September 18, 2022 - Utah Flight
Green River, Canyonlands, Capital Reef, Escalante
 
After our by-now routine early start, we arrived at the airport in darkness.  But the sun soon came up.
   
A private jet was out front, with APU running, waiting on its passengers to show up.
   
Redtail Air has a nice facility, with passenger lounge.
   
Running up, almost ready for takeoff.
   
Here we go!
   
Heading for the Green River.
   
That's Green River Airport down below.  It has no facilities and is quite a ways from town.
   
Mark on top Green River!
   
Not much green away fromthe river.
   
Soon the cliffs begin to rise.
   
Switchbacks were very frequent on this portion of the river.
   
Some kayakers taking advantage of a sandbar to make camp.
   
 
   
A not very good shot of Mineral Canyon airstrip.  This one is on the sectional chart.  One of these days!
   
 
   
 
   
Entering the Canyonlands area.
   
More campers on a sandbar in the middle of the river.
   
Passing by a couple of massive buttes.
   
At this point we left the river and flew around Canyonlands awhile.
   
 
   

Just to the left of that "U" in the rock is the "Island in the Sky".

The Island in the Sky mesa rests on sheer sandstone cliffs over 1,000 feet above the surrounding terrain. Every overlook offers a different perspective on Canyonlands' spectacular landscape. Island in the Sky is the easiest area of Canyonlands to visit in a short period of time, offering many pullouts with spectacular views along the paved scenic drive.
   
 
   
 
   
Canyonlands has just about everything:  buttes, canyons, mesas and hoodoos, like below.  Like San Rafael Swell, it is huge.
   
A nice chimney, accessible by dirt road.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
We left Canyonlands heading west through an opening in the Orange Cliffs.  This would be new territory for me.
   
It did not disappoint.
   
 
   
 
   
Joining the Dirty Devil River which flows from the north into Lake Powell.  We are now heading north.
   
As I have said before, when you follow a river or a creek in southern Utah, good things are seen.  The Dirty Devil River is formed in Wayne County near Hanksville at the confluence of the Fremont River and Muddy Creek.
   

The Dirty Devil River was named by the 1869 Powell Geographic Expedition led by John Wesley Powell, which explored much of the Colorado River and its tributaries. It was named for the extreme salinity and turbidity of the water near its mouth. Powell later contrasted it with a much cleaner stream in the Grand Canyon, which he named Bright Angel Creek.

The outlaw Butch Cassidy and his gang used tributary canyons of the Dirty Devil, such as Robbers Roost, as a hideout in the 1890s.
   
Pretty.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   

We flew almost to Hanksville Airport, which we saw yesterday from another direction.  So we headed west across some flat dessert.  I had fun flying low down this dirt road.

I should have gotten on the Fremont River, since it goes where we were going:  Capital Reef National Park.  But I didn't for some reason.  Next time.
   
The terrain began to change to a strage yellowish-blue like moonrock.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
You don't see this in Maryland, that's for sure.
   
Those are some baaaaad -- laaaaands!
   
Ah, there is the Fremont River, which runs right into Capital Reef.
   
Some rough mountainous terrain to the south.
   
Red rock to the north.   Highway 24 runs alongside of the Fremont River into Capitol Reef Park and the little town of Fruita at left.
   
 
   
 
   
 North of the Fremont River is the most spectacular red rock you're ever gonna see.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
A good look at Fruita, and Capital Reef NP Visitors Center, an oasis in a sea of red rock.
   
After Capital Reef, we headed southwest towards our destination of Escalante Airport.  Here we are passing the very small town of Boulder located on famous Highway 12.
   
A better look at The All American Road - Scenic Byway 12, through the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument .
   
White rock.
   
Approaching the valley where the town of Escalante and Escalante Airport lie.
   
Overhead Escalante Airport.
   
Safe on deck at Escalante Airport.  I camped here two nights last year and loved it.  So I brought some friends back with me this year.  They have nice campsites here, along with a pilot lounge featuring a hot shower, electricity, wifi, a lazy boy, snacks and coffee.  Plus there is a courtesy car.
 
We topped off -- gas is a little higher here but it's a small price to pay for the convenience in this remote location.  Plus it's a way to pay back for such a nice facility.  We relaxed for awhile until we were ready for our second sightseeing hop of the day.
   
 
   
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