FREE
Gateway
AUTUMN 2018
48 Hours in Fruita, CO
Best Mountain Biking Trails in the West
Native American
Fashion Show
Rare Condor Release
Winter Hours: November 1February 28 8:45 am - 2:45 pm 7 Days a Week
Summer Hours: March 1 October 31 7:45 am - 4:15 pm 7 Days a Week Hiking Tours Depart Every 30 Minutes
$4800* Adults Per Person. Includes Navajo Nation Permit Fee.
$2800* Children 8-12 Years Old. Per Person. Includes Navajo Nation Permit Fee.
0-7 Years FREE
All Tours Are Guided THINGS TO BRING: HIKERS:
• Bottled Water • Closed-Toe Hiking Shoes • Sun Screen & Hat Hiking Tours Depart Every 30 minutes
TO BOOK CALL:
928.640.1761
www.antelopelowercanyon.com book@lowercanyontours.com subject to change. 2 Gateway *Prices to Canyon Country
SLEEP INN & SUITES SLEEP INN & SUITES
Set against the dazzling Glen Canyon Overlook off Highway 89, the Sleep Inn & Suites® hotel in Page puts guests close to gorgeous Arizona landmarks like Horseshoe Bend and Rainbow Bridge. This non-smoking affordable Page hotel is also near attractions like: • Antelope Canyon • Lake Powell • Wahweap Overloook • John Wesley Powell Museum • Water Holes Canyon We want you to feel refreshed when you stay with us, that’s why our indoor heated pool and whirlpool is a great place to relax. Our exercise room is the perfect place to keep your endorphins going.
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Other amenities include: • Free full breakfast • Free WiFi • Free parking • Guest laundry All guest rooms offer a 40-inch HDTV and desk. Some rooms feature a balcony, coffee maker, whirlpool, microwave, refrigerator, sofa sleeper and in-room tea and coffee. Dream better at the Sleep Inn & Suites. Hotels in Page, AZ offer cozy, modern rooms at a great value. Book now!
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 3
That autumn heater smell Last week was the first day I turned on the heater in our house. I love the smell of the heater the first time it kicks on in the fall. It’s a unique smell. It’s merely the smell of the heater’s element burning off the dust that has collected on it since that last cold day in April. Like many things in life, it’s not so much the thing itself that I love as it is the associations it carries with it. The reason I love that smell so much is because it marks the arrival of autumn – my favorite time of year – and all the great things that come with it. Fall is such a beautiful, wonderful time to be in Gateway Country. The weather is crisp, the lake is uncrowded, the bugs have died off. It’s a beautiful time throughout all of America. On the same day I turned on my heater, somewhere over the Midwestern plains geese were making their way from the gray skies of the north to the blue skies of the south. In beautiful Yellowstone the Grizzlies were perhaps noticing the shortening days and their thoughts returned to hibernation. The last dispatch of Monarchs were returning to their wintering grounds in Michoacan, Mexico. Along every stream on the Colorado Plateau – whether Cottonwood Creek as it passes through Orangeville, Utah, the Virgin River as it passes through Zion National Park, or the Escalante River as it passes through God’s Country – the leaves of the glorious Cottonwoods were turning gold. Few things are better than autumn in the Colorado Plateau. For poets in the field the inspiration and imagery comes faster than they can write it down. Photographers burn through memory cards in their attempt to catch the season’s perfect light falling across Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon and the Vermilion Cliffs. Winter is the time of dreaming the year’s big adventures. Spring and summer is the time for the doing of the adventures, and autumn is the time to tell the stories of the adventures. If you ask me what I prefer most: adventure time or story time, it’s a toss-up. I love them both equally. Autumn is the time for curling up with a good book and a slice of pumpkin pie. Speaking of smells that trigger cozy mem-
ories, the smell of pumpkin pie baking in a steamy kitchen and the musty smell of an old paperback are right up there. Autumn in Page is the Balloon Regatta, elk hunting, quilting marathons, pumpkins riding shotgun next to toddlers in the grocery cart. Our guides have had more than enough vitamin D and not quite enough sleep. Their patience has grown thin, their bank accounts have grown fat. They browse through travel guides preparing to embark on their winter travels. They’re on opposite schedules with Orion. Autumn is time to bury the tulip bulbs and dig out the Halloween decorations. Bring in the boat and take out the quilt. Close down the A/C and open up the windows. Trim the lawn one last time and grow out the beard one more time (at least for our elk hunters). And speaking of yard work: now that it’s cool enough to work outside all day is exactly the time when we finish the yard work for the year. One of life’s great ironies. Yes, the cool weather is divine. The pumpkin pie is wonderful. Sipping cocoa while reading a Russian novel buried in a smushy chair is bliss. But what truly makes this season my favorite season is the company of friends and family. Carving pumpkins with my daughter is terrific fun. Doing it with grandma and grandpa is unbeatable. Having a backyard Dutch oven cookout is superb. Doing it with old friends is untoppable. Watching college football is one of my absolute favorite ways to spend a Saturday afternoon, but it doesn’t compare to a three-generation game of Turkey Bowl. And hey, to make it truly great, let’s swap some stories while we do it. Fall, af after all, is the storytelling season. So gather round. Pour me some eggnog and tell me about your trip to Costa Rica, your son’s award winning trumpet solo, your daughter’s first time standing up on a surfboard. It’s autumn. Please, come inside. Have a seat. Just set that Tolstoy on the shelf there. Cocoa or cider? Brrr. It’s a bit chilly in here, dontcha think? Before you tell me about Paris, let me just turn on the heater. Happy exploring! Steven Law Editor
Gateway to Canyon Country is produced four times a year by the staff of the Lake Powell Chronicle, P.O. BOX 1716, Page, AZ 86040. Phone 928.645.8888 Fax 928.645.2209 Editor Steven Law slaw@lakepowellchronicle.com Office Manager Kim Clark kclark@lakepowellchronicle.com
Contributors Steven Law Nicole M. Anderson Kyla Rivas Meredith Strodel Cal Tatum Composing Marty Sisk msisk@lakepowellchronicle.com Advertising Ed Pease epease@lakepowellchronicle.com Norma Tsinnijinnie ntsinnijinnie@lakepowellchronicle.com Circulation John Baker
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Pa
Horses graze in a southern Utah field. 6 Gateway to Canyon Country
Gateway to Canyon Country Autumn 2018
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Inside 10 14 20 25
Try a yummy Picadilly 48 Hours in Fruita, CO California Condor release Lake Powell map
26 27 28 30
Grand Circle map Page/Lake Powell map City Page Map Southern Utah Road trip
36 44
Best Mountain Biking Native Fashion Show
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 7
“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.� -Lauren DeStefano
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Locals Tip from the
Story and photos by Natalie Rivas
Try a Piccadilly. A unique Arizona treat.
“Yum Piccadilly!” says anybody who hears the word Piccadilly; the thought alone has the power to make the taste buds tingle. Instantly your mouth starts to water, maybe a bit of drool will escape. Black cherry flavor with gummy bears and extra snowcone juice can set a palette on fire. The craving sometimes will get so intense that a person will travel the distance, far and wide, searching for a vendor who makes the sweet and sour treat just right. If you’re really lucky, you may find a vendor who’ll deliver it to your front door. Piccadilly is the latest frenzy to hit the Navajo reservation and towns that border it. It’s believed that the Piccadilly mania began on the Hopi reservation starting with the KoolAid pickle; a sour treat made with packets of unsweetened Kool-Aid mix poured on the pickle or into the pickle juice to infuse the sour flavor into the pickle. The recipe evolved on the Navajo resevation adding KoolAid pickles to snow cones
Angelica Myron with her first Picadilly. “I loved it from my first bite,” she said. 10 Gateway to Canyon Country
.
