Meek's Mesa

Ugly

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Apr 20, 2013
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Meek's Mesa 3/16-
I am pretty sure this is not a regular destination in itself that is high on many people's lists, and if it is someone's secret place then they most likely stumbled upon it from a trip to Pandora's box. I have not done Pandora's box, but I was looking for a quick and yet off the main track destination. A place where being in between seasons may make a little more hospitable, where otherwise I would not consider.
Meek's sandstone wonderland of pinyon, juniper, rabbit brush and blowing sand would not offer much protection from any kind of extreme hot or cold, but the outlook for the late weekend was a window between storms.

I am a hiker, not a writer, so I struggled finding the right voice for this report. If it is boring, just peruse the photos.

Minutes after my daughter's soccer match was over on Saturday, we were on the road south. A short few hours later we hit the tail end a little downpour of rain that was racing over our destination. When we got to the Reef proper, the sun was shining with small shattered puffy clouds and storms rolling past blue skies and wingate and other sandstone layered cliffs.
The tail end of the bluster as it blows past our destination:
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We stopped at a few places to let the little rain blow over. My daughter and I had discussed Spring Canyon, and as we arrived at Chimney Rock I was glad we had decided on something else. Two different groups, or perhaps one larger group was just donning their packs heading that way.
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The trail to Meek's starts from the overflow campground just outside Capitol Reef. After a quick lunch we donned our packs and were quickly climbing up. Steep, but nothing bad and not that long. After the first steep climb the trail bends right to gain a small break and get you up to the first level of the mesa.
Lots of color and variety along the way as you climb through the eons of time frozen in sandstone.
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Once on the shelf it is a nice gentle walk. With several good sights along the way.
Pyramid.
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So many different people called this several names. Imagination can decide:
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The wind kept us cool, blowing and blustery all weekend, even downright intense as some fronts came through, but I was thankful, as the only times I recall being at Capitol Reef without wind I was sweating in summer heat wishing for a breeze.
After a dozen stops allowing my daughter to climb, dig in the multicolored sand, or take in the views or maybe eat gummy bears, we saw the final climb.
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Tucked up against the sheer wall is the route. It was originally a cattle trail. Another view.
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Partway up I found that my hat which I had temporarily tucked in my pocket, was gone. My daughter willingly dropped her pack and ran back to find it.

My daughter coming back up with my hat on her head.
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She loved the climbing and scrambling up unto one point, where we went the hard way, leaving a four foot exposed scramble up off a narrow crack and back to the trail. For those reading the trail guides, they really do mean drop down and go right, far right when you see the little arch.
The up is steep, but it was fun and not that bad, even with a pack with supplies for two.
A little bit more looking back down.
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Some of this report kind of became a photo essay, but there were so much interesting stuff. Or maybe my winter eyes were just excited to see color.

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We were all alone up top. There were not any fresh tracks. Excellent.

We ditched our packs in the shade, marked the spot with my sweaty, orange tee in a tree (after a few hours all of those shrubs look the same), and put back on a merino wool shirt. It still was technically winter after all, and the sun spent most of the time behind spats of clouds and gusts of wind.
We went mostly east, following fingers of sandstone and deepening cracks. No destination, just following anything interesting.

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A few cracks were not hard to get into. This one below required some scratches from the rabbitbrush, and it was short and sweet. I taught my daughter how to stem and chimney, and we spent a good half hour in a couple hundred feet of slot going up and down until my knee hurt. Only got a picture when she was on her way down though. (yes, that is a candy sucker in her mouth... what was that saying your mom always said about chimneying with a sucker in your mouth?... In the backcountry with dad, some rules do not apply).
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Looking down canyon I was surprised at what was framed by the walls.
View down canyon.
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Same pic, zoomed in.
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Nice view... Slot. Chimney Rock. The Reef. Factory Butte. And the Henry's all in view.

