Lower Dolores River Boating Release 2016

The Dolores River Canyon below McPhee Reservoir.

The fertile Montezuma Valley of southwest Colorado is a heavily irrigated plain that grows pinto beans, wheat, corn, and alfalfa. 

An irrigation canal in the Montezuma Valley of southwest Colorado.

All that water has to come from somewhere. From the Dolores River, which has its source high in the San Juan mountain range. 

The Dolores flows cold, clean and beautiful from its source up near Lizard Head Pass at almost 14,000 feet in elevation, down to the town of Dolores. There it's dammed by McPhee Reservoir, second largest reservoir in Colorado. 

Downstream of the dam the Dolores is an emaciated high desert river, choked off to not much more than a trickle at times. That is unless the mountain peaks gather enough snow in the winter and spring to replenish McPhee to the point where the irrigation demands are met. And more. Only then is water released out of the dam for recreational boating.  

Driving down the steep gravel road into Dolores Canyon north of Dove Creek.

Last weekend, there was enough for a recreational boating "spill", for the first time in five years. I wanted to see it.

So I drove to Dove Creek ("Pinto Bean Capital of the World") and to the Dolores Canyon rim area. Hanging a left at the sign saying "River Access" I descended into the canyon. It had been a cool spring, and the hillsides of Gambel Oak were lush with bright green. As you reach the canyon bottom, there are also some scattered tall yellowbark Ponderosa Pine trees.

Down the steep twisting gravel road to the Dove Creek pump station, where the BLM has its Mountain Sheep Point Recreation Area.

Mountain Sheep Point Recreation Area in the Dolores Canyon, one of three put-in points for river runners.

There were about fourteen vehicles already parked at the site. I walked toward the river, where several parties were rigging up their boats. I talked to the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) law enforcement ranger that was overseeing the activity. 

Boaters rigging up on the Dolores at Big Sheep Point Recreation Area (Dove Creek pump station).

The ranger told me that, on average, the reservoir gets full enough to do a recreational spill for the lower Dolores boaters every four or five years.

I then drove the short ways downstream to the Box Elder Campground. It's right on the river, and true to its name there is a lot of shade to be had thanks to the large Boxelder trees (Acer negundo) growing there on the floodplain. There were only a couple sites taken. Doubtless the rest would be filled soon, it being Friday afternoon and a rare boating holiday to boot. I considered camping there, but decided to leave it to the boaters.

Riverside cliffs of the Dolores Gorge with the boating spill underway.

Dolores River at Box Elder Campground, the river still rising.

So I drove back out of the gorge, back to Dove Creek and then east toward Cortez. At Cahone I once again turned north. Across the green farm fields until the road swung down toward the river again. This was the Bradfield Bridge access area. The most upstream put-in point below the dam. From here you could float 97 river miles to Bedrock, Colorado, through one of the most scenic canyons in the southwest. It's 20 miles to where I'd just visited at Dove Creep Pump Station (Big Sheep Point Rec Area), then 40 miles to the Slick Rock bridge, passing through the Snaggletooth rapids stretch, which at 2,300 feet deep is the deepest part of the gorge. Finally, another 60 miles to Bedrock if you didn't take out at Slick Rock.

Boaters rigging up at Bradfield Bridge, uppermost put-in point on the lower Dolores below McPhee dam.

Why would a boater not go all the way down the 97 miles of fantastic wilderness river gorge to Bedrock if they had the time? Because of the unpredictable conditions of the release from the dam. The water coming into the dam from the high country varies with how fast the snow is melting up there. Plus, the warmer weather down here on the agricultural plain has the farmers using more water to irrigate their fields than if it was cooler.

Dolores River at Bradfield Bridge, 12 miles below the dam.

The bottom line is that the recreational boating spill is only going to last a few days, maybe more. The farmers and the towns get the water first and foremost. When the flow into the reservoir slacks off too much, the flow out of the dam will, too.  

