Virgin Springs Rock Art Hike
Well, as many of you know virgin springs is a 16 mile round trip hike, something i didn't really plan on doing. I started the trail at noon, promising myself i was only going to hit the first panel at 8 miles round trip. I followed the small dirt path that eventually goes to virgin springs. Large tamarisks covered the trail, nice time to wear shorts eh? I finally hit the spot where i had to turned around the last time i had try to do this hike, the inflatable blue raft that had been caught in overhanging shrubs, was now gone. After some time i figured i must be getting close when i saw the small side canyon jut out perpendicular with the one i had been hiking in. I walked about 100 yards when i came across what i had been looking for. The Fremont panel full of very abstract designs and a few handprints that obviously had been plastered by their real hand.
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After snapping a few shots with my Canon i decided that i could make the next panel. I made my way back to the main canyon and again followed the path. I ducked under a semi-broken wooden fence and stopped to take a few more pictures of the beautiful blue and green colors of the San Rafael River.
After a few minutes of looking for the trail, i made it around the bend. Of course the unavoidable though of "if this canyon was straight this would only be a 0.25 of a mile hike from the previous panel but because of the twist and turns it added 2.5 miles. I spotted the surface that the rock art was on and made my way up. Rocks crumbled as i scrambled up the hill. I looked up and saw a few tourists on the eastern wedge overlook. I could see strange abstract triangles painted in a deep red pigment. I snapped some shots.
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We followed the edge north to see a petroglyph i spotted from the ground. When arriving, i questioned whether it was the Arapeen trail symbol. Is it?
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I decided since i was alone and no one knew where i was i better turn around.....but when i got to the bottom i figured i would finish it off once and for all. I walked through a fairly flat rocky terrain, which i enjoyed because my legs ached and bled. Good things can't last forever sadly, the terrain was awful branched ripped and tore at my flesh (what little was left). Then the trail descended down a fairly slick red stained hill. It then paralleled the San Rafael very close. Too close for comfort. After some time i came to a place i recognized not in person but this is where some friends turned around. Soon past that point some Desert Big Horn Sheep where hanging around in the bottom of the canyon. http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._3630384_n.jpg Then they went up a crazy slope as they usually do, just so i couldn't get any good photos. I tried to pass the thought of big horn sheep waiting for me at the top, because i knew by the time i would make my way up there they would be gone and even if they weren't they would dart when my presence was known. So i continued until i hit a lower section of a cliff. No way around it, the river wasn't frozen but far too cold to cross. So i found a small ledge, no i REALLY mean small i had to crawl on my hands and knees hoping that i didn't slip and roll off into the river. I didn't, i made it to the top. There was a drop off which i could jump but i didn't think i could make it back up. I sighed i was so close but couldn't get to the panel. I looked and couldn't get back the way i came the immediate uh oh feeling set in. So i figured the only way out was to jump off and cross the creek. So i jumped and landed into a pile of sand. Went through gooey mud and found the first panel.
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It was a nice panel but i thought that maybe i was in the wrong canyon but i continued and quickly found it.
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I looked up and saw a granary not sure on the culture.
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so i crossed the very cold San Rafael River knee high and had to deal with the cold. Made it back to the truck at 6:00 it was pretty dark but still light enough to see my truck. I took off my shoes and tried to get them dry with the trucks heater while driving. Made it back safe. Little scary but it was one awesome trip.
