Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
FREE<br />
<strong>Gateway</strong><br />
FALL <strong>2023</strong><br />
To <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong> and the Grand Circle<br />
Hiking The Wave<br />
Mountain Biking Page’s<br />
New Red Mesa Rim Trail<br />
Page AZ Balloon<br />
Regatta & Street Fair<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 1
2 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong>
Park Yourself<br />
Here<br />
BOOK<br />
YOUR<br />
VACATION<br />
TODAY!<br />
EXPLORATION UNCHARTERED.<br />
Lakeside Lodging • RV Park & Campground • Lakeview Dining<br />
Powerboat & Watercraft Rentals • Scenic Boat Tours • Houseboat Rentals<br />
800.528.6154 | LakePowell.com<br />
Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas, managed by Aramark, is an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service, Glen <strong>Canyon</strong> National Recreation Area.<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 3
From the Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />
The ‘payoff’ is all around us<br />
One morning not <strong>to</strong>o long ago, my wife and I<br />
went for a hike in Wiregrass <strong>Canyon</strong> in Glen <strong>Canyon</strong><br />
National Recreation Area.<br />
We were walking at our usual pace when we<br />
explore <strong>to</strong>gether – which is <strong>to</strong> say, we were meandering<br />
at the speed of a pair of desert <strong>to</strong>r<strong>to</strong>ises<br />
as we scrutinized the ground beneath our feet, the<br />
clouds above our heads, and many things in between.<br />
Nothing is <strong>to</strong>o “ordinary” <strong>to</strong> catch our attention<br />
on such hikes: Rocks, soil, plants, flying insects<br />
and flitting birds are all subjects of fascination.<br />
On these walks, we often have no destination<br />
in mind and no specific distance we want <strong>to</strong> cover.<br />
At some point, one of us will say something like,<br />
“We should turn around soon,” which the other<br />
will ignore for another five minutes or 30 minutes<br />
or an hour, before agreeing, yes let’s start heading<br />
back.<br />
On that cool, cloudy day in Wiregrass <strong>Canyon</strong>,<br />
we didn’t see any other hikers on the outbound<br />
walk. But after we turned around, about halfway<br />
back <strong>to</strong> the trailhead, we encountered a middle-aged<br />
man and woman who rounded a bend in<br />
the canyon at such a rapid clip that we nearly collided.<br />
The man skidded <strong>to</strong> a halt with the aid of his<br />
walking sticks, wished us a good morning, and<br />
breathlessly asked, “Is there good payoff at the<br />
end?” I confessed that we hadn’t reached the end<br />
of the trail, wherever that was, and added, “We’re<br />
just enjoying what’s around us.”<br />
“Yeah, this place is amazing,” the man answered<br />
while making only the slightest effort <strong>to</strong><br />
swivel his head and look around. “Well, have a<br />
great day,” he added, then leapt back in<strong>to</strong> action<br />
and continued on his way, his hiking companion<br />
following in his wake.<br />
There are many ways <strong>to</strong> enjoy the outdoors,<br />
one of which is <strong>to</strong> set out on a quest for the “payoff”<br />
at the end of the trail – whether that be taking<br />
in the view from the peak of a mountain, soaking<br />
in a remote hot spring, watching the sun set behind<br />
a natural sands<strong>to</strong>ne arch, or commiserating with<br />
the lingering spirits of an abandoned mining camp.<br />
But over the years, I’ve also come the realization<br />
that, at least for myself, those goals are secondary<br />
<strong>to</strong> the “payoff” of simply being outdoors,<br />
of slowing down and savoring the subtle sights,<br />
sounds and smells of the desert that can escape the<br />
notice of those who are in a hurry or whose minds<br />
are focused less on the “here” that surrounds them<br />
at the moment and more on the “there” at the end<br />
of the trail.<br />
That’s not <strong>to</strong> say I’ve completely abandoned<br />
the notion of goal-oriented hiking. Last May, my<br />
wife and I scored a permit <strong>to</strong> hike <strong>to</strong> The Wave<br />
– one of the most coveted “destination” hikes in<br />
the Grand Circle region (see s<strong>to</strong>ry on page 10).<br />
And even earlier in the year – few weeks after the<br />
Wiregrass <strong>Canyon</strong> hike – my wife and I tackled<br />
the Spencer Trail at Lees Ferry.<br />
At the outset of the Spencer Trail hike, we<br />
weren’t sure we would make it all the way <strong>to</strong> the<br />
<strong>to</strong>p of steep, rocky, 2-mile path. We spent a lot of<br />
time standing still, not only enjoying the increasingly<br />
expansive view of the Colorado River as we<br />
gained altitude, but also studying the rocks and<br />
their many variations in color and texture, identifying<br />
different species of cacti, searching for bighorn<br />
sheep tracks, and watching, mesmerized, as a<br />
pair of California condors surfed the wind currents<br />
a few hundred feet below where we s<strong>to</strong>od.<br />
Eventually, despite overworked lungs and tired<br />
legs, we did make our way all the way <strong>to</strong> the <strong>to</strong>p<br />
and <strong>to</strong>ok in the spectacular panoramic view south<br />
<strong>to</strong>ward Navajo Bridge and Grand <strong>Canyon</strong>, and<br />
north across Horseshoe Bend and Page, all the<br />
way <strong>to</strong> Navajo Mountain. We sat and ate lunch,<br />
spent some time following another set of bighorn<br />
sheep tracks, and eventually decided it was time <strong>to</strong><br />
head back down.<br />
The roundtrip journey <strong>to</strong>ok much longer than<br />
the three hours we were <strong>to</strong>ld it would take. The<br />
“goal” of the effort was <strong>to</strong> reach the <strong>to</strong>p of Spencer<br />
Trail, but the true payoff was the living, breathing<br />
and seeing that occurred with each step along<br />
the way. For us, the way down wasn’t much faster<br />
than the way up. We were in no hurry <strong>to</strong> enclose<br />
ourselves in our car and get back <strong>to</strong> the “there” of<br />
civilization.<br />
Whichever way you choose <strong>to</strong> enjoy the outdoors,<br />
our team here at <strong>Gateway</strong> hopes our magazine<br />
will motivate you <strong>to</strong> delve in<strong>to</strong> the wide-ranging<br />
natural, cultural and his<strong>to</strong>rical wonders that the<br />
Grand Circle has <strong>to</strong> offer. This is our first <strong>Gateway</strong><br />
following a two-year hiatus during the height<br />
of the COVID pandemic, and we are now aiming<br />
<strong>to</strong> return <strong>to</strong> a regular publishing schedule <strong>to</strong> inspire<br />
