Utah canyon hiking

Nearly all of my hiking has been done in the northwest US, mountains, forest, and mixed grass and brushlands. Last spring and the previous fall (2005) I finally started to explore canyon hiking in Utah. I stayed to the popular areas, Canyonlands, Zion, Bryce, and Capitol Reef because I was aware I was a novice to this type of hiking and didn't want to exceed my abilities. I am glad I did, I had problems on the trails that I did not have expect.

In many areas I found it difficult to follow the trail, I missed trail markers and couldn't easily follow the sense of the trail. I could easily take a compass reading and look at my map and see the direction to go but that didn't help find a route out of a canyon, I needed to find someplace where I could actually traverse. Mostly on forest trails the route is obvious and if it isn't, because of snow, rocks, etc., I am used to following the lay of the land and and can make sense of the route. I haven't worried about getting lost in the mountainous woods I usually hike for years.

Also, I found it hard to move safely on the slicker rocks and to find safe places to step. I was overly concerned about falling and hurting a leg, partly because it would have stopped my hiking vacation but also because I am aware how long it would take for me to heal. I could lose a whole season of hiking from one bad step. And part of the problem was that I simply wasn't used to moving this way and needed more practice.

Finally, it was too hot and the sun was too direct. In Seattle, 90 degrees F is a hot day. If I do hike in hot weather, I hike in forests, on breezy ridges, and early in the day. Some days it was 90 degrees by 9am and I simply wasn't used to heat and sun.

I got hooked on canyon hiking however; I'm ready to do more and maybe a try bit more adventurous routes. I hope to be able to get to Utah in May this year which will hopefully help with the heat and I have more idea of what my limitations are.