NZ2020: Day 18, From Christchurch to Lake Tekapo via Peel Forest, featuring the Southern Cross

September 19, 2022October 14, 2022 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Today we drove from Christchurch to our next stop at Lake Tekapo via the Inland Scenic Route.

We crossed over the Rakaia Gorge, a huge turquoise blue glacial outwash river. The riverbed was full of bleached white rocks, many exposed in the late summer, despite the recent flooding to the south.

Rakaia River

Rakaia Gorge Bridge

Upriver view

Thick glacial outwash / riverbed sediments in the roadcut.

Our guide had recommended a stop at Peel Forest, a reserve of old growth, native forest with some of the largest trees preserved. We walked a few short loop trails into the forest, appreciating its coolness on this warm day.

Cool and shady trails in the Peel Forest.

Big Tree Walk: Totara trees are some of the largest trees in the forest.

Kahikatea trees are among the tallest of the native trees, and date back to the time of the dinosaurs.

While on the Fern Walk, I was especially impressed by the absolute din of insects, and the loud chiming call of the bell birds that echoed through the forest.

I took a video while on the Fern Walk, mostly for the sound, a bit unsteady in the images…

After our forest stop, we continued our drive toward Lake Tekapo across the dry plains to the east of the Southern Alps, which we could see as a jagged, snowy skyline to the west.

We checked into our motel room at Lake Tekapo, with a view overlooking the lake and mountains beyond.

Motel at Lake Tekapo

View across lake Tekapo

Later that night, in search of astrophotography, we drove around to the north side of the lake, and finally spotted the southern cross.

Sunset over Lake Tekapo

Stars beginning to come out.

My best handheld effort at photographing the Southern Cross constellation; the streakiness highlights the four key stars and the two pointers.

My husband captured this view of the Southern Cross with his camera and tripod.

Closer view of the Southern Cross

For the next two days we days hiked and explored in the area surrounding Lake Tekapo.

Four views of Wy’east, August, 2022

September 7, 2022December 15, 2022 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Our four August hikes all had views to Mt Hood and to some of the other Cascade volcanoes.

from Lookout Mountain

Mts Hood and Jefferson from Three Corner Rock, WA

from Elk Meadows

from the East Eliot Moraine near Cooper Spur Shelter

Location Map

August 4 – Lookout Mountain

We took this short hike with our daughter on a hot day. There were late season wildflowers, views from Mt Rainier to the Three Sisters, and a head on view of the east side of Mt Hood.

High Prairie Trailhead

Paintbrush, Sitka valerian, and asters in the meadows

Mt Hood from the trail pinnacle. Elk Meadows are on the other side of the ridge in the middle distance.

Mt Jefferson and the Sisters to the south

Scarlet gillia, Oregon sunshine, buckwheat and penstemon on the upper slopes

August 16 – Three Corner Rock, WA

Another hot day with a slow pace. Again we could see three Cascade volcanoes to the north, and Mts Hood and Jefferson to the south beyond the telecommunication towers. Most of the way we were on the Pacific Crest Trail. We were passed by about twenty north bound hikers on their first Washington trail section.

Approaching Three Corner Rock

View south to Mts Hood and Jefferson

View north to Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier and Mt Adams

August 22 – Cloud Cap to the Timberline Trail High Point

A favorite walk, up the glacier moraine, toward the Eliot Glacier, then along the edge of the sky to the High Point on the Timberline Trail. Every year I that am lucky enough to hike here I take the same pictures, but they are always meaningful to me!

Mt Hood comes into view after a short, steep hike up to the crest of the East Eliot Moraine.

Mt Hood, Eliot Glacier

Washington Cascade Peaks to the north – St Helens, Rainier and Adams.

This year I noticed a humongous boulder perched on the edge of the moraine…

We continued up the moraine, taking in the Eliot Glacier views before turning south toward the Cooper Spur Shelter.

Foot of the Eliot Glacier in the valley

Foot of the mountain glacier

crevasses

a waterfall

more crevasses

Peak up close

From the Shelter we walked south on the Timberline Trail, up to the high point at about 7400 feet.

Cooper Spur Shelter

Not much snow left on the trail

Looking up about 4000 feet to the top of the mountain

Penstemon

Ground squirrel

View south from our rest stop on the ridge near the trail high point. The Timberline Trail goes down toward Gnarl Ridge. Mt Jefferson and the Three Sisters are on the horizon.

While looking back up at Mt Hood from the high point I could hear water flowing out from the snow banks.