year-round exploration throughout our beautiful<br />
region. We look forward <strong>to</strong> having you join us in<br />
our adventures.<br />
Douglas Long<br />
Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />
<strong>Gateway</strong><br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong><br />
is produced by the staff of the<br />
Lake Powell Chronicle,<br />
298 N. Pine St., Globe, AZ<br />
85501<br />
Copyright <strong>2023</strong><br />
News Media Corp.<br />
Phone 928.645.8888<br />
Publisher<br />
Mike Caywood<br />
mcaywood@<br />
lakepowellchronicle.com<br />
Edi<strong>to</strong>r<br />
Douglas Long<br />
dlong@lakepowellchronicle.com<br />
Contribu<strong>to</strong>rs<br />
Steven Law<br />
Bob Hembree<br />
Advertising<br />
Stephanie Pres<strong>to</strong>n<br />
spres<strong>to</strong>n@lakepowellchronicle.com<br />
Circulation<br />
Jim Blittersdorf<br />
Connect With Us:<br />
facebook.com/<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong><br />
facebook.com/LakePowellChronicle<br />
Issuu.com/<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong><br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com<br />
www.LakePowellChronicle.com<br />
4 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong>
BOOK YOUR TRIP ONLINE NOW<br />
<br />
<br />
Experience Horseshoe Bend up close.<br />
Choose your distance and your watercraft: Kayak, SUP,<br />
Canoe, or Raft and propel yourself down the crystal<br />
clear Colorado river, teaming with fish and wildlife.<br />
kayakthecolorado.com<br />
(928) 856- 0012 @kayakthecolorado<br />
All experience levels welcome!<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 5
<strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong><br />
FAll <strong>2023</strong><br />
CONTENTS<br />
6 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong>
Hiking The Wave<br />
Page 10<br />
Page Is a Designated Wave Permit Location<br />
Page 15<br />
New Discoveries on Display at<br />
Page Museum and Archives<br />
Page 20<br />
Let The Hub Expand Your<br />
Page/Lake Powell Experience<br />
Page 26<br />
Page Doubles Its Mountain<br />
Bike Trail System<br />
Page 28<br />
By Douglas Long<br />
By Steven Law<br />
By Bob Hembree<br />
By Steven Law<br />
By Douglas Long<br />
Page AZ Balloon Regatta & Street Fair<br />
Page 32<br />
Pho<strong>to</strong> on this page by Douglas Long: A Bureau<br />
of Land Management sign points the<br />
way <strong>to</strong> The Wave.<br />
Cover pho<strong>to</strong> by Douglas Long: A hot-air<br />
balloon flies over Glen <strong>Canyon</strong> Dam during<br />
the Page AZ Balloon Regatta & Street Fair.<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 7
Pow Wow Trading Post<br />
Specializing in<br />
Native<br />
American Arts<br />
& Crafts<br />
635 Elm Street, Page, Arizona<br />
powwowtradiingpost.com • 928.645-2140<br />
8 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong>
Lake Powell<br />
Experience<br />
Antelope <strong>Canyon</strong><br />
Boating Excursion<br />
Bring out your inner pho<strong>to</strong>grapher as you<br />
experience a 2-hour guided boating excursion<br />
of the canyon showcasing the stunning natural<br />
rock formations and lighting conditions that<br />
make Antelope <strong>Canyon</strong> one of the most<br />
popular, iconic destinations for pho<strong>to</strong>graphers.<br />
910 Coppermine Rd<br />
Page, AZ<br />
928-640-1360<br />
lakepowellxperience.com<br />
Follow and Tag Us On<br />
New<br />
Experience!<br />
Private Boating<br />
Excursions<br />
Includes water sports<br />
Our private boating excursions are<br />
cus<strong>to</strong>mizable <strong>to</strong> your interests and we have<br />
something for everyone. In addition <strong>to</strong><br />
winding through some of the most exquisite<br />
canyons on Lake Powell, be prepared <strong>to</strong> swim,<br />
try out wake surfing, wake boarding,<br />
water skiing, cliff jumping, etc. Our<br />
US Coastguard licensed captains have over 40<br />
years of combined experience boating on Lake<br />
Powell and are prepared <strong>to</strong> show you the lake from<br />
a perspective that only years of experience offers.<br />
Guided Hiking<br />
Tour <strong>to</strong><br />
Wahweap Window<br />
• Short boat ride <strong>to</strong><br />
the trail head<br />
• 2-mile guided hike<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 9
Like water frozen in time:<br />
A Hike <strong>to</strong> The Wave<br />
S<strong>to</strong>ry and Pho<strong>to</strong>s<br />
by Douglas Long<br />
10 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong>
One morning last May, I was sitting in my<br />
kitchen in Page, Arizona, drinking coffee<br />
and trying <strong>to</strong> decide what I wanted <strong>to</strong> do<br />
on my birthday, which was two days away.<br />
For starters, I would be a no-show at work,<br />
which, of course, everyone should do on their birthday.<br />
The other plan that came <strong>to</strong> mind was riding my mountain<br />
bike from Big Water, Utah, <strong>to</strong> Alstrom Point in<br />
Glen <strong>Canyon</strong> National Recreation Area, a ride whose<br />
roundtrip distance would roughly approximate the age I<br />
would be turning – 56.<br />
But I also thought it would be fun <strong>to</strong> spend the day<br />
hiking <strong>to</strong> The Wave, located in the Coyote Buttes North<br />
Special Management Area of Pariah <strong>Canyon</strong>-Vermilion<br />
Cliffs Wilderness. The catch was that the hike requires<br />
a permit from the Bureau of Land Management, which<br />
are allocated by lottery and can be particularly difficult <strong>to</strong><br />
get in the popular hiking month of May. I decided <strong>to</strong> apply<br />
anyway and hope for the best. I’m generally not a lottery-winning<br />
type of person, so in the meantime, I started<br />
making a mental list of everything I would need <strong>to</strong> carry<br />
for a day-long mountain bike ride <strong>to</strong> Alstrom Point and<br />
back.<br />
That evening I checked my email and, <strong>to</strong> my surprise,<br />
saw the congratula<strong>to</strong>ry message from recreation.gov – I<br />
had scored a permit for me and my wife <strong>to</strong> The Wave. I<br />
logged in<strong>to</strong> the website and confirmed that I would ac-<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 11
cept the permit. The next<br />
step was attending the manda<strong>to</strong>ry<br />
orientation meeting<br />
the following morning in<br />
Page.<br />
There were two other<br />
groups at the orientation: A<br />
30-something couple from<br />
Prescott who had been trying<br />
for a Wave permit for<br />
four years, and four women<br />
from North Carolina,<br />
who mentioned that, coming<br />
from sea level, they could<br />
already feel the effects of<br />
Page’s 4,500-foot elevation<br />
