I think we have officially made peace with the Primitive Trail and Devil’s Garden Trail at Arches. It was two years ago that we survived the Great Flash Flood of 2015 on this trail. Last year we successfully completed it and had a great time. This year was the same as last year! We had another good run! It’s a tough hike, about 8 miles, 1200 feet in elevation gain (and loss!) We wanted an early start, so we’re in line at the gate when it opened at 7 and then made the 45 minute drive to the end of the park and the trailhead. It was already quite warm, but there wasn’t a cloud in the sky and we were one of the first on trail. About a mile into the hike we saw two desert deer munching on shrubs. They were right near the trail and it was an awesome way to start the day.
This is a fairly rigorous hike, somewhat tricky to navigate, and quite secluded. There is a decent amount of scrambling and that makes us all happy. Most of the hike was on the Primitive Trail and we saw just a handful of other hikers during that portion. It really was a delightful day and I’m proud we all had positive attitudes!
We are now about half way into our five hour drive to Great Basin National Park. Our first of three consecutive nights of camping begins in just a few hours. Fortunately, I found a really cute looking cafe not too far outside the park, so we are planning on a good dinner.
As we were getting ready for bed last night, I had a pretty impressive meltdown. I can’t believe that we are actually doing this and I’m so worried about the logistics of hygiene. Honestly, that’s my biggest concern. How will we brush our teeth? Can I really go a day without shaving? How will I crawl into a sleeping bag when I haven’t showered? What about the third night? Won’t I stink?? As I was cowering in the bathroom, Ellie came in and gave me the biggest reassuring hug. She asked me what my biggest concerns were and then talked me through to a solution for each situation. She put on an expert hat and actually made me feel a bit better. She even convinced me that my teeth will not fall out if I skip brushing one day. She has kindly offered to sleep in my tent for the first two night of these three so she can help me out. I am not kidding when I say that she has shed such a positive light on this god awful situation.