Melting snow on this hot day.

We made our way back along the edge of the sky…

We continued down the Timberline Trail below the shelter instead of going up to the moraine.

Long slope between the peak and Cooper Spur Shelter.

Our down trail goes below the shelter,

toward the Cloud Cap campground.

Near Tilly Jane Creek, I looked up at the East Eliot Moraine and saw the precarious boulder I had noticed on the way up.

Precarious boulder perched on the edge of the East Eliot Moraine

Will it still be here next year?

Late season gentian and monkey flowers in Tilly Jane Creek

August 30 – Elk Meadows

Our first time to this location in a while. Most of the meadows were beyond bloom, except for late season gentians, fireweed, and goldenrod.

Clark Creek, with a beautiful bridge.

Newton Creek is more difficult to cross.

This log was fairly easy to cross, but more difficult if one has fear of heights or balance problems. One of the reasons we haven’t been here for a while.

The seven to nine switchbacks after Newton Creek can be a shady hanging garden. On this hot day, most of the flowers were past bloom, but we did appreciate the shade.

Third switchback viewpoint

Nearby crosshatch tree

Fringed grass of Parnassus and aster

Dried out cow parsley, aster and goldenrod

Lunch view from the first meadow opening – plenty of gentian in the mostly dry meadows.

A scrub jay watched us eat lunch.

After lunch we circled round the perimeter trail, then went to the shelter in the middle of Elk Meadows. We saw plenty of aster seed heads, some arnica in the shady areas,

also fireweed,

and false hellebore.

Wide meadows near the shelter had swaths of goldenrod.

View back to the shelter, and to the burned forest atop Blue Grass Ridge.

Mt Hood close up!

We returned the way we came, back down the switchbacks, over the log bridge, planning to return sometime soon to see fall colors, and maybe to extend our hike up to Gnarl Ridge and the Timberline Trail.

August 2022

August 31, 2022 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

The best events this month were visits with family; our daughter visiting for almost two weeks from DC, then a brunch in Eugene, where we got to see folks we have missed for almost three pandemic years. I also went on four hikes, all with views to Mt Hood – described in my next post.

Trip to Eugene

8/13/2022 – Back to the garden I love, so many memories here…

Knitting

Another gnome, some socks, a hat, and a cardigan…

August gnome: Gnome is Where You Hang Your Hat

Gnome parts, pattern by Sarah Schira

Socks, West Yorkshire Spinners yarn, and a really good book I read this month.

Em Dash cardigan, by Lisa Tremery, in Truboo yarn; still needs buttons.

Another hat for the Guild project.

Neighborhood and garden…

Blooming artichokes

Summer fruit

Sidewalk garden cantelope

Sidewalk poetry

And birthday treats…

I am glad to have people I care about to share a nice birthday dinner, a few treats, and they also brought presents…

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I also spent time viewing the videos of Joni Mitchell with Brandi Carlile at the Newport Folk Festival in July. I have listened to her music since I was young; seeing her return after catastrophic health issues brought me to tears.

Scotland and Iceland, June 15 – July 9, 2022

July 31, 2022August 1, 2022 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Today I am posting highlight photos from our travels in Scotland and Iceland, which I plan to describe in more detail someday…

SCOTLAND –

After spending a couple of days in Glasgow to adjust to the eight hour time shift, we rented a car and drove north into the Highlands, eventually reaching the north coast at Durness. The days got longer, until we barely saw night at all, and sometimes hiked in the evening if that was the best weather window. We mostly stayed in self catering places, and continued Covid protocols, so did not connect with very many people. But we saw beautiful landscapes, took many hikes with interesting geological and historical significance, and enjoyed being out in the world.

Glasgow –

Kelvingrove Museum

Botanical Gardens

Ashton Lane

Botanical Gardens

Modern Art Museum

Street mural

The River Clyde

Loch Lomond and Glencoe-

Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond

Top of the Devil’s Staircase – Stob Mhic Mhartuin

Looking back down toward Glencoe

Stairs up to Buachaille Etive Beag

To Stob Dubh, a munro, at 3143 feet

Looking to Ben Nevis from Stob Dubh

And down to Glen Etive (Skyfall Road)

Glencoe Lochan and the Pap of Glencoe

Solstice along Loch Linnhe

We continued northeast along Loch Ness to the Black Isle, then west again to Loch Carron.

