Bryce Canyon - Utah

Bryce Canyon was almost as spectacular as Grand Canyon. Not as large or deep, but the colour made up for it's relative small size!

Even before getting to Bryce Canyon, one gets a taste of the different rock formations driving through the Dixie National Forest.

Last minute change of plan had us dump the Mustang convertible for something with more room for our luggage. Turns out it was a great move, with the temperatures in the high forties/low fifties this portion of the trip, there was no way the roof would have been down! 2000 miles driven in the Pontiac Torrent, gas mileage in this thing was great, and it's size came in handy lugging our cooler and stash of snacks. (we were out of the hotel by 7am at the latest, and usually not back until after 8pm.)

Unlike the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon had some relatively short hiking trails that took one down into the canyon. We did a 3 mile hike, about a thousand feet drop and gain in elevation (all switchbacks on the climb out), took a few hours, but was well worth the agony felt in the legs, lungs, and the melting sensation from the brutal sun reflecting off those red rocks.

With zoom lens.

Actual distance.

Amy was hard to keep up with!

The heat even got to the local chipmunks!

We put our bag down for no more than 30 seconds, and voila, this critter smelled our snacks!

The climb up was all switchbacks, in the full sun, along a few very narrows paths where a wrong move would result in a long fall, and was, for lack of a better description, brutal!

The first clouds we had seen since arriving for the vacation. Actually had a few drops of rain (about 5) come down.

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