Scott Chandler
Wildness is a necessity- John Muir
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2014
- Messages
- 1,099
10/23-25/15
After another fantastic summer in the Bighorn Mountains, I again find myself home in Utah. Craving sand between the toes, the touch of sandstone on the fingers, the joy of different spaces, and the company of friends, I grabbed my enthusiastic novice of a camper brother and headed off to the Goblin Valley area to meet my friend Richard for the weekend.
After a nippy and fairly crowded night (running events in Goblin had brought a lot of campers), the discussed hike of the day was Little Wild Horse Canyon. Having not found Richard the night before, or that morning, my brother and I went to the canyon under the hopes we'd run into the others somewhere along the way.
The hike started out nicely with some fall colored cottonwoods.
![LWH-GL-4.jpg LWH-GL-4.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35915-ba4cbc0897caeeaea78976012edc2e6e.jpg)
My desert itch was quickly being scratched as the canyon squeezed in and the goodness began. Sandstone is such a welcome and wonderful sight after months in the mountains.
![LWH-GL-27.jpg LWH-GL-27.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35927-ddf2738e5d4f9a811ee727ed1bc618aa.jpg)
As the canyon widened, we discovered a set of cairns heading up onto ledges and benches above the creekbed. Interested in where they went, wondering if it may have been a cut across to Bell Canyon, we followed the cairns until they disappeared and then some. All we found were cool views and rough terrain but it was certainly a nice adventure.
![LWH-GL-38.jpg LWH-GL-38.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35935-4a0cb6c8a325d247c2081e2951cdbbba.jpg)
Having not run into Richard's group up to this point we headed back down Little Wild Horse. We encountered a lot of dogs, children, and costumed folk as we returned to the parking lot but no Richard. Once there though, a familiar truck was parked right behind my car and we took a siesta while we waited.
Reunited with friends, we took the rest of the day to visit the Goblin's Lair. Good signage certainly made the trip easier than I had expected but it was a darn cool destination.
![LWH-GL-47.jpg LWH-GL-47.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35941-7bc18be42a57fcf3107aa972d5b74a77.jpg)
We spent the next day wandering the Goblins until driving hour arrived. T'was a downright nice time and after playing out in Wyoming I'm excited for some desert wandering!
Featured image for home page:
![slide.jpg slide.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/36/36057-cbcb4aab6b90ccf76d576c19811a7046.jpg)
After another fantastic summer in the Bighorn Mountains, I again find myself home in Utah. Craving sand between the toes, the touch of sandstone on the fingers, the joy of different spaces, and the company of friends, I grabbed my enthusiastic novice of a camper brother and headed off to the Goblin Valley area to meet my friend Richard for the weekend.
After a nippy and fairly crowded night (running events in Goblin had brought a lot of campers), the discussed hike of the day was Little Wild Horse Canyon. Having not found Richard the night before, or that morning, my brother and I went to the canyon under the hopes we'd run into the others somewhere along the way.
The hike started out nicely with some fall colored cottonwoods.
![LWH-GL-1.jpg LWH-GL-1.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35913-47dcf8a16bdc7b2fda97aeb98cceb88d.jpg)
![LWH-GL-2.jpg LWH-GL-2.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35914-f078455e5d2d405d0ce0c58768e265b8.jpg)
![LWH-GL-4.jpg LWH-GL-4.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35915-ba4cbc0897caeeaea78976012edc2e6e.jpg)
My desert itch was quickly being scratched as the canyon squeezed in and the goodness began. Sandstone is such a welcome and wonderful sight after months in the mountains.
