Refreshed. I was driving along a gravel road up the side of the mountain I had been eyeing since we had arrived at our destination, determined to reach the cool shade provided by the aspen groves and pine trees. Cat and I were halfway through a week long visit to Moab, UT at the beginning of September, and it was hot.
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| Colorado River |
We had decided to take a break from the parched red earth to explore the La Sal Mountains located 20 miles from town. Driving up the canyon along the Colorado River, we took our time and stopped at every gravel shoulder big enough to fit my car. We took pictures, often turning a full 360 degrees, trying to capture the beauty of the area. We turned off and took a little paved road out of the canyon that our maps promised would take us up into the relief of the mountains.
First, the road was paved, then turned to gravel. The temperature cooled significantly as we ascended, and we rolled the windows down to inhale the mountain air. The butterscotch-green scent of pine trees really needs to be accurately captured in a candle; nothing out on the market does the real smell justice, I've looked (smelled). It's really rather amazing, how quickly we went from dry, scorching, red desert to moist, cool,
green mountains. One minute we were driving up a hill surrounded by red rocks and desert plants, then a quick transition zone with Scrub Oaks, then we crossed some invisible altitude line and there were pine trees, and aspens!
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| Quaking Aspens |
From the gravel road we turned on to a little, one lane dirt road that led up higher onto the mountain. We knew there should be a lake toward the end of the road, and we found it, along with a number of signs warning us bears had been sighted in the area that very week. Bears in southern Utah!!! I desperately wanted to see one, but alas, no such luck. We walked around the little mountain lake, enjoying the breeze that actually was refreshing, and not full of sand. Once back on the road, we turned down another little dirt road that wasn't on our maps, deciding that if we didn't like it, we'd turn around. Well, I
loved it.
It twisted and turned and was rocky and dirty and crossed over creeks with little waterfalls. We climbed the mountain, passing through bright green clearings full of grass and wildflowers, and cruising through dark green groves of pine trees that smelled like bliss. The road was only wide enough to allow one vehicle to pass, so if we met someone coming down, we usually pulled up onto the bank of the road.It was fantastic. And definitely not meant for a two wheel drive vehicle. We bounced and bumped up the road for a couple of miles before I had to admit defeat, and vow to come back in something a little more suited for the terrain. I'm proud of my little car for handling the rough road as well as it did, and I can't ask it for anything more.
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| Mountain Lake |
Cat and I finally reached the paved portion of the descent, and thoroughly enjoyed the winding ride back into the desert. We did not, however, appreciate the increase in temperature, which seemed all the more dramatic after our day spent at higher altitudes. A day in the mountains was just what we needed in order to recharge for the rest of our week's hikes in the desert. I can't wait to go back and take those little mountain roads and remote trail heads. Maybe I'll get lucky and see a bear.
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| Viewing the desert from the mountains |
What I'm listening to: Be Prepared by Jeremy Irons
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