San Rafael Swell, January 3-5, 2024

 Made a last minute switch to drive Anna and Aria home on Tuesday, instead of them flying back.  It’s Southwest Airlines, so we got a flight credit, and it only takes about 2 hours longer to drive rather than fly….it’s about 6 hours door to door flying…and we drove it in just under 8 hours.   Good day for driving, clear roads.    After spending the night at Anna’s I took off the next morning and drove the three hours to Green River.  I hiked Black Dragon Gulch that afternoon (8 miles, went further than I ever have on this one), and then the next two days were hikes off of the Behind the Reef Road.  Parked at Chute Canyon trailhead, and then hiked 11 miles RT on the Behind the Reef ATV trail, and up Little Deadhorse Creek.  The last day was a 9.5 mile RT hike up (as opposed to down the canyon trail) Chute Canyon.  I saw no one the three days of hiking, and I was the only car that drove down the Behind the reef road on my last two days.  Spectacular scenery, no other people, temps in the 30’s and 40’s for hiking….right in my wheelhouse.  Love the San Rafael Swell!