“We put our stuff in layers. First, pickles at the bottom, snow cone ice in the middle, then gummy bears and Kool-aid on top” and later a random connoisseur added chopped up gummy worms. Thanks to the pow-wow circuit the recipe was introduced to the masses and the trend caught on. In the last four years the recipe became a perfect blend of sweet and sour. A Piccadilly done right takes the mouth-watering treat to a whole new level of delicious. Every Piccadilly maker has his or her own recipe and ideas for what makes a perfect Piccadilly but in general a Piccadilly consists of five ingredients: diced pickles, unsweetened Kool-Aid drink packets, snow cone ice, sweet snow cone syrup, and Gummy Bears. The ingredients can be mixed together or arranged in layers on top of the snowcone ice. Piccadilly vendors, Roz and Wil from the Page and LeChee area, also agree that the ingredients have to be the best quality or it won’t taste right. Like most vendors who sell roadside, they know competition to serve the best Piccadilly means sampling recipes from their competitors. “We were in Tuba City and this guy was putting everything on top of the ice,” said Roz. “We put our stuff in layers. First, pickles at the bottom, then snow cone ice in the middle, then we put more pickles, Gummy Bears and Kool-Aid at the top.” Roz has set her recipe apart from the rest by having over 20 flavors of snow cone syrup, including dill pickle flavor and over 20 flavors of Kool-Aid, both sweet and unsweetened and she uses three kinds of pickles: dill, Kosher and hot dill. They’ll also add limon salt if the customer asks. They set up their stand on the weekends at different locations throughout the reservation including across from the Big Lake Trading Post in Page. Piccadillys are a favorite summer treat throughout the reservation and their popularity is spreading into the mainstream. Not everybody has the palette for the rich, sweet and sour flavor but experimenting with flavor varieties can be a fun culinary adventure. A Piccadilly costs between three to eight dollars. Prices vary according to the cup sizes, the quality of the ingredients and syrup flavors.
Cage Clark at the Page Piccadilly stand.
A good Piccadilly stand has lots of toppings and flavors to choose from. www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 11
One of the newest hotels in town. The Comfort Inn & Suites® hotel in Page, Arizona
offers easy access to a variety of outdoor activities along the Colorado River, including water skiing, hiking, biking, fishing, golfing and raft trips. This Page, AZ hotel is also convenient to Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon.
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Downtown Page, AZ Recreational amenities include an outdoor pool. Those traveling on business have access to a business center at this hotel. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available in public areas. Self parking is complimentary.
Additional property amenities include free WiFi, laundry facilities, and a picnic area. Some accommodations have balconies or patios if available. Free hot breakfast. All rooms with flat screen TV’s, microwave, refrigerator, coffee pot and hair dryer.
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48
14 Gateway to Canyon Country
HOURS
in Fruita, Colorado
o
Culture, art and adventure sports meld to make Fruita one of the west’s most vibrant towns. By Steven Law
A
cool morning wind blew through the windows of Aspen Street Coffee where I began my 48 hours exploring Fruita, Colorado and its nearby towns of Grand Junction and Palisades. It was mid-August, and I was visiting from my home in Page, Arizona – where the mid-day temps are 105 degrees – so any cool breeze felt absolutely wonderful to me. Aspen Street Coffee is located on a corner space along the two blocks that constitute its downtown. Like every neighborhood coffeehouse in America its walls were adorned with coffee bean sacks from coffee-growing countries, along with kitschy art and bad photos from local artists. Signs containing coffee witticisms adorned the bathroom walls: Espresso yourself. Better latte than never. So many blends, so little time. Fruita has a population of 13,000. It’s historically an agricultural community, but in the past two decades much of its rich farmland has sprouted its final crop: suburban houses. A good portion of Fruita’s recent growth is from families who work in nearby Grand Junction but who want to raise their families in a small town with small town charms and advantages. But, despite its recent growth, much of Fruita’s agricultural land remain and I spent the first hour of my first morning in town driving through its outskirts going down dirt and gravel roads that border hay and grain fields, orchards and wine vineyards. Sprinklers watered the hay fields and morning mist hovered in the orchards just below the trees’ canopy. Lovely. As I learned during my 48 hour visit, Fruita is a town that the locals are quite proud to call home, and rightly so. The town and surrounding terrain and neighboring cities have a lot to offer people who want to live an active, engaged, enriched life.
Continued pg. 16 www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 15
My adventure begins with a suggestion from my barista.
Fruita is famous for its paleontology, hiking, rafting and mountain biking. Because of its myriad desert biking trails it’s often called “the Moab of Colorado.” The Colorado River runs along the border of town and Colorado National Monument, which features epic hiking, mountain biking and sightseeing lies a mere 20 minute drive south of town. To determine the next leg of my visit in Fruita I asked the barista at Aspen Street Coffee what she likes about Fruita, and what she would do if she was entertaining friends visiting from out of town. “I’d probably drive them over the Monument,” said Emily Wood. “There’s a scenic drive over it with a ton of picturesque places to stop and take in the views.” A patron in the coffee house overheard our conversation and suggested I visit the Palisades Peach Festival, which will be happening tomorrow. His wife suggested I visit downtown Grand Junction for its eclectic old shops. “It’s just very charming,” she said. “The downtown itself is very wonderful, and it has all these wonderful old diners and record stores and book stores and antique stores. It’s a great way to spend a few hours.” A short time later I saw for myself that she was right. One and two story stone and brick buildings, many of which were built in the 1890s, stand along Grand Junction’s main street. Shops along main street include art galleries, a book shop, a tea shop, boutique clothing shops, bike shops, outdoor gear shops and a number of restaurants. Walking along it, exploring its shops and boutiques, felt like a walk through pre-internet America. And wasn’t that a nice feeling! The first store that drew me in was a record store, where I perused its large
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Shops along Main Street include art galleries, a book shop, a record store, a tea shop, boutique clothing shops, bike shops, outdoor gear shops and a number of restaurants. Walking along felt like a walk through pre-internet America.
collection of vintage vinyl records. I next stepped into Grand Valley books and browsed its titles and displays and soaked in the sacred vibration that bookstores exude. I did purchase a book that day but I bought it at my next stop, A Robin’s Nest of Antiques and Treasures, where good fortune led me to one of my favorite childhood books: “Daniel Boone. Boy Hunter” by Augusta Stevenson. As a fourth and fifth grader I must have checked that book out of the library and read it at least ten times. I pulled it off the shelf, opened it up and smelled its 57 year old pages, a smell that transported me back to a childhood surrounded by books. For me it was indeed a treasure and I gladly paid the $28 to take it home with me. By now it was past one o’clock and I looked for a place to eat lunch and just a few doors down l came upon the perfect place to continue my pre-internet reverie: The Main Street Cafè, a 50s diner, complete with booths upholstered in red vinyl, 50s music on the speakers and a menu with shakes, malts, root beer floats and soda fountain. The burgers had names such as the Marilyn Monroe and the James Dean. It even had blue plate specials, from which I
Continued pg. 18
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Kids hula-hoop and play on the cool grass during the Palisade Peach Festival, above. Two college kids converse while their friend plays a piano in downtown Grand Junction, top right. Paddleboarding down the Colorado River on a sunny summer day in Fruita, right.
ordered meat loaf and a coke. After several minutes soaking up the cafè’s atmosphere I dug out “Daniel Boone” from my camera bag and started reading. Perfect. When my waitress returned with my lunch I asked her what she does to entertain friends from out of town. “If they came this weekend, I’d certainly take them to the Chautauqua tonight, the peach festival tomorrow and a drive through Colorado National Monument on Sunday
18 Gateway to Canyon Country
afternoon. Winery tours are a lot of fun, too.” This was the second time someone had recommended I attend the Chautauqua. “What’s the Chautauqua?” I ask. The Chautauqua is held once a year at the Avalon Theater, just a few doors down from the diner where I sat. Sponsored by the Museums of Western Colorado, and the Colorado Humanities, the Chautauqua is held once yearly. Each year they pick a theme from history
and actors portray influential people from that event in history. This year the theme was World War I, and actors played the roles of General John Pershing, Erich Maria Remarque and Emily Griffith, and several more. I thanked my waitress for her suggestions, paid my bill and went outside and continued my stroll down Grand Junction’s main street, which has wide-walkable sidewalks, decorated with planters, trees and several bronze sculptures, most of which depict kids and families at play. On the sunny side of the street I found three college kids gathered around a gaily-painted piano. The piano resides downtown, a non-sentient ambassador which encourages passersby to stop, play it and sing songs and mingle. One of the college kids was seated at the piano, playing it. His two friends were standing there and they showed their appreciation for his tune by swaying to the rhythm. Their names were Anqi Yu, Brent Metzler and Tanner Stelmach. I asked them my question: how would they entertain out-of-town guests. Yu suggested visiting Lithic Press in downtown Fruita, an independent bookstores that publishes its own books of poetry. “They have readings about once a week,” she informed me. “I believe they’re having one tonight. And if you go, you should grab a slice of pizza at the Hot Tomato; it’s a pizza joint. They have some great craft beers too.” Stelmach, the kid at the piano, added his voice to the chorus of those who suggested I visit Colorado National Monument. “Then take your pick. There’s a ton of mountain biking and hiking trails.” Apparently Coloradans prefer their views and trails by the ton, as Stelmach was the second person today to tell me that Colorado National Monument provided them by the ton. Metzler recommended I visit Powderhorn, a ski resort an hour’s drive east of Fruita. “It’s great! You take your mountain bike with you on the ski lift and then ride it down the mountain. You buy a pass, like you would a ski pass, and use it all day long.”
