EDO has been busy with school, work, cross country, and friends, so I have been doing most of my scrambling alone. But, today she came with me for a grind up Braffit Ridge.
We didn't carry the GPS, but I bet it was a thousand vertical feet to the top. The temperature was in the high 50s, which made for a sweat-fest on the ascent. When we came down, we had a chance to cool off, but the many drops were hard on my tired legs.
I planned to do four moves this year: One, from 420 Grand to Parowan (complete); two, Alice out of Harbor Circle (complete); three, from Parowan to Price (pictured); four, Alice to California or Texas (uncertain future). This weekend, I am finishing the third move. Today, EDO helped me clean out the storage unit. We took both trucks over there and some of it went into GC1 while the rest was heaped onto GC2. Another haphazard Joad-style load headed for Price.
I know this newspaper has way too many of these pictures. But, I can't help it. I'm a sucker for the strong light and long views. When I'm up on one of the ridges in the early fall sunshine—this time the Castle—out comes the camera. For the thousandth time.
For the past couple of weeks, I've returned from my afternoon outing and told the girls: "I've never been in that little wash before, I was so surprised to find it." After a while though, you can't keep saying it: If it happens all the time, it doesn't qualify as a surprise. At any rate, I was surprised by this one yesterday (above). I swear I've gotten up every weak spot in the wall of Little Creek Canyon at least twice, but not this one. Maybe it always appeared to be too steep?
On top, I had great views of Little Creek Peak (above) and of the Parowan Valley (below). The PV has, to paraphrase Wallace Stegner, been split and ruined by the interstate, which only gets busier and louder by the day. Maybe it doesn't seem so bad from this perspective, but, believe me, you can hear the roar of traffic very clearly from the ridgetop.
Earlier, I committed to cutting 12 truck loads. I met my commitment: Load 12 is pictured above. I almost feel like I should have earned a bit of doggerel: "You cut a dozen loads and what do you know? A couple of girls warm by the glow." At any rate, this is what the pile looks like.
Actually, this is what the pile looks like after an early blizzard struck this week. There should be a verse about that: "St. Peter won't you call me, I'm ready to go. I can die happy in this pile of snow."
EDO was helping me cut some firewood yesterday. I sawed most of the way through a standing, middle-sized cottonwood, leaving just a small hinge, but I couldn't wedge it over. It seemed to be hung up in the branches of a live Rocky Mountain juniper standing next to it. I decided I'd need to pull it down. I looped the old climbing rope that I carry as a tow strap around the trunk at about eight feet from the ground. EDO and I both tugged on it, but it wouldn't move. I hooked the rope to the Chev and drove away. The rope broke (above). Old climbing ropes can break, but not often: I've used them to tow vehicles. We decided on Plan B: Cut the juniper, too. EDO called it a mess. But it worked and we got both trees on the ground. While I was bucking, I found the problem (below). The cottonwood had grown completely around the juniper. They were not simply hung up, they were hugging.
I recently posted about an event that occurred two weeks ago. Here is another one: When we were in Escalante and the girls weren't painting, they were under the point with me: Powell Point. About 15 years ago the ranger district constructed (or reconstructed) a trail running from Stump Spring to Pine Lake. The trail, called "Under the Point," is excellent, though it could use a little maintenance right now. We went out and back for three or three and a half miles.
I don't think I mentioned that VSO and EDO were invited to present a mother-daughter painting demonstration at the Escalante Canyons Art Festival a couple of weeks ago. The plein air "demo" lasted for two hours and was well attended by locals and visitors alike. One of VSO's friends made a dozen pictures of the event—two of which I've included here—showing the superstars side-by-side. Not to toot my own horn, but I played a major artistic roll as well: I was sent to the hardware store for more paint thinner.
