(sara & chrisch) Bryce Canyon
This is national park impresses with many sandstone hoodoos arranged in a halve circle called the amphitheater. From a ranger we learnt that this park doesn’t’ deserve its name since there is no river. Nevertheless, of all interesting rock formation we saw In Utah we liked those in Bryce the most. We did along hike, the loop of eight with really spectacular views from different perspectives. We stopped many times, not due the high altitude, but to take pictures. Nearly no effort was too big to get the perfect shoot.
The other thing worth to mention about Bryce is the extreme of temperatures. While the temperature reached close to 100° F (40° C) it was below freezing in the night.
Last but not least Zion, the promised land
Zion is with about three million visitors per year the most frequented national park in Utah. Due to the many different attractions, the presence of trees and the Virgin River we loved it the most.
We walked upstream through the Narrows, where we drowned one of our Cameras, luckily the one which had already some defects.
We hiked all the way up to observation point which provided a great overview of the whole valley and steep sandstone cliffs on both side. And on the last day, we climbed the Angles Landing trail, a really exposed hike up on a narrow ridge to a high cliff. On the way back, we met some of Saras former working colleagues from Tafers, where she worked four years ago.
Donnerstag, 14. Juni 2012
Samstag, 9. Juni 2012
Utah – a State of Contrasts - Part 2
(sara & chrisch) Canyon Lands: Island in the Sky and Needles District
Early next morning we left Devils camp ground and drove an hour to Island in the Sky, the most developed part of Canyon Lands National Park. It is located above the confluence of the Colorado and Green river, only accessible through a narrow land bridge. After we secured a nice camp site at the only 15 place first come first serve Willow Flat campground we drove back to the Dead Horse State Park, from where we could overlook a different part of Canyonlands and the Colorado.
Later in the afternoon we met David and Christie van Dyke at the campground. They flew from Michigan to Utah to spend some days with us. Already on our first evening we went on a strenuous hike half way down to the canyon and of course all up again. It was worth it to see the vertical wall.
The probably longest and most spectacular hike we did was the Syncline Loop. In some areas we couldn’t believe that a path should really be going through the rough landscape. We had to climb a bit around the rocks until we finally reached the bottom of the canyon. Then we had to walk the 1500 feet up again. Thanks to a good wind the temperature was bearable. However, when we reached the camp site again, van Dyke’s tent was gone: We found it about a fifty meters away hanging in a bush. The wind persisted and disturbed us while we were cooking and eating. Everything we didn’t hold or fixate with rocks was blown away.
After the sweaty hike wind and sand we really wanted to enjoy a hot shower and decided to stay the next night in a lodge. On the way, we shortly visited the Needles District, the second of three parts of Canyonlands. Early in the evening we arrived at nice and big two bedroom lodge south of Monticello. After some cleaning we prepared and enjoyed a feast meal (American and Swiss barbecue).
Capitol Reef
Our next destination was Capitol Reef National Park, four hours south west of Monticello. The highway was very scenic and led through Glenn Canyon National Park. The Natural Bridges monument was as well located on the way and so we visited the three large bridges.
Due our small detour we arrived late in the afternoon and the camping ground inside the national park was full. So we had to look for another place to stay and found finally a beautiful isolated camp site. Here we enjoyed our camp fires eat Smores and watched the night sky.
On the second day in the park we did our final hike together up to the Cassidy Arch, where we could stay on top and then continued through the narrow Grand Wash (an impressive canyon).
On Saturday morning we had to say good bye. Van Dykes had to head back to Salt Lake City to start work again on Monday. We had a great time together and drove sad about the lack of their company to Bryce.
Early next morning we left Devils camp ground and drove an hour to Island in the Sky, the most developed part of Canyon Lands National Park. It is located above the confluence of the Colorado and Green river, only accessible through a narrow land bridge. After we secured a nice camp site at the only 15 place first come first serve Willow Flat campground we drove back to the Dead Horse State Park, from where we could overlook a different part of Canyonlands and the Colorado.
Later in the afternoon we met David and Christie van Dyke at the campground. They flew from Michigan to Utah to spend some days with us. Already on our first evening we went on a strenuous hike half way down to the canyon and of course all up again. It was worth it to see the vertical wall.