while walking around <strong>to</strong>wn.<br />
The orientation, led by a<br />
knowledgeable staff member<br />
at the Page Lake Powell<br />
Hub Visi<strong>to</strong>r Center, offered<br />
safety advice for walking<br />
in the desert (carry 1<br />
gallon of water per person,<br />
eat salty snacks, wear sunscreen),<br />
rules for hiking in<br />
the permit area (groups must<br />
stay <strong>to</strong>gether, walking sticks<br />
must be equipped with rubber<br />
tips <strong>to</strong> avoid damaging<br />
the rocks), and directions for<br />
the 3.2-mile hike from Wire<br />
Pass Trailhead <strong>to</strong> The Wave,<br />
since there is no marked<br />
trail through Coyote Buttes<br />
North. Hikers are given a<br />
cue sheet with numbered directions<br />
and pho<strong>to</strong>graphs of<br />
geological formations <strong>to</strong> use<br />
as navigations aids.<br />
Another bit of advice was<br />
<strong>to</strong> get an early start by arriving<br />
at the trailhead by<br />
dawn, which at that time of<br />
year was around 6:30 a.m.<br />
But according <strong>to</strong> the weather<br />
forecast, the temperature<br />
wouldn’t rise much<br />
above 80 degrees Fahrenheit<br />
throughout the day. Being<br />
residents of the Southwest,<br />
my wife and I often hike in<br />
hot weather, so we weren’t<br />
<strong>to</strong>o concerned about getting<br />
a super-early start. We<br />
<strong>to</strong>ok the time <strong>to</strong> make pancakes<br />
for breakfast before<br />
embarking on the hour-long<br />
drive <strong>to</strong> the trailhead – west<br />
on Highway 89 for 36 miles,<br />
then south on unpaved,<br />
dusty, bumpy House Rock<br />
Road for 8.2 miles. We arrived<br />
around 8 a.m. Utah<br />
time, and there were already<br />
five or six cars in the parking<br />
lot, including the group<br />
from North Carolina.<br />
We <strong>to</strong>ok our time getting<br />
started, making sure our water<br />
bottles and snacks were<br />
packed comfortably, applying<br />
sunscreen and signing<br />
the trail registry. As we<br />
set out along Coyote Wash,<br />
we were a few hundred feet<br />
behind the North Carolinians,<br />
but as we left the wash<br />
after about half a mile and<br />
started walking uphill, they<br />
s<strong>to</strong>pped <strong>to</strong> rest. My wife<br />
and I paused <strong>to</strong> say hello<br />
as we passed, and they said<br />
they were starting <strong>to</strong> feel<br />
the effects of the elevation<br />
– around 5,000 feet at that<br />
point. They would be fine,<br />
though, just a little slower<br />
than they had anticipated.<br />
We would cross paths again<br />
at The Wave later in the day.<br />
The rainy spring in the<br />
West had resulted in an<br />
abundant desert wildflower<br />
season, and although Coyote<br />
Buttes North is not particularly<br />
famous for its blooms,<br />
we did spot small clusters<br />
of reddish-orange Indian<br />
paintbrush, purple larkspur,<br />
and white and yellow<br />
primrose. At the same time,<br />
there hadn’t been much rain<br />
or wind during the previous<br />
two weeks, so the abundance<br />
of footprints made it<br />
easy <strong>to</strong> follow the unmarked<br />
“trail” as we crossed the sandy<br />
plain <strong>to</strong>ward our next<br />
navigation point, a small<br />
saddle on a sands<strong>to</strong>ne ridge<br />
on the horizon.<br />
Once across the ridge,<br />
the terrain became rocky<br />
and uneven, with no footprints<br />
<strong>to</strong> follow. But we<br />
could see distinct geological<br />
formations in the distance<br />
for which we could<br />
aim. We saw no other hikers<br />
across the miles in front of<br />
us. The morning was sunny<br />
and cool as we traversed the<br />
landscape, the vast expanse<br />
of Pariah-Vermillion Cliffs<br />
Wilderness extending off <strong>to</strong><br />
the left and Coyote Buttes<br />
rising sharply <strong>to</strong> our right.<br />
Some of the slickrock formations<br />
looked like melted<br />
sherbet, others like jagged,<br />
knife-edged extrusions from<br />
the underworld. We skirted<br />
rocks that looked like colossal,<br />
scaled pinecones, and<br />
walked over others that we<br />
12 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong>
imagined could be the brains of petrified<br />
giants. The colors occurred in countless<br />
subtle variations of white, brown, yellow,<br />
red and green.<br />
There was plenty <strong>to</strong> see, but hiking<br />
over the craggy, off-camber rocks also<br />
required paying attention <strong>to</strong> where we<br />
stepped. Anyone not accus<strong>to</strong>med <strong>to</strong> walking<br />
on terrain other than smooth trails or<br />
level sidewalks will find that they’re using<br />
leg and foot muscles they don’t normally<br />
use, which can make the hiking a<br />
bit more challenging and fatiguing than<br />
expected.<br />
The most difficult part of the hike is the<br />
last steep sand embankment just before<br />
The Wave, which, with the loose, shifting<br />
soil, can feel like a game of one step forward,<br />
two steps back. Even when taken<br />
slowly and patiently, it can be a leg-burning<br />
aerobic workout.<br />
At the <strong>to</strong>p, just before entering The<br />
Wave, we encountered the first hikers we<br />
had seen since passing the North Carolina<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 13
group – a couple with a pair<br />
of dogs who must have gotten<br />
an early start and were<br />
starting their trek back <strong>to</strong> the<br />
trailhead. With their departure,<br />
we had The Wave all <strong>to</strong><br />
ourselves.<br />
As the name suggests,<br />
the rock formation looks<br />
like brilliantly striated, undulating<br />
water frozen in<br />
time. Standing in its center<br />
was like being encased in a<br />
womb of flowing color. We<br />
s<strong>to</strong>od there for a long time,<br />
simply absorbing the atmosphere<br />
and unexpected silence.<br />
Then we leapt in<strong>to</strong><br />
action, checking out angles<br />
14 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong><br />
and sightlines, and positioning<br />
ourselves for the obliga<strong>to</strong>ry<br />
flurry of pho<strong>to</strong>graphs<br />
<strong>to</strong> post online and prove <strong>to</strong><br />
the world that we had been<br />
there.<br />
Our solitude lasted for<br />
about 30 minutes before<br />
the hikers behind us started<br />
arriving, at which point<br />
my wife and I headed deeper<br />
in<strong>to</strong> the wilderness. There<br />
are several named geological<br />
features beyond The<br />
Wave for which hikers can<br />
aim – The Second Wave,<br />
Melody Arch, Top Rock<br />
Arch, The Alcove among<br />
them – but we didn’t have<br />
