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Tag: camping

16 August 2017

Crazy Jug Point never disappoints

August 7-9, 2017

sunset Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe first journey of the season to Crazy Jug Point, my favorite overlook along the western rim of Grand Canyon on the Kaibab National Forest.

people cars bison meadow entrance station North Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaLeft home about 10:45 am, no hurry on my first of three days off work Rangering at the North Rim Grand Canyon. Had chores to do, packing and loading, plus dumping tanks on the camper. Saw at least 40 head of hybrid Bison congregated on the meadow right before the entrance station, some not more than two feet from the road, cars, and people.  These hybrids may be a little smaller than pure American Bison but are big, powerful, and potentially dangerous when their possible ton of weight with curved, sharp horns can run up to 40 miles per hour.

wildflowers fence Deer Lake Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAfter slowing for the tourons I continued a mile past the gravel Forest Road (FR) 22 where a western turn would take me towards my destination.  First topped off with diesel and filled a propane tank at North Rim Country Store.  Friendly and wonderful folks. I hit gravel at 11:30.  Then I immediately stopped for yellowbluewhiteredpurpleorange wildflowers on the hillside above Deer Lake. There were even a couple of ducks on the lake.

Ravens wildflowers FR22 Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAfter the first couple miles of washboard on FR22 the gravel smooths out enough for 25/30mph in most places. Nice there was no other traffic so I could ride center and even opposite direction sometimes for the smoothest ride.  With a few additional photo stops I took one hour to reach FR425 at 18 miles of the drive and 12 miles to go. Lovely forest and even a coral and cabin before hitting FR292 for the last two miles of more narrow, steep, and rocky road. One giant mud puddle and pull up to a change at the camp/overlook. The Forest Service put in a very nice fence reducing the parking area. Took me two hours to drive 42 miles.

Tom converted ambulance Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest ArizonaRebecca and Marco were already parked and set up with the popup cabover, an old ambulance converted to camper parked behind them (Tom) from North Carolina, and a Las Vegas couple with a red pickup truck who were just leaving. I leveled up under some trees and chairs were gathered in the appreciated afternoon shade for some lively conversation.

storm from Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest Arizona

storm from Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest Arizona

storm from Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest Arizona

storm from Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest ArizonaSome took naps while I walked to the rim for a nice little monsoon shower falling to the west with late light shining up the view.  Crazy Jug Point is my favorite view for watching monsoon storms over Grand Canyon.

sunset from Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest Arizona

sunset from Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest Arizona

sunset from Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest Arizona

sunset rain from Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest Arizona

sunset rain from Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest ArizonaShot sunset at the western rim.

Full moon rise over Rainbow Rim from Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest Arizona  Tried moon rise over the Rainbow rim to the east.  Have much to learn about photography in dim lighting.

sunrise Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThen early to bed and (with the help of an alarm clock) early to rise.  Yes, I made another sunrise.  But slept through a Crazy Jug Point spider tap dancing across my forehead while I slept.  Need to spray mint oil in the camper.

Full moon set canyon Crazy Jug Point Kaibab NF AZ

Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest ArizonaPlus watched the (almost) full moon setting along with nice morning light on the canyon walls.

Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest ArizonaRebecca and Marco had to move on after almost a week camping at various places on the forest.  I still had two days off work so stayed to chill.  Tom also decided to stay.  Mostly hung out along the rim watching the day go by with interspersed sits in the shade. Only one vehicle showed up all day for a brief look and then were on their way.

According to Gregory McNamee in Grand Canyon Place Names, “Crazy Jug Point was named after a curiously shaped sandstone rock, which doubtless thirsty early prospectors called ‘the crazy jug,’ that stands at the head of this North Rim point, with the Canyon below it.”

 

 

 

 

sunset Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest Arizona

sunset Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAfter another beautiful sunset Tom made dinner with his own canned venison mixed with rice.  Delicious.  He also gave me a bottle which will make a special treat with his memory in mind somewhere down the road.

sunrise Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest Arizona

sunrise Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest Arizona

South from Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest Arizona

light & shadow down in canyon from Crazy Jug Point Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAnother sunrise and no hurry morning for me.  Tom packed up for his continued journey to some races at the Bonneville Salt Flats.  He’s on an extended road trip from his North Carolina home base.

FR22 Kaibab National Forest Arizona

Arizona Sister butterfly FR425 Kaibab National Forest ArizonaArizona Sister butterfly

Acmon Blues, AZ Sister, Wood-Nymph butterflies on scat FR22 Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAcmon blues, Arizona Sister, and Wood-nymph butterflies

I mosied down the forest roads with many stops along the way.  How curious to see clusters of varied and brilliant butterflies almost covering some rather fresh and moist scat.

wildflowers FR22 Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAnd of course there were many more wildflowers to stop and smell/photograph along the way.

