Zion with Jerry - Part 1

Day 16. My hiking partner today is Jerry, a resident of Saint George UT. I know Jerry through ClubTread.com & he is very open to hiking with us northern folk who make up the bulk of the users on that site. In case we were able to meet for a hike I had his number so we queued up for a full day. "What do you want to do?" "I'm easy, petroglyphs would be cool, a variety - maybe off the beaten track?" "That we can do!" (I'm paraphrasing... Jerry had a ton of great ideas but basically I left it up to him to be my personal guide for the day.)

We arrange to meet at the visitor center at 7 a.m. It is still very dark & cold, below zero. Works out fine, we have a bit of driving to do to reach our first destination: Cave Valley Pictographs.

As we drive it is quickly apparent that Jerry is just as passionate about hiking in person as he is on his trip reports. Stories quickly become two & three threads deep only to be abruptly terminated as a new feature comes into view that warrants mention... "a great hike up behind there"... "like to do that one day"... etc. Its going to be a great day!

Hello down there! A bit of scrambling was required but not too bad.

The cave isn't deep; these were taken in the natural light. As my eyes adjusted more & more pictographs appeared. (technically I guess some would be considered petroglyphs...) Jerry found many he couldn't recall seeing on his last visit. The walls are covered, as Jerry says "They just keep popping out at you!"




A second cave entrance. There are several along this cliff face.
Mother Earth Cave. I was told it is thought that this cave may have had religious significance or perhaps used for mothers to give birth. At any rate it doesn't have any cave art. I climbed up as high as a ledge where two depressions had been cored in the stone as though to support the legs of a ladder. With a 12' ladder or so the next level could be reached & other passages further in. Amazing cave though with a very high ceiling.
The narrow entrance.
Jerry hams for the camera... a tight squeeze...
For real eh!
Mother Earth Cave is in this formation.

Now on to a hike up high...