any destination in mind other<br />
than prolonging the hike<br />
and enjoying the colors, formations<br />
and views in every<br />
direction. Spending at least<br />
a few minutes exploring<br />
the area beyond The Wave<br />
is highly recommended for<br />
those who have the time and<br />
energy <strong>to</strong> spare. We spent<br />
about two hours walking a<br />
couple extra miles, taking<br />
pho<strong>to</strong>graphs and simply sitting<br />
and basking in our surroundings.<br />
By the time we headed<br />
back through The Wave,<br />
the North Carolina group<br />
had arrived and were engaged<br />
in their own pho<strong>to</strong>-s<strong>to</strong>rm.<br />
My wife volunteered<br />
<strong>to</strong> take a group pho<strong>to</strong><br />
for them, which they greatly<br />
appreciated. We also met<br />
a woman in her 60s – a fit<br />
hiker from Kanab equipped<br />
with rubber-tipped walking<br />
sticks who was working as<br />
a volunteer checking permits<br />
and dispensing information<br />
about the area.<br />
As we prepared <strong>to</strong> head<br />
back <strong>to</strong> our car, we encountered<br />
the couple from<br />
Prescott at the <strong>to</strong>p of the<br />
steep, sandy slope just outside<br />
The Wave. They were<br />
accompanied by their three<br />
kids, all of whom had<br />
paused <strong>to</strong> empty the sand<br />
from their shoes. As we<br />
started down, we said hello<br />
<strong>to</strong> another couple who had<br />
s<strong>to</strong>pped for a rest halfway<br />
up the steep slope. It’s not a<br />
long climb, but it can knock<br />
the wind out of those who<br />
try <strong>to</strong> go up <strong>to</strong>o quickly.<br />
Now that we were oriented<br />
<strong>to</strong> the area, on the<br />
return trip my wife and I<br />
wandered a bit from the<br />
straight-and-narrow path<br />
we had taken on the way<br />
<strong>to</strong> The Wave, checking out<br />
the expansive views <strong>to</strong> the<br />
east and exploring some<br />
side canyons <strong>to</strong> the west.<br />
We got passed by the volunteer<br />
from Kanab several<br />
times – she was hiking<br />
much faster than us, but<br />
she s<strong>to</strong>pped several times <strong>to</strong><br />
talk <strong>to</strong> groups that had started<br />
their hike later in the day<br />
and were still heading out<br />
<strong>to</strong>ward The Wave.<br />
Meanwhile, the afternoon<br />
temperature had crept<br />
in<strong>to</strong> the low 80s, but a cool,<br />
moderate breeze kept the<br />
air feeling just about perfect<br />
for hiking. By the time we<br />
got back <strong>to</strong> the car, we had<br />
walked about 8 miles in 6.5<br />
hours – four of that actually<br />
moving, according <strong>to</strong> the<br />
app I use <strong>to</strong> track my hikes,<br />
and the remaining 2.5 standing<br />
still and gawking at the<br />
landscape.<br />
On the drive back <strong>to</strong><br />
Page, I mulled the fact the<br />
hiking <strong>to</strong> The Wave didn’t<br />
mean I had lost the opportunity<br />
<strong>to</strong> pedal my mountain<br />
bike <strong>to</strong> Alstrom Point. I’ll be<br />
56 for a whole year – plenty<br />
of time <strong>to</strong> tackle the ride.
Page Is a Designated Wave Permit Location<br />
By Steven Law<br />
In March 2022, the<br />
Bureau of Land Management<br />
(BLM) ended<br />
its in-person lottery<br />
for Wave permits<br />
and implemented a new lottery<br />
system for recreationists<br />
seeking daily hiking permits<br />
<strong>to</strong> the world-famous hiking<br />
destination. The change was<br />
a big boost for Page <strong>to</strong>urism<br />
and its economy.<br />
Under the old method, the<br />
BLM gave out permits online<br />
for 20 hikers per day<br />
four months in advance, and<br />
they gave out four more permits<br />
<strong>to</strong> recreationists in-person<br />
the day before the permit-use<br />
day. Each in-person<br />
permit could have from one<br />
<strong>to</strong> 10 people listed on it. The<br />
old system required hikers <strong>to</strong><br />
apply in person at the BLM’s<br />
Kanab Field Office every<br />
morning <strong>to</strong> apply for the permit,<br />
and every morning at 9<br />
a.m., the BLM agents would<br />
draw four permit numbers<br />
from the hopper.<br />
Under the updated system,<br />
hikers no longer have <strong>to</strong> apply<br />
in-person at the Kanab<br />
Field Office for daily permits.<br />
They are now able <strong>to</strong> apply<br />
for daily permits from their<br />
cell phone or tablet, as long as<br />
they are inside a certain geographic<br />
area the BLM is calling<br />
a “mobile geofence.” The<br />
mobile geofence system is<br />
hosted by Recreation.gov.<br />
The geofence area includes<br />
Page, Greenhaven, Marble<br />
<strong>Canyon</strong>, Vermilion Cliffs, Jacob<br />
Lake, White Sage, Fredonia,<br />
Mocassin, Big Water,<br />
Paria, Johnson <strong>Canyon</strong>,<br />
Kanab, Mt. Carmel, Orderville,<br />
Glendale and East Zion.<br />
Wave applicants need <strong>to</strong><br />
be inside the geofence perimeter<br />
when they apply for the<br />
permit, but once they’ve entered<br />
the lottery, they’re then<br />
free <strong>to</strong> roam outside of it, and<br />
they’ll be able <strong>to</strong> receive notifications<br />
if their permit application<br />
was successful.<br />
Those who win a Wave<br />
permit are still required <strong>to</strong><br />
pick up their permit in person<br />
at a BLM-designated<br />
location in Kanab or Page,<br />
where they will also receive<br />
an orientation, maps and<br />
safety guidelines.<br />
The idea behind the<br />
geofence lottery system is<br />
<strong>to</strong> allow area visi<strong>to</strong>rs vying<br />
for a Wave permit more<br />
freedom in their travel<br />
plans while remaining close<br />
enough <strong>to</strong> do the hike if their<br />
permit number is drawn.<br />
As part of the permit system,<br />
Page is one of two locations<br />
where permit winners<br />
go <strong>to</strong> pick up their permits.<br />
Page had been trying <strong>to</strong><br />
get designated a Wave permit<br />
location since 2019,<br />
when the Chamber Page<br />
Lake Powell opened The<br />
Hub, said Judy Franz, executive<br />
direc<strong>to</strong>r for the chamber.<br />
“When we started The<br />
Hub, that was one of our<br />
scopes of work,” she said,<br />
“and I think it’s going <strong>to</strong> be<br />
great for the city, our businesses<br />
and our economy.<br />
Everybody wants <strong>to</strong> do the<br />
Wave. It’s nationally known.<br />
It’s one of the wonders of the<br />
world. People would stay in<br />
Kanab day after day trying <strong>to</strong><br />
win the Wave lottery.”<br />
Under the old system, the<br />
Kanab Field Office would<br />
