Day 35 – 4/17/16
24.4 map / 24.4 GPS miles (they match!!)
546.4 / 588.7 miles total
How cold was it at 9100′ this morning? So cold that when we got to the overlook parking lot at Rainbow Point, I begged Bubs to let me stand in the privy with her while she peed.
From Rainbow Point, we found we could take the other half of a loop trail instead of our official route to save some up and down and also shave off a mile or so. We were desperate to get below the rim to get out of the wind and drop elevation to get warm. It was a good choice! Lovely trail and we warmed up by the time we rejoined our official route a three miles later.
We finally left the lovely trails of Bryce Canyon National Park and for a couple miles followed the Great Western Trail. I have no idea what that is, but the part we were on was a crappy dirt road and had a water tank containing no less than 6 rodent carcasses. Not winning a lot of interest from me as a future hike.
Then it was back to Hayduke style hiking, following a sandy wash for endless miles. But it was easy walking and sometimes jeep roads paralleling the road made for even easier walking.
It’s cold again, but better than last night and we finally got a nice sunset in our camp next to a (defunct) windmill!
Great Western Trail is primarily an auto route.
Nice photos. You have a way to measure the temps? Sounds really cold and a bummer. And I really don’t like the cold myself.
It ain’t a thru-hike until you find a dead and bloated rodent in your water source.
Love the windmill silhouette!
The GWH is an all modes of transportation route. Could make for a fun road trip. But all the better to be out of the car!
Thanks for your detailed blog with all the superb photos. You ladies are TOUGH!!!
Now, ain’t that the truth!
I thought that you could relate to this article. The most memorable parts of a hike may be the most difficult, but gave you the satisfaction of being tested and overcoming the obstacles. http://www.backcountry.com/explore/type-ii-fun
Ha! Thanks Tortoise! We are familiar with the type of fun, and spoke of them especially often during the packrafting!
You girls are really tough cookies. I have hike and backpacked in just about every place you have been but it has been over my lifetime and I am old. Y’all doing this non stop is quite the achievement. My hat’s off to you. George, the old motorcycle dude from Hanksville.