Three months ago, when I first visited Bryce, the weather was about 90 degrees Fahrenheit with the full brunt of the sun's rays. In late November, it's 50 degrees cooler and cloudy.
At the checkpoint, I asked the ranger, "What's the weather like?" His immediate response: "Wind. Snow. Cold." Enough said.
At Sunrise Point, I took my friend by the shoulders and said in front of her face, "So, are you ready for the first day of the rest of your life?" To which she just smiled and offered no response.
We started on the route I had started three months ago, on the trail that led to Queen's Garden. But we took a different path that led to Peekaboo Loop, for a total of about 4 miles. At an elevation of more than 6,000 feet, the ranger wasn't kidding when he said wind was a factor in today's temperature, which felt as if we were freezing. "Oh well, hello winter!" That's all I had thought.
The cooler weather and clouds brought another dimension to viewing the spectacular sights of Bryce Canyon, and later on we would get a dose of snow in the afternoon. The trail leading up to Thor's Hammer was winding and while the view may be better from atop looking downward, the hike up was great.
No comments:
Post a Comment