The Latest Rave is your resource for Utah Canyoneering know-how. From Utah canyon condition reports to narratives of mind-bending epics to wildflower sightings, you will find all the beta you need from Tom and his team on The Rave.
I have some bruised ribs, so I am not up for much right now, but I could not resist getting out to my closest Zion trail to shoot some flowers. It rained last month, almost every day. Now we have had a week or two of hot weather, so the flowers are out something FANTASTIC! All shots here at near the East Entrance trailhead to the East Rim Trail… and actually within 100 yards of the parking lot. SO many blooms out. No mosquitoes. Hot hot hot though…
Read MoreNot the best conditions (excuse#1). A late start due to errands to run, etc. It was windy. There was not much light. But there were a fair number of flowers out, and Cassy Brown and I both got a few good shots, despite the excuses… uh, I mean, challenges!
Parking in Zions is tough at around 5 pm, on a Saturday, but we found at spot at Canyon Junction. Took a quick peek around there. Then Weeping Rock, in the shade, chilly. Then …
Read MoreWhat a difference 10 days make. Beautiful temperate weather here in Zion, and the flowers are out in the Main Zions Canyon. Not exactly a superbloom, but better than the last Flowerwalk for sure. Cassy Brown joined me and we followed the same route, more or less, as 10 days prior - hitting the Emerald Pools are first, then over to Weeping Rock to check on the hidden riparian area, and get some better shots with the better light of a bright spring day. By Emerald Pools, in addition to what was found last time...
Read MoreKind of a crazy spring, here in Zionland. First very warm. Then cooler and rainy, as in very rainy. Went down to the main canyon to see if anything was out in the lower elevations, taking the Kayenta trail to the Middle Emerald Pool, then near Weeping Rock went to one of my favorite riparian nooks. Not all that many things out, but many of the usual suspects were getting going. Also some species new to me, or at least that I had not carefully photographed previously...
Read MoreMemorial Day weekend. Zion is PACKED! I'm chillin, but decide to go for a flowerwalk. The wait at the East Entrance is 25 minutes... I wanted to do the main canyon to look for hanging garden flowers, but there was no parking to be found so I ran away to the KT Road, hoping to get some good cactus shots...
Read MoreTried to do Spry on Thursday, but rain intervened. Good thing it started raining at the top of the first rappel or this could be a very different story. (Most likely the canyon did not flash, just woulda been not so much fun in a steady light rain which we did not have sufficient clothes for)...
Read MoreSaw a bunch of good flowers at the Virgin Goosenecks on Friday, thought maybe I should do a flowerwalk in the Park, so I wandered down in the morning to walk the Pa'rus trail. I've seen some good blooms there in the past, but...
Read MoreRan up Lady Mountain last Saturday. We planned on a different adventure, which involved getting wet and cold, but not getting wet and cold sounded a lot better, so at the Zion Lodge we off-loaded. We hiked up the sorta-closed upper-Emerald Pools trail, shortly dumping most of the weight from our packs beside the trail. With lighter packs, we headed upward...
Read MoreI had been meaning to do a flowerwalk for a couple of weeks, and finally shook free for a day, so I headed up to Kolob Terrace. It has been quite dry the last couple months, and this is my first year studying the bloom after a dry winter.
Read MoreI was up by Lava Point shooting flowers, a week or so ago, and measured the flow coming out of the dam as 12-14 cfs - which did not seem like very much - up there!
Read MoreLooking for a canyon that would be dry, we thought - HEY! How about Hog 2! COULD be the driest canyon around, maybe maybe not. We decided to do the Ridge of Many Huge Holes Ramble to get up there, which would save us a car spot.
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