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Arizona, Crazy Jug Point, Kaibab National Forest, Places I've been, United States camping, full moon, moon rise, moon set, sunrise, sunsets 19 Comments
07 August 2017

Overnight monsoon at Marble View

July 18 & 19, 2017

Two days off work so I headed out to a favorite rim overlook to camp, see how the site would be for August 21st’s partial solar eclipse, and ended up with amazing sunset and rise skies during monsoon at Marble View.

clouds meadow wildflower Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe drive out of the park and into the Kaibab National Forest includes long stretches of meadows with a profusion of wildflowers.

meadow wildflower trees Kaibab National Forest Arizona

clouds meadow flowers Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI allowed plenty of time to stop and photograph smell the flowers along the way.  I was also lucky enough to see deer and bison grazing under a sky full of heavy boiling clouds.

trees FR219 North Kaibab National Forest Arizona

buck mule deer trees FR219 North Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe closer I got to Marble View the narrower the gravel forest roads became.

trees FR219 North Kaibab National Forest ArizonaUntil finally the tree tunnel approach to the end.

old pinyon pine valley stormy sky Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaStormy sky to the north and east greeted me at this tundra like point with a big view all the way to Vermilion Cliffs and beyond.

truckcamper camera tripod clouds stormy Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI parked away from the rim by big Ponderosa Pines to stay out of the wind and still have a view.

paintbrush valley clouds Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThen wandered slowly to the rim looking down for fossils and up at the view keeping a wary eye on the sky.  The wildflowers grow stunted like on the tundra from a lack of soil.

point tree monocline valley Vermilion Cliffs clouds Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaHad several local friends ask if the ammo box under a pile of rocks was still at the end of the point.  However, it’s a bit of a scramble and with storms and possible rain around I opted not to go for it and check.  There’s a decent signal at Marble View so I did send some pics into the cyberworld, mostly from the phone.

truckcamper trees clouds Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaStorms continued to build all afternoon but danced around my isolated point of view.

Gaelyn old pinyon pine valley Echo Cliffs storm Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaIt was love at first sight with this pinyon pine at Marble View overlook many years ago.  A true survivor of many monsoon storms.  It offers shade, counsel, and a fine view of Marble Canyon and Navajo Mountain.

camera on tripod storm Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI spent the afternoon watching the storms from different angles and in different directions.  Used the tripod and tried for lightning.  Sadly, my slow shutter finger didn’t capture any flashes.  I wished for a lightning trigger.

valley Vermilion & Echo Cliffs Navajo Mt reverse sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaJust missed it

valley Vermilion & Echo Cliffs Navajo Mt reverse sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaJust missed it again

valley Vermilion & Echo Cliffs Navajo Mt reverse sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAnd again

Thank goodness for digital because I took 100s of pics trying to catch the lightning.

Gaelyn camera in camper stomy Marble View Kaibab National Forest Arizona

valley Vermilion & Echo Cliffs Navajo Mt reverse sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaMissed it again

valley Vermilion & Echo Cliffs Navajo Mt reverse sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe reverse sunset was looking good.  Then rain began to fall lightly so I set the tripod up in the camper door and continued to try and catch lightning by setting the timer for every three seconds over 30 shots.  The light show was excellent.

stormy reverse sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest Arizona

rainbow red reverse sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAs the last of the reflected sunset color made the sky turn red a vertical rainbow arrived to the east for a really grand show.

sunset crepuscular rays Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaWhile to the west crepuscular rays lit up the sky.

sunset Marble View Kaibab National Forest Arizona

lightning Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaFinally!

The show continued and darkness set in when I finally got that long hoped for lightning shot, behind a tree.

sunrise Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAnd, believe it or not, I was actually awake in time for sunrise but with the dark low clouds wasn’t sure I’d get much color.

Navajo Mountain sunrise Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaBoy was I wrong about that.

Navajo Mountain sunrise Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaThe sun persisted and found a clear opening next to Navajo Mt.

moon sunrise Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaEven the crescent moon found an opening in the clouds.

Navajo Mountain sunrise Marble View Kaibab National Forest Arizona

Vermillion Cliffs valley Navajo Mountain sunrise Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI like being able to enjoy morning coffee with a show like this right outside my windows/door/back yard.

sunrise Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI should wake up for more sunrises.

23b DSC_2930ahdrlerw sunrise Marble View Kaibab NF AZ fb mss g HDR-Pano-3I know this post is photo heavy because I just couldn’t decide which pics I liked best out of the collection of several 1000.

Hazy Navajo Mountain Marble View Kaibab National Forest ArizonaAfter breakfast only low clouds stuck around yet the morning view was bright and hazy.