T
hat evening I found myself back in downtown Fruita, drinking a craft wheat beer in the Hot Tomato and conversing with some locals while waiting for our pizzas to arrive. “Definitely do some mountain biking while you’re here,” suggested my tablemate Tom Eatwell. He and his wife, Traci and daughter Taylor, were kind enough to let me join them. “That’s why I moved here. Fruita gets compared to Moab, but Fruita, the town itself, is better than Moab. Are you a mountain biker, Steve?” I nod my head. “I used to do it a lot, but not so much anymore. I’d like to get into it again, though.” About then a waitress walked through the crowded dining room, calling, “Steve? Steve?”
An iconic Mesa County view: orchards and mesas with mountains and blue skies in the background. I raised my hand and she laid down two slices of pepperoni and black olives before me. “Well, if you get back into it,” he said, continuing his story, “you’ve got to try the Kokopelli Trail. It’s one of the best mountain biking trails in the world. It’s 142 miles long and connects Loma, Colorado to Moab. Most people do it in three or four days and camp along the way.” I have to admit that sounded like one of the most intriguing adventures I’ve ever heard of. That’s going on the bucket list. Eatwell gestures to my pizza. “Go ahead and dig in. Ours should be here any minute.” While I ate his wife, Traci, tells me to try paddleboarding on Highline Lake or Statepark Lake. The waitress returned to the dining room holding a pizza over her head, this time calling, “Bueller? Bueller?” Oh, that’s brilliant, I thought to myself. I just had to see who the funny tricksters were. It was a table of two couples in their early fifties, of course, who raised their hand. The Eatwell’s pizza arrived and we continued our conversation as we ate. After my meal I bid them adieu and walked less than two block to my next destination: Lithic Press, as suggested by Anqi Yu, one of the college students I’d met earlier in the day in downtown Grand Junction. That night Lithic Press was hosting a reading from a local author. It occured to me that I’ve spent my first 12 hours in the area entertaining myself in the downtowns of Fruita and Grand Junction. But all that would change tomorrow. Tomorrow I’ll expand farther afield, first with a visit to Palisades for their famous Peach Festival followed by a scenic drive in Colorado National Monument. And there’s still hiking, mountain biking, live bands, wine tasting and farmer’s markets, that I’ll just have to add to my Fruita/Grand Junction bucket list. On my walk to Lithic Press from the Hot Tomato I walk by Aspen Street Coffee where my day’s adventure began, and it occurred to me that a visit to Fruita could well be described by the sign I saw in the coffee house this morning: So many blends, so little time.
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 19
Hideous face. Amazing grace
Alan Clampitt
Following the California Condor on its extreme journey back into the wild. By Nicole Anderson
From the edge of the Grand Canyon’s South Rim overlooking the great abyss, the wind whispered stories from this ancient canyon. Stories of an iconic species of bird that have called this planet home for millions of years. The canyon with its sandstone walls, glowing a bright vibrant hue of orange and red, plunges down deep to where the Colorado River carves away rock and stone as she steadily flows downhill in search of the salty waters of the Gulf of California. The caerulean blue sky above creates a superb backdrop for the canyon and for the endangered California Condor that soars above calling this place home. I have seen many birds in the Grand Canyon over the years, but only once have I witnessed one of the almost 300 condors living in
20 Gateway to Canyon Country
the wild, soaring immediately overhead. As I turned to see what a group of tourists were fussing about there it was: the illusive California Condor doing a flyby of sorts, buzzing the tower – or my head – as it were. It was quite astounding to be so close to a bird of this magnitude and grace. It felt as if I could reach out and touch it and a sense of awe and wonderment poured over me as it climbed high into the sky. I stood on the rim of the canyon that day craning my neck to see this massive bird in flight and realized that despite its bald head and a face that only a mother could love, along with its intimidating appearance, this bird had a survivor’s soul. It had been on this earth a remarkable 150 million years and during the late Pleistocene period
n
you would have found the California Condor in parts of eastern, western, and southern North America. Until these birds began to disappear about 11,000 years ago, they would come inland to feast on the remains of mastodons and wooly mammoths. Once these massive mammals began to die off this led to the steady decline in population of the California Condor and by the early 1800s they were only found along the Pacific Coastline. By the year 1982 the population of these magnificent birds had been reduced to only 22 in the entire world, all of which were found in California. California Condors and Turkey Vultures have a similar appearance with black feathers and red or pink heads; however, the underside of the wings have distinguishing color patterns differentiating the two species. Unlike other species of birds where the males generally sport a beautiful grouping of feathers the male and female California Condor look the same. They take home the trophy for being the largest flying land birds in North America and their wingspan stretches nearly ten feet from tip-to-tip, allowing them to catch air currents and soar to heights of 15,000 feet. If you’ve ever climbed a mountain or been to Cusco, Peru, which sits at 11,152 feet above sea level, you have an idea of how high this bird can fly. It is built to soar at dizzying heights that would cause most humans to suffer the effects of altitude sickness. Over the years, I have kept my eye on the sky in hopes of seeing another Condor but in my lifetime, I have only seen that one. I reached out and spoke with Tim Hauck, the Field Manager at the Peregrine Fund to learn more about these amazing birds. Hauck told me that he, “hopes he works himself out of a job as he works towards creating a wild and sustainable population of Condors.” Over the years, the group has had its ups and downs. Since 1996, The Peregrine Fund has bred and raised California Condors in captivity for their release into the wild. There is a flock of more than 50 condors at their breeding facility that includes 18 breeding pairs that produce about 20 eggs per year. There are also two display birds and because birds need bird mentors as well as human mentors there is a mentor bird for the juveniles. Every year, in the red-rock desert, you won’t find wi-fi or internet but you will find the Peregrine Fund as they invite the public to witness first-hand, a spectacular release of several captive-bred, young and endangered California Condors into the wild at the Vermilion Cliffs Release Site in Arizona. Hauck mentioned that one of his favorite experiences of working with the Peregrine Fund is at a release when he gets to “share such a unique experience with the public.” Condors are a social bird and they’re housed to-
A California Condor soars over the desert in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument.
A juvenile California Condor near the release site. gether in a huge flight pen at the Condor Cliffs which for one day a year become the epicenter for birds of prey being released into the wild. They are monitored to make sure they behave appropriately for a juvenile as well as being evaluated for fitness. Each bird receives its own radio or satellite telemetry device to track the bird in the wild and they’re also fitted with their own number tags. It’s important to track the young
condors in their first few weeks to measure their survival rates and, in some cases, determine the cause of death for the ones that don’t survive. Sometimes they don’t survive. “The world is a rough place for a juvenile condor” said Hauck. Condor 832 was hatched early in 2016 and not long after her release she proved to be an explorer. She soared
Continued pg. 22
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 21
United States as the California Condor soaring over the redrock canyon landscapes of northern Arizona and southern Utah.” I wonder, why me? Why did that condor decide to grace me with its presence that day? A question that will likely remain unanswered, yet a moment that will forever be etched into my mind. A moment that with any luck and a healthy population of condors will present itself again someday.