The probably longest and most spectacular hike we did was the Syncline Loop. In some areas we couldn’t believe that a path should really be going through the rough landscape. We had to climb a bit around the rocks until we finally reached the bottom of the canyon. Then we had to walk the 1500 feet up again. Thanks to a good wind the temperature was bearable. However, when we reached the camp site again, van Dyke’s tent was gone: We found it about a fifty meters away hanging in a bush. The wind persisted and disturbed us while we were cooking and eating. Everything we didn’t hold or fixate with rocks was blown away.
After the sweaty hike wind and sand we really wanted to enjoy a hot shower and decided to stay the next night in a lodge. On the way, we shortly visited the Needles District, the second of three parts of Canyonlands. Early in the evening we arrived at nice and big two bedroom lodge south of Monticello. After some cleaning we prepared and enjoyed a feast meal (American and Swiss barbecue).
Capitol Reef
Our next destination was Capitol Reef National Park, four hours south west of Monticello. The highway was very scenic and led through Glenn Canyon National Park. The Natural Bridges monument was as well located on the way and so we visited the three large bridges.
Due our small detour we arrived late in the afternoon and the camping ground inside the national park was full. So we had to look for another place to stay and found finally a beautiful isolated camp site. Here we enjoyed our camp fires eat Smores and watched the night sky.
On the second day in the park we did our final hike together up to the Cassidy Arch, where we could stay on top and then continued through the narrow Grand Wash (an impressive canyon).
On Saturday morning we had to say good bye. Van Dykes had to head back to Salt Lake City to start work again on Monday. We had a great time together and drove sad about the lack of their company to Bryce.
Montag, 4. Juni 2012
Utah – a State of Contrasts - Part 1
(sara & chrisch) We spent two awesome weeks in Utah and experienced many contrasts. First to mention the temperature: extreme hot during the afternoons and freezing cold at night (even below freezing). Although all the five national parks we visited had majestic Navajo sandstone formation in common, they were all unique.
Salt Lake (City)
We arrived in Salt Lake City on Sara’s birthday and enjoyed a nice meal in a down town restaurant. Since we arrived at 9 pm it was hard to find a place that was still open. We immediately felt like home in Bern…
The next day we did some sight-seeing of the town. However after the guided tour through the Mormon auditorium, an impressive construction which can seat 21’000 people, we had heard enough about their religion and decided to rather explore the Salt Lake. We drove one hour north to the Antelope Island, where we hiked a little bit and went wadding and Sara swimming, respectively floating. The highlights of the island were numerous bison we saw.
Delicate, Landscape and other Arches
After a six hour drive south we arrived at Arches National Park, famous for its Arches as the name indicates. On the first day we did a guided walking tour through the Fiery Furnace, narrow canyons with many smaller Arches. The same evening we hiked up to the famous Delicate Arch and took pictures of it red glowing in the evening light.
The next morning we hiked through Devils Garden, where we saw Landscape and Double-O Arch. The hiking path was really interesting but strenuous, mainly due to the heat. Despite we started early in the morning it was already warm and when we returned around noon it was terrible hot – we understood the meaning of its name now.
We camped inside the national park at Devils Camp ground, with big camp sites and spectacular sun set views. But there was no shade and during the afternoon it really felt like hell. We had to leave the park and find some shade down at the river side.
Salt Lake (City)
We arrived in Salt Lake City on Sara’s birthday and enjoyed a nice meal in a down town restaurant. Since we arrived at 9 pm it was hard to find a place that was still open. We immediately felt like home in Bern…
The next day we did some sight-seeing of the town. However after the guided tour through the Mormon auditorium, an impressive construction which can seat 21’000 people, we had heard enough about their religion and decided to rather explore the Salt Lake. We drove one hour north to the Antelope Island, where we hiked a little bit and went wadding and Sara swimming, respectively floating. The highlights of the island were numerous bison we saw.
Delicate, Landscape and other Arches
After a six hour drive south we arrived at Arches National Park, famous for its Arches as the name indicates. On the first day we did a guided walking tour through the Fiery Furnace, narrow canyons with many smaller Arches. The same evening we hiked up to the famous Delicate Arch and took pictures of it red glowing in the evening light.
