I particularly enjoy Labyrinth/Coyote in late winter before poison oak and ticks get nasty and early flowers and stream flows are out in force.
I headed up Labyrinth, over to the wall on Atwood, explored the upper wall a bit, came back on Traverse / Old Ranch Road / Moab. Courtney Road parking was less than half full, and I only passed a handful or two of souls on the trails.
Early spring flowers are quite nice. It's been a great year for grass widows. They've peaked, especially below floodline, but still very abundant. Desert parsley is coming on and smells wonderful in the lower elevations. Yellow bells, buttercups, and that teensy pinkish-white flower are out in force. Creeks were running clear and swift. Best of all, buds of the floral holy trinity (balsamroot, lupine, paintbrush) are cautiously emerging from their winter slumber.
All trails in fine shape. The trail management plan seems to be working. Abandoned trails are overgrowing, and the scars are healing over. Cheater trails are few.
The day was overcast with very flat lighting, so the pictures don't have much pop. But ya gotta post pictures.
Love the Tolkienesque feel of the many creeks and falls:
The plank over Labyrinth creek, still doing it's job:
The patches of these little pinks are so charming:
Yellow uppers, yellow downers:
My kind of carpet shot:
I just love grass widows, especially in rock gardens:
Someday I will remember to bring wine & cheese to thank these people:
Hot coffee and a cream cheese/ jalapeno roll for lunch at the upper wall:
The promise of good things to come:
It doesn't matter the weather or time of year, I will always love this place:
And the obligatory treat at the end of the day. Who knows were I am?
Midweek Labyrinth Solitude, 17 March 2022
- chiefWright
- Posts: 101
- Joined: April 20th, 2011, 5:30 am
- Location: Marquam
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