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more than 500 miles from her release site and exhilarated Wyoming residents and birders when she was sighted at Medicine Bow Peak. But she was found dead only a few days later near the town of Laramie by Josh Young, The Peregrine Fund’s biologist, who tracked her using radio telemetry. The cause of death is still unknown, and it may take months for the results to come back. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has transported the bird to a facility that will perform an autopsy. The last time a condor graced the skies of the Cowboy State was in 1998. Premature death is the name of the game for condors and even though many of them won’t survive, more condors grace the skies of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Navajo Bridge, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, and Zion National Park now than they did in 1982. Hauck mentioned that “The Peregrine Fund’s captive-breeding program works alongside zoos such as the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, the Los Angeles Zoo, and the Oregon Zoo to promote genetic diversity to create healthy populations of wild condors in Arizona, California, Mexico,” and perhaps even grace the skies of the Cowboy State of Wyoming again. It was several years ago when I stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon and witnessed that condor in flight. At the time, I didn’t know it was such a unique experience. “There is nothing quite as iconic in the western
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25 Lake Powell Blvd., Page, AZ 22 Gateway to Canyon Country
Thunderbird Resort
at East Zion
Restaurant (435) 648-2262 Golf Course (435) 648-2188 Gift Shop (435) 648-2203 ext 5 www.ZionNational-Park.com
Zion National Park - 12 miles Bryce Canyon - 60 miles Grand Canyon - 85 miles
Mt. Carmel Junction, Utah Junction of Scenic Byways US 89 & SR 9 Hours: 7 am - 11 pm
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 23
928-645-4082
Experience the authentic atmosphere of Mexico and enjoy the best Margarita’s in town.
24 Gateway to Canyon Country
Colorado River
Warm Creek Bay
City Antelope Point of Marina & Page, Launch AZ Ramp
Glen Canyon Dam
Lone Rock Beach/ Fee Camping State Line Launch Ramp Wahweap Marina & Launch Ramp
Wahweap Bay
Padre Bay
West Canyon
Rock Creek
Wahweap Marina
Last Chance Bay
jo va
Na Ca ny on
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 25
Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Dangling Rope Marina
HoleIn-TheRock
San Jaun River
Escalante River
Halls Creek Bay
Halls Crossing Marina
Bullfrog Marina
Bullfrog Bay
Antelope Point Marina
Hite Marina
Colorado River
26 Gateway to Canyon Country
FIESTA MEXICANA FAMILY RESTAURANT
928-645-4082 • 125 S. Lake Powell Blvd., Page, AZ
Authentic Mexican Food & the BEST Margaritas in town! www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 27
89
A
B
B
e Butt
iew
V Rim
Knoll 11
.
S t.
ral Ave
.
he d
Vist
Rimv i
Pine
a Av e.
r.
ew D
Hem lock St
d.
Cat t. oS onin a hi n Coc Kac
Bure au S t.
Vista Ave.
3rd Ave .
6
Sunrise
9
d.
1*
e ll
Blv
Po w
Veronica
L
K
3
ve. Cheryl A
A
spe n
t. Diane C
F Aqu
5
r. Village D
St.
3
a
Av e .
S. La
Cam
K
ero n St.
Page Public Library
Sandpiper Dr.
R d.
Marble Rd.
Via Valdez
Appaloosa Rd.
Morgan Rd.
e Pow
. ll Blvd Powe Blvkde. eSll. La
Cam eron S
Palomino Rd.
Rd. Coppermine
Maverick Loop
Jerome St.t
Azure Rd.
Bran Rd.
Cascade St.
Cameron St.
C
San Francisco Rd.
Haul Rd.
4
. Osprey Dr
Newburn
Manson Rd.
Rd.
I
Cach
e Rd.
Falcon Ct.
Golden Eagle Ct.
Hawk Ct.
Haul Rd.
7
d. ell Blv
C e metery
Elk Rd.
Kaibab Rd.
89
e Pow S. Lak
B uckeye Dr.
H a u l Rd. t.
Piute Ct.
Bass Ct.
Packer Ct.
Cliff Ct.
Clydesdale Rd.
Coppermine Rd.
Manson Rd.
Bonita Rd. W
To Antelope Point Marina Navajo Generating Station & Kayenta, AZ
98 To Flagstaff, AZ
Bonita St.
Aztec St.
Amado St.
98
printing
Azure Rd.
5
lake powell
C Sunset St.
San Francisco Rd.
98
Bonita Loop
Amand Cir.
Amado Rd. W
Shetland
Pinto Rd.
O’Neil Loop
Mustang Rd.
To Horseshoe Bend
Cameron St.
Sunset Rd. W
89
Ct. Lakeside
Newburn Rd.
d.
Granada
ke P owe ll Blv
Ct.
Sage Ave.
ak e
k St.
S. L
St.
Ave. Antelope . Hopi Ave
Oa
Dr.
ajo S. Nav
E
S. Navajo Dr. 2
e.
C e d a r S t.
El Mirage St. S. 9th Av
Del Barrco Ave.
e.
2nd Ave.
Tower Butte Ave. Cll Hermosa
e.
. Ave 5th t. eS
r. jo D
John C. Page Park Dat
. Colorado St
e. th Av S. 9
. lvd
Av 7th
B ell
Av 8th
Pow
El
.
Sage Ave.
Willow St.
Vermilion Ave.
t. mS
S t.
Birch St .
Tamarisk St.
Tower Butte Ave.
e Lak
E lm
Pondersoa St.
Red
sa Ave. Me
Crestview
S.
va
r St
Fi
ve. tA
S.
Na
Dat eS t.
Redrock St.
Turquoise Ave.
Spruce
Ave .
. Ave
4th Ave.
Gum St.
1s
Cypress Ave.
Driftwood
S. 7t h
6th
N. Navajo Dr.
United States Post Office
10th St.
Juniper Ave.
Thunderbird Ave.
Dr.
89
ATM
Gunsight St.
Aero Ave.
Glen Canyon Dr.
S c enic View
Dr.
Pop lar S t.
8
Park Golf Course
Golliard Park
N. 10th Ave.
Gramdview St.
Eagle
School
on Glen Cany
Church
0 th A ve.
Grandview St.
Lake Powell National Golf
N. 1
Castle Rock St.
Fire Station
A
t St. Gunsigh
R
Page Municipal Airport
te Dr.
Police Station
. Ave
n scala re E Pad
Clubhouse Dr.
Glen Canyon Dam Overlook
Urgent Care
th
Plateau Ct.
Ct.
w St.
N Lake Powell Blvd.
Page Hospital
Ct.
y Valle
e Grandvi
e. h Av 12t
Ave.
Dr.
Dr.
Lake Access
t. 13th C
. 15th Ave ve . 14th A Ave. 13th
Marinas
. 14th Av e
D Westview r.
Mesa
Dr.
89
Scenic Overlooks
1 6th Ave.
Ave
.
Pu e blo
Visitors’ Centers
2
4
17th Ave.
W. View Dr.
18th Ave.
. iew St
Dr.
20th
Grandv
19th Ave.
N. Navajo Dr.
jo N. Nava
Must See
1
D
. 20th Ave
To Glen Canyon Dam Wahweap Marina & Kanab, UT
KEY
C
street index Aero Ave. C, D-2 Amado St. C-4 Amado Rd. W. C-4 Armand Cir. C-4 Antelope Ave. D-3 Appaloosa Rd. B-5 Aqua Ave. D-3 Aspen St. C-3 Aztec St. C-4 Azure Rd. B-4 Bran Rd. B-4
Bass Ct. C-3 Birch St. B,C-3 Bonita Lp. C-4 Bonita Rd. W. C-4 Bonita St. C-4 Buckeye Dr. D-4 Bureau St. C-2 Butte Ct. C-1 Cll. Hermosa D-2 Cache Rd. B-4 Cameron St. B-3, D-3,4 Cascade St. C-4
Castle Rock St. C-2 Cathedral Ave. C-2 Cedar St. B,C-3 Cemetery Rd. B-3,4 Cheryl Ave. D-3 Cliff Ct. B-3 Clubhouse Dr. B-1,2 Clydesale Rd. B-4 Coconino St. C-2 Colorado St. D-2 Coppermine Rd. (89T) C-3,D-3,4,5
28 Gateway to Canyon Country
Crestview Ave. D-2 Cypress Ave. D-2 Date St. B-2,3,C-3 Del Barrco Ave. D-2 Diane Ct. D-3 Driftwood Ave. D-2 Eagle Dr. B,C-2 Elk Rd. B-3,4 Elm St. B,C-2 El Mirage St. D-2 Falcon Ct. B-4 Fir St. C-2
Glen Canyon Dr. D-1,2 Juniper Ave. D-2 Granada Rd. C-4 Kachina St. C-2 Grandview St. C-1,2 Kaibab Rd. B-3,4 ,D-2 Knoll Ave. C-1 Golden Eagle Ct. B-3,4 Lake Powell Blvd. Gum St. B,C-2 A-3,B-1,3,C-1,2,3, D-3 Gunsight St. C-1, D-1,2 Lakeside Ct. D-3 Haul Rd. A,B,C,D-4 Manson Rd. B,C-3 Hawk Ct. B-4 Marble Rd. C-3 Hemlock St. C-2 Maverick Lp. C-4 Hopi Ave. D-3 Mesa Dr. C-1 Jerome St. C-4 Morgan Rd. B-4,5
Mustang Rd. B-5 Navajo Dr. B,C-1,2,3, D-2 Newburn Rd. C-3,4 Oak St. D-3 O’Neil Lp. B-4 Osprey Dr. D-3 Packer Ct. C-3 Padre Escalante Dr. C-1,2 Palomino Rd. B-4 Pine St. C-2
Pinto Rd. Piute Ct. Plateau Ct. Ponderosa St. Poplar St. Pueblo Dr. Red Mesa Ave. Redrock St. Rim View Dr. Rimview Dr. Sage Ave. Sandpiper Dr.
