January
9 – Gwen’s 40th birthday – dinner at Taggarts
27 – Uncle Short’s funeral
February
3 – Tiana baptism
6-10 Pinedale snowmobile trip
March
17 – Uintas – snowmobiling
24 – Snowmobile with Mark and Carrie (Woodland)
April
Landon baseball
18-22 Mandy off??
Came to visit us !
21 – Stormy’s shower
May
June
8 – Dutch oven dinner?
18 – Zac’s test for BP Amoco (didn't end up going there)
22 – Zac’s date ?
23 – Mecham’s fixed our septic tank
July
2-6 Landon gone to Scout Camp
14 – Demo Derby
16 – Zac starts at Holnam (hated it, didn't last long)
25 – Trapper’s tour (Wilkinsons’ Land)
29 – Kyle Kimbal’s mission farewell
August
18 – Terri and Mike Carlsen’s reception
Landon doing football – of course
September
10-12 Hike
the Narrows
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
The day we hiked the Narrows of Zion Canyon National Park by
Gwen Rich
We left Morgan on Monday the 10th, and traveled
to Zion’s National Park to get a day permit for the following day. At this point I better say who WE were. Mark and Janene Walker (mortician in
residence – hopefully we wouldn’t need him), Ernie and Leslie Durrant and son
Broc (who would be leaving on a mission to Brazil the following week). Clark and Wendy Waldron, and the singles –
Me, Annette Prescott, Debbie Kinsey, and Vicki Rose. We slept in Mark and Janene Walker’s condo in
St. George.
We got up early at 4 a.m. on Tuesday, and traveled to Zion’s to catch a shuttle (6 a.m.). It took us through the park and tunnels, and over a winding dirt road (back country) and dropped us off at Chamberlain Ranch (7:30 a.m). We began our hike here. The first 2-3 miles was walking down a 4x4 trail, similar to what we have hiked before near Morgan. It was mostly a gradual downhill. Then we entered the Virgin River bed, and descended into the canyons.
We didn’t hike in the water all the time, mainly crossing from side to side to stay out of it when possible. The hike (for me) was great for the 1st half. The scenery was beautiful, and the canyons spectacular. I wasn’t tired or sore, and it was quite the adventure. On the map, it kept referring to “The First Narrows”, and as we got into “narrow” canyons, we thought this was it!! Except as we went further, they kept getting narrower and steeper, and so we didn’t know for sure where “The First Narrows” were exactly. There was evidence of previous flash flooding, with huge boulders and trees strewn everywhere. We were taking pictures right and left (this is where most of my pictures were taken). When we finally came to the “waterfall” we could then know for sure where we were on the “map”.
We had gone approximately 7 miles and were into our hike about 4-5 hours. It was really spectacular, and in some parts, eerie, solemn, and almost oppressive. There were parts here in “The First Narrows” that no “high” ground could be found, but the sky was bright and sunny, and there were no worries. Shortly (about 1 mile) after the waterfall, we came to a place where “Deep Creek” joined with the Virgin River. It joined from the north, and about doubled the size of the water that we were walking through. (It was just up to mid calf) From this point on, the hiking became more difficult (at least for me). The bottom of the river and the sides between the river and the canyon walls were covered with bowling ball sized rocks, with NO space or flat ground in between. You basically stepped from rock to rock, and in the river it was very slippery. The walking sticks we brought were life savers, literally. We started passing over-night campground spots (for those who would be making it a 2-day hike), and then it started raining. To me, the rain was coming down quite a bit, and all I could picture in my mind, was mesas and canyons for miles around (behind us) draining off the rain water, and filling up the canyons, joining together, until they made a mass of boiling flash flood waters which would come down behind us, and devour us in the Real Narrows up ahead.
