Month: April 2022

Tropic?

HDT 2022 Day 23, April 23, Saturday
Start beside Paria River S8 mile 36.7
End town of Tropic, after Willis Creek S9 mile 0.7 
Miles walked: 13.0

Continuing upstream on the Paria River, the route goes past the mouths of several canyons. Eventually water stops running.

Diverting up Willis Creek, the channel is narrower, and still dry.

Continue reading “Tropic?”

Paria?

HDT 2022 Day 22, April 22, Friday
Start in Hackberry Canyon S8 mile 11.7 
End beside Paria River S8 mile 36.7
Miles walked: 25

After reaching that first water, the water continued running, and Hackberry Canyon was transformed into a riparian haven

Water flows in wide rippling sheets along the sandy bottom, only a half inch in depth, which involves a good bit of splash-hiking. Canyon rock has now turned red.

Nearing the end, as a finale the canyon walls become high and narrow, and the water extends almost along its full width, leaving no room for willow.

Exiting at Cottonwood Creek permit station, I meet a couple who have been running support for three HDT hikers they say are a day ahead of me:Birgit, Hanuela, and Wolfgang, from Germany. I see another couple of hikers from France, about the same distance.

Joining the Paria River, I turn from southwest to northwest, repeatedly crossing the river stream, typically only three feet wide and shoe height, as it winds to and fro between its outer banks.

The original Mormon townsite Paria only has a couple of structures remaining. This was a popular location for shooting movies.

The day is overcast, turning colder, windy, with several light showers alternating with sun. The lighting does not allow the remarkable colors of the soil and rock on the hillsides to be captured. Here the wind is kicking up sand in the riverbed

I will include photos of the hills, in the hope that they can be color-corrected later.

After walking thirteen miles on the river, I easily crossed the stream over a hundred times. Marching forward was the only way to keep warm(ish) on this cold windy wet day.