DEAD HORSE POINT EXPEDITION!

 Strange name for an incredible location:

The story of how Dead Horse Point got its name, reminds me of Jesus' "Parable of the Sower".   In both stories, plants and animals died, because they did not get what they needed to survive.   In the case of this Utah park, it is located at the very end of a mesa 2,000 feet above the Colorado River.  According to legend, cowboys of the 1800's used the end point of the mesa as a corral to keep a herd of horses together, by blocking off the only escape route (a strip of the mesa peninsula that was only 30 feet wide), so that they could not wonder away from the corral, which was surrounded on three sides by 2,000 foot bluffs.  Since this is a desert landscape, with no year-round water source, and no cover from extreme weather conditions, the horses (unable to leave to search for water) all died.  Even to this day, all water used at Dead Horse Point State Park has to be trucked in from Moab, Utah (about 30 miles away).

A tag line I have seen for the state of Utah, is "Greatest Earth on Show"---a paradigm shift from "Greatest show on earth"!  This placard illustrates that boast.

I had visited this park years ago on a group tour, but did not get to do any hiking there.  So I was delighted to have the opportunity to return with my son, so we could do some exploring of their trails together. 

 We hiked the East Rim Trail, which is accessible via a paved path near the visitor center.  This photo shows how the trail descends from the visitor center:

There are 8 miles of hiking trails in the park, and over twice that number of bicycle trails; but, notice bicycles are not allowed on the East Rim Hiking Trail, where we were exploring.

This trail will take you by several scenic overlooks, where one is looking out at the distant mountain range, the canyons, and unusual-looking, blue water features:

The placards explain these water features are potash evaporation ponds.  They are part of a large operation to mine potassium chloride---more commonly referred to as muriate of potash (MOP)---from ore buried underground.  MOP is in high demand as fertilizer because there are no easy substitutes for potassium, an essential nutrient for plant growth.  The ponds go through different color stages, with the different colors indicating a different state of evaporation.  The deep, royal blue color is due to a dye that is added to a full pond of potash brine and water, in order to speed up the rate of heat absorption. The seafoam green colors indicate shallower water (with less dye) that are well into the evaporation process.  The tan colored ponds are nearly dry; finally, salt crystals (the final product) are left over in the pond, and ready for collection.  The whole process takes about 300 days.   (Some folks on low sodium diets, use salt substitutes that are potassium chloride.  Common table salt is sodium chloride.)

Here is a photo of my son, as he scouts out the trail ahead of me.  He is the person in blue, standing at an overlook in the center of the photo.

One thing he scouted out for a photo opp, was a hole in the rock to serve as a frame for the potash evaporation ponds, thousands of feet below on the valley floor.  By the way, I read on the Internet that Dead Horse Point State Park is the only way a land-bound visitor can view the potash ponds, in a place that does not require a four-wheel drive vehicle.  Of course, they can be seen from the air, and there are also photographs of them, taken by astronauts on the International Space Station.  The white border of the pond in this photo indicates that evaporation is complete, and the potash is ready to be harvested.

When I asked my son what he was so intently photographing, he said he was getting shots that could be used later as close-up landscapes for miniatures, because there was nothing on the surfaces of the rock bluff that would give an indication of scale. 

An example of the "deceitfulness" of scale is below:

We did not see many people along the trail on the chilly day we hiked it, but we did encounter one couple who kindly offered to take a photo of the two of us together:

One of the hazards listed on the park website is falling from the steep cliffs, and this photo shows why the low rock walls should serve as a reminder not to get too close to the edge.  A few weeks before we visited, a man had fallen to his death, when he lost his footing as he got too close to the edge.

As we continued along the east rim trail, we eventually reached a covered pavilion, where the most popular lookout is located, because it is accessible via car. 

I was glad to reach the covered pavilion, because there were placards there, that told what we were looking at.

A short distance from the covered pavilion there is a different overlook that will put you directly over the big horseshoe shape of the Colorado River below:

This long-awaited visit to this park could not go without expressing gratitude for being able to be here:

By now, the light sprinkle of rain had become heavier, so my son offered to jog back to the car in the rain, while I waited under the covered pavilion.  I took him up on this very "gentleman-like" courtesy! The paved road led to the pavilion and adjacent restrooms:

Following our hike on the first day, we went to our yurt, which had been arranged through the official vendor of the park, Reserve America at 1-800-452-5687.

