Triumphrat

Catenaccio

My wife started teaching guitar students again in the afternoons. She doesn't like me around. This is advantageous for both of us, as I can disappear and she doesn't wonder why or ask where. I took off yesterday into southern Utah, intending to stop at familiar places along the way to take pictures. Some of the spots have historical significance, others are just part of the journey from here-to-there. There being Zion National Park.

I posted a trip report of Kolob Canyon, a seldom visited part of Zion NP first in February. I followed it with a report of the busier and more touristy section of the park in June. This is the third and final iteration, and my favorite part of the park. While relatively unknown to the first time visitor, this route is actually well-known and traveled by the locals. But first, the getting there...

Modena is a whistle stop town. It was for sell a few years back for $285K. It never seems to boom - only fall down. Recently however, someone has decided to restore the old 2-room school house.



But the more interesting buildings border the spur line.



This is the old hotel and store and next to it, I'm guessing, what was a restaurant or another store. You decide.




Farther down the road, just a few miles south of Enterprise, is the site of the Mountain Meadow Massacre. Mormon settlers killed at least 120 people in a brutal attack which has defied explanation for decades. This pic shows the meadow and the monument (faintly) and the following pic is a portion of the memorial situated on a hillside above.

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The weather will continue to change on and off for a long, long time.

Catenaccio

I turned left at Central for a brief blast up the road to Pine Valley. It is a mountain valley which is slowly becoming an enclave for wealthy retirees. It is famous for its beautiful state park and white Mormon church, designed and built by Ebenezer Bryce (of Bryce Canyon fame) who was a shipwright. The church was constructed in an upside-down ship shape. The building was constructed of old growth yellow pine in 1868.



I was dodging rain clouds as I left the Pine Valley. Fortunately, the clouds started to clear off so I made a mad dash to Virgin, Utah and the beginning of the Kolob Terrace section of Zion NP. The bottom of the canyon demonstrates the importance of Kolob Creek - water.



But water with a vengeance sometimes. This bridge hasn't been used for years, but it still holds debris from recent (2005) flash floods. It is about 1/2 mile from the little lake.



A simple test for whether you're in the park or not - red pavement. Red means park, black means county road.



The road winds in-and-out of private property and Zion's. Often the roads are steep with no shoulders, other times the vistas open up and provide this...

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The weather will continue to change on and off for a long, long time.

Catenaccio

County road



Nearing mid point, the park starts to show some of its character. This shot taken of the northwest reminds me of the Brazos in New Mexico.



It was taken as the road makes a 180 degree/5 mph turn up a dugway.



One more pic from the same spot looking northeast.



I took a bunch of pics hoping to stitch them into panoramic shots. Some worked, some didn't.



Early and lonely male settlers had a thing for certain shaped mountains, and one doesn't have to travel far to find a Molly's Nipple. In this trip alone, there were three. Out of a sense of decorum, I include only one.

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The weather will continue to change on and off for a long, long time.

Catenaccio

Up top, the terrain changes. It flattens out. Water collects then runs down ever steepening slopes to flow through the canyons. A few examples.





To get to the rim to see more of the park, one has to travel down a windy gravel road for a few miles. Apparently, one landowner takes dust as a personal affront. I was one of the sane. Something about riding a high-powered street bike on rough rocky roads made me consider the wisdom of having a flat where there's no cell service.



The view is spectacular, although this pic doesn't do it justice.



The clouds are amazing too.

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The weather will continue to change on and off for a long, long time.

Catenaccio

A shot from Lava Point Overlook facing south.



And another panorama taken on the descent.



One one section of road I encountered...LLAMAS! 4 be-harnessed beauties recently escaped from The Andes. They trotted in front of me for about a mile. I'd slow down so the sound of the motor wouldn't frighten them and they'd walk. I try to increase speed gradually to go around, and they'd start cantering again. Finally, there was a clearing and they veered away.

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The weather will continue to change on and off for a long, long time.

Catenaccio

As I left Virgin, Utah, I was trying to find the road to Hurricane/Smith Mesas. My dad had told me years and years ago - when I was just a lad - of military rockets test fired from the mesas. Recently, I'd discovered Hurricane Mesa was home to a private rocket sled track. Who owns a rocket sled track? Who? Anyway, the road was clearly marked (Mesa Road). It was a rough, large stoned paved son-of-a-gun. I thought to myself "a BMW GS800 would be perfect here." The road had been cut into the side of the mesa. It was steep and doubled back on itself. There was sand on the road in spots where flooding had occurred. Pot holes made the trip entertaining. I tried to keep a steady pace of 40 mph - just to scare myself.

The first thing one notices is this weird tower. I'm guessing a water tower, maybe to supply the necessary braking friction.



Signs dissuade the casual visitor from going on and encourage instead to turn around. I'm too old to hop the Area 51 fence anymore, so wisdom being the cowardly part of valor, I did as suggested.



As I was make the journey back down the mesa, a teen boy in a Chevy was stalled on the road. He was not smiling. His auto tranny wouldn't engage. He was maybe 100 yards from the top but it looked like he was destined to practice backing up - for miles. Since he blocked the road, I took a few more snappies. Here's the composite.



I considered offering him a pillion ride to town, but the look on his face boomed "Leave me alone, you old git." So I got.

If you are ever near Zion or Bryce or Cedar Breaks or the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, take the opportunity to ride Zion Terrace. You'll be happy you did.

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The weather will continue to change on and off for a long, long time.

propforward

Holy Moly, what excellent scenery you have around there - looks like an excellent trip. Great photographs and excellent description. I really need to experience some of that area.

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hypervista

Absolutely spectacular! That Bryce church has some interesting architectural features.

Great photos of the western plains. I'd love to ride vistas like that some day. Thanks for taking the time to share Catenaccio.

DaveB

One is quite enough sir !

Really interesting and absolutely stunning pics. Many thanks.

DaveB.

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BA-MOTO

Great pics and good detail i need to go there.

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