Annular solar eclipse series North Rim Grand Canyon National Park Arizona2012 Annular eclipse

I tried to figure out what the sun’s trajectory would be for the August 21st eclipse.  Even though it’s only a partial here—starting about 9:13am, peaking at 10:33 at 73.4% and over by noon—I still want to see it, safely with glasses and filter.  I won’t be able to get a landscape at the same time as the sun will be too high in the sky.

FR219 South Kaibab National Forest ArizonaI left camp reluctantly about 11:30 and made many stops for photos of various wildflowers growing under the young aspen.

lupine & aspen Kaibab National Forest ArizonaLupine

Surprised by the amount of growth after last year’s “pruning” I saw aspen trees already two feet tall and one foot for the New Mexican Locust.

28 hdrlewr wildflowers aspen Kaibab NF AZ g collage (1024x576)Fireweed, Paintbrush, Daisy, Aster

Under the young yet larger aspen grew paintbrush, lupine, fireweed, aster, daisy, and more.  The young aspen seem to dance with twists and turns in their trunks caused by the weight of winter snow.

meadow jct FR611 & 25 & SR67 Kaibab National Forest ArizonaFinally back to the main highway, pavement, and home for another week of working at Grand Canyon.

Getting there
This eastern view over Marble Canyon and beyond to Navajo Mountain is an easily reached location on the Kaibab National Forest.  From SR67 between Jacob Lake and the entrance to North Rim Grand Canyon National Park, Forest Road (FR) 611 East, FR 610 South/right curves East and parallels forest and park boundary, FR219 North/left to end.  About 14 miles of typically good gravel road doable by any vehicle if taken slowly.  Space for four to eight camps.  I’ve seen smallish camp trailers and motor homes.  A fantastic place to disperse camp for free on the Kaibab National Forest up to 14 days.

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17 April 2017

Lava and flowers at Mojave Trails National Monument Amboy Crater

March 28-29, 2017

sunflowers Amboy Crater Mojave Trails National Monument BLM CaliforniaThe Southwest spring wind blew me from one lava flow at Fossil Falls to another at Amboy Crater in Mojave Trails National Monument.  Although I’d driven in the area before this was my first actual visit to one of our newest national monuments thanks to President Obama.  But there was no way I had time to visit the entire 2,500 square miles so I chose the easy to access Amboy Crater and hoped for flowers.

Started with a nice tail wind south on US395 but then the darn road turned eastward and the camper really caught it on the side.  Carpets of pepper-grass blanketing the ground between scrub reminded me of the 70s when I decorated my bedroom in harvest gold and avocado green.  BLM signs for places called Spangler Hills and Trona Pinnnacles beckoned for future explorations.

Towns—if you can call the crumbling remains of buildings that time forgot—barely slowed down for.  Red Canyon, Johannesburg, and Randsburg made me wonder if I’d switched countries to South Africa.  At one time mining occurred in these parts and this was a major route.  Now it is littered with living ghost towns and only a few hold outs.

yellow flowers radar US395 South Boron CaliforniaAs I drove along a huge golf ball-shape stood out on a hillside and I whizzed past a stone entrance sign covered with wood.  Strange things occur in the remote desert so I did some homework later.  Not far from Kramer Junction (US395 & SR58) the ball-shape turns out to be a radar antennae operated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) but originally built by the US Military as part of an air defense network that provided detection and early warning of non-friendly (enemy) aircraft.  The original Boron Air Force Station was converted to the Boron Federal Prison in 1978 as a minimum security prison meant for white collar non-violent offenders.  Closed in 2000, the facility sits abandoned and falling apart with the assistance of vandals.

Stopped in Barstow for supplies and when coming out of the store noticed something hanging down from under the back end of the camper.  Thank goodness it wasn’t a holding tank but a protective plastic cover with about half the 100 screws in it pulled out.  Now what did I bump?  Crawled underneath to assess the situation and decided to bungee it up rather than take it off and not have a place to put it.  I’m talking a slightly flexible, 4×8, molded chunk of plastic.  All I could do to hold it up with my head while stretching the bungees.  No photos.

Route 66 parallel to I40 East CaliforniaFinally headed east on I40 and looked longingly at the Mother Road, Route 66, running parallel to the go-fast freeway.  I like to lollygag along the old “blue line” highways and saw several tempting exits yet continued to Ludlow before cruising the crumbling, deteriorating, and mega-patched pavement from the past called the National Trails Highway.