B-5 C-3 C,D-1 D-2 C-2 C-1 C-2 D-2 C-1 C-2 D-2,3 D-3,4
San Francisco Rd. B,C-4 Scenic View Rd. B-1,2 Shetland B-5 Spruce D-2 Sunrise St. D-3 Sunset St. B-4 Sunset Rd. W. B-3,4 Tamerisk St. D-2 Thunderbird Ave. C,D-2 Tower Butte Ave. D-2 Turquoise Ave. C-2 Valley Ct. C-1
Vermilion Ave. Veronica Ct. Via Valdez W. View Dr. Village Dr. Vista Ave. Westview Dr. Willow St. 1st Ave. 2nd Ave. 3rd Ave. 4th Ave.
D-2 D-3 C-4 C-1 D-3 C-1,2 C-1 D-2 B-2,3 B-3 B,C-3 C-2,3
5th Ave. 6th Ave. 7th Ave. 8th Ave. 9th Ave. N. 10th Ave. 10th St. 11th Ave. 12th Ave. 13th Ave. 13th Ct. 14th Ave.
C-2,3 C-2,3 C-2 C,D-2 C,D-2,3 C-1,2 D-1,2 C,D-1 C-1 C-1 C-1 C-1
15th Ave. 16th Ave. 17th Ave. 18th Ave. 19th Ave. 20th Ave.
C-1 C-1 C-1 C-1 C-1 C,D-1
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 29
HERE TO THERE by Meredith Strodel
M
y bucket list is pretty short. It goes like this: Bali, Utah. It’s not that I don’t want to go anywhere else. It’s just that these two places are really calling to me and I feel the need to make them happen sooner than later. A few months ago I ticked Utah off that list with a seven-day road trip that included all five of the state’s national parks (and then some). Because of the aggressive travel schedule, we (me plus my friend, Suzanne) had roughly one park per day, plus driving, setting up camp, cooking, supply/ grocery/postcard shopping, showering (here and there) and all the other millions of things necessary to #VanLife.
DAY ONE We arrived in Vegas to pick up the van and hit the road later than we’d planned (naturally), making a pit stop at the grocery store to stock up on food and supplies. We bee-lined it to Zion, forgetting we’d lose an hour with the time zone change. Whoops. We already had a reservation at the Zion Canyon Campground just outside the park in Springdale (shuttle stop no. 3, very close and convenient), so we dropped off the JUCY/van and went straight into the park. Zion is one of the top five most popular national parks in the country, with 4.2 million visitors last year. Also, it’s pretty small, so during peak months (April-October), you can’t drive a personal vehicle through the park. The shuttle service is pretty convenient, though, even if crowded. With a few hours before nightfall, we opted for an easy four-ish-mile hike to the Lower Emerald Pools, down the Kayenta trail and looping back around to the Lodge. Kayenta is categorized as a moderate hike. As I was telling Suzanne we must be on the wrong trail because it’s way too easy, a ranger comes up. Great – we can make sure we’re going right way. Wait – he’s on crutches. We’re definitely on the
Continued pg. 32 30 Gateway to Canyon Country
An
EPIC
roadtrip through Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands and Arches.
Contemplating the long view in Canyonlands National Park.
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 31
wrong trail. Nope – he confirms it’s the Kayenta trail. Oh... cause the map said... never mind. We pick his brain about our following day, which includes the option of doing a proper hike in the morning before heading to Bryce or hitting the road straight away and spending more time exploring the next park. He talks us into getting up early for the Weeping Rock trail before leaving Zion. Why not Angel’s Landing, you’re wondering? Well, I’ve done it before and Suzanne wasn’t thrilled about five miles for the day’s first hike so Weeping Rock seemed like a good option to take in more of the park. Good plan, team. In the morning, we ditch that plan entirely and leisurely make coffee, scrambled eggs and bacon over the open flame.
If you go to Zion National Park: Definitely hike Angel’s Landing (see photo right). If you’re afraid of heights/ danger, it might spook you, but it has incredible views of the whole valley and will get that heart rate up with 1,500 feet of gain over 2.5 miles (one way). People also love the Narrows, though I’ve never made the wet trek.
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32 Gateway to Canyon Country
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DAY TWO Bryce Canyon National Park is the main reason Utah is on my short-list bucket list. I’ve wanted to go here for a long time. The photos are just unreal. It’s hard to imagine how this place exists. And does it really look like that in person? The answer is I still don’t know and yes, it is stunning! We arrive around lunch time (super leisurely timeline here, folks) and stake out the campground for a spot. It’s first come, first serve in October and with expected lows in the low 20s that night we figure we’ll have no problem getting a spot. We were right. With the suggestion of using the park shuttle so we can abandon the car and do a loop hike, we hitch a ride to the far end of the park and begin our trek by foot at Bryce Point, an awesome overlook and breathtaking first peek at the park. It is beauuuutiful. The hoodoos and cliff walls appear in every shade of orange: salmon flesh. Peach skin. Trout gills. Dreamsicle. The hues brighten and dim depending on if a cloud obscures the sun. I could stare into the abyss for hours, but – like always — we’re in a race against the sun. We begin the hike down into the canyon, opting for the slightly longer route past The Cathedral along the Peekaboo Loop Trail and back up to the rim via the Navajo Loop Trail and the epic Wall Street slot canyon and its butt-kicking switchbacks. We arrive at Sunset Point, and while Suzanne hops the shuttle to the General Store to get firewood before it closes, I walk along the rim to Sunrise Point, logging a total of 6.5 miles for the day, alongside some of the most incredible landscapes I’ve ever hiked. Words won’t do it justice (not mine, anyway), and these photos will only give a glimpse into what Bryce is all about. I’ll just say this: add Utah to your bucket list! It starts drizzling (the temperature was already dipping into the low 40s before the rain) as Suz prepares dinner – a goat cheese, roasted beet and arugula salad (she was in charge of the cooking and is not effing around). She had roasted the beets over the fire that morning in Zion, and they were perfection. We eat in the comfort and shelter of the JUCY van, which has a table setup on the inside, keeping us warm and dry. By 8 p.m., it’ too cold to bear (I’m from LA, come on), and we retire for the night.
Continued pg. 34 www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 33
DAY FOUR I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon and after going to Canyonlands National Park, I’m not sure I need to. This park was the most surprising. I wasn’t expecting such vast landscape and deep canyons as far as the eye can see. Clearly, we’d done very minimal research and I forgot entirely what was in store when we arrived. Canyonlands is broken into two parts, Needles and Island in the Sky. We didn’t have time for Needles, but several people we met that day raved about it. Next time. Today, we'd tackle I-SKY, which is best known for its Mesa Arch, a popular spot for sunrise. Of course we didn’t make it in time, but we did manage to squeeze in two awesome hikes this day. The first was Grand View Point (named for obvious reasons), an easy two-mile round trip along the top of the mesa overlooking the canyons. We took a break for lunch — cooking chicken with a salad out the back of the JUCY van — before hitting the White Rim Overlook trail, another easy (1.8 miles round trip) hike with even more incredible views. We saw four other people the entire time — glorious! Later, we settled in for a beautiful, peaceful sunset show at Green River Overlook.
34 Gateway to Canyon Country
Deadhorse Point Overlook is one of the most popular vistas in Canyonlands.
.
