reminder of how
very alone I was. I love my travels, but during moments like this, it would be
nice to have a partner.
After this fail, I really needed a win. I headed to another
remote area in the northwest Swell to see the enormous concretions pictured of
the cover of Kelsey’s book. It took some effort, but I found them. Moki marbles
on steroids! Many of them are still embedded in the cliffs.
Some have fallen
and broken, and some are still perfectly round. I’ve heard they have good
energy (not really sure how rocks can have energy, but whatever), so I hugged
this rock for a long time. It was
nice to have at least one thing work out that day.
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