This was the first time either my son or me had spent the night in a yurt, so we were eager to see what it was like:

I climbed up on top of the bunk beds, to take an overhead shot:

There have been numerous movies filmed in this park, and one of them shows Tom Cruise in the Mission Impossible series, free climbing at a very high elevation.  I wanted to be like him, and be able to say I also "went climbing" at Dead Horse Point State Park, so I climbed to the highest elevation available---the top bunk---and insisted my son take my photo:

One takes their own sleeping bags for their overnight yurt stay, and I had brought ours from Arkansas when I drove to Utah  .  A maximum of six people are allowed in the yurt, which accounts for the six chairs around the table.   The bunk beds will sleep four, and the futon will sleep two.

As the sun went down in the west, I went outside to get a photo:

By the time we turned off the lights to go to sleep, another storm had blown in, and although it may not have been that severe, it sounded like a monsoon, to us, as it pelted the soft vinyl walls with raindrops, and shook the lattice supports, like a porch swing! But wonder of wonders, the structure did not blow away, and kept us dry throughout the night!  When I awoke the next morning, everything outside had been given a good bath, and a new day of exploring was ready to commence!

Cooking is not allowed inside the yurt, but there is a grill on the deck, as well as a fire-pit beside each yurt. 

There is also a cooking grill on the deck:

We were in the Moenkop yurt area, and in addition to the yurts, there was a pavilion with picnic tables, where groups could gather.

Also, beside our yurt was the "Big Chief Trail":

The park has spaces devoted to groups only, although I did not see anyone using these sites.  With the "social distancing" that was recommended to mitigate the spread of COVID19, there seems to be a trend to family units camping together, rather than large groups.  If you want to get away from crowded parks, I would definitely recommend Dead Horse Point State Park in Utah!

The park's Intrepid system has 17 miles of single track mountain biking trails, which explains why there would be a bicycle rack adjacent to the yurt area.

Since the water has to be trucked in from Moab (30 minutes away) each morning, it is understandable why there are no shower facilities in any of the campgrounds or yurt areas.  Which makes me that much more thankful for the 4 bathrooms beside the yurts, that had flush toilets and handwashing facilities!

On the positive side, the trips to the bathroom across the parking lot, helped me easily make my goal of 10,000 steps per day!  The photo below is taken through the window of the front door of the yurt.  Our car was the only one in the "cul-de-sac" the entire time we were there.  The building beyond the car is the bathroom structure, with four individual rooms.

The bathroom building had a deep sink, for dishwashing only.  Perhaps the camp management was concerned I might try to get inside the sink and take a bath, and thus the need for the warning sign!

Our second day in the park, the sun was out, so we wanted to return to the scenic overlook to do some photography under different light conditions.  One reason this view may look so familiar to folks who have never been there, is that it is often used in  movies, as a "stand-in" vista, to represent the Grand Canyon.  In general, it is less expensive and less red tape, for a movie to be produced in a state park, rather than a national park.  Remember the movie, "Thelma and Louise", where the two ladies drove their car off a cliff at the (supposedly) Grand Canyon?  In reality, the scene was filmed at Dead Horse Point State Park!

I like to give my "arms uplifted in gratitude" gesture, whenever I get the chance, so here is a photo my son took of me at the lower viewpoint, as he stood on the upper, wheelchair accessible deck:

I was pleased to see such a nice and sturdy wheelchair accessible deck that provided (possibly the best!) views of the Canyonlands National Park in the distance:

This is a photo of my son that I took on the lower observation point, as he stood on the wheelchair-accessible viewing deck, that reached out over the rocks:

On our first day in the park, the distant mountain range did not show up well, but with the clear skies of the second day, one can see the snow capped beauty of the La Sal Mountain range in the background.

Whereas dogs are not allowed on hiking trails in national parks, dogs (on a leash) are allowed on most of the hiking trails in this state park.  As you can see from the shear dropoffs, however, it needs to be a short leash!

