Well watered, part I
It’s hard to put into words the allure of the endless sea of navajo sandstone that surrounds the greater Glen Canyon region, with large fat fingers extending up the Escalante, North Wash, and Dirty Devil. The heart and soul might be between Stevens and Navajo Mountain, bound by the Kaiparowitz to the west and let’s say Lake Canyon to the east. 
The canyons of the area (which I find arguably the most magical of anywhere) make all that rock easy to dismiss, especially in the warmer months.
Winter, then, is a good time for a heavy dose of bench and rim walking.
A family of coyotes and later a red fox also seemed to be enjoying the solitude…
It’s also of course the time to do seasonally inappropriate things like willow bashing and wading through beaver dams in 35 degree rain.
If you’re gonna really get to known a place you gotta experience it in as many states as you can…
After more than one occasion of beaver-cursing it was quite comical to arrive at this pool only to have a beaver casually (and, at least it seemed, arrogantly) swimming around just a few feet below me.
Don’t blame his choice of home though…
Lost and found…
I slept in an alcove, which I don’t really care for. I prefer being in the open, but dislike shelters even more. The noise of the water drowned out the arrival of more rain in the night.
Most of the day was very enjoyable and very wet. Soup and coffee in another massive alcove took the edge off the slowly growing frustration of routefinding through dozens of dams and collapsing benches.
January cheatgrass crop was off to a great start…cheat indeed…
Things got a lot more wet once back on top (with some wind to spice things up further).
Having driven most of the way (though not quite this far) down HITR after a wet week and then 8+” of rapidly melting snow a few Decembers ago I thought I had experienced it at its worst, but one step onto the road (which was half covered in water) and it was clear I was wrong and the choice was already made for me about whether or not I would be doing some more “if I have time” wandering. At least there was stout and plenty of soup…
out. living. 
So good. Thanks for sharing man
As always, really interesting to see your photos. Wish I could do what you’re doing!
Spectacular man. I’m in love with the 6th and 10th shots.
I was in Utah a few weeks ago….smoked out pretty bad by the Brian Head fire.