Chanonry Lighthouse, Rosemarkie Beach

Cromarty Firth near Culbokie, Black Isle

Loch Carron

Coire Lair hike

We followed the NC500 over the Applecross,

Applecross in the evening

Single track with passing places

Walking higher, to Sgur a Chaorachain

Writing on top of the world

Views to Skye and the Hebrides

on to Port Henderson,

Red Point Beach

Highland Coo

Headlands south of Red Point

Sheep

Loch Coulin near Kinlochewe

Beinn Eighe Mountain Traill rises steeply above Loch Maree

Beinn Eighe high country

Lochs near the top of the Beinn Eighe Mountain Trail

then Ullapool,

Ullapool Hill

Moine Thrust Fault at Knockan Crag

Stac Pollaidh from Knockan Crag

Evening hike up Stac Pollaidh

After the rain

Mists rolling out, water and light merging

Toward Suilven

and eventually to the north coast at Durness.

Ardvreck Castle ruins

John Lennon Memorial in the Durness Village Hall garden

Headlands near Smoo Cave – our northernmost point.

We spent one last evening walking on Oldshoremore Beach near Kinlochbervie before driving all the way back to Glasgow in one day, ready to fly to Iceland.

Oldshoremore Beach

Lewisian Gneiss

Rainbow across the water

All the flags at Glasgow Airport

ICELAND

In Iceland the days were even longer, it was bright outside whenever I looked out the window! We stayed one night in Reyjkavik, explored the Golden Circle, then travelled into the westfjords to see volcanoes, waterfalls, and puffins.

Reyjkavik-

View from Harpa Concert Hall to the harbor

Sun Voyager sculpture,

Hallgrimskirkja, 9:30 pm

The Golden Circle-

Pingvellir – Looking across the mid-Atlantic Rift, on land.

Walking along the “European edge” of the rift

Oxarafoss

Strokkur Geysir

Gulfoss

Langjokull Glacier, in the distance

Snaefellsnes to Stykkisholmur-

Snaefellsjokull volcano, swans

Djupalonssandur – black sand beach

Stykkisholmur

Kirkjufellsfoss

Latrajbarg Cliffs and Puffins-

Ferry to Brjanslaekur

Looking back to Snaefellsnes

Latrabjarg Cliffs

Puffin

Puffins

Tungurif – Golden Beach

Westfjords to Holmavik-

Arnarfjordur

Dynjandi Waterfall

Isafjordur

Our northernmost viewpoint – looking across Isafjardardjup to the northern Westfjords.

South to Reyjkavik-

Random typical waterfall along Route 60 south of Holmavik – we passed so many of these on our drive.

One of the craters in the Grabrok complex – we stopped for a short hike into one of the other craters.

Everywhere we went, in both Scotland and Iceland, people were welcoming. While not many local people wore masks, nobody minded that we did. The only place that was completely crazy was the Reyjkavik Airport, which does not have many of the more modern electronic check in procedures that we are accustomed to. If you are going, go early and prepare for long lines – that seems to be the common experience there. The travel home day was 22 hours long, and took me about two weeks to recover. That said, we are already planning to return. In Iceland, we would still love to drive the Ring Road, which we did not have time for on this trip. I would always like to back to Scotland, but not sure I can talk my husband into spending more time on the potholed and narrow single track roads in the Highlands – even the local people complain about those roads. He has his sights set on New Zealand and Italy. It was wonderful to be out in the world again, and I am grateful we could go!

Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft in Holmavik

Catching up in July 2022

July 31, 2022 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Time to write again. We traveled from mid-June to mid-July to Scotland and Iceland. On return I was swamped with jetlag and reentry and hot weather. Life seems to move along twice as fast, time always doubling, and I barely have time to look back, while moving forward, while still living a semi-Covid life. My next post has photo highlights of the trip. This post is catching up with life back in my Portland neighborhood.

Neighborhood –

I always see so many interesting things as I walk through my neighborhood. This month, a tiny tree door I hadn’t noticed before, more sidewalk ponies and chickens, a new poetry post, and so many bright flowers, including at least three colors of cone flowers. We were home in time to get plenty of berries in the freezer, and I had the good luck of partaking of a pineapple upsidedown cake at my book group meeting.

Hikes-

July 15, Vista Ridge – Before this current heat wave, we went with a friend up Vista Ridge on the north side of Mt Hood, hoping to see the avalanche lilies. We hiked up to the snow level, about 5300 feet, not quite up to the Timberline Trail. On the way down, I noticed a couple of my haunted tree friends still standing.

