methowoutdoors.com

Here’s a brief update on the road up to Hart’s Pass. The road is mostly clear of snow all the way past Deadhorse Pass to the next large pull-out suitable for parking snowmobile trailers.

Posted on April 11th, 2009 by methowoutdoors
Filed under: Conditions | No Comments »

One of the finest places to visit in the American Southwest is an area that lies within the Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness. The area is called Coyote Buttes and is full of amazing and beautiful geologic features. Before the 1990’s this place was relatively unknown to most people. But no more. Chances are you have seen the region’s most popular feature known as “The Wave”. This multi-colored, undulating sandstone feature now graces calendars, coffee table books, prints, note cards–the list goes on (Google it, you’ll recognize it). Strangely enough, more Germans (yes, from Germany) have probably been to this remote area than Americans. Why? One source claims it’s because a scientific magazine article about it appeared in Germany. While this may be true, it probably comes after the fact. With the fact being that a German porno was filmed here. This tidbit comes from someone close to me who had been shown this area (and had been sworn to secrecy) WAY before any one knew of it, when “The Wave” was called the “Rainbow Room”. Now, I have not verified this German porno connection with a good Google search because that just brings up too much weird stuff. But I’m willing to go along with it because it makes a better story.

Nowadays, if you want to go see “The Wave”, you’ll have to get a permit for it. The area is divided into two sections: North and South, with “The Wave” residing in the North. Reservations are few and book up pretty far in advance, a system that is not compatible with two wandering travelers who have no idea where they are going to be from day to day. When we found ourselves in the area of Coyote Buttes day we settled for another option: South Coyote Buttes. Permits are easier to come by here perhaps because it is lesser known and harder to get to. By hard I mean either a long, sandy 4WD trek or a long, long, long hike. But it is no less spectacular and definately has merits of its own. Only the most dedicated will probably find themselves here and on a cool spring day in March we were the only ones here.

We spent several hours wandering around the colorful, swirling Navajo sandstone buttes, precarious-looking hoodoos, and delicate fins of stone projecting out from the cross-bedded layers of rock. In a particularly interesting hollow, I stopped to soak it all in. I’m facinated by geology, and getting to experience it in this magnificent setting hardly got much better–until I spotted the dinosaur tracks. There they were, at least 3 to 4 sets of tracks walking side by side, suggesting a small group of dinosaurs traveling together. They looked like they just appeared out of the past, walked about 15 feet or so, and disappeared back into eternity. I’m certainly not an expert so I can’t say how old they were, but I do know that this area was once a land of sand dunes, deposited somewhere around 150 million years ago, during the Jurassic. So yeah, they’re old.

Also of interest were the deflation hollows, depressions in the rock formed by wind erosion, that had accumulated sand and other interesting particles of rock. We combed through a few, looking for lithics. After satisfying that curiosity, we headed back towards the road where we parked. There are no trails to follow, so route-finding skills, a sense of direction, and a GPS are pretty helpful for making sure you don’t get lost.

On a total side note, If you were out here and lost a memory card from your camera (and you’re reading this) let me know. I found it in the sand, and in good condition. You family photos of Disneyland are still safe with me.

Posted on April 7th, 2009 by methowoutdoors
Filed under: Geology, Hiking and Backpacking, Out of Area, Utah | No Comments »

The area surrounding Kanab, Utah has been popular with Hollywood filmmakers looking to capture iconic western scenery as a backdrop for their movies. According to the Kane County Office of Tourism, more westerns have been filmed near here than any other location outside of California. Famous stars such as John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, Clint Eastwood have all starred in movies filmed in the area.

In the Spring of 2006, J and I made the short trip to the Paria Movie set–a mock up of a western town built for the movie “Sergeants Three” and used for episodes of the television series “Gunsmoke” and “Death Valley Days”. The last film shot here was Clint Eastwood’s “The Outlaw Josey Wales” , one of my all time favorite movies and the impetus for stopping by here in the first place.