I could have pulled off on a dirt two-track anywhere on the BLM but I really didn’t want to do a whole lot of bouncing with this bungee thing going on.

sunset Amboy Crater Mojave Trails National Monument BLM CaliforniaAnd finally, late afternoon, I drove to the end of the newly paved .5 mile road at Amboy Crater then turned back half way to an empty paved lot for the night.  There were a couple RVs in the end lot and I was joined by two others.  Sore and tired I watched the sunset.

sunset Mojave Trails National Monument BLM CaliforniaExcept for the incessant wind and many trains, it was a quiet night.  Fridge wouldn’t light and I don’t get that because it was downside from the wind and plenty of propane.  The stove worked.  This has happened a few times before.  I ate the last of the ice cream.  A sure sign to head home soon.

Amboy Crater trail Mojave Trails National Monument BLM CaliforniaWith barely any wind the fridge lit in the morning and I went back down to the trail head parking.  A 1.5 mile trail leads to the west and open side of the cinder cone, then an 80 foot incline and additional .5 mile rim walk.  Which I guess is not really at the top rim of the 250-foot high cinder cone.

Desert iguana & chuckwalla Amboy Crater trail Mojave Trails National Monument BLM CaliforniaBeing I still had a long drive ahead of me to get back to Arizona that day I just wandered around the lava a bit looking at the pretty flowers and being startled by the skittering lizards.  These two measured over a foot long.

Sunflowers Amboy Crater Mojave Trails National Monument BLM CaliforniaAmboy Crater stands alone in the desert and is a dominant landmark seen for many miles.  A rather young cinder cone last erupting about 10,000 years ago.  It breached on one side and lava flowed for 24 square miles.

wildflower collage Amboy Crater trail National Monument BLM CaliforniaDue to the cone’s youth and lack of mature soil, plant life is limited.  Yet I still found flowers in some pockets of sand captured within the lava flow.

Mojave Trails National Monument at 1.6 million acres is the second largest desert preserve in the world—Namib-Naukluft National Park in Namibia is larger—and creates wildlife corridor link with Joshua Tree National Park, Mojave National Preserve and several wilderness areas.  The monument’s diverse features include lava fields and cinder cones at Amboy Crater, primitive 4×4 camping at a desert wetland at the Bonanza Spring Watchable Wildlife Area, rock-hounding at the Chambless and Trilobite Mountain sites, and sand dunes in the Cadiz Wilderness.

Route 66 on road Amboy CaliforniaPlus there’s a long stretch of Route 66 which I’d hoped to drive more of to the east when I left but knew the road was closed (and will be until mid-September) just beyond Amboy at the Kelbaker Road north back to I40.  So there I was standing on the side of the road along Route 66 just before the road block and two different vehicles stopped to ask me directions like I would know.  One how to get to Cadiz the other to I40.  And I did know, because I read a map and do my homework.

Colorado River I40 CA-AZ borderYet even planning isn’t often enough.  Google told me four hours to home.  What does Google know about my slow rate of pace.  Even though once I crossed the Colorado River into Arizona it felt like home I had miles yet to go.

wildflowers US93 South ArizonaUS93 South

Dazzos Chicago Style Eatery US93 Wikeup ArizonaFour hours turned into seven because of all the stops I just had to make for flowers, fuel, and to pick up dinner for Berta and I at Dazzos Chicago Style Eatery in Wikeup, Arizona US93 for their world famous Italian Beef sandwich. (BTW there’s an RV Park there too.)

wildflowers SR89 North ArizonaSR89 North Yarnell Hill

Then because it was late I parked in Berta’s drive for the night after we enjoyed a couple hours of catching up.  Much easier than getting home late and wanting to unpack at least the necessities.  So I returned home four weeks and a day after leaving for Valley of Fire.  Been living with wind for almost two weeks and it seems to have followed me home.  Hello Spring in the Southwest.    Ah….chooooooo!

Know before you Go

Carry a paper map in case you have no signal.  Check the monument’s website and road conditions/closures.  Be aware of weather conditions as summer temperatures exceed 110°F and winter nights drop to 36°F.  Heavy rain during summer monsoon can make roads impassible.  Carry, and drink plenty of water.  Fuel up your vehicle because it’s a long ways between services.  Watch for snakes, spiders, and scorpions.  This is a leave no trace landscape so pack it in, pack it out.  Because the US Armed Forces has and still does use the desert for bombing ranges there may be unexploded devices.  Need I say leave them alone.  People have also reported feeling the ground vibrate during “war games” within the nearby military base.

Mojave Trails National Monument map g-2

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Hi, I’m Gaelyn, the Geogypsy

I retired after 29 summer seasons as a Park Ranger, traveling solo for 40+ years. My passions include travel, connecting to nature, photography, and sharing stories.

I started exploring US National Parks in 1977 and 20 years later became a seasonal Park Ranger.  I’ve lived full-time in a RV for 30 years working summers and playing winters.  I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow old, other than grow up.

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