June 5 - Cedar Breaks or Bust

This makes our third attempt at seeing Cedar Breaks. The other two times the roads were closed because of snow. When we arrive at Cedar Breaks, there is little snow, but the temperature is 41 degrees and the wind is howling. We huddle in the very rustic Visitor's Center and the ranger decides it is better to give the geology talk inside. The large array of dead trees in the Monument (National Parks decreed by Congress, National Monuments decreed by the President), are Spruce and are victims of an indigenous Spruce bark beetle that puts the forest in a 300 year cycle -- a way to prune the forest without fire. Little spruces are growing everywhere. Cedar Breaks is very similar to Byrce Canyon, except in Bryce you can hike down into the hoodoos.



Too cold and windy to stay, so we zip down to Navajo Lake campground that was covered in snow the last time we came through. This time it was filled with hardy campers (fishermen no doubt). Sadie is making her mark at the lake. We found a great spot in the trees and away from the full brunt of the wind. We try a hike around a lake loop -- by our duds you can tell what kind of weather we are running into. We decide to retire to the RV and continue the domino competition (with Chuck's last two miracle wins, he had tied the champ). She easily put him away in the first hand before a dinner of cornbread and chili beans.