2nd Day in Arches -- Devils Garden Primitive Loop

Today we set out early to hike the Devils Garden Primitive Loop.

It started out a bit chilly, but QUICKLY warmed up to the high 90's.  This was going to be a long day. It is supposed to be about a 7 mile advanced hike.

The trail starts out easy and paved.

Landscape Arch

After a bit of rock scrambling we headed to Partition Arch and Navajo Arch.  

Then we headed back to the main trail and thats when the real fun began.  We scurried up the side of some rocks (with a whole bunch of people following us!) and we got to the top of the rocks, and I asked Rob "Now what?" Rob assured me that the trail continued on the top of the rocks.  

(Can you tell the difference between the two cameras, or at lease the post processing?!) 

When we were walking across these rocks we came to a point where you had to do a small "jump" across a drop.  I said thanks but no thanks I am going to turn around.  There was still a large group behind us (and it still had not been confirmed that we were going the right way!).  Rob pulled me over to the side... and had a "talk" with me.  After which we continued on!  

Next up was double Arch

This is where most people turn around.  But we continued on... in what felt like 1000 degree temps.  1/2 mile from the double arch (in the direct sun) was the dark angel. Suprisingly no one was out here.

And we continued on taking another side path off the primitive trail to Private Arch.  When we were returning to the main trail a lady asked us about the path that we just came from... I said "It is just another Arch"  I was clearly over it, it was so HOT and there was NO SHADE!

We then began are return trip to the trail head.  Not many pictures, due to the extreme heat.  There was a lot of scrabbling down rocks on the way back.  I was a little nervous about going down the side of the rocks, but I was not going to walk all the way back the way we came!  NO WAY!  We hiked all the way down to the riverbed.  As we were doing this we realized that the trail head was not down... but up.  So we would have to hike up... up... up.... with NO SHADE.  Whenever we found shade we would sit for a few minutes and drink a bottle of water each and reapply sunscreen.  

A few more miles... and we FINALLY reached the end.  

It was a very long hot day.

We returned to the airstream, had the most amazing showers (who knew our wet bath could provide such relief!)   And we found out our fridge stopped working.  Might have been a jolt from us starting the two generators?  All food was thrown away, and we headed to Moab to the Moab Brewery.  It was a solid 2 1/2 stars.  Lots of food, not good quality.  But we were able to get in the car with AC and go to the restaurant that had AC!  Score!

We drove back to the park and headed to the Delicate Arch view point.  It was supposed to be just a little stroll, but the view point... was just not good enough!  So we hiked quite a ways on a non marked area to the perfect spot.... where you can see all the way through the arch... see the difference?

See the Arch back there?  Tomorrow we hike to it! 

Getting the perfect picture! 

As we walked back to the car the sunset was awful, but the moon was beautiful!