May 2…. Islands in the Sky

This time, we visited the northern district of Canyonlands NP. They call it Islands in the Sky, because it’s a long set of interconnected mesas looking down on all of the canyons. Like the Needles overlook I visited the other day, this area gives a birds eye view of the majority of the park.

We spent a lot of time hiking out to various viewpoints, and getting different vantages over the many spreading canyons.

Later in the day, we took Neal’s suggestion and drove the Shafer Trail. Crazy! Standing at the top of the cliff, looking down, it’s hard to imagine someone a hundred years ago saying “I think I’ll drive my wagon down this cliff”.

Top to bottom, the route covers about 5 miles, and believe it or not, that winding switchback is a two-way road! Cars going down, cars coming up, trying to pass jammed up against a rock wall or hanging half a tire over a sheer drop to the death. Susy and I screamed and held our breath time after time. The info says “high-clearance 4WD strongly recommended”, but there were people in plain ol’ cars mixed in with jeeps and big trucks. Since I never saw any wrecks or burned out carcasses, I can only assume they made it.

Rather than go down and back up, we decided to continue the “road” all the way back to Moab. “Road” is a generous term for what we drove. It was a rocky track, jolting and bouncing, banging and shaking, for mile after mile. 2-3 miles per hour. I think my poor truck hates me now. Thanks Neal. 😉

Along the way, Susy was able to do some more rock hunting, and we came to several scenic points.

One, called Gooseneck Overlook, reminded us of Horseshoe Bend.

Shortly after that one, we came to the cliff area made famous in the movie “Thelma and Louise” where they jumped a car off a cliff.

After a whole bunch more rocky miles, we found a site where they do potash mining, involving digging up potassium salts, dissolving them in water in huge ponds, letting the water evaporate, then scraping up the concentrated potash.

It took us “only” four short hours, but we finally made it back to pavement for a 30 minute ride back to Moab.

Would I do it all again?? Uhhh, hell no. Would I go take the switchbacks down the cliff? Yes! And then right back up the cliff fighting traffic and screaming the whole way. 😁