Heading down the western side of the Rockies ( Route 70) is not for the feint hearted;  rock formations hanging over the highway, canyons so tight extra wide trucks are not allowed, turns and curves and the routine maintenance work bringing the road to one lane.  The day before we left, Route 70 was closed most of the day  due to a rock avalanche.   Incredible, magnificent views…..

And Utah…..not sure what to say….buttes, mesas, plateaus, canyons;  brilliant earth colors;  towns with such names as Yellow Kitten, No Name, Lone Tree; a hundred miles before an exit with services;  Parthenon-like rock formations, unwelcoming terrain, land where Vulcans might live, set for sci-fi movies, Thelma and Louise drop offs.  Cedar City, Utah is where we landed.

Saturday – our first day off!  We hiked, hiked and took a short scenic drive.  Our first hike was to Spectra Point, Cedar Break National Monument in the Dixie National Forest.  At 10,300 feet of altitude the hike breathtaking and scary.  With exposed cliffs, no railings and a more than 1,500 foot drop to the canyon floor, my fear of heights showed up.  The second drive/hike was to Brian Head Peak, at 11,400 feet.  With the dirt road blocked by snow, we hiked the last mile to the peak.  It was a slow climb, due the altitude and parts of the road covered with 6-8 inches of snow.  The dirt road and the open faced building at the peak were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corp in 1934.