Canyon of the Sheep

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It was a perfect fall day in Southern Utah as we turned away from following along the edge of the Colorado River and took a dusty dirt road heading South. After a few miles we pulled off the road at the bottom of a small canyon that would have no name any map, it was just a place that through the centuries the wind and water had carved on opening through the stone. Red rock cathedrals towered above are heads as we readied for our ascent to the base of the towering cliff wall. It was my understanding that this nameless canyon held an impressive number of petro-glyphs. My health and fitness is still limited. Exploring this small canyon seemed like just the right level of physical challenge that I could handle right now.

To get to the base of the sheer cliff would require us to climb it's boulder strewn and sandy shoulder and gain about 100 ft in elevation. With my trekking poles in hand I began the ascent. I would hike for 30 seconds and then have to stop and catch my breath for an additional 30 seconds. Each time I stopped I saw I had gained some elevation and the cliff face seemed a little closer. As we hiked we saw we were not alone. About a half mile down the cliff face we could see the bright clothing of two climber attempting to scale the 800 foot shear wall. To our eyes it would appear that they were climbing rock as smooth as glass but they must have found tiny hand holds as we watched them move up the stone like colorful spiders. I admired and was jealous of their obvious fitness as I climb breathlessly up the sandy slope.

Once we reached the base of the fortress wall we were able to breach it defenses and enter into the interior of the canyon. Almost at once we found a very nice rock art panel. A number of human like figured were present as well as a number of stylized desert big horn.

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I often wonder why a spot was chosen to become an art gallery. This spot seemed no different than hundreds of other nearby spots that were protected from the weather by a small over hang. Was it that it was here an ancient hunter killed a sheep and carved it likeness in the rock to honor it life and death or did some shaman select these spots and anoint them to be sacred? In a hidden canyon a few miles from here, a large likeness of a snake is carved in the rock. On the yearly solstice a dagger made of light slowly pierces its head as the sun rises. Surely that spot was not picked at random but selected to mark this solar event.

As we walked along the base of the cliff we found the art continued for several hundred feet. Pictures of sheep seem to dominate the subject matter of these ancient artists. It made us long to see one of these magical animals for ourselves as our eyes wandered the high cliffs in search of these elusive animals.

As we hiked, the canyon began to narrow and grew rocky. Finding our way across the boulder fields became more arduous. The information I had been given gave me the impression that there was a very impressive rock art panel of a line of sheep that was 15 or more feet long at the head of the canyon, so I forced myself to continue the quest. At this point our progress was blocked be a cliff band. A narrow, steep, rock choked cleft in the cliff seemed to offer a way to the next level.

As usually Michelle went on a scouting expedition up the crack. As few minutes later she called down that she had reach the top and had found the panel of sheep.

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I knew climbing up this steep defile was not going to be easy on my over sized frame and weakened cardio vascular system. I hollered up to Michelle that it might take me an hour but I'd get there.

I had almost made it to the top were a large, four foot boulder blocked the passage. Michelle had been able to squeeze past it on the left but when I tried I could only get about half way through. If I was strong enough I could had braced me hands on the rock and cliff face and pushed myself up the foot I needed to clear the boulder. Maybe one day I'll be in that kind of shape but for now it was impossible.

I was contemplating the idea I'd just have to turn back and not reach the object of our quest when the idea hit me that if Michelle could find and drop a rock into the crack next to the large rock I could possibly get up. She quickly found one and it gave me just enough height to leverage my body passed the boulder.
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The panel was truly beautiful and worth the effort to reach. To an average person reaching this point would have been fairly easy. For me when I considered that exactly one year ago I nearly died and had to have emergency surgery in the Moab hospital, I was very grateful to be sitting with the sun on my face, the wind in my hair, the women that I love nearby and watching the play of light and shadow across this beautiful work of art.

Wonderful report! Congrats on your recovery and getting back outside. :-)

Felicia

Thanks for the Trip Report..... :2thumbs: Great story...

Nice work! :popcorn:

Great trip! Thanks so much!!!

Sounds like you scored on that one. I hope your recovery is all good from this point on. I really like the pic of Michelle on that rock hanging in space! OZ...