Searching for Winter

Seeking. I went in search of Winter, and I found it waiting for me. This February right after leaving the Grandmaster Ultras in Littlefield, AZ I had initially thought I'd spend a few days chasing the sun in southern Arizona, soaking up as many rays as possible before returning to rainy East Texas. Instead of heading directly south, though, I went up to Zion National Park, right across the Arizona/Utah border and only an hour or so from the race location. I don't know quite what made me go there. Maybe it was because I had forgotten how freshly fallen snow glitters in the sun, like so many diamonds sparking in a jeweler's case. Maybe it was because I needed to feel the sting of frozen air on my cheeks to remember why I don't live in places where breathing hurts. Whatever it was, I got my fair share of freezing temperatures and snow-covered red rock canyons during my visit.

Winter is the only time of the year private vehicles are allowed to drive the scenic road into Zion Canyon. Visitation during the summer months is too high, which the park combats by utilizing a shuttle system to take visitors and hikers to various stops within the canyon. I took advantage of this allowance to drive the canyon road myself, stopping at nearly every pull-out to take in the snow-dusted canyon walls. The Virgin River, responsible for carving Zion out of sandstone, was a churning, chilly thread along the bottom of the canyon, rimmed with ice.

Zion is a whole new park in the winter. With the canyon bottom frozen, trees bare, and walls devoid of the famous hanging gardens, you can't help but be reminded that this is a desert. Sure, the canyon walls provide cool relief and abundant water during the summer months, allowing herds of mule deer and other wildlife a place to flourish, but while those animals are still around during winter the lack of greenery makes the canyon look stark in comparison.

I really, really enjoyed the lack of crowds during this visit. I had Hoodoo with me so didn't get a chance to hit the trails, but just from driving along the park roads and being able to find a parking space was a huge difference between summer and winter in Zion. And the fresh inches of snow covering the park when I woke up after spending the night? Perfection. Is there anything better than red rock covered in snow? I got my taste of winter for the year, and while I couldn't get enough of the views I could definitely do without the freezing temperatures. It was down to ten degrees overnight while I was (tent!!) camping. And once I left the canyon bottom for upper elevations it dropped to zero degrees. I made my way south as quickly as I could after that.