City of Rocks Trip, Pioneer Day 2015

Over Pioneer Day (July 24th for non-Utans) we packed the family up for the weekend and headed for Idaho. City of Rocks to be precise. The pictures below are shown as small for reading purposes. Click on them to blow them up enlarge them.

We've learned that with three kids we need more stuff and have less room to pack it. We ended up dropping one of the "captain's chairs" and then packing everything around the kids in order to get it to fit. We're already considering a top mounted cargo pod although Angel wants a trailer. Our van doesn't have a hitch but that hasn't stopped Angel from researching how to attach one.

We arrived at the visitor's Center in Almo in time to eat lunch before heading in. We also watched the 15 minute video about the park and I learned a few things. For instance, the cause of the granite formations in the City was a huge uplifting of magma from which the surrounding dirt was eroded away over many, many years. Interestingly enough, a similar event caused the San Rafael Swell in Emery County, Utah. After getting Camp set up near Practice Rock (one of my family's favorite climbing spots) Kanga, Tigger and I when exploring and had some fun while Angel put Roo down for a nap. We got back to a happy boy and some storm clouds building. We were going to do hobo dinners (tinfoil dinners) but the chicken was still frozen solid, so we did a potato and sausage cook up we had planned for Saturday. We were able to cook dinner between smatterings of rain and it everybody loved it. We got cleaned up and into the tent before the real storm hit. The rain was coming down so hard it sounded like hail and the wind was blowing most of the night. It rained off and on throughout the night, but we all stayed dry. We've been considering getting a Springbar Tent but weren't sure what size to get. We asked Mom and Dad if we could borrow their 10'x10' for this trip and were were glad we did. Our regular tent would have let the rain in and would have been chilly and unpleasant. The Springbar was awesome and kept us dry and warm.

The next day we enjoyed a long hike through the City. The weather was perfect in the morning and the kids did great. Even Roo was a good sport. Granted, I was carrying him. Everyone had water and snacks and despite there being a fair amount of up and down everyone did a good job with very little complaining.

Mom, Dad and Babe (my youngest sister) came up that afternoon and we enjoyed chatting with them before roasting hot dogs and making cobbler before the weather started to turn on us. Tigger had been splashing in puddles earlier in the day and so his feet pruned up nicely. Again our borrowed tent kept us dry and warm. The kids were mighty tired after all the running around thy did.

The City has over 600 climbing routes, not to mention bouldering and hiking opportunities. It's not uncommon to look up at a rock and see climber skylined against it as they ascend or rappel down. If you blow up enlarge the pictures below you will be able to see the climbers on the back side of Elephant Rock and Morning Glory Spire (you can read the labels on the sign to identify Morning Glory Spire - the climber is on "Skyline"). Have I ever mentioned how amazed I am by my phone's camera?

Saturday morning we had our chance at climbing. We got Kanga all suited up and she gave it a valiant effort, but in the end decided she wasn't ready to trust the rope. Before anyone can climb they first must trust the rope. I respect her hesitancy (I backed out of my first rappelling opportunity myself) and Angel, Mom, and I made the ascent. Babe belayed Angel and Mom, but didn't want to belay me, so Dad did. The kids ran around and had fun. There were others climbing on the same rock and so lots of good community.

We climbed until lunch at which point Mom, Dad, and Babe headed home and the kids and I went exploring again. We hit Breadloaves and Bath Rock and ended at Window Arch. Angel met up with us there. We coordinated the meet up with radios. Those have come in rather handy since we picked them up. The kids had a lot of fun (as you can tell from the picture at Bath Rock). That night Angel and actually stayed outside playing games until the stars came out. There was still some cloud cover, but no rain. 

Sunday Morning we packed up and headed home. We had a nice Day of Rest, but missed going to church. All in all a very good trip. The kids had a blast playing on the rocks around camp. Tigger had a fine collection of bruises from his hip to his knee from taking various tumbles. He also got bit by an ant which caused him to freak out. I must confess that I was impressed by how willing he was to climb about and on the rocks. Here he is below with his walking stick. While I can't remember what game he was playing I'm calling this picture:

I HAVE THE POWER