After a couple hours of exploring, we went and found a slightly sheltered spot and setup camp.
We even had our own camp mascot. It had found a nice place where the afternoon sun hit until sunset, and was not going to give up the spot, even with us there. My daughter got right over by him and he didn't budge, but you could almost hear him muttering to himself "They can't see me... oh gosh, they can't see me."

Camp Bunny.
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More beauty.
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Occasional flurries and gusts continued all day, but towards sunset they finally cleared out and were all concentrated on Boulder Mountain.
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Sunset was nice.
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The wind came back with a vengeance after sun down. The skies were clear, the stars bright. We lay for a little while on the slickrock under a blanket, looking for constellations and stars my daughter was learning about in science, but it rapidly became too dang cold. So we retired to the tent for a few rounds of ticket to ride.

Dawn broke sweet and cold.
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Self portrait.
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Zen.
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After it warmed up, and I roused my daughter from bed, we went mostly northeast, towards the drainages where Pandora's starts, and toward the edge of Spring Canyon. It was rarely sunny, instead it was mostly that late spring, early winter blanket of high clouds.

I knelt on a cactus getting this one. Not sure what kind of grass these are?
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My daughter thought this tree was crossing its legs. We called this one laptop.
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some more scenery...
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Fun colors.
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small toadstool hoodoo
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We had 2 nights, but no real plan, so in the early afternoon once back at camp we took a short bit of R&R. While we rested we heard a few voices of a group that made it to the top of the mesa, but we never saw them. We never saw a soul either day.
I was ready to spend another night literally chilling on the mesa, but my daughter was ready to see something else. So we decided on going down to the car and on to the Burr Trail, finding somewhere to stay the night and just looking at scenery.
We packed up and soon we went down the route. The right way this time, avoiding anything even slightly spicy, walked around the corner and dropped back down to our car as the sun was finally breaking through.

Some photos that round out the afternoon and the next day as we took the long loop home all along Highway 12. We stopped at just about every scenic turnout so my daughter could read them. It was great.

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Early dawn.
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This rock was interesting. The sunrise broke with great beauty. Even better was a Monday morning without the office.
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We even experienced a little bit of "Bryce" on the way home, so we could stretch our legs as we watched the incoming storm start to spread its fingers toward us.
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A couple of nights was too short, but it was a great, quick trip. It was perhaps a bit of a rambling report to go with the wide roaming adventure, but hopefully it is a little enjoyable.
 
Beautiful shots. Way to get your daughter out there.
 
Great pictures... Did look a bit cold. Did you have to pack in your water?
 
Great pictures... Did look a bit cold. Did you have to pack in your water?
Yeah, we brought a few liters each. There are some tinajas out towards the Spring canyon side, and some snow we could melt, but we left that for the bunnies. Any other time of year though, without snow melting and without any rain and I there probably is not any easily accessed water.
Not sure how long they really could have kept cattle up there back in the day.

---This is the best quality time with kids, that is for sure.
 
The grass is blue grama. It looks like eyelashes. Enjoyed your report especially Dad letting his daughter stem with a sucker. That made me laugh!​
 
The grass is blue grama. It looks like eyelashes. Enjoyed your report especially Dad letting his daughter stem with a sucker. That made me laugh!​
Blue Grama, perfect. Thanks.

I am happy to have made you laugh.
 
Ah yes, travelling with my daughter is the best, taking her on her first slot canyon hike in May. Loved your report, the Reef is one of my favorite places of all time to visit. Looks like you had a lot of fun!
 
"In the backcountry with dad, some rules do not apply."

That could be my new motto...
 
@JoshuaDyal
Ha! that is a good motto.

It definitely is one of the perks for my kids that Dad is a bit different from mom, and that for a little while life needs different rules... like wear a whistle, bring a coat in march, because, dang it gets cold when the sun goes behind the clouds, or don't eat all of dad's gummy bears...

the latter rule might always apply.
 
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