DAY FIVE Suzanne felt the need to take a break, sadly on one of the most anticipated (and what would be my favorite) day of the trip: Arches National Park. While she stayed back in Moab, I hit the road solo, beyond excited to see the infamous Delicate Arch. The ranger suggested I start there, as it only gets more crowded as the day goes on. Of course, it was already 11 a.m. by the time I’d arrived. I hustled up the crowded 1.5-mile trail, which has a decent incline, with headphones blasting and excitement barely contained. Turning the last corner and finally seeing the arch was one of the best moments of this entire trip. It was bigger than I'd imagined. Despite all the people on the way up, it was less crowded than I'd imagined. The sun was blazing, the temperature perfect. People were sitting in awe of the arch, taking photos and posing under it. I sat down and peeled a mandarin. I could stay here all day, in the presence of this ... thing. Alas, I had lots more arches on the agenda. I asked a stranger for a
photo and headed back down to the van. The next stop was Landscape Arch, an easy mile round trip, with quick side stops to see Tunnel and Pine Tree Arches along the way. I really liked this arch but it was far less photogenic at this hour, with the sun glaring from behind. Landscape Arch’s span is longer than a football field, but you can't go under because off some pretty major rockfalls in the 90s. I had time to squeeze in a few more arches, so headed to The Windows, where you can do an easy, two-mile loop to see three awesome arches and then cross the parking lot to see Double Arches (so awesome) up close and personal. Arches for days... If you go to Arches National Park: Plan a full day and take your time, especially at Delicate Arch. I could have sat here another hour, just starting at the monolith. It’s one of the most stunning natural landscapes I've ever seen. The perfect weather certainly helped (it can get HOT in summer), so aim for fall.
Meredith Strodel writes for Hammock Living. You can see more of her stories and travels at hammockliving.co
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 35
Best
Mountain Biking
trails in the West 36 Gateway to Canyon Country
By Cal Tatum The Colorado Plateau is home to some of the most wild and scenic country in the West. Deep canyons, soaring cliffs, deep clear waters, and wildlife ranging from elk to rattlesnakes. This is country Zane Grey wrote about. A place where indigenous peoples have made home for thousands of years. For those who enjoy mountain biking, the Plateau provides incredible scenery, and trails which provide the biggest challenges or a comfortable, leisurely ride. Many mountain bikers head to cooler country in the summer because temperatures in the Colorado Plateau can exceed 100-degrees. Now, with summer behind us, the temperatures in the region begin to cool. The fall is a perfect time to hit the trails, bring a camera and a friend or two and enjoy the red rock country. In the center of this grand area sits the small town of Page, Arizona. A great place to make the base of your mountain biking experience. From Page, you can be to most areas of the Plateau in two to three hours. You can ride in Arizona in the morning, hit another trail in Utah in the afternoon. Get back to your hotel, get some rest, freshen up and head out for a ride in Colorado, New Mexico or many other places in Utah and Arizona. Here are some of the best trails for mountain biking in the region. Page: Let’s start off slow, to get warmed up for the rest of your biking vacation. The Page Rimview Trail is considered by Singletracks.com as an intermediate trail. The trail is approximately 10-mile loop around the plateau that Page calls home. The trail offers views of Lake Powell, Antelope Island, Tower Butte and miles of the red rock country. Most of the trail is sandstone (slickrock) Reviewers say the trail is well-marked and is a lot of fun. Arizona Trail: The Arizona stretches for 19-miles following the Kaibab Trail to Fredonia. This intermediate trail will give you a work out because it sits at an elevation of nearly 9,000
Biking pg. 38
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 37
this trail, also, so use caution.
Biking from feet. There are some serious climbs but they are typically followed by refreshing downhill and plenty of flat ground. There are spectacular meadows, a view of the East Rim of the Grand Canyon. You might see some incredible wildlife along the way.
Lookout Canyon Trail #120: This is a 12-mile trail that runs through the bottom of Lookout Canyon and is part of the Lookout Trail network. Heavily forested with several grassy meadows make this an ideal ride because it is cooler in the summer and the variety of trees makes fall a beautiful time of year to ride.
The Rainbow Rim Trail: Another 19-mile trail along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. This is a beginner’s trail with several climbs and drops with an average elevation of 7,500. Ride through the amazing Ponderosa pines, then step out of the woods to aweinspiring views of the Grand Canyon. Keep in mind, horses use
Lookout Canyon Trail #121: This three-mile trail offers riders a simple trail through beautiful country. It runs along a ridge, into Pratt Canyon. Pratt Canyon is a narrow and heavily forested area filled with ponderosa pine, spruce, fir and aspens. There are several grassy meadows that invite the riders to take a leisurely stop. The fall colors can be
Page 37
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38 Gateway to Canyon Country
spectacular, so this is a great time of year to ride this trail. Lookout Canyon Trail #122: This one-mile trail continues through Pratt Canyon. It is part of a small network of trails. With an elevation of 8,100 feet above sea level, your lungs will get a work out. Jensen Point Trail #138: The Jensen Point Trail #138 is a four-mile network trail that boasts rich, red sandstone and breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon. The route follows Little Spring Road for 1.3 miles and continues along FR 648 for three more miles to the overlook. It is a short ride that has some big hills, rocks and sand. Singletracks says all the obstacles are easy to negotiate or walk around, the drops are steep but are more
problematic riding back up. You can choose to ride out FR 201A and hike the trail down to Little Spring. Buck Ridge Point #135: This is a three-mile loop trail with an average elevation of nearly 8,000 feet. This is a motor vehicle road, but also serves as an easy bicycle ride close to Jacob Lake. There are points along the route where riders can see all the way to Zion and Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. Buck Ridge Viewpoint is located on the western edge of the Kaibab Plateau and looks out over the famed Arizona Strip. South Rim of the Grand Canyon/Williams Vishnu Trail: This 1.1mile trail begins north of the Grandview Lookout Tower
and affords spectacular views of the Grand Canyon from a point on the Coconino Rim. It is a great trail for biking, hiking or horseback riding. Tusuyan Trail: A truly beginner’s trail, the Tusuyan covers 15 miles at an average elevation of 7,159. Singletracks, says this is the trail you ride when the family is already tired from a day of hiking. Arizona Trail: South of Grand Canyon National Park, the Arizona Trail is 24-miles long, out and back, with an average elevation of 6,382 through the Kaibab National Forest. Sycamore Rim Trail: With an average elevation of 6,732 feet, the Sycamore Rim Trail provides a thrilling view of Sycamore Canyon
at the overlook but also provides amazing scenery throughout the ride. Starting with a ponderosa pine forest with Gambel oaks mixed in, the ride later gives way to grasslands mixed with alligator junipers. Sycamore Canyon is made up of sheer cliff walls of Coconino sandstone. To north, you can see the San Fransisco Peaks and to the south, Mingus Mountain rises up from the Verde Valley. There is some vehicle traffic you will have to share the road with, and the road is relatively smooth with no steep grades. Flagstaff Arizona Trail Flagstaff: This is a 30-mile
Biking pg. 40
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Biking from Page 39
intermediate trail on a loop. After picking up the Arizona Trail you ride out to Fischer Point and then descend into Walnut Canyon and follow the trail back into the city of Flagstaff. You will end up on the Flagstaff Urban Trail System. Reviews of the trail claim the trail to be “super fun” to ride and an “absolutely epic XC singletrack.” Arizona Trail Passage #34, San Fransisco Peaks: This is another intermediate course that is about 35 miles long in a network of trails. This section, according to Singletrack may be ridden out and back or by riding the road to the base of Snowbowl Ski Resort and descending from there. The
40 Gateway to Canyon Country
descent from Snowbowl drops approximately 1,600 feet through aspens, pine, boulders, almost all downhill. The trail is slim and fast and has numerous switchbacks and hillsides. Supermoto: Rated as an advanced trail, Supermoto is a four-mile out and back trail. It requires good technical skills on the rocky trail through the pines at about 8,000 feet in elevation It is a fun and shady run that can be combined with a return trip on Schultz Pass Road, making it an eight-mile loop. Fort Valley Trail System: This an advanced trail covering about six miles with a rise in elevation of 2,600 feet and descending 2,400 feet. The average elevation of this out and back trail is 7,228 feet. The trail is located at the base of the San Francisco
Peaks and the system was designed for connecting to several mountain biking trails. It is a multi-use trail for bicycles, hikers, horses and motorcycles. Several sections were designed by a local biking organization to be more challenging for the experienced biker. Little Bear: This a nice intermediate trail with several switchbacks that connects to the Arizona Trail to Sunset Trail on top of Mt. Elden. There are some technical spots with a fair grade that is rideable by most seasoned riders. Lots of wonderful scenery and the opportunity to see wildlife throughout the ride. Flagstaff Loop Trail: this a 42-mile loop around the city of Flagstaff. It is made up with a lot of existing trails, forest roads and some newly constructed trails.
