Arches National Park, Utah
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Devils Garden Primitive Loop Arches National Park, Utah |
October 16, 2018
Best of the Best Tour: Day-8
Well, I am back in my beloved Arches National Park, intent upon revisiting some of my favorite spots for what could be the last time. Other places in this park do remain on my bucket list, however; but that's the stuff of another trip.
Near the trailhead is a spur route over to an arch that can be viewed only from the other side:
Tunnel Arch
Continuing the detour presently gets Gary and me to a nice walk-through opening.
Pine Tree Arch
Rather than return to the main route, I encourage Gary to continue northward
off-trail and save half a mile of walking. This proves to be a
highly serendipitous decision:
Wow! These guys are acting totally unconcerned, which is great
This is why I go hiking
Life is good
This shortcut through deep sand and a couple of gullies does indeed pan out, for soon we regain the main trail. Just ahead is the probable final destination for most visitors.
Landscape Arch
It looks like an alien over there
Up above is a double arch that I am not planning to visit today, for I already have some great photos from behind it.
Partition Arch
Landscape Arch is just the fourth or fifth-longest known span in the world (the folks at NABS, the Natural Arch and Bridge Society, are unsure); yet it surely is the most spectacular. It could collapse tomorrow, or it could last for another couple of centuries. In any case, visitors no longer are allowed to walk underneath it.
The most delicate arch of all is 290 feet long, yet just 6 feet wide
Today's plan is do this loop 'backwards', saving most of the best stuff for last. Also, there is a tricky sandstone slab ahead that I am resolved to negotiate in the uphill direction this time.
Starting up the primitive loop
A garden of Prickly Pear Cactus
Bypassing a lot of interesting stuff
Finally, the trail does veer left into the rocks. Things are becoming interesting.
Unusual directions
We won't have to wade through here today
Approaching the dreaded obstacle
The crux of the mission
The problem here is not the steepness of the rock, but that nothing resembling
a handhold is available. Also, the rock to be traversed is slanted downward,
meaning that one must rely on boot soles to do their job and prevent slipping.
I am wearing my special sticky-rubber slickrock shoes today, although I managed
just fine last time with my regular boots.
Gary has decided to live a long time, however. This sort of scrambling is not his cup of tea, so he will meet me back at the trailhead. With the aid of a little shove at the start, I scamper up the ledge and out of harm's way within just a few seconds, and with no slippage whatever.
See 'ya later
Another slickrock scramble here
Just ahead, off the trail, is a nifty arch that I saw previously yet inexplicably ignored.
The little-publicized Box Arch is marked as "Natural Arch" on the topo sheet
Behind the arch
So long
That's one bucket-list item out of the way, with one to go.
Onward
There is a way around the pool
This detour involves another 'fun' section — a leap across a gap
onto a slanted slab. Because others clearly do it, I make the jump
with hardly a second thought; and once again, my boot soles do not slip in the
slightest. This is good.
The somewhat scary obstacle is handled without incident
There is a quarter-mile spur route here down to a special attraction that is not to be missed.
Some others already are there
Most arches are viewed from below; this one is different.
Private Arch was not 'discovered' until about 1980
On my previous visit I did not venture down through the arch; this time I'll not be remiss.
My favorite photo of the day
Chalk up another bucket-list item.
That's how it's done
Back on the main trail, I continue westward.
Top Story Arch
A cheerful group heads the other way
I make a rather dumb mistake here by following footprints southward, forgetting all that I remember of the route. This detour delays me about ten minutes.
Not this way...
...but this way
At the northwest corner of today's loop, I once again forgo a mile-long
detour over to a prominent formation known as Dark Angel; it can be viewed from
many other angles.
Approaching an uncommon attraction
That's it for the so-called Primitive portion of the loop, but I know better. There still is a lot of excitement ahead.
The back side of Double O Arch
Scrambling through the "Little O" to get back here is a one-of-a-kind
thing. I wish that I could enjoy it more; but as yesterday, the cold,
stiff breeze is detracting from the enjoyment of this walk.
It was back here that I captured my best-ever wildlife photograph
(see Hike #109); but no little guys are scurrying around
today. They probably are holed up somewhere that is warm.
Back in front
From here, it's a 'straight' shot southeast to the trailhead.
Starting down
Black Arch Overlook
At the on-ramp to the obligatory 'fin-walk', the hiker ahead of me drops his water bottle. I pick it up and hand it to him. Replacing the bottle to its pack, it promptly falls out again. The man already is halfway up onto the fin by now; so this time I throw the bottle up to him, and it manages to stay put.
Onto the fin
I would love it up here on this rock, except that the wind is trying to blow me off.
At the other end
The La Sal Mountains provide a magnificent backdrop
More tricky maneuvers on another fin
This traverse actually does require a modicum of care.
Looking back
By forgoing the spur routes over to Partition Arch and Navajo Arch according to plan, the scrambling soon is over.
The loop is complete
From here, the last mile is a wheelchair-accessible slog.
Snow-capped splendor
§: Not only is this the world's ultimate arch-viewing walk,
but it is the most fun trail that I know. The slickrock scrambles provide both
excitement and difficulties that tend not to be encountered elsewhere. Depending
upon one's penchant for this sort of hiking, exploring Devils Garden rates either to
be utterly delightful, or a possible nightmare.
In any case, go only as far as your comfort-level permits, of course; but do
make the effort. Should you opt for the Primitive Loop, I suggest doing it
counter-clockwise as did I, for the reasons previously stated.
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