2016 Travels, Canyoneering in Arches National Park and a visit to Corona Arch.

Moab's been bustling since we've been here. Now what ever event was happening is over and sites have opened in King's Bottom, our preferred Moab BLM campground. It's on the other side of the Colorado from William's Bottom. (There's got to be a story behind these names.) King's Bottom is a primitive campground with no hookups, no trash cans, (pack-it-in pack-it-out) and a vault toilet. The cost is $15 per night, $7.50 with the Senior Pass. It's a little more up scale from William's Bottom. There are about 9 sites. King's Bottom has NPR reception and phone but only 2-bars cell data. Williams Bottom didn't have anything at all. Something to think about when you're camping in a canyon.

Morning reflections on the Colorado from our riverside campsite at King's Bottom.

Our camp at King's Bottom has riverside real estate. The river flows as silent as its reflections.

Campsite number 2 at King's Bottom.

We're joined by our friend, Cissie. She's here to go canyoneering with us, Kim and Lisa. Ever since she's seen our photos she's wanted to join us. She did some rappelling a while back and would love the opportunity to do some canyoneering in this gorgeous country. So now's the time. We've hiked with her in the winter around the Lake Roosevelt area in Arizona so we know she's going to love this adventure.

Our gang on todays canyoneering outing: Lisa, Brandy, Stan, Jim and Cissie.

Our first canyoneering outing to U-Turn in Arches National Park is a prelude for a later trip to Undercover Canyon. There are 6 of us and we meet in the parking lot at the Visitor's Center where Lisa gets our canyoneering permit then we carpool into the Park because parking spaces are limited. We park at the first parking area which is a trail head for a scenic walk called "Park Avenue". From there it's about a quarter mile to a 400+ ft., diagonal, rubble-filled crack in the cliffs which we scramble up single file to the top of the rocks.

Part way up the crack I stop to take a picture of our gang. You can see the traffic on the park road below.

A view of Arches National Park from the top of the rocks

From the top of the rocks we get great views of the park.

Lisa, me, Jim, Stan, Brandy, Cissie.

Are we having a good day? So far it's thumbs up.

Looking down at the park road.

We work our way around weathered sandstone domes to get to U-Turn.

Cissie, Lisa, Stan, Brandy and Jim.

We come to a grand view into U-Turn.

Jim, Cissie and Lisa looking into U-Turn and Park Avenue. The "Three Gossips" are on the left.  

Jim and Jackie

Brandy, Cissie, Stan, Lisa, Jim and Jackie

One last photo before starting the rappels into the canyon. There are three short rappels of about 20 to 30 ft. The last rappel is about 80 ft.

Brandy, Stan and Cissie.  

Stadium seating in a rock amphitheater. We watch while Lisa rigs the 1st rappel. Lisa is our leader and expert with lots of training and canyoneering experience. It's her passion and we're the lucky ones to be with her.

Jim always goes first and Stan will follow.

We watch from our stadium seats while Jim is first on rappel. It's safer for us to stay in the stadium seats until it's our turn.

Cissie on rappel and Lisa.

Where do I go from here?

Jim, Cissie, Lisa and Jackie at the top of the 2nd rappel.

The 3rd rappel isn't shear but sloped and high enough that a rope is needed.

Cissie's coming down the 3rd rappel.

Jim and Cissie at the bottom of the 3rd rappel.

The ledge of the last 80 ft. rappel is sloped and rounded so we have to be on rappel before even approaching the edge.

Cissie at the top of the last rappel.

Almost half way down.

The last rappel has a short free-hang at the bottom.

A free hang to the bottom.

The idea is rotate upright and get your feet under you at the proper height above the ground and land on your feet to avoid a butt plant.

Looking good Cissie!

Cissie does a great job on her first long rappel and lands on her feet.

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Everyone had a great day and enjoyed the rocks and the company. We have a nice hike through the canyons and back to the parking log. Thanks to Lisa for taking us on another adventure.

Cissie at the top of the Stair Master trail.

We have a few days before we can go canyoneering in Undercover so we take some hikes and show Cissie around the area. From our camp at King's Bottom it's less then a quarter mile walk to the Stair Master Trail. On this Stair Master you actually get somewhere. The trail climbs steeply at times and offers great views of the Colorado River, Moab, and the La Sal Mountains. Parallel to the hiking trail is a bedrock version for dirt bikes and ORV's. We've seen plenty of these guys get hung up on the steep drop off.

A view of Colorado River from the Stair Master.

In this view of the Colorado from the Stair Master our camp is on the left side of the bend in the river. The ORV Stair Master route in in the lower right corner.

Alcoves along the Corona Arch Trail.

Our next hike is to take Cissie to Corona Arch. It's just a short, easy 1+ mile hike but the arch is certainly something to see. The tail head is along Potash Road.

Pinon and juniper along the Corona Arch Trail.

Nothing's prettier than green pinon and juniper trees against red sandstone walls.

Corona Arch.

Corona Arch flares away from the cliff like a plasma arc on the sun.

The strength of stone.

Cissie at the base of the arch.

The arch straight over head. Complimentary colors.

Utah Juniper. The large trunk makes this beautiful, stunted tree older then we can guess.

Jim and I with Bowtie Arch in the background.

The railroad line to the potash mine runs in a canyon below Corona Arch. We get the chance to actually see one of the few trains that run on it.

A train from the potash mine.

Our next post will be the last of our 2016 Travels. We'll go canyoneering in Undercover on the north side of Arches National Park.

Until Then,
Jackie