Day 6: RECREATION & CLOSURE

Day 6—Friday July 15, 2022

Because it was “monsoon season” in this area of Utah, we were all aware of the danger of flash floods, so we began our Lick Wash hike early in the morning, driving to the site soon after breakfast. We were going to hike into the canyon to a very narrow slot canyon called Slitherin that Jackie had shown us the evening before. All told, my cell phone recorded that I hiked 6.7 miles in and back.

I was wearing my Camelbak© with 2.5 liters of water in it, my best athletic shoes with their inserts to compensate for my short leg, a long-sleeved sunshirt over a tee, my “jungle pants” with their zip off legs, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a wet bandana over and around my head. (I found, to my disappointment that the gel-filled neck coolers I had purchased were useless. They were too long and impossible to wear close to the neck.)

I was with Matt and Jackie for most of the hike on the way in. On the way out, the height wienie in me skipped the high slick-rock climb above Slitherin and started back by myself, first having drawn in the wet sand several messages telling the others that I was hiking back to Jeanie, whom we had left at the mouth of the wash sitting on a rock in the shade. We were early enough that the hike into the wash was shaded and coolish, but the hike out was full sun and HOT—from the sun and from the heat radiating off the canyon walls. There were a few patches of shade on the way out, however, and I’d stop to pant and drink and rest a bit in most of them.

I will let my photos below tell the tale of the hike.

Left: The entrance to the Wash. That's our footprints in the mud. We saw no one else in the wash though there was a dirt parking area before it. We all thought it was just as good as Zion but without the tourists. Right: A narrow slot canyon off the Wash; it ended not too far in. Jackie was looking for a petroglyph in one of these, so we investigated each

Ashlee and Isaac near the mouth of the wash

Interesting rock formations along the walls of the wash

The towering walls on which vegetation and even trees manage to grow; Matt in a wide section of the wash

Matt and Jackie, my hiking companions, and a slouching me with the walking stick Jackie had loaned me; the walls of the wash were fantastic in places

Matt and Jackie, left; tree roots searching for water, right

Left: Me in Slitherin slot canyon. You can see that the canyon was only a little wider than my shoulders. It also had knee deep water farther in; right: the always interesting rock layers; wish we'd had a geologist present

Look at what erosion and water can do. 

Peeking through shaded narrows to the sunlit walls ahead

Our principal investigator, Dr. Jacqualine Grant, Assistant Professor, Biology/Museum Curator at Southern Utah University.  Notice the water and mud in the wash. I had not brought my walking stick on this Earthwatch. Jackie loaned me one of hers. It sure made the hike in and out easier. 

An interesting section of wall, particularly the part above that looked to me like some ancient Lilliputian cliff dwellers' abodes. 

High above Slitherin

The arrow points to Jackie, Dorian, others, and even Matt's kids and dog, Sylvia, high above Slitherin on slick rock. It was heating up at this juncture and I decided to hike back to the Wash entrance. I do not do well with heights.

I had hiked about halfway out of Lick Wash when Eileen caught up with me. I was struggling a bit with the heat and exertion, but when she saw that I was okay, she continued on.

Matt caught up with me when I was sitting in a patch of shade slurping water and trying to cool off. I think he was a little concerned, so he stuck with me. When we were nearly out of the wash, we got to a spot where one had to climb up on a pile of rocks and then climb into a V-shaped wedge in a big rock slab. I struggled mightily but finally made it. Matt had wanted to get ahead of me to pull me up, but I was already halfway up, so mustered a final burst of energy and made it to standing position. Don't like to think of the view Matt had of my struggle.

Finally we were out of the wash and back at the parking lot. Eileen and Jeanie were there and fine. Matt had me sit in the air-conditioning in his car while the rest of the gang, including his wife, children, and dog walked out. 

Such a beautiful and interesting area and great hike. I only wish that like Christine in Stephen King’s book of the same name age progression would reverse, and when we reached 70, say, we would get younger rather than older with each passing year! There is so much I still want to do and experience.

After dinner this evening, we all retired to our cabins, but not to retire. The cabins needed sweeping and mopping the kitchen and bathroom needed cleaning, and the trash had to be collected. We did what we could that evening but decided to wait until the next morning for the mopping; thus, I organized my backpack and suitcase, ready for the trip the next day back to the St. George airport and then hit the hay.