draw the permits at 9 a.m.<br />
The people who didn’t win<br />
a Wave permit would then<br />
have a full free day ahead<br />
of them and would most often<br />
spend the day doing other<br />
area <strong>to</strong>urs and activities.<br />
“I know a lot of those people<br />
would come <strong>to</strong> Page for<br />
the day <strong>to</strong> visit Antelope <strong>Canyon</strong>,<br />
Horseshoe Bend or Lake<br />
Powell, but they’d often return<br />
<strong>to</strong> Kanab for the night<br />
<strong>to</strong> be there for the next day’s<br />
Wave drawing,” Franz said.<br />
“But now they’ll be able <strong>to</strong><br />
spend the night here. That<br />
means staying in our hotels<br />
and eating in our restaurants.<br />
And if they get a permit and<br />
want a guide, we have several<br />
guide companies operating<br />
here who can take them.<br />
We’re hoping people will<br />
want <strong>to</strong> stay in Page because<br />
there’s so many things <strong>to</strong> do.”<br />
The updated permitting<br />
system is also great for Page<br />
locals, Franz said.<br />
“Our locals will be able <strong>to</strong><br />
apply online, every day if they<br />
want <strong>to</strong>, and if they win a permit,<br />
they’ll be able <strong>to</strong> pick it<br />
up right here,” she said.<br />
Now acting as a Wave permit<br />
pickup site, The Hub is<br />
open seven days a week, 8<br />
a.m. <strong>to</strong> 5 p.m., with the exception<br />
of Thanksgiving, Christmas<br />
and New Year’s Day.<br />
The updated system works<br />
like this: If you apply for the<br />
permit on Thursday, for example,<br />
you will be notified<br />
that evening if you’ve won.<br />
If you win, you will have <strong>to</strong><br />
pick up your permit the following<br />
morning, Friday, and<br />
do the hike <strong>to</strong> the Wave the<br />
next day, Saturday.<br />
Winners can pick up their<br />
permit in Kanab or in Page at<br />
The Hub. When picking up<br />
their permits, hikers are also<br />
required <strong>to</strong> do an orientation.<br />
The orientation is at 8:30<br />
a.m. sharp. If permit winners<br />
miss the orientation, they forfeit<br />
their permits. During the<br />
orientation, hikers will watch<br />
a 30-minute slide show that<br />
describes what they should<br />
expect during their trip <strong>to</strong> the<br />
Wave. They’ll also receive<br />
maps and safety information.<br />
“We can answer any other<br />
questions they may have,”<br />
Franz said.<br />
The BLM said the updated<br />
system is a win-win for local<br />
businesses and travelers.<br />
“Additional gateway communities<br />
will benefit economically<br />
as the new system will<br />
expand the permit application<br />
area and will provide visi<strong>to</strong>rs<br />
with additional options<br />
<strong>to</strong> pick-up permits and enjoy<br />
overnight stays for the next<br />
day’s trip in several communities,”<br />
said Paria River district<br />
manager Harry Barber.<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 15
Lake Powell<br />
Wahweap<br />
Bay<br />
Lone Rock Beach/<br />
Fee Camping<br />
State Line Launch<br />
Ramp<br />
Wahweap<br />
Marina & Launch<br />
Ramp<br />
Glen <strong>Canyon</strong> Dam<br />
Warm Creek<br />
Bay<br />
Padre Bay<br />
Last Chance Bay<br />
Rock<br />
Creek<br />
Dangling<br />
Rope<br />
Marina<br />
Hole-<br />
In-The-<br />
Rock<br />
Navajo <strong>Canyon</strong><br />
Colorado<br />
River<br />
City<br />
of<br />
Page,<br />
AZ<br />
Antelope<br />
Point<br />
Marina &<br />
Launch<br />
Ramp<br />
West <strong>Canyon</strong><br />
Rainbow Bridge<br />
National<br />
Monument<br />
S<br />
Wahweap Marina<br />
VISITPAGEAZ.COM<br />
16 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong>
Colorado<br />
River<br />
Hite Marina<br />
Bullfrog Bay<br />
Halls<br />
Creek Bay<br />
Bullfrog<br />
Marina<br />
Escalante<br />
River<br />
Halls<br />
Crossing<br />
Marina<br />
an Jaun<br />
River<br />
VISITPAGEAZ.COM<br />
Antelope<br />
Point Marina<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 17
18 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong>
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 19
New Discoveries on Display at<br />
Powell Museum and Archives<br />
The skull of this four-horned<br />
Diablocera<strong>to</strong>ps ea<strong>to</strong>ni (Ea<strong>to</strong>n’s<br />
Devil Horn Face) was found<br />
in Grand Staircase-Escalante<br />
National Monument.<br />
20 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong><br />
S<strong>to</strong>ry and Pho<strong>to</strong>s<br />
by Bob Hembree<br />
Visi<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong> Page are in<br />
for a treat this year. They<br />
can be among the first <strong>to</strong><br />
see fossils of newly discovered<br />
dinosaur species.<br />
The Powell Museum and<br />
Archives exhibit features<br />
specimens excavated near<br />
Page.<br />
The displays give visi<strong>to</strong>rs<br />
a glimpse of what local<br />
wildlife was like over 70<br />
million years ago.<br />
Amanda Bos<strong>to</strong>n is the<br />
education and outreach direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
for Glen <strong>Canyon</strong><br />
Conservancy, which manages<br />
the museum.<br />
“This is the first time<br />
they’re ever being seen<br />
publicly,” Bos<strong>to</strong>n said. “All<br />
of these were pulled from<br />
the Grand Staircase-Escalante<br />
National Monument<br />
up on the Kaiparowits Plateau.<br />
It’s representative of<br />
some of the most diverse<br />
fossil finds in North America.”<br />
Displays in the museum’s<br />
Kaiparowits Fossil<br />
exhibit are mix of cast<br />
models, original fossils and<br />
a mummy. Well-preserved,<br />
highly detailed fossils are<br />
known as dinosaur mummies.<br />
Referring <strong>to</strong> the juvenile<br />
Gryposaurus hadrosaur<br />
mummy encased in glass,<br />
Bos<strong>to</strong>n said, “What’s really<br />
neat about this one is that<br />
it is so well preserved, you
can actually see skin impressions.<br />
And they’re finding<br />
out that’s actually more<br />
common than previously<br />
thought, but more often<br />
than not, when paleon<strong>to</strong>logists<br />
were in the process of<br />
removing these bones from<br />
the Earth, in the past, those<br />
skin impressions could get<br />
overlooked and dug up and<br />
destroyed in the removal<br />
process. And so it’s very<br />
unique <strong>to</strong> get those skin impressions,<br />
but it is becoming<br />
more common, as paleon<strong>to</strong>logists<br />
are finding<br />
out that that’s something <strong>to</strong><br />
look for.”<br />
Museum guide Paul<br />
Campbell said hadrosaurs<br />
were the cattle of their era<br />
and plentiful, likely grazing<br />
