This is truly one of those hidden Utah places in an area that I would like to explore more. This is also the trailhead for the Navajo Mountain/Rainbow Bridge trial that can take you to Rainbow Bridge on Lake Powell. The trail also passes several large natural arches that David and I have been trying to figure out how to get to without taking a week of hiking and camping.

Hawkeye Arch is actually a double class B arch stuck in a short canyon, on the south side of Lake Powell. There was a jeep trail that would of got us fairly close but the gate was locked so we ended up hiking across the sagebrush flats for over a mile to get there.

I decided to call the second wall arch “BJ Arch” for the characters BJ and Hawkeye in the M.A.S.H. television series.

This area seems to be popular with some of the “alternative” lifestyle people who are attracted to places like Moab. Under the bridge there is quite a collection of rock furniture constructed with fanciful designs and symbols carved in the rocks. On a rock table was a travel journal sealed in a plastic bag documenting the thoughts and travels of visitors to this bridge. More than a little bizarre.

However, the class B arch is beautiful. It is fall and the cottonwood trees, the Gimble oak and the tamarack willow have all changed colors.

I’ve got to get more of this hiking in before winter sets in again.

The hike to Pool Arch is pleasant though a little tricky. Pool Arch turns out to be a large class B arch and is probably actually a natural bridge. This is a seldom visited and hardly known natural arch hidden the sandstone fins that surround Moab.

On the way back, a brief but ambitious thunder storm drenches me as I push the bike down the sandy trail. This makes be giggle with delight.

Then the sun pops out to light up the freshly washed landscape and display a beautiful double rainbow. The scene almost makes me cry. For a few moments in time, all is right with the world.

It is after dark by the time I take the tram back down the cliffs. I’m glad the tram didn’t close before I got back.

(Note: The Moab Rim Tram has since shut down.)

While hiking up Mitchell Canyon just off of Alvey Wash, I meet a park ranger on horseback. He’s as surprised to see me as I am to see him in this obscure part of the new Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument. His last name is Alvey so I know he is a local resident. He also decides to try for Horizon Arch via another direction. I beat him there by at least a half hour. He’s walking when I see him at Horizon Arch, having had to leave his horse down below.

The park rangers do a great job getting her safely to the parking area where the paramedics pick her up for an ambulance ride to Monticello.

Both right leg bones are badly broken in two places and an attempt is made to fly in a helicopter for a quick ride to Utah Valley Medical Center in Provo. Weather forces the helicopter back and she makes the long trip overnight in the back of an ambulance. I finally catch up with her at the hospital.

Later that morning Dr. Creig M. operates and installs two metal brackets and 16 screws. That began several years of recovery, treatments, pain, infections and some complications caused by her diabetes. However, she did stop bugging me about the dangers of me hiking alone in remote locations of southern Utah. That had been a fear of hers for years.