Читать книгу 50 Best Short Hikes in Utah's National Parks - Greg Witt - Страница 11

USING THIS BOOK

When you think of Utah, theme parks don’t generally come to mind. But Utah is home to five national parks—distinct parks with one common theme. That underlying and unifying theme is erosion. Each of Utah’s national parks—Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion—is a geologically themed wonderland where the subject is what happens to the earth’s surface as a result of wind and water and time. Those results are the fantastic canyons, arches, hoodoos (rock columns), sandstone fins, and spires that decorate these parks.

Utah’s national parks lie within a geographic region of the United States known as the Colorado Plateau, which spreads across 130,000 square miles of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. It’s an arid, high-elevation expanse that conspires against human settlement and showcases some of the most beautiful red-rock scenery and natural earth forms in the world. Ninety percent of the Colorado Plateau is drained by the Colorado River and its tributaries, and it has the highest concentration of National Park Service units in the country—10 national parks and 17 national monuments. Other national parks within the Colorado Plateau, though not in Utah, are the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Petrified Forest National Parks, as well as Chaco Culture National Historical Park.

To understand the geology of the Colorado Plateau, all you need to know are three basic steps:

 The area was thrust upward by forces within the earth.

 Tectonic plates collided, causing layers of earth to crinkle and tilt.

 Water cut and shaped the stone into canyons.

Simplified, yes, but everything you see in Utah’s national parks indicates these three steps. And the desert climate, with its attendant lack of vegetation, makes the geology so much more visible and accessible. Think about it: If the Colorado Plateau were as forested as the Pacific Northwest, these national parks wouldn’t exist because you would never notice the arches, hoodoos, slickrock, or magnificent sandstone monuments. So be thankful for the desert, which exposes this beautiful terrain and makes it so accessible for hikers.

As you visit Utah’s national parks and immerse yourself in their wonders, you’ll find new ways of looking at the land and uncover new ideas. Edward Abbey, that ever-quotable environmentalist of the Colorado Plateau, put it this way: “The land here is like a great book or a great symphony; it invites approaches toward comprehension on many levels, from all directions.” Like Abbey, you’ll find that each hike in this book offers something to learn, something new to ponder, or some riddle to answer. To enhance the learning and to make that knowledge accessible, I’ve included dozens of sidebars, photos, and interpretive aids—an added bonus, if you will—to bring the story of the land to life. These include information about the geology, history, flora, and fauna of the Colorado Plateau—facets that are common to all five national parks.

Utah’s national parks lie within desert environments, which only make the life-forms more interesting as species—both plants and animals—adapt to the harsh climate. You’ll find desert bighorn sheep that go most of the year without ever drinking water, bristlecone pines that live for thousands of years, or kangaroo rats that collect moisture with each outgoing breath. Deserts may look barren on the surface, but they are far from lifeless.

The parks featured here are open year-round, though some visitor centers and public facilities may be closed or have restricted hours during winter. Given their high elevation at or above 5,000 feet, the parks have great hiking during the peak summer season, even though other national parks in the desert Southwest will be scorchingly hot. Spring and fall are prime time for Utah’s national parks and offer what most hikers consider ideal temperatures for hiking, along with long days, spring wildflowers, and lighter crowds. Winter can be magical as an occasional dusting of powder makes the red rock of Arches or Zion all the more photogenic. Bryce Canyon has groomed cross-country ski trails, and wildlife viewing in Zion is exceptional.

STAYING SAFE

Every route in this book is safe in the sense that it is a designated public trail within a national park. Most of the hikes in this book are considered front-country trails as opposed to remote backcountry trails, and as such the trails are well maintained, regularly patrolled and hiked by park rangers, and heavily used by visitors who come to Utah’s national parks. Each year millions of people find fun, rewarding, healthy, and life-transforming experiences while hiking in national parks.

However, the inherent risks and dangers in hiking in a national park or any outdoor setting are real. Rocks fall, rattlesnakes bite, flash floods roar down canyons, and the desert sun can toast you like a bagel. No ranger, guidebook, or trailhead sign can possibly protect you from every hazard. Nothing can take the place of personal responsibility, individual preparation, sound judgment, and constant awareness when hiking in the outdoors. With all that in mind, let’s review some of the most common hazards you’ll experience while hiking in Utah’s national parks, along with the precautions and actions you should take in preparation for these hikes.

Even though most of these hikes are short, well known, well marked, and heavily used, you should be as mindful of precautions for these hikes as you would for any trail.

When visiting a national park, make the visitor center your first stop. Here you’ll receive updated weather and trail notifications. Experienced rangers who know the trails can assist you in selecting the routes best suited to your experience and abilities.

The greatest risk factor for hikers on many of the trails in this book is the extremely hot and dry summer weather, with summer temperatures regularly in excess of 100°F. In the heat, be sure to wear a wide-brimmed hat and long sleeves. Carry water, wear sunglasses, apply sunscreen and lip balm liberally, and, when possible, plan your outings to avoid hiking in the heat of the midday sun.