Avalanche lilies blooming on the burned forest floor; Washington Cascade peaks in the distance.

Avalanche lilies

Snow, Mt Hood

Lilies poking up through the melting snow

Mt Hood and Barret Spur

Close up, crevasses forming

Deeper snow – time to turnaround

Avalanche lilies

Haunted tree, Mt Hood

Another haunted tree, Washington peaks beyond.

July 28, Bayocean Spit near Tillamook – Full on heat wave, we drove out to the coast to lovely 65 degrees weather, and walked an 8 mile loop around the spit that bounds Tillamook Bay. Fog, shorebirds, not many people. Lovely!

Over the dune to the foggy beach

North to the jetty, fog lifting

Sanderlings, sand pipers and plovers

Tide coming in

The jetty

Pelicans

Tillamook Bay, gulls,

a couple of Caspian terns

and Yellowlegs.

Knitting-

Not much. I had travel socks, but was too busy looking and planning to knit. None of the wool stores were open when we saw them, either in Scotland or Iceland. I did buy some commercial sock yarn at a variety store in Iceland, so have added those skeins to my queue. On return I knitted the tiniest of Sarah Schira’s gnomes, called Gnibblet, to keep up with her Year of Gnomes challenge. This was the month for it. I have a more ambitious one planned for August.

Sock yarn from Iceland

Gnibblet

Now I am sort of caught up, and looking forward to August, when there are some family visits planned. I’m hoping heat and viruses won’t derail us, knock on wood!

Early June, 2022

June 12, 2022 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

The sun came out for a few days, and the roses finally bloomed, seemingly all at once.

Hiking: We hiked twice on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, where wild flowers are also blooming late this year.

June 1 – Hardy Ridge – We found some of the earliest blooming wildflowers on top of Hardy Ridge (8.2 miles, 2100 feet).

Fading trillium

Oregon anemones

Glacier lilies

Eastward view toward Table Mountain.

Phlox Point, and plenty of black flies photobombing us.

Blue jay near our lunch stop.

Looking south toward Oregon on our return hike. Service berry bushes in bloom.

June 7 – Cape Horn – We started in the middle, at the Strunk Road Trailhead, since the full loop is not open this time of year. We were hoping to see the tall larkspur, which can be profuse along this trial.

Lupine blooming in reclaimed fields along the trail to the Nancy Russell Overlook.

Cow parsley also in full bloom.

Tall ferns unfurling

Tall ferns

And we found the larkspur!

Larkspur blooming all along the trail…

More larkspur…

Also, candy flower and buttercups.

More buttercups.

Maple trees were leafing out.

Avens at the Hwy 14 underpass.

We made our way to the Lower Oak Overlook, where the trail is closed for falcon nesting season. The river viewpoints were very windy, but it was calm and protected in the forest. We retraced our steps, back up the larkspur lined trail, for a 4 mile, 650 foot hike for the day. Lovely!

Knitting – I finished my June gnome for the ‘Year of Gnomes’, and made progress on socks, a hat and a sweater…

June Jester Gnome, Oh, Gnome, You Didn’t pattern by Sarah Schira

Side view, with jingle bells and pockets.

I was inspired by a Cirque du Soleil show from 20 years ago, and some other knitters’ Mardi Gras interpretations of the pattern.

Works in progress.

And spent much time preparing for our overseas adventure to Scotland and Iceland… finally! Postoned and postponed and postponed again. I will report back!

NZ2020: Day 17, Onawe Peninsula Trail

June 6, 2022 / margaretquilts / 1 Comment

February 10, 2020

Today we began our independent travels after two weeks on guided tour. We slept in bit, then decided to walk the Onawe Pa Track (2.7 miles, 300 feet), on the Banks Peninsula. We drove about an hour to the carpark, then spent most of the afternoon looking at the rocks, tide pools and views along the trail.

Route from Christchurch to the Banks Peninsula, an eroded volcano.

View from the Hilltop Lookout showing the long narrow Onawe Peninsula in Akaroa Harbour.

Location Sign at the Hilltop Lookout

The far end of the Onawe Peninsula is an island at high tide. We began by walking along the tidal flats on the west side of the peninsula, on a dark cobbled beach with iron-stained yellow and orange volcanic tuffs in the adjacent cliffs.

Trailhead

Walking south along the westside of the peninsula

The low point that is flooded at high tide. We walked through the gap and saw a few birds.