This state park has an unusual name, as I explained at the beginning of this article, and I can see how it relates to Jesus' parable about the sower of the seeds; that parable contains a verse I am trying to memorize for my healthy living program, called First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com).  Mark 4:19 says, "But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful."   Just as those horses of the early pioneers were abandoned and left to die from lack of nourishment, so God's Word will die in our lives, if we do not nourish it.  

Before we left the park, we made one last stop in the Visitor Center, as I had some "unfinished business" there.  For one thing, I did not get to take any photos inside the previous day, so here is a photo of some of their souvenir items, as well as the second story veranda that looks out over the canyon rim. Although the brochures say this is a coffee shop, it was not functioning as such when I was there---possibly because of COVID issues. You can phone the visitor center at 435-259-2614 to check the status of its coffee shop operation.  Likewise, visit the website, www.stateparks.utah.gov , to find out the latest updates about  park conditions.

The main reason I returned to the Visitor Center, was to leave a check in their donation box, to express my gratitude to the Park Ranger who had driven out to our yurt, trying to return my phone to me, that another visitor had found along the trail.  To say I was thankful is an understatement!  (I had tried to give the Ranger a monetary reward for returning my phone.  He said they were not allowed to accept such a gift, and suggested I put it in their donation box at the Visitor Center, instead.)   All the photos you see of me in this blog with my arms uplifted in gratitude, are heartfelt expressions of thankfulness for the honest person who found my phone, and turned it in to the Visitor Center.  If they had kept it, hoping to profit from it in some way, this trip would have had a whole different mood!  That example of integrity, gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!!!

CHIMNEY ROCK STATE PARK EXPEDITION!

This "tee shirt message" could be a synopsis of my experience at Chimney Rock State Park----I hiked it and I liked it!  This photo is also a reminder to mention that even though the park is full of hiking trails, and many remote, seldom visited parts, it DOES have a large gift shop, full of every kind of souvenir a tourist could need!

Since the park consists of 6,807 acres, there are various modalities of transportation available.  Shortly after you go through the park gate where the entrance fee is collected, there is a large field where one can park their car, then hop on this shuttle bus.  This was my first visit to the park, so I did not know until afterward, that individuals can also take their private vehicle up the narrow, curvy road (full of switchbacks!) to a parking area about midway up the mountain.  However, having seen the bus-private vehicle encounters on my ride, I think I would still choose the free bus shuttle!

In years past, there was an elevator that carried passengers (for an additional fee) up the equivalent of 26 stories, to the Sky Lounge.  However, on the day I visited, the elevator was not in service, and according to the park's official website ( www.ncparks.gov/chimney-rock-state-park ), the elevator will be out of service until further notice. 

Even though the indoor Sky Lounge was closed, there is a delightful outdoor dining deck available, where one can enjoy the light meals, snacks, and beverages available from the concession stand at this level. 

The park is named after the most notable feature, which is the 315 foot granite monolith rock formation, shown in this photo.

In 1902, Dr. Lucius B. Morse purchased 64 acres at Chimney Rock Mountain.  The Morse family owned and operated Chimney Rock Park as a privately managed park until 2006.  In 2007, the state of North Carolina and the Morse family reached an agreement, so now it is fully owned by the state. 

Seeing Chimney Rock at the angle shown in this photo reminded me of The Leaning Tower of Pisa, in Italy.  When I was a teenager, I got to climb to the top of the Tower of Pisa, and I was determined that now as a "keen ager", I was going to make it to the top of Chimney Rock, as well!

This photo shows the "stairway bridge" that connects the edge of the mountain to the granite monolith. 

For those with claustrophobia, this optional stairway through some of the crevices will probably be something they will choose NOT to take!

There are over 500 stairs in the Outcroppings Trail, according to the brochure.  I will have to take their word for it, because I lost count!

The top of Chimney Rock is fairly large, as shown by this photo, and I did not see any signs restricting how many people could be at the top at any one time.  Likewise, I did not see any signs restricting how long a person could stay at the top.  However, I wanted to explore additional aspects of the mountain, so I walked around on top to get several photos, and then started scoping out additional locations to hike to that are visible from the top of the monolith, but not visible down at the bottom of the mountain. 

