We went on a backpacking trip with Kristen and Cameron! Backpacking is hard... but we had a really good time. We backpacked through Kolob Canyon National Park for 2 days, camped at Zion National Park for 2 days, and then backpacked in Bryce Canyon National Park for 2 days. Wahoooooooo!
Kolob: Day 1 and 2
Kolob Canyon has the most diverse wildlife of all the National Parks we saw. Everywhere we looked there were snakes, frogs, insects, birds, lizards, and lots more we didn't see.
This frog was totally ripped open and it's intestines were spilling out, but it was still swimming down stream! Survivor frog.
This was our view from our campsite.
We had this stream with a big slab of smooth rock next to our camp. It was awesome.
Snake
On our way to Kolob Arch. Brent is always bouldering.
The view of the Arch was horrible from the recommended viewing point so we climbed up the mountain a little more and found a much better view.
Amazing Kolob Arch
Campsite 6- Our camp.
There were rock chairs already made when we got to the campsite. They were actually really comfortable after backpacking all day.
La Verkin river next to our camppppp
Filtering water
On our way out
We saw two rattle snakes! We had portable speakers that we plugged our Ipod's into so we could hike to our tunes. I guess the noise really bothered the rattle snakes and it would rattle multiple times at us and coil up getting ready to strike! They always backed off, but Brent was so scared hahaha.
The rock formations were amazing and surprisingly different from Zion.
We finally made it to the car
Zion: Day 2 and 3
Brent got creative and tried to heat up our pizza from the night before on the Jetboil. Haha it did not work.
This is the mouth of Keyhole Canyon, the slot canyon everyone hiked. We wore full wet suits because there were multiple swims. The canyon doesn't get a lot of sun light so the water is freezing and the air is pretty cold as well, so wet suits are required. It was a technical canyon, with a few repels, but pretty easy. It took us 2 hours round trip.
Brent and Cameron did another slot canyon alone.
On our way to Bryce Canyon: Day 4 and 5
Zion blew a bunch of tunnels through the mountains.
Bryce National Park is best known for the Hoodoos.
This is the Bryce Canyon summit marker
Don't the Hoodoos look like drippy castles! (When you let the sand drip slowly though your hand and it forms a crumbly castles)
Prairie dogs
Our campsite area had no view of the hoodoos, so we decided to camp right on the edge. It made me so nervous!
Our camps view
When we called the rangers before we drove to Bryce to make sure the back country backpacking was good, they forgot to mention that most of the forest is burned down. We were pretty pissed, but we didn't stay long so it wasn't a big deal.
Can you see our tents? This is the edge we camped on... That's a long way down.
Hoodoos to the left of our camp
Since the forest was burned to the ground, the wildlife was pretty much nonexistent.
My cold weather outfit
Sunrise from our camp. I took this picture right outside my tent.
Crystallized rock Brent found
SO fun. By day 5 we were ready to come home. We were so glad we finally explored some of southern Utah while we still lived here. We hope to do more trips at the end of the summer and throughout the Fall semester to the Grand Canyon, Canyon lands, and Arches and then Yellowstone! Let us know if you want to come!
But while we remain here for the summer, our plans are pretty boring, yet very full. I am going to school and researching Breast Cancer and Brent is working. So come visit us!
