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Wintertime in Zion and Bryce Canyon

Hopping out of the van, we were greeted by the cold like a slap in the face. Our fingers working slowly as we struggled to strap snowshoes to our boots.

The day started out with temperatures hovering around 10 degrees. We aimed to cover 6.5 miles the first day alone – in snowshoes, through two feet of fresh powder. A 1,000-foot elevation gain would be our goal that day while the temperatures warmed up to 30. There was no trail to follow but the footsteps of the person in front of us.

Over the next five days, we’d cover 30 miles of hiking and snowshoeing through Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon. Our group consisted of 12 hikers plus two guides. Most days we had no trail and wouldn’t see any other hikers.

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The golden peaks and hoodoos received a light dusting of new snow every night, reminding me of frosted cinnamon rolls. We had a front-row seat to the antics of mule deer and mountain goats.

We stayed in a lodge each night in the town of Mt. Carmel, Utah, the week after Christmas, celebrating the New Year among friends, family and hiking companions. The lodge was quite spacious, built to sleep 60 guests.

This winter trip afforded us the opportunity to explore Echo Canyon, Refrigerator Canyon, Sunrise and Sunset Point, Observation Point, Checkerboard Mesa and the hoodoos of Bryce. All the fantastic scenery of Bryce and Zion is just as impressive in the winter months – and without the crowds.

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Melissa Etheridge, The Imaginary Amazon

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Hopping out of the van, we were greeted by the cold like a slap in the face. Our fingers working slowly as we struggled to strap snowshoes to our boots.

The day started out with temperatures hovering around 10 degrees. We aimed to cover 6.5 miles the first day alone – in snowshoes, through two feet of fresh powder. A 1,000-foot elevation gain would be our goal that day while the temperatures warmed up to 30. There was no trail to follow but the footsteps of the person in front of us.

Over the next five days, we’d cover 30 miles of hiking and snowshoeing through Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon. Our group consisted of 12 hikers plus two guides. Most days we had no trail and wouldn’t see any other hikers.

Sponsored
Sponsored

The golden peaks and hoodoos received a light dusting of new snow every night, reminding me of frosted cinnamon rolls. We had a front-row seat to the antics of mule deer and mountain goats.

We stayed in a lodge each night in the town of Mt. Carmel, Utah, the week after Christmas, celebrating the New Year among friends, family and hiking companions. The lodge was quite spacious, built to sleep 60 guests.

This winter trip afforded us the opportunity to explore Echo Canyon, Refrigerator Canyon, Sunrise and Sunset Point, Observation Point, Checkerboard Mesa and the hoodoos of Bryce. All the fantastic scenery of Bryce and Zion is just as impressive in the winter months – and without the crowds.

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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