Heat exhaustion, or hyperthermia, occurs when the body loses more fluid than it takes in. That can happen very quickly in the desert’s high temperatures. Signs of heat exhaustion include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headaches, pale appearance, stomach cramps, and cool clammy skin. If you or a member of your party experiences any of these signs, stop your hike immediately. Find a cool, shady area, and rest with your feet up. Drink fluids and eat something, while making a plan for returning to the trailhead or seeking assistance.

While hypothermia is usually associated with colder climes, it’s a real risk here too, often due to the water in narrow canyons. Hypothermia occurs when the body cools to a dangerously low temperature. To prevent it, don’t wear cotton clothing, and eat high-energy foods. Stop hiking if you observe uncontrollable shivering, poor coordination, fatigue, confusion, or slurred speech in any member of your party. Replace wet clothing with dry insulating layers, and plan to return to the trailhead or seek help.

Know where your sources of water are. For many of the hikes in this book, there is no water at the trailhead or on the trail, so plan ahead and fill your bottles at the visitor center or wherever reliable water supplies are found. Plan on drinking 1 gallon of water a day (or 1.5 gallons in the summer) while hiking.

You must always be mindful of trail conditions that can change over time and due to weather. Some of the easiest and most popular trails in Utah’s national parks have been the site of fatalities due to extreme weather conditions (Zion’s Riverside Walk is a notable example).

For all but the shortest hikes, bring along a lightweight backpack with plenty of water and something to snack on. Lack of adequate drinking water can sometimes be a critical issue on any of the hikes located in the arid desert climate of southern Utah.

It’s best to avoid some of these unshaded hikes anytime the sun is high in the sky during the warmer months of the year. Walking will not be enjoyable at those times anyway.

Your backpack is a good receptacle for extra clothing as well. Because the high elevations and desert climate can experience wide swings in day and night temperatures, layering your attire is a good idea. In winter, take along two or more middleweight outer garments rather than relying on a single heavy or bulky jacket to keep you comfortable at all times.

Raingear, however, finds only occasional use in southern Utah. Usually, hikers have fair warning when a rainstorm is brewing—it’s unusual for good weather to turn stormy within a short period of time. But always check the weather forecast.

Flash floods are rare, but they are still a risk that needs to be taken into account. Flash floods occur when rainfall, often miles away, falls onto slickrock or other nonabsorbent surfaces over a large drainage area and funnels into washes and channels. As channels constrict, the force of the floodwaters increases dramatically and carries debris and rocks. You can’t outrun or swim in a flash flood. Avoid narrow canyons in rainstorms, and seek high ground.

You can take a mobile phone with you, but on most of these hikes you will not have cell service. Thus, as with all hiking, it’s wise to let someone know where you are headed and when you expect to return.

Hikers on the more remote trails described in this book might want to bring along a flashlight (if there’s any chance of being caught on the trail after dark); a map; a GPS unit, for fun as well as navigation; a whistle (for signaling); and a first-aid kit.

Rattlesnakes occasionally appear on the trails featured in this book. Typically, these creatures are as interested in avoiding contact with you as you are with them. But watch carefully where you put your feet, and especially your hands, during the warmer months, as you never want to startle a rattler. Most encounters between rattlesnakes and hikers occur in April and May, when snakes are out and about after a long hibernation period.

Western diamondback rattlesnake

Insects are not as serious a problem in Utah’s desert climate as they are in some other wilderness areas. But during the spring and summer, sand flies, deer flies, and midges can be occasional annoyances in some sandy washes and streambeds, so pack some insect repellent as a precaution. Tarantulas, scorpions, and black widow spiders are also present, but being bitten by one is a rare occurrence. For hikers, your best protection from being bitten is to stay on the trail and to keep your hands away from rocks or ledges where these creatures might be lurking.

Mountain lion encounters are extremely rare in Utah’s national parks. Do, however, keep in mind that you must never run from any predatory animal, as this could trigger its chase instinct. Make yourself look large. Do not act fearful. Do anything you can to convince the animal that you are not its prey.

REDUCING YOUR IMPACT IN THE DESERT

Considering the significance of national parks to our nation’s heritage, it’s particularly important that you familiarize yourself with the Leave No Trace principles as you plan your visit to Utah’s national parks. Visit lnt.org for more information. Follow the philosophy of “pack it in; pack it out.” Here are a few additional pointers:

 Follow park regulations. Do not collect rocks, plants, or artifacts.

 Check the weather forecast, and plan your hike accordingly. Be prepared for emergencies.

 Deposit solid human waste in a hole 4–6 inches deep, at least 200 feet away from water, camps, and trails.

 Do not approach or feed wildlife.

 Yield to others on the trail. Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering horses.

Additionally, in many parts of Utah’s national parks, you’ll encounter biological soil crusts, which are an important part of the desert ecosystem. They prevent soil erosion, absorb and hold water, and provide nutrients to plants. But one footstep can destroy hundreds of years of growth. Please help protect these fragile crusts by learning to recognize them (you’ll be instructed in the park’s visitor information and on interpretive signage) and by walking on designated trails, bare rock, or streambeds.

Exciting experiences and vistas await, so now it’s time to lace up your boots and hit the trail.