Bucket List

[RVMommaTo6]

These are great! Thanks, and Bill, I'll take pictures for you
And sincere thanks for your service.

 

[jackiemac]

I've been meaning to mention slot canyons.  There are quite a few in the southwest and it's a fun adventure for kids.  West of Moab UT is Goblin State Park which is a fun place for kids in and of itself.  Near it is Wildhorse Canyon which is a good example of a slot canyon.  There's also a very famous one near Page AZ called Antelope Canyon.  You've seen pictures of it many times on calendars and such.  The drawback with it is that it's on Navajo land and you have to go on a tribal-led tour to see it.  Wildhorse Canyon is better with a bunch of kids because you can go at your own pace.  There's a web site of slot canyons which you might want to see.  http://www.americansouthwest.net/slot_canyons/index.html

Also, Monument Valley is on the Utah-Arizona border and it has all kinds of fun-to-see rock formations.  You might want to save this whole area for another trip though because you can easily spend a month in the Four Corners area and/or southern Utah!

ArdraF

ArdraF

Ardra is that Little Wildhorse Canyon? Or a different one. We did Little Wildhorse and it was fantastic and so easy.

 

[ArdraF]

Jackie, indeed it is!  I was depending on my memory - which maybe isn't such a good thing to do!  :-[  Glad you also enjoyed it.

ArdraF

 

[jackiemac]

Jackie, indeed it is!  I was depending on my memory - which maybe isn't such a good thing to do!  :-[  Glad you also enjoyed it.

ArdraF

Just thought I'd heard of 2 different ones and I've just checked-

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/wildhorse-canyon

http://www.americansouthwest.net/slot_canyons/little_wild_horse_canyon/

 

[JoelP]

There sure is!  What many Easterners don't realize is some of our high elevations.  For example, Bryce Canyon elevations are about 9,000-10,000 feet. Going across western Utah on I-70, the ups and downs can go from 5,000 feet to 6,000 feet.  There are some very long descents where you basically go down the side of a canyon maybe to a river and then back up on the other side and it can be a 1,000-ft elevation difference.  It's freeway and a very good road, but the ascents can be slow going!  During winter the higher elevation areas often get snow.  The north rim of the Grand Canyon is 6,000 feet and the south rim 5,000 feet.

I was going to comment on your somewhat ambitious schedule.  It's just you as the driver and six kids, right?  I think you're going to get really tired of driving so much and the kids might just get worn out.  I can just hear it - Mom, are we there yet??  My husband and I can easily do such a trip, but we also both drive the motorhome so it's a lot easier.  We usually limit our days to about 300 miles and try to stop early.  Which reminds me, when will the kids be doing their school work? 

You also need to build in some time for when things go wrong, as is bound to happen occasionally.  It sure is fun to plan though!

ArdraF

I have to agree with you, Ardra.  My DW and I are currently covering 4 national parks(Glacier, Yellowstone, Arches and Bryce Canyon) with 3400 miles in 26 days and it is too much for this amount of time.  I feel like I am spending too much time setting up and tearing down to fully enjoy this experience. Her travel list has me exhausted just looking at it.

 

[SeilerBird]

There sure is!  What many Easterners don't realize is some of our high elevations.  For example, Bryce Canyon elevations are about 9,000-10,000 feet. Going across western Utah on I-70, the ups and downs can go from 5,000 feet to 6,000 feet.  There are some very long descents where you basically go down the side of a canyon maybe to a river and then back up on the other side and it can be a 1,000-ft elevation difference.  It's freeway and a very good road, but the ascents can be slow going!  During winter the higher elevation areas often get snow.  The north rim of the Grand Canyon is 6,000 feet and the south rim 5,000 feet.

I hate to say Ardra is wrong because she is almost always right. Bryce Canyon is 8,000 to 9,000 feet. The south rim is 7,000 feet and the north rim is 8,000 feet. Minor points I know but it might be important to someone planning a trip.

 

[ArdraF]

Jackie, imagine that!  I'm thinking of LITTLE Wildhorse Canyon close to Goblin Valley.  I didn't realize there was another one!  By the way, have you ever camped at Goblin Valley?  It's such a fun place!

