Day 2
The sun peeks into the tent and we rouse. Thankfully Jason is ready to heat water for coffee in response to the morning chill. My response is to refuse to exit my sleeping bag. After a few minutes, I rise wishing the sun had warmed the tent more. We begin our day. We explore the trail a bit further amused at the evidence of apparent desert night life. Tiny footprints and tail prints crisscross the sand. The lizards are up and about. They watch. They dart. They rustle in dry grasses and bolt across the trail underfoot.
We hike back to the trail head, stopping to look at Sand Dune arch in a small pocket of vertical sandstone fins that rise from the orange sand like a shark fin rises from water. Near the arch is a sign. It cautions not to loiter or walk under the unstable arch. The sign includes a photo to prove the arch has been shedding some rock lately. A family arrives. Mom sets up lawn chairs under the arch in the shade while dad explores the alcove behind the arch. They set up their three little girls to play with shovels and buckets, a couple feet in front of the arch.
We organize our gear in the back of the SUV. The day is warming quickly; 75 degrees now and climbing. Near us in full sun is parked a dark SUV. You can hear the baying of two dachshunds through windows that are open less than 1/2 inch. Over 30 minutes pass as we arrange gear. I have become increasingly furious at the idiots apparently unfit to own live dogs. I try the doors-locked. I try to demand a cell signal on my phone. There is none. I leave a note on the window and report to the campground host who will call in law enforcement. Days later it occurs to me that the people camped out under the unstable arch are likely the unfit dog owners. It’s probably a good thing I didn’t think of that at the time.
We hike a quiet trail to Broken and Tapestry arches. Patches of shade are welcomed on the sunny trail. There are a few other hikers but not many. After some more casual sightseeing, we drive to the Devils Garden trail head to start our backcountry exploration. The scene is mortifying. Two- maybe three- hundred cars?!? Every trail head and nearby picnic area parking spot is full. Cars are parked rimming the roads by the no parking signs. Dozens of cars circle the parking lot like vultures ready to seize upon a delectable morsel of carrion. A woman has lept from her vehicle to stand in a space, fending it off from all passing drivers other than her husband. We exit and select an unpopular trail to eat lunch in quiet, cool shade. Later we venture to the Delicate Arch overlook trail to watch the ant-sized visitors swarm the arch from a distance.
We return to Devils Garden a couple hours later. Most of the cars are gone with little evidence of the earlier spectacle. There are still a number of visitors walking along the first part of the trail. Near Landscape Arch the primitive trail breaks off to the right and we follow it. Within 150 feet we are alone again with the wind, birds and lizards.
We follow a wash through a valley of fins to the north. Four mule deer “hide” behind twigs and watch us curiously. More lizards dart and jays announce our arrival. The sky is stormy and gusting winds have picked up. Red sandstone fins yield to creamy colored slickrock. We look for a site atop the white fins, uncertain if a level, slickrock area shielded from the wind can be found. I spot the mule deer watching us from atop another fin. We choose a place nestled by a juniper. It features a sitting ledge and a bit of shelter for the cook stove. The landscape view is wide open and amazing. We watch fierce rains falling in the distance and prepare for a windy, wet night.
