A Day Spent at Cedar Breaks National Monument

Of the times we spent in this part of Utah, we had not visited Cedar Breaks National Monument which is located north of Zion National Park.  Clear day yesterday so off we went, traveling back north along Route 89, past the turn for Zion and made the turn west on Route 14.  Very pretty scenery, we were climbing big time!  All the trees' leaves were off, just bare tree trunks and the ever present evergreen trees lined the roadway.

This is right by our campground 

Zion in the distance

Lava flow - how did the trees find any soil?

That's not dirt - that's a lava bed

Passed a huge lava flow on both sides of the road, somewhere between 1500 and 5000 years ago there was a lot of activity in that area.  We were up on a the Markagunt Plateau at about 9,000 feet.  Did not feel the altitude difference until we hiked later (more about that later).  The name Cedar Breaks is derived from:  cedar to represent juniper trees that line the slopes of the amphitheater and breaks to represent the eroded badlands where the edge of the plateau breaks away to a lower area.  Dramatic to say the least.  The natural rock amphitheater is over 2,000 feet deep and over 3 miles wide in diameter.

Walked up the path to the rim

Did a quick visit to the visitor center and decided to hike along the rim.  Timing is everything.  The park closes down this coming Monday - they have already had snow and will close till next May. There is a campground but that had already closed for the season, not a lot of people visiting but I think the other parks draw the people in.

See the people at the rim?  That's where I stopped, Dave went on

People on the edge of the rim - Ramparts Overlook

This guy was sitting on the edge, drawing.

Oh my goodness.  I am not afraid of heights but that trail was a bit unnerving.  I walked it a little ways, stopped while Dave continued on.  We were walking along the rim at 10,285 feet. Watched some folks across the way reach the Ramparts Overlook at 9,952 feet.  Nope, I just did not want to continue on.  I did not have my hiking boots on nor my walking stick and I felt very unsteady.

Visitor's center built in 1933, very quaint

A huge clue that we needed to heed to altitude

Did a quick drive to the Chessman Ridge Overlook and walked the trail to the Alpine Pond which is at 10,350, a small spring fed pond at sub-alpine level.  And it was 80% ice covered. Very pretty and oh so serene.  Did see the elusive Bristlecone Pine trees, age about 1600 years old!  Very different, very distinct.  Lots of birds and squirrels love that tree, so much activity going on.

Very different - needles, the cones, the bark

View from the lower loop 

Easy hike, right?

All along the trail (we did the lower loop trail because we wanted to see the amphitheater) so many dead trees due to the beetle that roots into the trees and kills them.  Still the scenery was awesome.  But we were VERY STUPID.  We both got AMS - acute mountain sickness.  Had it once before while hiking in the Rocky Mountains.  The trail was short, very little elevation change but rated strenuous due to the elevation we were at (10,350).  We did drink water, did snack (our trail mix bags were expanded to the max due to the elevation) but obviously not enough.

Alpine Pond

Look closely - ice!  We were hiking in about 42 degrees 

Clark's Nutcracker (named by Clark of Lewis and Clark)

We made it through the hike but when I got back in the car and looked in the mirror (my eyes felt very dry) I noticed a small blood vessel had broken, spooky.  That's a true sign of AMS besides shortness of breath (Dave had that) and weakness (we both had).  Today we are okay.  Stupid.

Last look (zoomed in) of the red rocks

Navajo Lake near the lava fields

Glad we visited the park.  We have done all the 'red rock' parks now - Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Grand Staircase Escalante, Arches, Vermilion Cliffs, and of course - the Grand Canyon.  Beautiful Colorado Plateau - you have to visit this area!