Cormorant

Heron in the tidal flats

Closer view of the heron

We walked back through the gap, and continued walking south and up onto the hill to the top of the peninsula.

Track going up to the top of the peninsula.

Looking south as we walk up the road/trail

Continuing on

Grey boulders at the top of the peninsula

View to the south of Akaroa Harbour, including a cruise ship

View back to the north, showing the coastline and skyline of the Banks Peninsula.

On our return, we explored the beaches and cliffs on both sides of the peninsula, looking at marine life in the tide pools, and ‘picture rocks’ in the cliffs.

Back down to the beach

Tide still out…

Through the gap again.

Tidepools:

Crab and snail

Bivalve

Snail

More clams

Oysters

A seaweed

Another cormorant

Tidepools

We enjoyed photographing the differentially stained tuffs, or ‘picture rocks’:

I decided to climb up the first hill, to look at the view from there:

Me, atop the hill.

View from the top…

Looking back at Onawe Pa

Tide coming in on the tidal flats, as we make our way back to the car park.

Last view from the Hilltop Viewpoint on our way return drive.

Back in Christchurch, we had dinner at a Thai restaurant. We had done well with left-side driving, and were ready to make our way to Lake Tekapo tomorrow.

May 2022, at home

June 3, 2022 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

It has been a rainy month in Portland. Many spring flowers were late, but they did bloom. I planted tomatoes and basil and marigolds, and I hope they grow. There was plenty of knitting time for gnomes, hats and socks. The terrible school shooting in Uvalde, Texas on May 24th has put a damper on everything, though it is a sunny 74 degrees out today. I may live in a bubble, and I don’t think all guns are bad, well somedays I do, but the lack of action on this issue is so frustrating, and deadly, and it happens everywhere in our country and rarely anywhere else. I find some comfort in seeing so many social media posts that agree with me. I have collected quite a few via screenshots, and I am posting them here, for me, to remind me that many share my anguish and sadness and frustration.

Knitting –

Make Gnome Mistake – the May Mystery Knitalong with Imagined Landscapes

New socks for a gift

Two sets of Knitted Knockers, made for donation to KnittedKnockers.org, who provide prosthetics to mastectomy patients.

I made three hats for donation to the Puddletown Knitters Guild service project.

I started a new pair of travel knitting socks to take on our upcoming Scotland and Iceland trip.

Not knitting – we painted one of the bedrooms.

Garden

The neighborhood tulip strip looks even better this month.

Native irises

Rhodies

First roses of the year

Tomatoes and basil

Anti-Gun Violence Memes, mostly from Instagram:

Background checks and limits on assault weapons and ammunition could prevent these senseless deaths. This time I am privileged to be witnessing from a great distance, though it has happened nearby – an average of 544 gun deaths per year in my state. And, ‘no person is an island’ – we all suffer each time.

My actions:

We donate money to advocacy groups, and vote in every election.

Next month we have some international travel planned, so it may be a while before I post again…..

Hiking in May 2022

May 31, 2022September 9, 2024 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Our four hikes in May were all repeat hikes for us, east out of the Portland rain, to see spring wildflowers in the Columbia River Gorge.

5/4 – Tom McCall Point

One of our favorite hikes (3.5 miles, 1000 feet) with wildflowers and mountain and river views.

Balsamroot and lupine on the lower plateau

Fern-leaf desert parsley and poison oak in Parsley Alley

Paintbrush and balsamroot all the way up the mountain

Chocolate lilies

View to Lyle and Rowena Crest

Mt Adams

View to the Cherry Orchard cliffs from the top of Tom McCall Point

And, a flock of American pelicans flying upriver…we’ve never seen that before!

5/10 – Bitterroot Trail at Catherine Creek

Another easy loop (3.5 miles, 800 feet), my favorite bitterroot flowers in bloom, and amazing views the whole way.

Bitterroot blooming on the rocky balds near the trail head.

Poppies and bachelor buttons along the road

Bitteroot, camas and monkey flowers near the fairy pools.

Bitterroot – Lewisia rediviva

Cluster lilies, orchards of Mosier

Meadowlark

Rosy plectritis and bitterroot

Upriver view at the Balsamroot cairn

Downriver view, giant anvil cloud southeast of Mt Hood

Top of Rowland Wall. I found that one giant cluster of bitterroot that I always look for.

Giant bitterroot cluster, not in bloom;

Another beautiful bitterroot cluster, in bloom.

5/13 – Weldon Wagon Road

A hike with friends along gorgeous slopes of blooming balsam root flowers (5 miles, 1200 feet).