There are eight passages and 57 sections and has an average elevation of 7,119 feet. Cottonwood Dead Horse Ranch State Park: This 28mile network of trails has something for everyone. Beginners can find parts of the trail with paved, fairly flat roads. Some other good sections of the network are next to the Red-Tail and Cooper’s Hawk campgrounds. Keep moving through the network and riders will find parts of the trails which will challenge even advanced riders. Prescott Constellation Network, Granite Dells: This six-mile network of trails requires some technical
Biking pg. 42
2
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www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 41
Biking from Page 42
skills due to the granite slab rock and slickrock. There are also B-lines available to change up the original routes. Willow Trail #347: This is a sixmile intermediate trail that is out and back. Located in the Granite Basin area, northwest of Prescott. It is a favorite of locals with a 750-foot change in elevation over 1.6 miles. There are a variety of difficulties throughout the trail to add a bit more interest. Pioneer Park Trails: This is a
42 Gateway to Canyon Country
series of color-coded trails that is nine miles long and is open for mullti-use for foot, bicycle and horses. Reviewers say it has nice, flowing trails that is a great beginner trail or a nice restful trail for the more advanced riders looking for a “rest day.” Willow Lake Loop Trail: This is considered an easy network of trails covering six miles that has sweeping views and technical rock hopping. Granite Basin Loops: An intermediate 11-mile network of trails allowing the rider to make their ride as long or short as they desire. Trail #347 of this network has one reviewer saying it was, “one of the best trails I have ever
ridden!” Fast, flowing rides with great cornering and lots of small jumps can hold your interest. Firewater Trail (325): This is an advanced trail that is only a little more than a mile long. It is located in the scenic Thumb Butte area west of Prescott and connects trail 318 and 332. Features include rock drops and a fairly steep downhill. Smith Ravine: This six-mile out and back intermediate trail has some serious elevation changes, including a 700-foot climb in the first 1.5 miles. The average elevation of the trail is 5,866 feet but ends at Forest Road 52A (Spruce Mountain Road) at an
elevation of 7,000-feet. Most of the trail is surrounded by Ponderosa pine and offers great views of the Lynx Creek drainage area. UTAH St. George Paradise Rim/Turtle Wall: This trail is a loop, intermediate trail that is four miles long that is easily accessible from the town of St. George. You will find a sandy wash, a few slightly technical slickrocks and a steep, but short, climb to the base of Turtle Wall. Riders will also find a sustained, technical descent along the way. Precipice/Sidewinder/Suicidal Tendencies: This is a three-stacked trail that covers 10 miles at an average elevation of 3,140 feet. The first trail, Precipice, is only a mile and connects the parking lot with the Sidewinder Trail. Precipice and Sidewinder are intermediate trails with only one advanced move. There is an option along Sidewinder to start the Suicidal Tendencies trail and is more advanced and will challenge riders technical and physical skills, with a 500-foot drop off a mesa followed by a climb up the next. Prospector-Church Rocks Loop: This trail is just out of St. George, next to Quail Lake. It is an 11-mile intermediate trail with about a 1,000foot elevation change. Along the ride you will parallel red rock ledges, encounter some small ridges and gullies. There is even a sand section within the first two miles. There are some slickrock sections and you will find some large volcanic rock. Hurricane JEM Trail: This is a 13-mile intermediate loop trail. This is a fast trail in rolling hills that does not have a lot of climbing. The trail does join the Gould Trail and the Hurricane Rim Trail for a total of 23 miles. Most riders prefer riding the trails counter-clockwise so the JEM Trail is ridden downhill. Little Creek Mountain: South of
Hurricane is the Little Creek Mountain trail, a 20-mile loop rated as advanced. The main ride is a 9-mile loop that can be very technical going through a canyon. There is a large freeride slickrock area. Riders will ride along a cliff in spots that has incredible views of Gooseberry Mesa and the Pine Valley Mountains. For the advanced rider, it is a great place to play. Gooseberry Mesa: Another advanced trail in the Hurricane vicinity is this 30-mile loop that offers fantastic views of Zion National Park. Almost all of this trail is slickrock and singletrack. The views are amazing, but it is recommended that if you want to take in the views, stop the bike. It is easy to become distracted and this trail has “no mercy.” Moab Prospector: Let’s start out easy with 1-mile, out and back, beginner trail close to town. This trail offers tight switchbacks and a couple of short but steep climbs to get you warmed up. Moab Brand Trails: Moving up the skill level ladder, the Moab Brand Trails is a network of intermediate trails that begins in the parking area of the Bar M Chuckwagon. The trails offer a variety of terrain and some great slickrock riding.
even tell riders about some who were killed, likely from going over the edge of a cliff. It is suggested to not ride the trail from the bottom up but to use the route as a way to finish riding the Gold Bar Rim or Poison Spider trails. Itchy and Scratchy: Let’s take it easy for a while and go west of Moab and enjoy the 11-mile beginner’s loop trail called Itchy and Scratchy, or Bull Bottom to some. This is a fun and scenic slickrock ride in the San Rafael desert. Along the way you will ride down to the Green river and Bull Bottom and might even see a couple of Fremont Indian petroglyphs. Kokopelli Trail: This advanced, 140- mile trail was named after Kokopelli, the ancient god of fertility. The trail begins in Loma and goes all the way to Moab. A combination of dirt, OHV, and 4x4 roads with some singletrack. The trail is marked every 1/4 mile and at intersections, look for the Kokopelli symbol. This is a spectacular canyon with great views. Sometimes you are only riding a few feet from the edge of huge drop-offs. Check out the trailhead map or pick up a copy at the Welcome Colorado Information center in Fruita, Colorado.
Porcupine Rim: East of Moab the Porcupine Rim trail is an advanced loop trail that covers 15 miles with a lot of elevation changes. The trail begins with an exhilarating climb that will provide breathtaking views of Castle Valley from the rim. That climb is followed by a challenging downhill and then some of the most technical singletrack around.
The Whole Enchilada: While this article doesn’t come close to giving riders the “The Whole Enchilada” when it comes to riding opportunities in the Colorado Plateau, this 26-mile, intermediate provides riders a little bit of everything. The trail starts at 10,000 feet and climbs another 1,400-feet Then you start downhill and it can get crazy. Riders will find this to be a technically diverse trail and a lot of fun.
Portal Trail: We started out on a beginner’s trail and have worked our way up to an advanced trail, but there is another level – the expert trail. The Portal Trail is a 4-mile, out and back, singletrack that is extremely technical, and dangerous. Do not take this trail lightly, there are signs along the way telling riders to dismount because the narrow trail is along the edge of a 200-foot drop. Some signs
There are hundreds of mountain biking rails all over the Colorado Plateau that will fulfill the desires of all levels of riders. To get more information about some of the best rails in the West, go to Singletracks.com. There you will find more information, maps and even GPS coordinates. Fall weather is making this the best season to ride the Western trails.