![LWH-GL-5.jpg LWH-GL-5.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35916-478851b391ed56b317df24038ac74d4f.jpg)
![LWH-GL-7.jpg LWH-GL-7.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35917-3ffe8434237c919d07bfac905c7502b5.jpg)
![LWH-GL-10.jpg LWH-GL-10.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35918-e9c0b08ac7c97a1bbedf997780b481da.jpg)
![LWH-GL-11.jpg LWH-GL-11.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35919-9b7cb0e1390e7f9c7b0ae6d806110ac6.jpg)
![LWH-GL-13.jpg LWH-GL-13.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35920-b54ce79e7529d0a95be4475866db059a.jpg)
![LWH-GL-14.jpg LWH-GL-14.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35921-ae63560a17bcc0d176912de2a19b3bbd.jpg)
![LWH-GL-16.jpg LWH-GL-16.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35922-2369617817227dc2e95576a25b7bfe88.jpg)
![LWH-GL-17.jpg LWH-GL-17.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35923-915025e0fd69afe6dbaadee511cf8343.jpg)
![LWH-GL-18.jpg LWH-GL-18.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35924-e7506274da5529e32252638671ddb8cd.jpg)
![LWH-GL-19.jpg LWH-GL-19.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35925-61641e57ae89607211f987000d8097fc.jpg)
![LWH-GL-23.jpg LWH-GL-23.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35926-fb85ce9bf29bf65bbf2b87b4ac6a490c.jpg)
![LWH-GL-27.jpg LWH-GL-27.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35927-ddf2738e5d4f9a811ee727ed1bc618aa.jpg)
As the canyon widened, we discovered a set of cairns heading up onto ledges and benches above the creekbed. Interested in where they went, wondering if it may have been a cut across to Bell Canyon, we followed the cairns until they disappeared and then some. All we found were cool views and rough terrain but it was certainly a nice adventure.
![LWH-GL-29.jpg LWH-GL-29.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35928-223a13c0bd850e0aff63b9d1a4fd259d.jpg)
![LWH-GL-31.jpg LWH-GL-31.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35929-53f88aafbfeabf39dc06cd07dccffe39.jpg)
![LWH-GL-32.jpg LWH-GL-32.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35930-ff7da17ba17979f05681ff037139c0eb.jpg)
![LWH-GL-33.jpg LWH-GL-33.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35931-d43bce647234632a569913fe13c09b11.jpg)
![LWH-GL-34.jpg LWH-GL-34.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35932-79dff701078a5dbd85e522fd6e29df83.jpg)
![LWH-GL-35.jpg LWH-GL-35.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35933-f8cf647ec2d27af80d076939961d611a.jpg)
![LWH-GL-37.jpg LWH-GL-37.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35934-1c3903e5f43c0b67549424e55370780a.jpg)
![LWH-GL-38.jpg LWH-GL-38.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35935-4a0cb6c8a325d247c2081e2951cdbbba.jpg)
Having not run into Richard's group up to this point we headed back down Little Wild Horse. We encountered a lot of dogs, children, and costumed folk as we returned to the parking lot but no Richard. Once there though, a familiar truck was parked right behind my car and we took a siesta while we waited.
Reunited with friends, we took the rest of the day to visit the Goblin's Lair. Good signage certainly made the trip easier than I had expected but it was a darn cool destination.
![LWH-GL-41.jpg LWH-GL-41.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35936-df82c6a89dbb6e02f0a4943a911236aa.jpg)
![LWH-GL-42.jpg LWH-GL-42.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35937-7abf1a93d7851b6eb15fee7c380e9847.jpg)
![LWH-GL-43.jpg LWH-GL-43.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35938-b7d1f748fac3fcbaea82d6d5980c3683.jpg)
![LWH-GL-45.jpg LWH-GL-45.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35939-7461b559c493c896b1ad28bb7b0260bd.jpg)
![LWH-GL-46.jpg LWH-GL-46.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35940-4830d22d87d4ece9a7eeadb9b6ba78a4.jpg)
![LWH-GL-47.jpg LWH-GL-47.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/35/35941-7bc18be42a57fcf3107aa972d5b74a77.jpg)
We spent the next day wandering the Goblins until driving hour arrived. T'was a downright nice time and after playing out in Wyoming I'm excited for some desert wandering!
Featured image for home page:
![slide.jpg slide.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/36/36057-cbcb4aab6b90ccf76d576c19811a7046.jpg)