Arches trip 2013

This was quite the trip. I had anticipated it for several months. I had planned. I had made reservations. We planned it for a time when the weather would be decent (daily highs in the 70s, lows in the 40s) and when it would be a decent time for Enoch to be away from work (his company is working on a big IFS transition, and he is majorly involved with it).

We planned to do a lot of camping on this trip. Enoch has always enjoyed camping, I like it pretty well, and we figured both of our kids were now at an age when it would be easier. Last summer Enoch bought a big new tent and started organizing all of the camping stuff so we would be ready in the future. Well. the future was now.

Unfortunately, a few days before we headed out, I started to notice some things in the weather forecast that were concerning--like highs in the 40s and lows below freezing on a couple of the days we would be camping. What?!? This couldn't be happening, but I assure you it did. So while this overall was a decent trip, it was challenging on levels I wasn't planning, and we weren't able to get out and do as much as I would have hoped because of the coldness and the kids. We live in AZ and don't have the greatest winter gear, so we just loaded on the layers and made the best of it. Fortunately, we had plenty of blankets for the night time, and really we all slept quite well. But I will admit my kids spent a more time than I would have hoped for sitting in the van watching movies so they could stay warm, dry, and entertained. Bummer. We were in such a beautiful place, and I feel like we spent so little time enjoying it because of cold. Sigh. I suppose my little ones would never really be able to appreciate it anyway, and so hopefully we can go back again some day and all get more out of it.

The first and last night of our trip we stayed in a hotel in Monticello in order to shave some driving time off the big drive--which was about 10 hours total. It was also nice to have a shower in a real shower before driving home. The other four nights we tented it at the Devil's Garden Campground in Arches National Park. The facilities there were good--we had flushing toilets and running water in sinks. For future record and reference, if we go back, I would choose campsite 18 or 20 if I could because they have the best views. All the trailheads at Devil's Garden were close, so we were able to take the kids on several. I would recommend this campground to anyone going to the park, but you do have to make reservations well ahead of time to assure yourself a spot.

Before heading into the park, we hit Dead Horse Point State Park. It was a cold and brutally windy day. We had hoped to picnic here, but had to eat in the car. Boo!

The kids got out and braved the wind to see the views along the rim of the canyon. It was early in the trip yet, so they were willing to be a little more cooperative.

Another view of Dead Horse.

The snow outside our tent on Tuesday morning. This was forecast, so while I hated it, at least I knew it was coming so I was mentally prepared. The snow on Thursday morning I was not prepared for, so my reaction was more like, "this sucks."

We took a trip to the windows section of the park on Tuesday. It was so cold and windy that Julia would have none of it, and refused to be carried in the Ergo. Enoch ended up taking her back to the car. Asher just wanted to be bundled up in blankets and pushed in the stroller. I obliged him but could only take him so far on trails like these. Do you see all of those bumps and pseudo stairs? I'm sure we looked plenty funny, but I wasn't laughing.

another arch in the windows section.

Skyline Arch which was located very near our campsite. We headed here on Wednesday afternoon when the wind finally died away, and the sun came out. Finally we could do some hiking like Asher had been waiting for. We kept telling him that he could be the "arch hunter."

Julia kept pace pretty well for being under 2. She really was a remarkable sport this whole trip.

My two brave hikers and campers.

sand dune arch

Asher playing with a newfound friend in the sand under sand dune arch. It's better than beach sand for its smoothness.

Under broken arch. Julia is in the carrier on my back.

The back side of broken arch. The trail we were on had you go through the arch.

Tapestry Arch

Tapestry closer.

Julia hangin' in the tent on a cold and snowy Thursday morning. Hey, wasn't she wearing those clothes yesterday? Why yes. The joys of camping in the cold.

After the snow melted on Thursday morning, the fog hung around Devil's Garden for a couple of hours.

Landscape Arch draped in fog. The Thursday morning hike was the hardest for us even though it was the shortest of any we did. Asher was cold, and so he basically turned into a basketcase by the time we got to arch and progressively got worse. It was awful, but Julia was a good sport. Asher and cold don't go together I suppose. It also didn't help that I stayed with the kids here by landscape arch for about 45 minutes while Enoch hiked on to a couple of other, so Asher was bored and cold and bitter about all of it.

We head out again that afternoon when things were warmer and Asher was markedly better--playing in trees and stuff. Good thing he's resilient.

Tunnel Arch on Thursday afternoon.

Pine tree arch.

Friday morning we packed up out campsite, and wouldn't you know, this was the weather we should have had all week. It was warm enough we could eat at the picnic table for breakfast. So as we drove out of the park, we stopped to hike Delicate Arch. I carried Julia the whole way up and Enoch helped Asher. Asher did most of the 1.5 mile mostly uphill climb by himself, and here we are at the top. The majesty and power of this arch really defies the picture. It's a must see in person I think.

If you make this picture bigger, you will see Enoch and Asher below the arch. This gives you a better perspective for how big the arch is.

family photo across from delicate arch. We enjoyed munch up there before heading down to our car and out of the park to end our Arches exploration.

After staying in the motel in Monticello again, on Saturday we decided to go to the 4 Corners monument on our way home. It wasn't too much out of the way, so we thought it was a good time to give it a try. Here Enoch and I are in 4 different states.

Here are all four of us in four different states. ( I know that they have actually discovered that the monument is in the wrong place thanks to poor surveying or something, but it's the symbolism that counts, right? )

Overall, it wasn't quite the magical trip I had hoped for, but we still were together, we still got to see cool things, and now we have stories and legends to tell about it for ages. The trip that doesn't go as planned always makes for best stories, right? Our kids won't remember it anyway, but Enoch and I will. And now Enoch knows how hard core of a camper I am to boot. He has doubted me in the past, but now he can doubt no more. ;)