Standing under the Milky Way

So yesterday evening after eating a filling dinner (this hiking thing makes me very hungry!), headed back into Arches to watch the night sky. The park is open 24 hours and there’s no lights for miles so it made for fantastic star viewing. I have never seen so many stars in my life. In fact it was so clear and dark that the Milky Way looked exactly how you see it in the pictures, the hazy band of white easily visible. Also saw two shooting stars! No pictures though as not quite the right equipment…

Then this morning headed out for more hiking of sorts. Went to the trail at the end of the road through Arches planning to checkout Landscape Arch then go on to Double O Arch. Except getting to Double O Arch was damn freaky so turned back halfway. It was very windy and you literally had to ascend to the top of rock fins and walk across them. Walking across the second fin and getting to a spot where you had to jump a gap was enough for me. It was super cold, very windy and this particular rock fin was the higest freaking rock anywhere around me. Didn’t trust that if it got more windy on the return I’d be able to comfortably walk/jump across the top. So headed round and checked out a few side spur trails to other arches.

After that headed back to the RV park for some rest before heading to downtown Moab in the hunt of coffee. Then it was back for some holiday chores… i.e. laundry! But jumped in the pool/hot tub (spa) whilst it was washing to pass the time.

Tonight it’s time to pack before the drive to Salt Lake City tomorrow for a day of rest before heading on to Wyoming.

Early morning at the trailhead

Landscape Arch – the worlds longest natural arch. Can’t walk under it anymore as a chunk of it broke of a while back unexpectedly.

The first fin that had to be climbed. This one wasn’t bad… it wasn’t too tall and was protected from the wind.

This fin though was freaky as! It’s the rock on the left, which doesn’t look too bad in the photo. Except that it’s width on the top is my height at most, is taller than every other rock nearby (for perspective those fins to the right are actually a lot lower), and had a freaking crack in the middle you had to jump! Remember no rails… So made the decision I wasn’t prepared to continue as it was too windy for me to feel okay walking across/jumping rocks that high up.

Instead we walked to this… hmmm and I seem to be wearing the same clothes again.