I call this photo of me, the "Post Card From The Edge".  To get the photo, I handed my camera to another tourist, who was standing on a rock above me.  At the time, I was so focused on looking up at the photographer who was taking the picture, that I was not paying attention to what was behind me.  It was not until I saw the photo, that it made me feel a little bit rattled about being just inches from the edge of the bluff!  Very thankful that railing is there to keep me from going backwards!

If you recall that a mile is 5,280 feet, then you will know that the top of Chimney Rock, sticks up about one half mile into the air.  But alas, visitors can go to even higher elevations, if desired.  This photo shows an indentation on the bluff at the left, where one can hike to yet another viewpoint.  That little indentation is called the "Opera Box".

This is what Chimney Rock looks like when one is standing in the Opera Box. 

With its long park bench and gorgeous views, it is tempting to spend one's entire time in this scenic location.  However, since I only had one day to spend in the park, I rested a while, then continued my upward trek!

Another prominent geological formation is a "balanced rock" that has the name "Devil's Head", as seen on the left side of this photo.

When I posted this photo (without its identity listed) on social media and asked the question, "If you could name this formation, what would you call it?", the name "Cardinal Rock" got the most votes.  What would YOU call it??????

Another popular stop along the trail is "Exclamation Point", with an elevation about 200 feet higher than the top of Chimney Rock.  Seems like, if they wanted to really confuse people, instead of spelling out the words "exclamation point", they could have just put "!!!!!" on the sign!

I am so thankful that I had a beautiful, sunny autumn day for my visit to this incredible location!  Another helpful website in planning your trip to this area is www.chimneyrockpark.com , as it provides information on lodging, restaurants, and other items of interest to tourists. 

Part of the park is popular with climbers, and is called the "Rumbling Bald Climbing Access".  Perhaps these boys are practicing for a climbing competition scheduled to be held there on February 17, 2018, called the "Rumble Bouldering Competition".

After the hiker goes past Exclamation Point, there is the additional Skyline Trail that will take you through additional woods and bluffs on top of the mountain. 

The lake one can see from the mountain elevation is Lake Lure, and was the location where the Dirty Dancing water scenes were filmed, where the couple practiced the "lift" they would use in their dance competition. ( The only reason I know this is because I went to a Road Scholar ( www.roadscholar.org ) program at Mountain Lake Lodge in Virginia, which was also one of the filming locations for the movie. )

With as many stairs as there are to climb, and the absence of water fountains on the way up, there is a risk that someone can have a health issue.  That is exactly what happened on the day I was there.  As our shuttle bus was making its trip up the mountain when I first arrived, I heard a dispatcher tell the driver to be on the lookout for an ambulance that was headed up the mountain road, because a visitor had passed out on top of Chimney Rock.  As I was walking up the stairs, emergency personnel were slowly, but surely, carrying the lady down the 500 stairs (remember I said at the beginning the elevator was out of service?)  .

There was a virtual "train" of first responders involved---two or three going in front of the cart to clear out people going up the stairs, plus two men on the front of the cart and two men on the back of the cart, a park ranger following the group, then several members of the lady's family, following all of them!

Seeing the way this very specialized piece of equipment had played such a vital role in transporting a patient down such a long stairway, I was curious as to how long they have been available to medical personnel.  I worked in a four-story hospital until 2000, and never saw such a specialized evacuation cart, for use when there was no electricity for the elevators.  Perhaps they have come about since the tragic lessons learned when the World Trade Center in New York was attacked.

These three Emergency Response Vehicles were waiting at the bottom of the stairs, to transport the patient to the appropriate medical facilities.  I am thankful I live in a country where there are dedicated individuals who unselfishly put themselves in harm's way, in order to help others.  Although they may not realize it, they are actually involved in a God-ordained "ministry to the sick", and provide a visual aid to help me remember my First Place 4 Health ( www.FirstPlace4Health.com ) memory verse from Philippians 2:13 that says, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his purpose."  I want to say a big THANK YOU to all those health care workers who provide care to those in need!  By the grace of God, I was able to make it to the summit of the mountain, and back down again, on my own two feet, and that gave me MILES OF SMILES!