Author: Jim, Sagebrush

HDT 2022 Day 13, April 13, Wednesday
Start S5 mile 42.6, past Swap Canyon Spring 
End base of Red Slide, S6 mile 17.9 
Miles walked: 24.2

This morning on a short road walk, my water bottles froze while I was hiking. The same thing happened yesterday.

The route entered the Capitol Reef National Park, with its own unique rock formations, due to a geology feature named the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile north-south fold in the earth’s crust. We enter at Oyster Shell Reef, and these rocks do have a shell shape.

Next we climb the Burr Trail Switchbacks. A road with 6 hairpin turns is built in such a way that you cannot even tell there is a road there from this vantage point looking at the slope.

If you zoom in, you might just barely spot the roof of a white car going up. Here is looking down on some of the turns.

HDT 2022 Day 12, April 12, Tuesday
Start S5 mile 24.1, along road just beyond Sweetwater Canyon 
End S5 mile 42.6, past Swap Canyon Spring
Miles walked: 18.5

A cold day start cloudy, and gradually clears by the end. Any rain from the night before has been evaporated by last night’s wind. A brisk roadwalk gives a view of Capitol Reef in the distance.

Muley Canyon comes into view, and it is just Huge. Multi-ties buttresses are featured in a vast deep wide canyon.

HDT 2022 Day 11, April 11, Monday
Start S5 mile 8, on approach to Mount Ellen 
End S5 mile 24.1, along road just beyond Sweetwater Canyon
Miles walked: 16.1

Continuing along dirt road, the mountain looms.

We are getting high enough now to start seeing aspens and ponderosa pines.