in herds. Gryposaurus<br />
is a specific breed of hadrosaur,<br />
like a Hereford is specific<br />
breed of modern cattle.<br />
Bureau of Land Management<br />
(BLM) paleon<strong>to</strong>logists<br />
Dr. Alan Titus and<br />
Katja Knoll delivered the<br />
baby hadrosaur mummy <strong>to</strong><br />
the museum, along with a<br />
cera<strong>to</strong>psian pelvis and ribcage.<br />
They drove from<br />
BLM’s paleo lab in Kanab,<br />
Utah, <strong>to</strong> the museum Aug.<br />
10, <strong>2023</strong>. It <strong>to</strong>ok nearly four<br />
years <strong>to</strong> prepare the fossils<br />
for display.<br />
According <strong>to</strong> BLM, “Dr.<br />
Titus, BLM Utah Paria River<br />
District Paleon<strong>to</strong>logist,<br />
and Dr. Scott Sampson,<br />
who is popularly known as<br />
‘Dr. Scott the Paleon<strong>to</strong>logist’<br />
from the PBS show<br />
Dinosaur Train, discovered<br />
the baby hadrosaur.”<br />
“It is very satisfying for<br />
me <strong>to</strong> see these fossils put<br />
on display and <strong>to</strong> share the<br />
s<strong>to</strong>ry of their scientific significance<br />
for the public <strong>to</strong><br />
appreciate,” Titus said. “In<br />
this case, the cera<strong>to</strong>psian<br />
shows injuries on its ribs<br />
that probably resulted from<br />
RIGHT: This cera<strong>to</strong>psian pelvis and ribcage fossil was found on the<br />
Kaiparowits Plataea in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.<br />
BELOW: The 81.5-million-year-old Lythronax argestes (Southern King of<br />
Gore) is the oldest large tyrannosaur known in North America.<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 21
This replica of Powell’s wooden boat, the Emma Dean, was used in 1960 movie “Ten Who Dared.”<br />
intra-species roughhousing, so it gives<br />
us important insight in<strong>to</strong> these animals’<br />
behavior. The baby hadrosaur<br />
preserves delicate details of soft tissue,<br />
such as skin and muscles, providing<br />
important information about these<br />
animals’ ana<strong>to</strong>my.”<br />
The museum’s cera<strong>to</strong>psian display<br />
is good example of the care and precautions<br />
taken <strong>to</strong> excavate fossils.<br />
“You can see how much goes in<strong>to</strong><br />
having <strong>to</strong> remove it from the ground,”<br />
Bos<strong>to</strong>n said. “So they have <strong>to</strong> go in<br />
and dig underneath it <strong>to</strong> a point so<br />
that they can start forming this cast<br />
around it. And that jacket helps them<br />
get it up and out of the ground, where<br />
they can take it <strong>to</strong> the lab, and they<br />
can do the more finite detail of revealing<br />
the fossil. But if you’re having<br />
<strong>to</strong> do all of this digging under, of<br />
course, you can’t really see what’s under<br />
it, and you could unwittingly re-<br />
22 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong><br />
move some parts of that otherwise<br />
would be very valuable information.<br />
There’s a good deal of it that also has<br />
<strong>to</strong> be removed above and further back<br />
from it. There’s a whole shelf of land<br />
that they usually have <strong>to</strong> take out from<br />
these fossils <strong>to</strong> make sure that there’s<br />
not a landslide that destroys the fossil<br />
mid dig.”<br />
Bos<strong>to</strong>n said her favorite dinosaur is<br />
the Diablocera<strong>to</strong>ps ea<strong>to</strong>ni, or Ea<strong>to</strong>n’s<br />
Devil Horn Face, named after Jeffrey<br />
Ea<strong>to</strong>n, a paleon<strong>to</strong>logist at Weber State<br />
University. Diablocera<strong>to</strong>ps is a mishmash<br />
of Spanish and Latinized Greek<br />
meaning devil with horned face.<br />
“Diablocera<strong>to</strong>ps is just one of many<br />
types of cera<strong>to</strong>psians, and what makes<br />
the Diablocera<strong>to</strong>ps different than your<br />
standard tricera<strong>to</strong>ps is it’s part of a<br />
class of Cera<strong>to</strong>pians that have four<br />
horns instead of three,” Bos<strong>to</strong>n said.<br />
In addition <strong>to</strong> the new dinosaur exhibit,<br />
visi<strong>to</strong>rs can learn about the extraordinary<br />
his<strong>to</strong>ry of Page. Exhibits<br />
include a collection of large aerial<br />
images from 1960 through 1997.<br />
The panels begin with the Glen <strong>Canyon</strong><br />
Bridge, then the dam, then Page’s<br />
growth through the years.<br />
“Construction of the bridge was<br />
1957, 1958. It was completed in January<br />
1959,” Campbell said. “Construction<br />
of the dam was 1960 through<br />
1963. It was completed in June of<br />
’63.”<br />
One of the most striking museum<br />
exhibits is the huge 3D Topographic<br />
Relief Map of Glen <strong>Canyon</strong> National<br />
Recreation Area. Robert S. Miller<br />
hand-carved and painted Isocyanate<br />
foam representing 6,400,000 acres.<br />
Using dental <strong>to</strong>ols, he spent 1,952<br />
hours on the carving alone. Painting<br />
the details with 78 shades of color<br />
<strong>to</strong>ok 698 hours. He used <strong>to</strong>pograph-
ic maps, aerial pho<strong>to</strong>graphs<br />
along with rock and sand<br />
samples from 38 different<br />
locations for reference.<br />
In 1967, Miller was paid<br />
$24,000 for the project. He<br />
built the scale model in seven<br />
sections then assembled<br />
it at its original home, the<br />
Carl Hayden Visi<strong>to</strong>r Center<br />
at Glen <strong>Canyon</strong> Dam.<br />
Other exhibits include<br />
the Native American his<strong>to</strong>ry<br />
of Manson Mesa before<br />
the dam and before Page<br />
was built on <strong>to</strong>p of it.<br />
Renowned pho<strong>to</strong>grapher<br />
and scientist Gary Ladd designed<br />
the geology display<br />
and information panels. The<br />
<strong>Canyon</strong> Club sponsored the<br />
Geology of the Grand Staircase-Escalante<br />
National<br />
Monument wall.<br />
There’s also a section<br />
devoted <strong>to</strong> river exploration<br />
and pioneering commercial<br />
ventures. Aramark<br />
sponsored the River Running<br />
displays. Visi<strong>to</strong>rs can<br />
see one of Norman Nevill’s<br />
original expedition boats,<br />
Mexican Hat II.<br />
Of course, a large part of<br />
the museum is dedicated <strong>to</strong><br />
its namesake, John Wesley<br />
Powell, the first person <strong>to</strong><br />
map the region. In addition<br />
<strong>to</strong> paintings and expedition<br />
gear, the Powell exhibit include<br />
pho<strong>to</strong>s taken during<br />
his 1871-1872 river expedition.<br />
The second expedition<br />
was better organized<br />
and equipped than the first<br />
trip in 1869. The later trip’s<br />
crew included artists, wetplate<br />
