Canyonlands Maze: Doll House in 1994

[hatchcanyon]

In 1994 we wanted to have the BIG adventure!

We planned to go from Moab/Green River to Hans Flat for a permit to visit the Doll House in the Maze District of Canyonlands National Park, camp there and drive on the next day through Hatch Canyon and Poison Spring Canyon to UT 95 and on pavement back to Moab.

Our Vehicle was a 1994 Ford Explorer. No tent, no sleeping bags. The cargo area was intended as the sleeping place.

From Green River to Hans Flat was easy going even for us noobs.

(All pictures scanned from slides)

The left road is the right one!

Apply for a permit

The ranger told us we might encounter some of his colleges who gave a ride to an archeologist and his equipment.

The unevitable lookout at Flint Trail Overlook

Red Cove. The Doll House must be in a distance - seems to be a long ride.

Teapot Rock and a good road to Waterhole Flat.

Orange Cliffs

On the stretch from Waterhole Flat to Teapot Rock we piled up with a truck fom the NPS. They we slow, very slow and I think the driver became nervous with us breathing in his neck.
After a while the truck stopped aside and a female ranger got off the car, walked over and asked for our permit. Voila! Merciful she let us pass! Saved us a lot of time.

Trail around Tea Pot Rock

Tea Pot Rock behind our vehicle

Take care!

Rock dance! The Explorer was not that bad. For the license plate we called it "Lucy"

Downhill


More coming up!

 

[hatchcanyon]

Part 2:

At Mother and Child

Elk Ridge in a distance

A view to Ekker Butte

Chocolate Drops

Standing Rock

The Plug

On North Flat

Approaching Doll House

We like the warm evening light:

The evening was warm. We sat there watched the sun going down had a phantastic starry sky lateron. Romantic! In the middle of the night we liked the cooler temperatures but we both were cold in the early morning. The temperature had fallen to somewhat around 40°F before sunrise.

In the morning. The photographer was apparently shivering.

We loved the raising sun and the warmth we received. Doll House looked somewhat different in the morning light:

My wife still wearing a sweater

Back on the trail

The Drops again

Again at the tight spot next to Tea Pot Rock

Even with the cold morning it was an amazing experience!

 

[tanglefoot]

Thanks so much for posting. I fell in love with Canyonlands on our middle school trips there in '92 and '93, and I've always considered the Maze District to be the mysterious beyond--I haven't been there yet. I agree how magical the evening light is there. Haertzlichen Dank!

 

[gringo m]

Very cool. Thanks for sharing.

 

[hatchcanyon]

The Maze is a very special place. We think about some canyons between the road to Doll House and Cataract Canyon, but some of them are quite a distance to walk and need something like a base camp in the area of the Standing Rocks.