I toss my backpack into the cold jeep; I decide Thanksgiving dishes will have to wait another day. The air takes a bite, and I double-check to ensure I have my fleece jacket with me before closing the door and starting the engine. It is going to be a beautiful day. Sunny clear skies are in the forecast, and for the local ski resort, that means a busy day. Linda left for the slopes early and day number six [^1] of her 14 straight working days.
Finding enough qualified ski instructors has always been difficult for the small resort nestled along the hillside below the tallest peak in Iron County; however, since COVID and the shifting priorities among workers, the low-paying jobs have been challenging to fill. So Linda is picking up some slack by working at both resorts.
The drive is beautiful, and thankfully not a lot of traffic on I-15 as I merge into the southbound lane. The northbound traffic is minimal also as the holiday traffic gives way to the long weekend. Today's Black Friday; however, I don't think it carries the same punch it used to as stores get greedy and offer bargains all week long, trying to get a jump on their competitors. The old single-day mad houses are gone [^2], and thankfully in all those crazy years, I was only a witness to a single outing of the mayhem. Unfortunately, between online shopping and inflation, retailers' most profitable day of the year might end.
I've driven to this remote area along the old Hwy-91 a few times, hoping to climb at least one of two mountain peaks I have on my radar. UNP4649 sits just east of the highway with several long sweeping ridgelines trailing from the summit to the gentle slopes of Utah hill. The rugged peak is a testament to the desert environment and a monsoon season that has occurred for an eon, eroding the surrounding hillsides into deep gullies of rock and gravel.
“Picking a route to the top” copyright BrickBarnBlog2022
The major west-facing ridgeline ends at a cliff face called "Castle Cliff" and is a popular climbing site for sport rock climbers. Today it is filled with a dozen trucks and trailers having hauled their occupants and ATV toys to the area. I wasn't the only one hoping to escape dish duty this morning. UNP4649 isn't a big mountain; it is spread out as I pull my pack out and turn on the GPS. [^3]
I cross several small gulleys as I eye the hillside looking for a good line up the face. I finally settled on the third one over [^4]. The hillside is rocky, but the line is direct. I brought my jacket; however, I only need it when I want to sit on one of the rocks to take a break. The boulders in this area are weathered into sharp ridges that can cut, so padding helps.
“UNP4649 summit view east of ‘Scrub Benchmark.’”
The summit is stunning, and the view in all directions is typical of desert peaks, i.e., meaning no pesky trees to block the view. I watch cars travel up and down the blacktop, and ATVs zoom along the gravel roads surrounding me. I eat a small snack above the deserts version of Black Friday.
It's later than expected as I glance at my watch, comfortable on my rocky perch and wanting to stay. A group of ATVs has parked in the staging area below, and while I can't hear them talking, I can tell they are gathered together for one last drink talking over the excitement of the day. Other groups trickle along the gravel road as I assemble my things and ready my descent.
“Ridgeline view of trailhead and ATV staging area.” copyright BrickBarnBlog2022
Nothing about my descent is noteworthy as I climb into my jeep and proceed north on CR-91. But, with Linda still at work, I thought I might pass by Veyo pies and pick up the one thing Sean, and I missed about this small Thanksgiving dinner; pumpkin pie. [^5] [^6]
Written November 26, 2022
Footnotes:
[^1]: Or is it seven?
[^2]: At least, I think they are.
[^3]: I've probably mentioned this before; however, it bears repeating; I always let Linda know where I've parked the jeep via GPS marker. At my first break (or sooner if the terrain is rugged), I follow up with a second contact to let her (and potential rescuers) know my direction of travel. I don't know how many articles I've read over the years where they found a missing person's car but had no idea which way they had gone. On long hikes, I'll continue to drop GPS breadcrumbs for anyone to follow should the need arise.
[^4]: Technically, the fourth one over counting the Castle Cliff ridgeline (north to south), third from a more direct approach.
[^5]: Linda makes fantastic pies, and we hoped she would find some time to make pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving. Alas, the days were too long, and she was too tired to make any in time for dinner.
[^6] Veyo pies were closed (small tears roll down my cheeks).