pho<strong>to</strong>graphers and scientists.<br />
A replica of Major<br />
Powell’s wooden boat, the<br />
Emma Dean, is displayed<br />
outside. The boat was used<br />
in “Ten Who Dared,” a<br />
1960 movie based on the<br />
1869 expedition.<br />
There are also outside<br />
displays visi<strong>to</strong>rs can see any<br />
time. Thanks <strong>to</strong> an Arizona<br />
Humanities grant funded<br />
by the National Endowment<br />
for the Humanities, the museum<br />
now has information<br />
panels on the grounds for<br />
viewing 24/7. There’s also<br />
a large sands<strong>to</strong>ne casting of<br />
original dinosaur tracks, a<br />
three-<strong>to</strong>ed Saurischian.<br />
Powell Museum and Archives<br />
is a nonprofit organization<br />
and relies on donations<br />
<strong>to</strong> operate. Visit<br />
https://www.canyonconservancy.org/museum<br />
for<br />
more information. For large<br />
group <strong>to</strong>ur information, call<br />
Retail Operations Manager<br />
Caitlyn Moore at 928-660-<br />
7888.<br />
Powell Museum and Archives,<br />
located at 12 N.<br />
Lake Powell Blvd. in Page,<br />
Arizona, is open daily 9<br />
a.m. <strong>to</strong> 5 p.m. Admission is<br />
$12 for adults, $10 for military<br />
and seniors 62 and older,<br />
$5 for students, and free<br />
for children 0-9 and for local<br />
residents.<br />
RIGHT: Powell Expedition miniatures<br />
are on display in the John Wesley<br />
Powell wing of the museum.<br />
BELOW LEFT: The Manson Mesa<br />
His<strong>to</strong>ry exhibit teaches visi<strong>to</strong>rs<br />
about Native American life on the<br />
mesa before the Glen <strong>Canyon</strong> Dam<br />
was built in the 1960s..<br />
BELOW RIGHT: A casting of three<strong>to</strong>ed<br />
Saurischian therapod tracks<br />
is located outside the museum for<br />
after-hour visi<strong>to</strong>rs.<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 23
Explore<br />
Lake Powell<br />
WITH US<br />
OUR SERVICES<br />
Kayak & Paddleboard Tours<br />
in<strong>to</strong> Antelope <strong>Canyon</strong><br />
Private Tours<br />
Kayak & Paddleboard Rentals<br />
Inflatable SUP Rentals<br />
Gift Shop<br />
ABOUT US<br />
We are a family-owned and operated<br />
Stand Up Paddle (SUP) and Kayak<br />
outfitter located in down<strong>to</strong>wn Page, AZ<br />
just minutes from Lake Powell. Our Page,<br />
Arizona kayaking and paddleboarding<br />
<strong>to</strong>urs in<strong>to</strong> Antelope <strong>Canyon</strong> are guided by<br />
PSUPA, ACA, First Aid and CPR certified<br />
guides. We also offer the highest quality<br />
paddleboard and kayak rentals for daily<br />
or multi-day use on Lake Powell.<br />
CHECK US OUT!<br />
CALL 928-645-4017<br />
www.lakepowellpaddleboards.com<br />
24 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong>
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 25
Let The Hub Expand Your Page/Lake Powell Experience<br />
S<strong>to</strong>ry and Pho<strong>to</strong>s By Steven Law<br />
Have you ever experienced Traveler’s<br />
Remorse? It’s the unpleasant<br />
knowledge when you return from a<br />
trip only <strong>to</strong> discover you missed some<br />
of the area’s most popular and interesting<br />
attractions. It’s a frustrating feeling<br />
– knowing you were right there,<br />
and you had the time <strong>to</strong> do it, but you<br />
didn’t learn about it until you returned<br />
from your trip.<br />
There is so much <strong>to</strong> do in and<br />
around Page that trying <strong>to</strong> choose<br />
among the many recreational, dining<br />
and adventure options can start <strong>to</strong> feel<br />
overwhelming. If you’re one of the<br />
millions of <strong>to</strong>urists visiting Page this<br />
year, and you’d like some help maximizing<br />
your visit <strong>to</strong> beautiful Page and<br />
Lake Powell, the Hub Tourist Information<br />
Center can help. And you won’t<br />
return home with Traveler’s Remorse.<br />
Think of the Hub as Page’s <strong>to</strong>urist<br />
concierge.<br />
The Hub is a one-s<strong>to</strong>p shop connecting<br />
Page’s visi<strong>to</strong>rs with the many<br />
activities, hotels, restaurants and other<br />
amenities the area has <strong>to</strong> offer. And<br />
the Hub has the connections, the local<br />
knowledge and experience <strong>to</strong> make it<br />
happen.<br />
The Hub books trips for 74% of<br />
the <strong>to</strong>ur companies that operate out of<br />
26 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong><br />
Page. The Page area offers amazing<br />
hiking, cycling and UTV trails. Looking<br />
for something on the water? They<br />
can point you <strong>to</strong>ward river rafting, paddleboarding,<br />
kayaking, houseboating,<br />
water skiing and jet skiing. Page also<br />
offers scenic helicopter and airplane<br />
flights that leave from Page Municipal<br />
Airport every day.<br />
“Whatever you’re looking <strong>to</strong> do, we<br />
can help you find it,” said Judy Franz,<br />
executive direc<strong>to</strong>r for the Chamber<br />
Page/Lake Powell. “We offer a whole<br />
host of options from easy <strong>to</strong> difficult,<br />
guided or self-guided, land-based, water-based<br />
or air-based. If you want <strong>to</strong><br />
do a self-guided trip, we can provide<br />
you with the maps and information<br />
about how <strong>to</strong> get there and what gear<br />
you’ll need. If you want <strong>to</strong> do a guided<br />
trip, we can connect you with the<br />
guides.”<br />
For those visi<strong>to</strong>rs who have secured<br />
a Wave permit, The Hub offers orientation<br />
trips every morning, which also<br />
includes up-<strong>to</strong>-the-minute weather and<br />
road conditions.<br />
The Hub can also provide visi<strong>to</strong>rs<br />
with restaurant guides and the menus,<br />
hotel and motel guides, and a list of<br />
events happening around <strong>to</strong>wn.<br />
The Hub also offers maps and<br />
books, local art – including pho<strong>to</strong>s,<br />
paintings, pottery and hand-crafted<br />
jewelry – and, most importantly, a<br />
kind, knowledgeable staff.<br />
“We are here for anyone who comes<br />
in and wants <strong>to</strong> know what else they<br />
can do while visiting Page,” Franz<br />
said. “Come in. We have everything<br />
you need for your visit <strong>to</strong> Page. We’re<br />
going <strong>to</strong> take care of you.”<br />
The Hub Tourist Information Center<br />
is located at 48 S. Lake Powell<br />
Blvd., Page, Arizona. Visit online at<br />
pagelakepowellhub.com, call 928-608-<br />
5749 or 928-612-2020, or email info@<br />
pagelakepowellhub.com or reservations@pagelakepowellhub.com.<br />
Office<br />
hours are Monday through Saturday 8<br />
a.m. <strong>to</strong> 4 p.m. and Sunday 8-10 a.m.
