Take a Hike

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Wow what a spectacular day in Moab. I hiked to Delicate Arch this morning. Oh my goodness what an experience. I’ve seen hundreds of images of Delicate Arch and even seen it from another viewpoint at least ½ mile away when I was here in 2008, but seeing it up close is amazing.

It’s a mile and half hike across slick rock and coming up a ledge on the backside of the arch. When you come around the last rock formation and Delicate Arch appears right before your eyes, it takes your breath away!

I just thought that first view in Grand Staircase - Escalante Monday was impressive. Seeing Delicate Arch up close and personal was an incredible moment.

But I guess I had a different experience than one guy who commented to me that it would have been easier to just buy a photograph in the visitor center.

I spent over an hour ‘up on the mountain’ photographing and just sitting in awe of God’s magnificent beauty.

On the way down I had nice conversations with several folks. One couple had followed a group of young kids who went off the trail and wound up below the arch. The kids managed to scramble up to the arch. The couple backtracked and came up the regular trail.

This afternoon I registered for Miatas in Moab. Miatas are everywhere in Moab. It’s going to be a fun weekend.

Well that’s it for now. Stay tuned for Zoom-Zoom updates as time permits over the weekend.

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Photos

First view of Delicate Arch
This was the view I saw when I came around the last rock formation and saw Delicate Arch.

Delicate Arch
I heard about the 'bowl' in front of Delicate Arch, but you rarely see this angle in the photos.

wide view
This is a wide angle view from the side where the trail comes up.

looking to the west
From this angle I realized Delicate Arch can be seen from the main road in the park.

narrow ledge before the top
This shows the final section of the trail with the rocks hiding your view of Delicate Arch until the last moment. The group of kids who came up the wrong way are coming down the trail in this image.

View from the main road
Unless you have been to Arches and hiked to Delicate Arch it may be difficult to pick out the arch in this image - particularly sized for the web. But if you know where to look you can see the parking lot, trail head, slick rock and the rocks you hike around the back side to reach Delicate Arch. In this image, the arch looks more like a solid rock from this angle.

Cropped view
I cropped the previous image and you may be able to make out Delicate Arch. It is the 3rd rock from the right on the horizon. This also shows the slick rock you hike up, the 'bowl' in front of Delicate Arch and the rocks you hike around on a ledge to get to the arch.