confluence 37N 112W or Most amazing scenery in SouthWest

[WhiteThaiGer]

On our AZ trip with Scott and Doron we got talking about where to go, where we all had been, etc. I mentioned this place and promised to put up some pics.

The pictures I am posting here must be the most amazing scenery I have seen in the US south west to date! We went here to visit the confluence 37N 112W, but we got so much more. As I was going though the pics with Srisuda we had the urge to go again. Man, I want to pack the truck right now and go. The placesare so amazing!!!

Note that I don't want to post the real names of the formations here since the area is extremely delicate and can't handle crowds. Even the rangers will not give precise directions to the formation, they showed us some pics of landmarks to look for in order to find the spot. We met a pro photographer who actually did not find the spot on his first attempt, had to wait a year for another permit. Only 14 people a day are allowed in. 10 permits can be reserved on the net up to a year in advance, 4 are given out in a lottery. We were in a lottery with 20 peopleand won 2tickets.

24 pics of theButtes area start here. (http://www.rxtx.com:8085/4wdtrips/photogallery/details.php?image_id=846)

9 pics of a most amazing canyon start here (http://www.rxtx.com:8085/4wdtrips/photogallery/details.php?image_id=871).

The pictures really don't do the place justice, the original slides are much better, but really you got to be there. So, let's go and hike Paria Canyon (very close by), something that's on my must do list!http://www.4wdtrips.net/forum/emoticons/hop.gif
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http://www.confluence.org
http://www.usgo.org


Post Edited (WhiteThaiGer) : 11/5/2003 3:03:01 PM GMT

[GoodTimes]

Wow! Great pics! When is the next trip?

Ok, so what are the possibilities of a spring time trip? I have been thinking about where to take my little sister when she comes out from Michigan for Spring Break, I think this would be great!


olllllllo <---- If you can read that, roll me over.

KG6OWO

Price is soon forgotton, quality is not.

[WhiteThaiGer]

GoodTimes said...
Ok, so what are the possibilities of a spring time trip? I have been thinking about where to take my little sister when she comes out from Michigan for Spring Break, I think this would be great!Things to consider for a trip to this area:

- number of people allowed is very restricted -> permit needed
- for canyoneering the water levels/rain situation is important. We went in March and the canyons were too wet to hike them

For permits etc. we should search the web. I know that there were also areas with similar spectacular scenery that were not that well advertised, i.e., it should be easier to the get permits.


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http://www.confluence.org
http://www.usgo.org

[BajaTaco]

http://www.4wdtrips.net/forum/emoticons/shocked.gif BEAUTIFUL!!!!! http://www.4wdtrips.net/forum/emoticons/shocked.gif


http://www.bajataco.com
Vibram or BFG - getting there on rubber and seeing it all!

[JackSilb]

Uwe,

Thank you very much for sharing these with us! I know it takes time to format and download the images.

Awesome!!.
-JACK


So much to see, so little time. Try using your 4WD tosee and do more.
Tread Lightly! empowers generations to enjoy the outdoors responsibly...
http://www.4wdtrips.net

[YukonBob]

Your computer holder takes really nice pictures. It's amazing what they are doing with multifunction these days.http://www.4wdtrips.net/forum/emoticons/smilewinkgrin.gif

[YukonBob]

Ok, so what I really like is distractions. I saw your photos and thought, " I've been through there". I looked for my photos because I remember how dramatic it was dropping down and looking at the Paria Wilderness but I guess all the photos are on film because a search of digital ones didn't show me anything. Another plus for digital because if I had found them they would have been posted.</o:p></div>
</o:p></div>
What I have posted is some OziExplorer routes from a couple of years ago on a satellite image of the area. OziExplorer tells me that I was 1.8 miles from the confluence. I believe I wrote in a report of the trip that the colors of Paria Canyon were more spectacular than anything I had seen. The image is 1.2 megabytes so download at your own risk. (http://www.artless.net/paria/paria.jpg)</o:p></div>
</o:p></div>
I've included some annotations on the map of other spots that lead up to us getting this point. Zion and Bryce Canyons and our stay at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon are just for orientation. After leaving the North Rim, I needed to get on dirt so I took the first opportunity at Jacob Lake and followed parts of the Great Western Trail to the Honeymoon Trail and then to Paria Canyon. Farther north you can see the paved road detour so we could follow the canyon north into Cockscomb Canyonand Grosvenor Arch. Then we went Brazilian across some of the new Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument to Escalante.</o:p></div>
</o:p></div>
Speaking of the new National Monument, you can see on the satellite image the features that give the monument it's name. Near the confluence and stretching west are the Vermilion Cliffs. The really obvious feature a little north is the white cliffs. That's not snow, the cliffs are white. A little farther north are the pink cliffs. If anyone is interested, I probably could do another photo showing this a little better.</o:p></div>

[BajaTaco]

YukonBob said...

" I've been through there".
</o:p>
...Near the confluence and stretching west are the Vermilion Cliffs.


What a journey junkie! That is cool! http://www.4wdtrips.net/forum/emoticons/cool.gif </div>
(Aren't the vermillion cliffsat the edge of that mesa that is situated directly south/southeast of the confluence?)</div>
Man, what a beautiful map.</div>


http://www.bajataco.com
Vibram or BFG - getting there on rubber and seeing it all!

[YukonBob]

You are exactly right. At least some of them are.


But many are located northwest of the confluence. There is a view point located on Highway 89A north of Kanab on the way to Jacob Lake that is an excellent place to view the majestyof the Grand Staircase. I don't know of a better place to appreciate why they call it the Grand Staircase. The view point doesn't say anything about the Grand Staircase, you just have to have faith as you climb the Kaibab Plateau. A guy in Cannonville, Utah (near Bryce Cannon) told us about the viewpoint.

[WhiteThaiGer]

That's a nice route you took there, we got to go back there, the scenery is just breath-taking!!



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http://www.confluence.org
http://www.usgo.org

[JackSilb]

[quote]

WhiteThaiGer said...
That's a nice route you took there, we got to go back there, the scenery is just breath-taking!!

</div>
Well my undocumented alien traveling friend, pick a day for next year. The Forum calendar is open. Using a holiday weekend will help.</div>
-JACK</div>


So much to see, so little time. Try using your 4WD tosee and do more.
Tread Lightly! empowers generations to enjoy the outdoors responsibly...
http://www.4wdtrips.net