Which means that a boat can get stranded somewhere down the gorge if the boatman guesses wrong. High and dry when the river flow slacks off too much. And the country is much too rugged to drive a vehicle down to the river except for all but a few choice spots. So one must plan according. Better safe than stranded.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the lower Dolores in lush springtime vegetation. Even more so to see the river flowing for several days at least, and river runners that love the Dolores to be able to experience at least a few more days down in that wilderness gorge.

© Copyright 2016 Stephen J. Krieg

Early Summer at Natural Bridges: Owachomo Bridge, Armstrong Canyon

Narrowleaf Yucca plants send up their flowering stalks near Owachomo Natural Bridge.

May has turned into June at Natural Bridges National Monument, and an uncommonly (though quite appreciated) cool and moist spring has shifted to some hot, dry days.

Owachomo Bridge panorama.

So it's time to get acclimated to high desert summer weather. I load my REI daypack with four liters of water instead of just two. I'll only be down in the canyon for a few hours, but more is better, and the faster I drink it the lighter my pack becomes. Plus, I like to keep one liter in case I meet someone that hasn't brought enough and is in heat distress. You never know.

Owachomo Bridge from Zeke's Bathtub, an almost perennial pool in Armstrong Canyon.

The temperature on this glorious early summer afternoon won't exceed 80 Fahrenheit, but compared to 70 and below it's a good transition toward the 90s. 

Cliffrose (Purshia mexicana) in bloom at 6,500 feet.

Cliffrose - Purshia mexicana - are at peak bloom here at 6,500 feet. Visitors from lower desert elevations are delighted to find they get to see them and inhale their fragrance a second time this year.

I walk down the short trail to Owachomo Bridge. Then underneath the thin long span, to look for new shots from below it. The sky is classic southeast Utah: deep blue, low in haze, with pearly cumulus clouds for a fantastic accent. 

Narrowleaf Yucca (Yucca angustissima) leaves and flowering stalks.

The springtime wildflowers are quickly fading with the increased temperatures and long days, while the late spring to early summer blooms are enjoying their peak. 

Narrowleaf Yucca blooms.

Once again I photograph some more Narrowleaf Yucca - Yucca angustissima - in bloom. The tall (waist high to chest high) flowering stalks that have grown fast as corn are open on many plants, while some are already done. 

Narrowleaf Yucca blossom closeup.

Representing the yellow spectrum of wildflowers at this time of the season are Stemless Woollybase, Thrifty Goldenweed, and Common Hyalineherb. 

Stemless Woollybase - Hymenoxys acaulis

Thrifty Goldenweed (Haplopappus armeroides) in typical clumps.

Uinta Groundsel (Senecio multilobatus)

Common Hyalineherb (Hymenopappus filifolious), with its long wispy flower stalks and small blossoms.

No rattlesnakes seen on this hike, as usual. I've only seen two here in a year and a half.

Armstrong Canyon, from the trail downstream from Owachomo Bridge.

Photo Location: Natural Bridges National Monument, southeast Utah.


© Copyright 2016 Stephen J. Krieg

Canyonlands May Morning

Sunrise colors over the La Sal Mountains, May 22.

May 22: After two wonderful but too windy nights of camping in the Greater Canyonlands area, it was time to start heading toward home. With all day to do it and only a few hours away, I was rich on time.
 

Sunrise colors over the southern end of the La Sals.

So rich, in fact, that I found myself reluctant to leave. I was feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and serene. It was time to explore a few more nearby places. 

One stop was the Wine Glass, a fantastic study in sandstone erosion. Since the sun was not yet up, the light was soft and graceful.

The Wine Glass. Stone falling apart creates such beautiful sculptures.

But I continued to keep one eye to the east, toward the La Sal Mountains. Because the clouds over those still-snowy peaks looked to have high potential to reflect the rising sun's colors. 

The sunrise flare begins.

Just before the sun was going to clear the northern end of the La Sal range, it lit up the horizon with what I call a sun flare. In this case, a sunrise flare.

"Sunrise flare" closeup and La Sal Mountains.

The flare lasted so long that I had time to make a high resolution panoramic image from overlapping shots, to better portray the entire scene.

Sunrise flare panorama.

The glorious sunrise colors finally done, the clouds continued to tantalize me. Now absent the red-orange-yellow colors, the sunlight poured down in dazzling slanted sunbeams.