By the time we reached “Big Springs”, just before entering the “Real Narrows” I had myself worked up into quite a panic, which I kept inside of me, except for sharing my concerns with a few of the other hikers, which were not concerned at all. I guess it was my Grandma Dickson coming out in me, but unfortunately, this panic, and feeling of dread and worry completely consumed me, and basically ruined the rest of the trip down the Narrows for me. I was sure we were about to be caught and bashed against the rocks and drowned by flash flood waters. I took off at a fast pace (for me) for a little while, just praying that we would get through the canyons before it over took us. After awhile I was quite exhausted, and resigned myself to dying. At least it will be quick, I thought. Hopefully my head will just be dashed against a rock, and it will be all over. I thought a lot about my family, and how they would feel without me, and how sorry I was that I had ever come on this stupid trip. Well needless to say, I survived – just barely. The canyon walls were 1000’s of feet high on either side, but I had to keep my eyes directly in front of me, looking to where I would put my feet next, that I didn’t look up very much. There were a couple of places where we had to wade through pools that were waist and chest high, and these were actually enjoyable?? because the bottoms were sandy, and gave our feet a rest from those miserable “bowling ball” rocks.
We finally made it out of the canyons, which seemed to go on forever and ever. The entire hike was supposed to be approximately 16 miles, but I know it was more because we had kept crossing from side to side to stay out of the water. It had to be at least 20 miles. My feet and legs were killing me, and it was the most physically challenging, exhausting thing I have ever put my body through. Ernie Durrant, who had been leading the hikers, came back and walked with us stragglers at the end for the last few miles. I really appreciated it, as I hate to be the very last one. He reminded me of my Roger who thinks of others.
When we finally made it to the last corner, there was a rock wall (obviously man-made) built into the side of the canyon, I just about cried in relief. We sat for a few minutes, and then walked (very gingerly) down a beautiful cement walkway that was flat and smooth, and just made you want to kneel down and kiss it. We walked another mile to the shuttle, took final “Trails End” pictures (in which I look horrible) and then collapsed (me especially) into the shuttle chair. All in all it took us about 12 or 12 ½ hours.
It was at this point in talking with other passengers on the shuttle, that we heard for the first time, of the horrible “Attack on America”. We were shocked, and horrified at what we heard – Two planes striking the twin towers of the World Trade Center, another hitting the Pentagon, and another crashing into a field in Pennsylvania. After we got back to our cars, we drove to the condo, ordered pizza, and crashed (poor choice of words) on the couches and floor to watch the television coverage of this horrible event. It was hard to believe that the horrible pain and suffering and death had occurred to so many people, while we were enjoying?? ourselves in the Narrows of Zion Canyon. It made my worry and fear in the canyons seem like next to nothing. More than anything I just wanted to get home to my family in Morgan. I rode home with Clark and Wendy Waldron the next day.
We got up early at 4 a.m. on Tuesday, and traveled to Zion’s to catch a shuttle (6 a.m.). It took us through the park and tunnels, and over a winding dirt road (back country) and dropped us off at Chamberlain Ranch (7:30 a.m). We began our hike here. The first 2-3 miles was walking down a 4x4 trail, similar to what we have hiked before near Morgan. It was mostly a gradual downhill. Then we entered the Virgin River bed, and descended into the canyons.
We didn’t hike in the water all the time, mainly crossing from side to side to stay out of it when possible. The hike (for me) was great for the 1st half. The scenery was beautiful, and the canyons spectacular. I wasn’t tired or sore, and it was quite the adventure. On the map, it kept referring to “The First Narrows”, and as we got into “narrow” canyons, we thought this was it!! Except as we went further, they kept getting narrower and steeper, and so we didn’t know for sure where “The First Narrows” were exactly. There was evidence of previous flash flooding, with huge boulders and trees strewn everywhere. We were taking pictures right and left (this is where most of my pictures were taken). When we finally came to the “waterfall” we could then know for sure where we were on the “map”.
