Arches National Park, Oct. 26, 2009

We arrived in Moab yesterday, (Sunday) and went for a visit to the NP. 

First stopped at the visitor center, got my cancellation stamp done for my Passport Book.  We also signed up for the ranger led hike of the Fiery Furnace area for Tues morning at 10 am.  Should be fun and challenging for me.  High paths and some rock scrambling.  Time will tell how I do.

We then took a drive through the park.  The photo below shows the area called the Fiery Furnace.   Wow, I had forgot just how beautiful the park is.  We visited the park in 2002 while on vacation.

Today, Monday, we drove to the Devils Garden area to do probably the hardest and longest hike we will do while we are here.  In 2002 I had not been able to complete this trail to the Double O Arch because the trail just freaked me out—way too high and way too narrow with drop offs on both sides.  Well, seven years later, I DID IT!!  The total hike was over 6.5 miles, up and over places I thought I could never go.  Here are some photos. 

Here I am about half way up what we called the “Whale Back”, yes there are drop offs of both sides, but just wait.

These drop offs on both sides are forever.  I found I could walk across this fin top and not look out or side to side, just down.  Evidently my arms kept me balanced, looks funny now, but it wasn’t then.

Then had to walk over this steep and narrow fin to get to Double O Arch.  As you can see I am stepping down an uneven area.  This area doesn’t look so bad in this photo, but I had the sensation it was!

Here is a photo of Bob walking up this same area. Here I am celebrating, trying to stand on one foot, hard enough on level ground.   I think you can see air below my foot!!

Here is Double O Arch.

That’s Bob standing in the smaller arch.  On the right is a 150’ monolith named Dark Angel.  Bob thought that Dark Angel would be a good nickname for me!!

One side trail was the hike to Navajo Arch.  It was on this trail in 2002 we found this sight.  Look at all the cairns.

Now, where have they all gone?

We couldn’t help ourselves, we left two more cairns, here is mine.

Landscape Arch with Bob.

Bob sitting on the edge…

Just one more photo, more of our tax money at work, or should I say standing around, one fellow was digging a post hole and one was carrying a fence post.

Tomorrow, the Fiery Furnace hike…