The next morning we hiked through Devils Garden, where we saw Landscape and Double-O Arch. The hiking path was really interesting but strenuous, mainly due to the heat. Despite we started early in the morning it was already warm and when we returned around noon it was terrible hot – we understood the meaning of its name now.
We camped inside the national park at Devils Camp ground, with big camp sites and spectacular sun set views. But there was no shade and during the afternoon it really felt like hell. We had to leave the park and find some shade down at the river side.
Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2012
Memorial Day weekend in Washington DC
(sara & chrisch) While planning our trip to the US we didn’t think of Memorial Day, but by chance we were here in DC at the right time - we had an awesome weekend. On Saturday evening we strolled through the Mall for some site seeing and night pictures of the monuments.
After our visit of the Capitol Hill Baptist church on Sunday morning we enjoyed the rolling thunder motorcycle parade. It would have been fun to participate.
The next event was the Memorial Day concert at Capitol Hill, where we were among the thousands of visitors of course. Half way through the concert there was a security announcement that all the visitors are requested to leave in an orderly manner and to seek shelter due to an approaching major storm. Indeed the sky was very dark. The evacuation was quite an adventure, but everything went smoothly. The rain started when we arrived at the bus station and there were some thunders. However the storm was in our opinion still minor.
On Memorial Day we visited the Arlington cemetery and heard the speech of President Obama at the Arena /Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Unfortunately we couldn’t see him. However we don’t complain since we didn’t even expect to meet him until we learnt about this event at the gate to the cemetery.
Afterwards we walked over the bridge and along the shore of the Pontiac to the Jefferson memorial. From there we continued our walk to the Mall, where we arrived at the just on time to watch the military and school parade. It was very hot so that we escaped after a while into some of the museums to enjoy the air conditioner and of course the excellent exhibitions – amazing that all the Smithsonian museums are for free. We had a lot of fun and moreover all these events helped us to understand and appreciate the American patriotism a bit more.
Georgetown
Georgetown is a nice village of Washington, famous for its university and numerous pubs and restoaurants. We were blessed and could stay at Barbeys house - another contact from Cameroon. However we had one more thing in common. They are as well Swiss, but living in the States since about 30 years. It was very interesting to talk with them about the two cultures and politics.
Sara had the possibility to accompany Charlotte one morning to the Georgetown Pediatric Hopspital and to experience ward rounds there.
After our visit of the Capitol Hill Baptist church on Sunday morning we enjoyed the rolling thunder motorcycle parade. It would have been fun to participate.
The next event was the Memorial Day concert at Capitol Hill, where we were among the thousands of visitors of course. Half way through the concert there was a security announcement that all the visitors are requested to leave in an orderly manner and to seek shelter due to an approaching major storm. Indeed the sky was very dark. The evacuation was quite an adventure, but everything went smoothly. The rain started when we arrived at the bus station and there were some thunders. However the storm was in our opinion still minor.
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Memorial Day Concert (aus USA Rundreise: Coatesville & Washington DC)
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On Memorial Day we visited the Arlington cemetery and heard the speech of President Obama at the Arena /Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Unfortunately we couldn’t see him. However we don’t complain since we didn’t even expect to meet him until we learnt about this event at the gate to the cemetery.
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Verterans at Arlington Cementry (aus USA Rundreise: Coatesville & Washington DC)
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Afterwards we walked over the bridge and along the shore of the Pontiac to the Jefferson memorial. From there we continued our walk to the Mall, where we arrived at the just on time to watch the military and school parade. It was very hot so that we escaped after a while into some of the museums to enjoy the air conditioner and of course the excellent exhibitions – amazing that all the Smithsonian museums are for free. We had a lot of fun and moreover all these events helped us to understand and appreciate the American patriotism a bit more.
 |
Parade (aus USA Rundreise: Coatesville & Washington DC)
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Georgetown
Georgetown is a nice village of Washington, famous for its university and numerous pubs and restoaurants. We were blessed and could stay at Barbeys house - another contact from Cameroon. However we had one more thing in common. They are as well Swiss, but living in the States since about 30 years. It was very interesting to talk with them about the two cultures and politics.
Sara had the possibility to accompany Charlotte one morning to the Georgetown Pediatric Hopspital and to experience ward rounds there.
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