We had gone approximately 7 miles and were into our hike about 4-5 hours. It was really spectacular, and in some parts, eerie, solemn, and almost oppressive. There were parts here in “The First Narrows” that no “high” ground could be found, but the sky was bright and sunny, and there were no worries. Shortly (about 1 mile) after the waterfall, we came to a place where “Deep Creek” joined with the Virgin River. It joined from the north, and about doubled the size of the water that we were walking through. (It was just up to mid calf) From this point on, the hiking became more difficult (at least for me). The bottom of the river and the sides between the river and the canyon walls were covered with bowling ball sized rocks, with NO space or flat ground in between. You basically stepped from rock to rock, and in the river it was very slippery. The walking sticks we brought were life savers, literally. We started passing over-night campground spots (for those who would be making it a 2-day hike), and then it started raining. To me, the rain was coming down quite a bit, and all I could picture in my mind, was mesas and canyons for miles around (behind us) draining off the rain water, and filling up the canyons, joining together, until they made a mass of boiling flash flood waters which would come down behind us, and devour us in the Real Narrows up ahead.
By the time we reached “Big Springs”, just before entering the “Real Narrows” I had myself worked up into quite a panic, which I kept inside of me, except for sharing my concerns with a few of the other hikers, which were not concerned at all. I guess it was my Grandma Dickson coming out in me, but unfortunately, this panic, and feeling of dread and worry completely consumed me, and basically ruined the rest of the trip down the Narrows for me. I was sure we were about to be caught and bashed against the rocks and drowned by flash flood waters. I took off at a fast pace (for me) for a little while, just praying that we would get through the canyons before it over took us. After awhile I was quite exhausted, and resigned myself to dying. At least it will be quick, I thought. Hopefully my head will just be dashed against a rock, and it will be all over. I thought a lot about my family, and how they would feel without me, and how sorry I was that I had ever come on this stupid trip. Well needless to say, I survived – just barely. The canyon walls were 1000’s of feet high on either side, but I had to keep my eyes directly in front of me, looking to where I would put my feet next, that I didn’t look up very much. There were a couple of places where we had to wade through pools that were waist and chest high, and these were actually enjoyable?? because the bottoms were sandy, and gave our feet a rest from those miserable “bowling ball” rocks.
We finally made it out of the canyons, which seemed to go on forever and ever. The entire hike was supposed to be approximately 16 miles, but I know it was more because we had kept crossing from side to side to stay out of the water. It had to be at least 20 miles. My feet and legs were killing me, and it was the most physically challenging, exhausting thing I have ever put my body through. Ernie Durrant, who had been leading the hikers, came back and walked with us stragglers at the end for the last few miles. I really appreciated it, as I hate to be the very last one. He reminded me of my Roger who thinks of others.
When we finally made it to the last corner, there was a rock wall (obviously man-made) built into the side of the canyon, I just about cried in relief. We sat for a few minutes, and then walked (very gingerly) down a beautiful cement walkway that was flat and smooth, and just made you want to kneel down and kiss it. We walked another mile to the shuttle, took final “Trails End” pictures (in which I look horrible) and then collapsed (me especially) into the shuttle chair. All in all it took us about 12 or 12 ½ hours.
It was at this point in talking with other passengers on the shuttle, that we heard for the first time, of the horrible “Attack on America”. We were shocked, and horrified at what we heard – Two planes striking the twin towers of the World Trade Center, another hitting the Pentagon, and another crashing into a field in Pennsylvania. After we got back to our cars, we drove to the condo, ordered pizza, and crashed (poor choice of words) on the couches and floor to watch the television coverage of this horrible event. It was hard to believe that the horrible pain and suffering and death had occurred to so many people, while we were enjoying?? ourselves in the Narrows of Zion Canyon. It made my worry and fear in the canyons seem like next to nothing. More than anything I just wanted to get home to my family in Morgan. I rode home with Clark and Wendy Waldron the next day.
What a trip!!! The next time I do this – it will be from the
bottom up, and will only be about 6 miles round trip. If the day is bright and sunny, maybe I’ll
enjoy it a bit more than last time.
October
18 – Family pictures (2nd drillteam)
23-29 Vegas
to see Bull Riders
November
3 – Landon to visit Mandy (on plane)
17 – Landon BYU Utah game
December
Landon is wrestling on the Junior High team
1 – 2nd place at Spanish Fork
15 – Dickson party at property
21 – Wendy’s xmas party
22 – Rich party