Post-sunrise sunbeams over the La Sal Mountains.

A bit further down the road the sunlight was pouring down almost directly from overtop the mountain peaks. Rather heavenly.

Post-sunrise, early morning sunlight shafts, and high desert trees.

Then it was on to the Needles Overlook. Given the past two days of high winds, there was a lot of dust in the air. Plus some moisture from a rain shower. Which meant quite a bit of haze. Which I minimized in post processing in Adobe Lightroom after the shoot.

Needles Overlook: looking south toward the Six Shooter Peaks and the Abajo Mountains.

Enamored with the scene despite the haze, and because the Indian Creek valley floor was so green in this cool and moist springtime weather, I made a really wide panoramic image.

Needles Overlook panorama, looking south.

I walked up around the bend to check out the view to the west, and the north. It was a different scene: little greenery below. But in the foreground, a wonderfully green, gnarled Utah Juniper tree, as if showing off amid the red and brown rockscape.

Needles Overlook, looking north.

Photo location: southeast Utah, near Canyonlands National Park.

© Copyright 2016 Stephen J. Krieg

May Moonrise, La Sal Mountains from Canyonlands

Moonrise and La Sal Mountains, southeast Utah.

For the May 2016 Full Moon I was in the Canyonlands Basin in southeast Utah. 

The particular spot I was exploring has an unobstructed view of the La Sal mountain range to the east. However, this late in the year the moon rises to the south of the mountains rather than over them like it does during the winter months. So it wouldn't make for killer moonrise over the mountain peaks shots.

The clouds -- the variable of prime importance -- had been questionable for most of the day. At first they were an awful high hazy mess, neither blue sky nor overcast. But as the day wore on the thin high clouds moved on east, and were replaced by a nice mix of cumulus clouds and blue sky. So maybe things would work out, at least as far as sunset colors.

Mount Tukunikivats in the La Sal Range, under hazy afternoon light.

Being in the Canyonlands region, there is always much more to see than just the sky. And since one can't control the weather, one takes what is offered. It's all good here.

The La Sal Mountain Range in afternoon shadow.

The Colorado River south of Moab, Utah under sunbeam overcast skies.

Looking down onto the Kane Creek Anticline at dusk.

As sunset approached, there was even a slight threat of rain to the north. I had been hoping for a last minute breakthrough in the clouds on the western horizon to create some shafts of golden sunlight streaking low across the northern landscape at the last minute. Maybe even an alpenglow event lighting up the snowy peaks of the La Sals in a nice rose hue. It didn't happen, though I was ready. You have to be out there. 

Pre-sunset golden sunbeams to the west.

Toward the east, though, it was partially clear. As the light faded to blue twilight, the Full Moon made its appearance over the gently sloping southern flanks of the La Sals. 

Moonrise over the southern flanks of the La Sals.

 It was a remarkable scene in person. However, any zoomed in shots of the rising moon would seem not at all representative of the total scenery. So I made overlapping shots horizontally to be merged into a high resolution panoramic image.

Two shot panorama of the moonrise and southernmost peaks.

Three shot wide angle panorama: the moon appears smaller, but the overall scene is better represented.

After the last twilight was gone and the brightness of the Full Moon had taken over, it was time to walk back down to camp and enjoy the early night from there.

© Copyright 2016 Stephen J. Krieg

A Perfect May Day at Natural Bridges

Visitors at Kachina Bridge overlook, Natural Bridges National Monument.

Mid May at Natural Bridges National Monument in southeast Utah. For the most part it's been a fairly cool, wet spring. Lovely. The serious canyon hikers have again been out in force, knowing that this is the best time of year (although October is probably even better, because of drier dirt roads into the backcountry). Though spring is the time for the widest variety of wildflowers. 

Cedar Mesa from the Natural Bridges entrance road (Highway 275), looking southwest toward Moss Back Butte and Navajo Mountain.

But the rather wet weather has made things a bit hit and miss for some visitors that come here counting on Utah's trademark deep blue skies.