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44 Gateway to Canyon Country
THE
NATIVE AMERICAN FASHION SHOW By Kyla Rivas
Deep in the heart of the Grand Circle there is a phenomena that has been taking the world’s runway by storm. In the high stakes world of fashion, Indigenous artisans have risen to the challenge of bringing fresh and exciting haute couture to the platform. The Native American fashion shows in Tuba City, Ariz. have become the hottest place to debut clothing made by Indigenous artisans across the continent. Attending the upcoming Sacred Native Fashion Show gives fashionistas their first chance to be poured into one-of-a-kind haute couture sewn especially for them. “The first show at the Navajo Museum was in 2008 and it was largely cultural clothing; designs of the old style.” said Troi Whitethorne, Producer and Coordinator for the annual fashion shows. The museum normally sponsors events during the fair and they had an open four hour slot. Whitethorne suggested they hold a fashion show. “I wanted to immerse the community in the arts and culture using local talent from the Western Navajo area; people who sew and weave, do hair, make up, jewelry or moccasins. I figured we could bring them together at the museum and it would be good press for the museum, a great exhibit, and a nice tourist attraction during the Western Navajo fair. Management went for it! It’s been ten years now and it’s grown; people went berserk over it. The show is still going strong to this day.” Soon after, in the remote North American reservations, traditional seamstresses became couture designers overnight. They carved out workspaces in their homes and began creating amazing fashions and wearable art. They found it brought a sense of pride and recognition for their tribe. Designers couldn’t have predicted that they were redefining Indigenous art with every
Fashion cont. pg. 46
RETURNS TO ITS ROOTS Alyssa Get Down-Apsaalooke, from the Crow Nation, wearing fashions from Della Bighair Stump at a summer VIP event. The dress one first place in Heard Museum’s textile category. www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 45
Dineh model Braunwyn Walsh during a recent photo shoot for a Dineh brand of swimwear.
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stitch. While still honoring ancestral traditions, their use of woven textiles or leather stitching paired with contemporary patterns and runway concepts wrote a new page in fashion history. It wasn’t long before Native American fashions were seen at international events; even the Oscars. The reclaiming of the Native American fashion movement is rooted in the former National Indian Education Association’s
first Native American fashion show in January 1975 in Phoenix, Arizona. The show was meant for all Native American students attending the Phoenix Indian School to create traditional ceremonial clothing representing their tribe. The wealthy society of Arizona took notice and a reimagining of the long, layered skirts and silver concho belt became a part of the theme of the Southwest culture. The first show in 1975 was homage to Lloyd Kiva’s vision. He’d attended the Phoenix Indian School
Fashion cont. pg. 48
Deshawna Begay, top left, wearing JG Indie Couture, during a show in Australia. Designer Jolanzo Goldtooth, left, sewing for the We are the Seeds show. Arianna Roselyn Young and the Martin Sisterz Ateekee, who are Dineh royalty, posing for a fashion shoot. “We could have ruled an era with our beauty . . “
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Kimijo White Clay, a model from the Crow Nation, above left, models a pink couture gown by Della Bighair Stump. Velveteen Kaskalla, above right, wearing a J.G. Indie cocktail dress. Bella Cornell, bottom left, modeling a Della Bighair Stump dress. The dress is red to represent missing indigenous women.
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in the 1930’s, and historically is the grandfather of Native fashion. The NIEA show began fizzle out before it ended with the closure of the Phoenix Indian School. Visionaries like Whitethorne breathed life back into the dream of having a runway for Native American designers. “I see it as an outlet and a way to market their talents as artists. There are so many different styles: modern, contemporary, abstract. People are happy to have an outlet, to create.” Indigenous fashion became more bold and elegant in its designs. While holding on to their heritage, a fusion of all styles began to surface; chiffon and woven gowns; fringed and embroidered graduation dresses; beaded bodice tops; bone in bustiers; and the accessories were uniquely matched. People from all tribes and avenues started arriving; make-up artists, jewelry designers, photographers and the media began to document the phenomenon. “I put pressure on [designers] to debut a new line. I encourage them to make designs that are [unexpected] of Native Designers such as swimwear. But they have to be hungry for it. It’s the only way to make it… to put food on the table. They have to have ambition and passion. ” said Whitethorne. As though he was predicting the future of Native Fashion, Dine designer from the Grand Circle area, Pat Agustinez, owner and designer of the House of Whitehorse, designed a crushed velvet swimsuit. Agustinez is from Inscription House, Arizona and pays respect to her family name White Horse with her label.
Agustinez found her inspiration attending UCLA in Los Angeles. “I am just a California girl at heart. All my kids love the water. My daughter asked me to make her a swimsuit so I did and it looks great on her. Now I am sewing menswear too.” said Agustinez. Her daughter and muse, Braunwyn Walsh, debuted the first piece in fierce confidence at the Kayenta/Monument Valley fashion show in August. The strong statement told the world that Indigenous fashion is here and ready to take on the big houses with fair warning to Italy and France. The House of Whitehorse will debut the whole line at the Sacred Native Fashion show October 13 at the Explore Navajo Museum. The show holds promise of redefining the entire fashion scene and putting Indigenous fashion on the map. Venues have been sprouting up across Arizona and the country now, but as the growing aspiration of designers and models to make it to New York or Paris matures, Whitethorne’s show is still the main platform to debut from. Models, female and male, who want to be photographed in couture approached designers months in advance and offered to walk to gain the experience that could help their modeling careers take off. “The designers and models volunteer to get exposure and get their name out there. If I can see they want it then I know they will work for it on the stage. Some of the models now are traveling all over the place; New York, Paris or Australia.” he adds. The success of the show also stems from the embracing of all sizes and styles of every woman, real women. They fit apparel to every size, breaking the stereotypical mold of what runway models look like. “They have to come with a respectful personality, I can work with anybody but… they have to be down to earth, humble, Native designers or models. They have to be hungry for it too. If they want to make their dreams come true, they have to want it. I will see that passion and ambition and I will work with them. That’s it.” Whitethorne has ideas for a tour that one day will see New York as a jumping off point to tour countries such as France, Britain or Italy. The greatest hope is to welcome more Indigenous designers of the world. Dine designer, Jolanzo Goldtooth of the JG Indie label debuted on the New York Fashion Week runway in 2014. His dedication to his dream has become a signature brand and inspiration. Goldtooth carved a foothold for all Indigenous designers while still honoring grassroots shows of the of the Dine community including attendance at the Tuba City shows since 2016. “There are times I get invited to small and large shows, some at boarding schools. I always try to attend because you never know, there could be a little rez girl or rez boy who grew up just like I did and who knows where their journey will take them. I grew up rez and I am proud of it.” he said with confidence. “That is where it started for me, on the [reservation] watching my grandmother get ready to go to town for groceries and that was my fashion show. It was an event to go into town. My grandmother’s velveteen and turquoise made me feel rich… strong and happy.” Goldtooth also credits his success to the tight-knit community of designers, models, jewelers and make-up artisans who
brought Indigenous fashion to fruition. The support helped him premiere his designs in Australia with the Aboriginal designers in Sidney, another milestone for Indigenous fashion. “The bottom line is that we all support one another,” said Goldtooth, “and I am proud that I come from a large tribe in North America. I look at my tribe and I get inspiration. It’s just in our nature that we all support one another.” Goldtooth, along with most Native designers, also use Native American royalty (Miss Western Navajo, Miss Teen New Mexico, Miss Hopi, etc.) to remind people in the audience to take pride in who they are. Native American royalty gracing the runway or performing their talent has since become a tradition. The Sacred Native Fashion Show 2018 will return to its origins at the Navajo Code Talker’s Museum at the Tuba City Trading Post to celebrate ten years of Native fashion. The anticipation increases for fans of the annual show as once-novice designers have acquired haute couture status or worldwide recognition and once shy models have found their professional stride. Yet, ever humble, they still volunteer their time for the community to enjoy. The roster of designers who have also become signature participants: Jennifer James, a prominent name now respected
Fashion pg. 50
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by all and producer of several shows including the 2018 Rock the Canyon Fashion Show. Her JJ Jamz label was revived on the runway in Tuba City several years ago. She carries on the tradition of debuting fresh designers and models; Mae Mallahan visionary who recently collaborated with Bahe Whitethorne Sr. at the Seeds fashion show in Santa Fe will debut her fall line; Belinda Daychief Bullshoe who has
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debuted in Paris two years in a row and advocate of the Why We Wear Red movement to find missing Indigenous women. She will debut her fall line all the way from Montana; the new additions: Loretta Sewinyama, Leta Begaye, Alma Whitethorne, Elizabeth Benally Whitethorne and of course, Whitethorne’s own label, Bullskin Caps. Photographers and media alike wait for the first glimpse of the fall lines.
The show is on Saturday, October 13, 2018 starting at 2 to 5 p.m. It is free to the public with assigned VIP seating. This year’s event will be held by the Old Historic Tuba City Trading Post. VIP seating must be acquired in advance.
“We could have ruled an era with our beauty . . .” -J.G. Indie
www.GatewaytoCanyonCountry.com 51
Discover A Majestic Canyon Nature’s Masterpiece
Lower Antelope Canyon KEN’S TOURS 52 Gateway to Canyon Country
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