The buildings we visited featured a saloon, post office, a merchantile, and others that were reproductions built in 2000 to replace the originals that flash floods had damaged in 1998. While wandering through the set we imagined ourselves back in the days of the old west and marveled over how the set was untouched by vandalism. Unfortunately, an arsonist destroyed the set in August of 2006. The fact that the set was rebuilt in 2000 by dozens of hardworking and dedicated volunteers makes this crime even more egregious. But true to the spirit of the people who live here, the Paria set will surely live again.

For More information: Paria Movie Set Information about the reconstruction of the set.
Directions to the set are available on the internet. Check out the map below.

View Larger Map

Posted on April 2nd, 2009 by methowoutdoors
Filed under: Family Outings, Out of Area, Utah | No Comments »

Seem’s everyone is talking about the weather.  It’s normal–the talk, that is.  What’s apparent here is the lack of snow.  It was slow to arrive at first, then we got dumped on, and then we had a pineapple express, leaving the snowpack very shallow. 

It’s not just affecting the low country where most of the MVSTA nordic ski trails are; it’s up higher like at Loup Loup where the ski area doesn’t have enough snow to open yet.  Even the nordic trails are looking pretty, um, bare, as evidenced by this photo, taken just minutes after the ‘cat went by today.  We drove out of the cold and fog of the valley floor–temperature of 20 degrees–into the warm sunshine and spring-like conditions at the Loup Summit.  Temperature?  A warm 48 degrees!

Posted on January 15th, 2009 by methowoutdoors
Filed under: Conditions, Winter Activities | No Comments »

Here are a few photos of the Monument Fire, which was sparked by lightning in early August. The Monument Fire is located up the Lost River near Mazama and is on a ridge south of Pistol Peaks. It is too dangerous to staff and was kept in check by retardant.
Photo above taken August 11.

Photo above shows how the fire has crept downhill August 19.

Posted on August 23rd, 2008 by methowoutdoors
Filed under: environment and conservation | No Comments »

Photo taken from a ridge south of Buck Mountain, looking to the south.

Posted on August 22nd, 2008 by methowoutdoors
Filed under: photo of the day | No Comments »

An unknown lake (known to someone, just not me) in the Sawtooth Wilderness near Twisp.

Posted on August 21st, 2008 by methowoutdoors
Filed under: photo of the day | No Comments »

Sunday’s destination was Lookout Mountain, a high point 4 miles southwest of Twisp that is home to a forest fire lookout.  The trail begins at an elevation of 4,300 feet and climbs to the lookout at an elevation of 5,515 feet over a distance of about 1.3 miles.  The beginning section of the trail climbs steadily through ponderosa pine and mistletoe infested Douglas-Fir.  There are peek-a-boo shots of the surrounding Twisp River and Methow Valleys as you go up.  Eventually the trail begins to switchback up the face of the mountain before reaching the top of the ridge.  Just as the trail breaks over the ridge, Lookout Ridge Trail #423 heads off to the west towards Blackpine Lake up the Twisp River Valley.  At this point, more impressive views begin to unfold with the Sawtooth Range to the west.  From here it’s a short ridge walk up to the historic Lookout Mountain Lookout.  The location was first established as a camp lookout; the present 25′ high structure was built in 1937.  The lookout is only occupied infrequently during emergencies in the summer so don’t go expecting a tour of the place.  We planned on picnicking at the helispot below the tower but hundreds of glass shards proved too much  of a hazard to our toddling explorer.  After enjoying some of the panoramic views, we ambled back down along the ridge in the vicinity of this beautiful snag for lunch and a short break before returning to the trailhead.

If you go: From Twisp take Okanogan County Road 9114 west 0.5 mile, turn left on County Road 1605 (Alder Creek Road). Continue on Forest Service Road 4400-200 to its end, about 4.2 miles. Roads are passable to passenger vehicles. Multiple uses are allowed including hiking, horses, mountain bike and dirt bike.   Lookout Mountain USGS Quad

Posted on June 8th, 2008 by aana
Filed under: Family Outings, Hiking and Backpacking | Comments Off