Tom, there's that memory again!  I remember one time at Bryce when we were way out on the rim road and it started to snow.  That's why I remember 9,000 feet because that's what it is out toward the end of the road.  Funny how events (such as snow) can make you remember something like that.  Regardless, easterners just don't realize how much the elevation changes out here.  That section of I-70 over the San Rafael Swell has some really long ascents/descents!

ArdraF

 

[SeilerBird]

Ardra if I had a nickel for every time my memory has failed me lately I could by Bryce Canyon.

 

[jackiemac]

Jackie, imagine that!  I'm thinking of LITTLE Wildhorse Canyon close to Goblin Valley.  I didn't realize there was another one!  By the way, have you ever camped at Goblin Valley?  It's such a fun place!

ArdraF

Not yet but we will at some point. Loved the canyon apart from the little bit at the start. I'm a chicken on slippy bits.

 

[slr456]

Alaska is #1 on my bucket list. 

 

[sandpsycho]

Your Death Valley, Vegas, Hoover Dam dates are fine they never have snow. Since your going to the largest suspension dam, while your up in northern California stop at Lake Shasta and take the dam tour. It is the largest dam of it's kind, as it out weights the water it is holding back. I have been on both tours they are worth seeing. Also up at Lake Shasta are the Lake Shasta Caverns, well worth going. All three tours are informative and educational.

 

[SeilerBird]

Your Death Valley, Vegas, Hoover Dam dates are fine they never have snow.

I used to live in Las Vegas and it most definitely snows there on occasion. There is a ski resort in the mountains just west of Las Vegas called Lee Canyon.

 

[RVMommaTo6]

It looks like that's right on the way from the Redwoods to Lassen, thanks!

 

[jackiemac]

Mount Shasta is beautiful as is Crater Lake.

 

[RVMommaTo6]

So beautiful! Crater Lake is on the list and I added Shasta Lake now too!

 

[sandpsycho]

I used to live in Las Vegas and it most definitely snows there on occasion. There is a ski resort in the mountains just west of Las Vegas called Lee Canyon.

I dated a girl that lived there for 2 years, my brother went to collage there, I have friends that live there. I'm more then familiar with the city. You are the only person I have ever heard tell anyone to watch out for snow in Las Vegas. The annual snow fall is zero inches a year. Yes Mt. Charleston that's 90 minutes away gets snow. There are over a half dozen ski resorts closer to me then Lee Canyon is to Vegas but it still don't snow here in Corona CA and it doesn't snow in Paradise NV. Has snow fallen there yes but Clark county didn't have to run out and buy snow plows. You more likely to win a progressive slot then get snow.

 

[SeilerBird]

I dated a girl that lived there for 2 years, my brother went to collage there, I have friends that live there. I'm more then familiar with the city. You are the only person I have ever heard tell anyone to watch out for snow in Las Vegas. The annual snow fall is zero inches a year. Yes Mt. Charleston that's 90 minutes away gets snow. There are over a half dozen ski resorts closer to me then Lee Canyon is to Vegas but it still don't snow here in Corona CA and it doesn't snow in Paradise NV. Has snow fallen there yes but Clark county didn't have to run out and buy snow plows. You more likely to win a progressive slot then get snow.

https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/video-snow-in-north-las-vegas/video_42d027fd-46f2-552f-85dc-ac38dda4e277.html

 

[ArdraF]

You are the only person I have ever heard tell anyone to watch out for snow in Las Vegas. The annual snow fall is zero inches a year.

Really???  What do you call the white stuff in the attached photos?  First one taken in 2003, second one in 2008.  On the valley floor NOT up in the mountains.  There was enough in 2003 for kids who had never seen snow to have a snowball fight and build a snowman.

ArdraF

 

[ziplock]

Someone mentioned this, and now it's on my Newest Bucket list:

http://www.americansouthwest.net/slot_canyons/index.html

Waving.....................

 

[cadee2c]

I gotta quit reading this thread. My bucket list keeps growing!!