It’s that time of the year when Joan and I transition to winter camping and backpacking. We sack out in the truck during or before a trip, swap in warmer bags, and pack our thicker puffies and pads.
The extended truck camps seem to work well as we transition to the canyon country that rewards wandering and savoring what’s around the next bend or on the rims.
It’s not a time for thru-hiker style distances but meanderings to and fro around the Colorado Plateau. And the winter light seems to make the area that much more memorable.
We enjoy the relaxed pace at this time of the year.
A chance to meander, take in the scenery, and see what’s around the bend of the canyon.
Or perhaps Joan will whip up some pancakes. PCO Joan.
In the canyons, and not far from our camp, we hike and see the evidence of people who call this area home.
We see what they left behind. But we can only guess their original purpose.
The bottoms of the canyons may not get designated as trails on the map, but they indeed lead to places that connected the communities many generations ago.
In many ways, this time of the year is the most special for us
We get immersed in the area and almost always have it to ourselves.
And it never seems a place we tire of visiting.
Joan’s circa 2011 Melly fleece gave up the ghost. She purchased a similar one, minus the scalping, lottery, and hype, from a local Utah company called Squak Mountain Co. for $60.