Today, though, was perfect, I believe. Not hot, not cold. A likely threat of rain showers, but not that high. Spring wildflowers still loving the moisture. Something for everyone.

A visitor walking up the trail from Owachomo Bridge.

At a U.S. National Park unit Visitor Center, the staff get mostly the same questions over and over, depending on the park. At Natural Bridges, they can be boiled down to:

1. Where is the nearest gas station? (35 miles, if you're driving east).

2. Can we buy coffee here? (No.)

3. Is there cell phone service here? (No). 

4. Is there Wi-Fi service here? (No).

5. Where do you all live? (A two minute walk down there to the park's residential housing. Yes, we live here.). 

I'm purposely skipping over "Where are the restrooms?" because most figure it out on their way in. 

Colorado Bladderpod (Physaria rectipes, Mustard family) blooming at Natural Bridges.

So, being out in the middle of nowhere, a small park that was in fact the first national monument in Utah (1908, thank you President Teddy Roosevelt), there are basic visitor needs that need to be quickly sifted through. 

The second level of questions are the basic ones about the park itself. Most concern how much time will it take to see anything? We have answers for that. And much more, especially those that have done their homework and want to see some really cool things, especially those able and interested enough to hike down into the canyons. To those we give special treatment.

A visitor ponders Owachomo Bridge from below.

But not everybody is ready for that. My own first experience with each new national park or other special wild area is that it's in effect a scouting trip. You either never allow enough time to do it justice, even for a first visit, or you've underestimated it and say to yourself: Wow, I'm going to have to come back here. And if you're fortunate, you do. With a lot more time to appreciate it.

Which somehow brings me back to those visitors who don't have much time, or even the physical ability for hiking. It has been designed for both. 

I love hiking down into the park's canyons, beneath the three mighty bridges and the Ancestral Puebloan ruins. I've been here a year and a half, but still feel like I've only dipped my toe into the waters. 

Claretcup hedgehog cactus blooming at Natural Bridges National Monument.

This day I was free of the Visitor Center for a few hours, and the weather was exceptional. Threatening of rain, but that meant gorgeous cumulus clouds in the high desert Utah sky. Sun, shadow, clouds. A bit breezy, but that served to move most of the haze out. Sweet.

I decided to drive the loop road to the natural bridges overlooks, to get new springtime photos to show the visitors before they go out there. 

The first stop was the Sipapu Bridge overlook. Looking down onto the second largest natural bridge in the Americas (and sixth largest in the world). I admired the mid-afternoon light, the glowing bright greenery of the riparian (streamside) tree foliage far below in the rugged canyons of Cedar Mesa Sandstone.

Sipapu Natural Bridge, sixth largest in the world, 500 feet in elevation below the overlook in White Canyon.

Then it was on to Kachina Bridge, the youngest and most massive of the bridges, since it still has the most stone mass left to lose. At the overlook there were several visitors admiring the view. Because it's not just the natural bridge far below. In fact, some can't even pick it out without help. It's because of the stunning scenery of the canyons below. And the cliffs above them. So when we encourage them to "just" go to the overlooks, they will still have an incredible experience.

Kachina Natural Bridge from the overlook, where Armstrong Canyon enters White Canyon.

Finally, the third bridge: Owachomo. The easiest one to hike down to, by far. The longest name, the shortest hike. Probably the oldest one, geologically. Certainly the most photographed one, because of its ease of access, and its wide open southern exposure for midnight starry skies photography. 

Owachomo Natural Bridge (left center) from the overlook, with Moss Back Butte and the Red House Cliffs in the distance.

Owachomo Bridge, from below in Armstrong Canyon.

The final pullout on the park's loop drive road is a panoramic wide toward Elk Ridge, with the Bears Ears Buttes and Maverick Point.

The Bears Ears Buttes, Maverick Point and Elk Ridge from the Bridge View Drive loop road.

So there you go, a brief nine mile driving loop road through Natural Bridges National Monument. Even a brief tour is so rewarding. But don't be surprised if you'll want more.


Even if you live here.


Photo location: Natural Bridges National Monument, southeast Utah.

© Copyright 2016 Stephen J. Krieg