Lower oak woodland

Western tanager flying near the balsamroot

The open slopes in bloom

Open slopes

Parsley and balsamroot

Flowery meadows along the trail

Lupine dew

Balsamroot

Dogwood in the lower forest

5/26 – Hamilton Mountain

This can be a more difficult loop hike (8 miles, and 2200 feet), but we chose to go just to the upper set of rocky switchbacks, then return the way we came (5 miles, 1550 feet). I got to see the smaller cousin of the bitterroot – Lewisia columbiana, on the upper cliffs just as the weather was starting to turn.

Lots of white flowers blooming in the forest

Equisetum (horsetail)

Rodney Falls

Pool of the Winds

View across the gorge from the Little Hamilton summit meadows

Larkspur, parsley, and chickweed blooming down the slope

Bonneville Dam and the eastern gorge

Hamilton Mountain- we are only going to the upper rocky switchback section, circled.

Most of the Lewisia columbiana was not blooming yet,

but there were some patches on a sunny cliff.

Chocolate lilies, phlox and parsley on the lower cliffs

We felt a smattering of rain as we hiked down, but managed to sneak this hike out from under the nose of the weather gods. The real rain didn’t start until we were on our way home.

Southwest hiking trip, April, 2022: Part 3 – Tropic, Utah

May 30, 2022June 5, 2024 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

April 26

We spent the day hiking at Kodachrome Basin and nearby Grosvernor Arch.

Location map for our hikes and landmarks in southern Utah.

Kodachrome Basin – This State Park, about 12 miles south of Tropic, has its own unusual form of round hoodoos. 67 sedimentary pipes stand up above the landscape, up to 170 feet tall. There are several theories about why the sediment in these spires is more resistant than the surrounding rock that eroded away. It likely has to do with fluid migration, possibly in hot springs or geysers, and differential cementation. The pipes add a spiky element to the already beautiful eroded landscape of Jurassic Carmel and Entrada Formations.

Sedimentary pipe near the entrance station.

Panorama Trail – There are a few intersecting loops to choose from here. We hiked a 5 mile loop that included The Secret Passage, Mammoth Spire and Panorama Point.

Hiking toward the spires and cliffs of Kodachrome Basin

Fred Flintstone spire is one of the first along the trail.

Many spires in the landscape,

and pink cliffs in the distance.

A few wildflowers scattered across the desert floor.

Ballerina Spire – looks like a pointed toe

More hoodoos along the trail.

Many photo opportunities…

Into the Secret Passage,

where we could get very close to the cliffs,

and walk on the slick rock surfaces

between oddly eroded landforms.

Looking back….

The trail continued under high red cliffs toward Mammoth Spire.

We were watched by a scrub jay.

Entrada Formation cliffs

We found a shady spot near Mammoth Spire to eat lunch.

Next, we took the Panorama Point spur…

View to the north

View to the east

Returning to the trailhead…

Angel’s Palace Trail – We hiked a little over a mile on this trail that loops around the red clifftops on the east side of the basin.

Looking toward the campground.

The ‘Angel’s Rest’ of Kodachrome Basin

Shortcut back down the trail

Grosvenor Arch – We had time to drive the 11 miles to this location, and admire the view to the sky through this double arch.

A short trail leads to the foot of Grovesnor Arch

On closer view, we realize it is a double arch.

We wandered around the base, taking views from different angles.

On our return drive to Tropic, we once again admired the view to Powell Point in the distance.

April 27

It was time for me to go home to Portland, via a flight from St George, Utah.

Bryce Canyon – We made a quick stop at the Fairyland Viewpoint on our way.

Fairyland Canyon view, Sinking Ship in the distance.

Hoodoos below the rim.

Boat Mesa

Taller than trees

A bird on the hoodoo

Trail into Fairyland; Powell Point on the far horizon.

On to St George….

Back through the rock tunnel…

I flew from St George to Salt Lake City to Portland.

Leaving the Great Salt Lake, flying into the clouds.

Mt Hood peaking out from the clouds,

at eye level.

The green green land surrounding the Sandy River, just east of Portland, and home.

I was happy to be home, and would love to explore more of southern Utah another year! Meanwhile, my husband returned to Tropic for his photo class. He took this shot in Bryce Canyon one of the nights.

Milky Way above Fairyland Canyon; glow from the town of Tropic in the distance.

Margaret Quilts

Quilting, Knitting, Hiking

2022