Pleasant Creek East, Capitol Reef

Capitol Reef might well be our favorite national park, and this might be our new favorite trail.  Paul was still dealing with an injury, so he did a windshield tour while Pam, Jill and I did an out-and-back hike

The trail notes on the map say "lots of interesting side canyons to explore". We didn't explore them on this trip, but wow we plan to go back. Spending a couple of nights would be the way to check out all the side canyons.

The Capitol Reef Field Station (affiliated with Utah Valley University) is located in this canyon, what a beautiful setting.

More pictures and GPS log at EveryTrail.com

Frying Pan Trail, Capitol Reef NP

Paul was nursing a calf injury, so he played shuttle driver while Jill, Pam, and I hiked the Frying Pan trail from Grand Wash trailhead back up to the Fruita campground. It had been at least six or seven years since I'd been here, and had forgotten how gorgeous the views are. The trail goes up from the Grand Wash trailhead, with views of Cassidy Arch.

The half-mile side trip to the arch is well worth it, particularly if you want to walk out on top of the arch like Pam and Jill here.

The highest elevation on the trail is about 6600', with 360 degree views.

More pictures and GPS details at EveryTrail.com

Upper Calf Creek Falls

A day of hiking near Escalante, Utah. It doesn't look like it in the pictures, but the weather forecast included possible showers and thunderstorms, so that ruled out doing any slot canyons. Upper Calf Creek Falls is a short hike downhill from the trailhead.

We hiked about a mile downstream, staying up on the slickrock, before it was time to turn around. Doug P and his daughter Lexie hiked downstream on/in the creek, all the way to the top of Lower Calf Creek Falls, and then bushwhacked their way up to the highway. (And yes, it did rain!)

Katie at the trailhead

BS Biomedical Engineering
University of Southern California
May 14, 2010

She's headed to graduate school at UC Berkeley this fall.

Pilgrim Creek Grizzly

The wildlife watching in Jackson has been excellent for the past week, although the weather not so much. I've seen grizzly bears three times so far; wolves are around and active but I have yet to see any. I was able to watch one grizzly bear (from about 200 yards away) for about ninety minutes before it wandered off into the woods.

Here is a short video clip, about 30 seconds. Click on the image to play the video (opens a PicasaWeb page) The video will look better if you click the "View HQ Video" at the top right in the PicasaWeb player.

From Pilgrim Creek Grizzly 2010