WELCOME TO THE<br />
PAGE – LAKE POWELL<br />
HUB<br />
Amazing Tours And Fun Adventures<br />
Are Waiting For You. Book Your Tours<br />
Through Us!<br />
Come in for information about the city of<br />
Page, Lake Powell, Glen <strong>Canyon</strong>, and the<br />
center of <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong>. Let The Page-<br />
Lake Powell HUB book all your <strong>to</strong>urs in Page<br />
and surrounding areas.<br />
48 S. Lake Powell Blvd., Page, AZ 86040<br />
Phone: 928-608-5749 or 928-612-2020<br />
Text Message: 928-640-7240<br />
Email:<br />
info@pagelakepowellhub.com or<br />
reservations@pagelakepowellhub.com<br />
Book Your<br />
Tour<br />
Follow us on<br />
Social Media<br />
Scan for Hub<br />
Website<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com Page-Lake Powell Chamber | 9 27
Page doubles its mountain<br />
bike trail system<br />
S<strong>to</strong>ry and pho<strong>to</strong>s by Douglas Long<br />
Mountain bikers travel from all over the United States,<br />
and even the world, <strong>to</strong> ride the famous trails in Moab, Utah,<br />
and Sedona, Arizona.<br />
About halfway in between these two world-renowned cycling<br />
destinations lies Page, Arizona. The small city, located<br />
near Lake Powell, has not been well known for its mountain<br />
biking opportunities, but that began <strong>to</strong> change in July<br />
<strong>2023</strong> with the inauguration of the new Red Mesa Rim Trail<br />
system. Now, Page is set <strong>to</strong> become a popular s<strong>to</strong>pover for<br />
mountain bikers who come <strong>to</strong> the desert Southwest for offroad<br />
cycling adventures.<br />
For many years, hikers and mountain bikers who visit<br />
or who live in Page have enjoyed the Rimview Trail,<br />
which circumnavigates the city in a scenic 10-mile loop.<br />
The new Red Mesa Rim Trail, whose trailhead is located<br />
at 2155 Coppermine Road, adds another 10.8 miles of singletrack<br />
designed for hiking and mountain biking. For cyclists,<br />
different sections are rated green (beginner), blue (intermediate)<br />
or black (advanced). Most of the beginner and<br />
intermediate sections are on the <strong>to</strong>p of Red Mesa. Riding<br />
the black-diamond sections involves dropping down in<strong>to</strong> the<br />
beautiful slickrock terrain east of the mesa.<br />
28 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong>
The conception of Red Mesa Rim Trail dates back four<br />
years when a couple of local entrepreneurs who were starting<br />
an e-bike business <strong>to</strong>ok Lynn Cormier – direc<strong>to</strong>r of<br />
community engagement for the City of Page – for a bike<br />
ride on Red Mesa.<br />
“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this is really cool up<br />
here,’” Cormier said. She started looking in<strong>to</strong> grants <strong>to</strong> fund<br />
the design of a nonmo<strong>to</strong>rized trail on the mesa, but like<br />
many projects, it was put on hold when the COVID pandemic<br />
began sweeping across the globe in early 2020.<br />
Then, 18 months ago, as the pandemic waned, she got the<br />
green light <strong>to</strong> proceed and succeeded in getting a $149,250<br />
nonmo<strong>to</strong>rized recreational trail grant through Arizona State<br />
Parks and Trails.<br />
The original idea was <strong>to</strong> build an easy 5-mile loop on the<br />
<strong>to</strong>p of the mesa, but when the trail builder that the city hired<br />
– Doug Hansen, president of Idaho-based Cuddy Mountain<br />
Trail Company – saw the extensive slickrock terrain <strong>to</strong> the<br />
east of the high ground, he suggested adding a few miles of<br />
black-diamond terrain that would attract serious mountain<br />
bikers <strong>to</strong> Page.<br />
“[Hansen] was instrumental in his vision and knowing<br />
what bicyclists want – seeing the red rock and saying, ‘Man,<br />
people at this level love rock and you’ve got rock, so let’s<br />
make the most of it,’” Cormier said.<br />
Hansen called in a black-diamond bicycle specialist from<br />
Hwy 98<br />
Red Mesa Rim Trail<br />
Coppermine Rd / Navajo Route 20<br />
Red Mesa Loop<br />
Red Mesa Loop<br />
Fin Rock Ledge<br />
Eagle Rock<br />
Loop<br />
Easy Rider Trail<br />
Eastern Ledge<br />
Trail Rules:<br />
Hiking and Biking Only<br />
No Mo<strong>to</strong>rized Vehicles on Trail<br />
Stay on Marked Trails<br />
Know your Limits on all Trails<br />
Watch for Snakes & Desert Critters<br />
Pack out all Trash <strong>to</strong> Parking Lot Bins<br />
No Overnight Camping or Parking<br />
Bring Plenty of Water<br />
No Glass Containers Allowed<br />
Please Clean up After your Pets<br />
Keep your Pet on a Leash<br />
Red Mesa Loop<br />
Red Mesa Loop<br />
Mushroom Rock Loop<br />
Green Diamond Trails<br />
(Easy)<br />
Blue Diamond Trails<br />
(Moderate)<br />
Black Diamond Trails<br />
(Difficult)<br />
Trail Head Access Rd<br />
XStart<br />
XStart<br />
Red Mesa Loop<br />
This project was financed, in part by a grant from<br />
the Federal Recreation Trails Program (RTP)<br />
administered by Arizona State Parks and Trails.<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 29
Idaho with whom he had worked in<br />
the past, and they spent a week mapping<br />
out how the whole biking scenario<br />
would work. The black-diamond<br />
sections more than doubled the trail’s<br />
length from the original 5 miles <strong>to</strong><br />
nearly 11 miles.<br />
“When they were done, I was blown<br />
away at how amazing of a trail system<br />
that we now have,” Cormier said. “I’m<br />
absolutely ecstatic with how it turned<br />
out.”<br />
Hansen, whose experience as a trail<br />
builder dates back 40 years and spans<br />
locations throughout the United States,<br />
first visited Page in November 2022,<br />
just prior <strong>to</strong> the time Cuddy Mountain<br />
Trail Company bid on the project.<br />
Before then, Cormier had already<br />
been consulting with Hansen over the<br />
phone <strong>to</strong> get the information she needed<br />
<strong>to</strong> write the grant proposal, including<br />
how much it would cost <strong>to</strong> develop<br />
and build the trail system. Once the<br />
City of Page was awarded the grant,<br />
Hansen decided <strong>to</strong> bid on the project.<br />
During that first trip <strong>to</strong> Page, Hansen<br />
walked about 1 mile of the proposed<br />
trail with Cormier.<br />
“It was so unique compared <strong>to</strong> anything<br />
I’ve done in the last 40 years.<br />
I’ve probably done some kind of work<br />
30 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong><br />
on a thousand miles of trail, and I said<br />
<strong>to</strong> myself, ‘I just want <strong>to</strong> do this trail<br />
because it’s different than anything<br />
I’ve ever done,’” Hansen said.<br />
What was “unique” was the amount<br />
of slickrock.<br />
“You just don’t see that opportunity<br />
very often. It’s something that mountain<br />
bikers are just craving, something<br />
that’s challenging, something that’s<br />
different,” Hansen said.<br />
“There’s so many things you can do<br />
with rock that you can’t do with dirt<br />
because it doesn’t erode and it provides<br />
a unique experience for mountain bikers<br />
and a more challenging ride that is<br />
environmentally friendly, <strong>to</strong>o, because<br />
they don’t leave any marks, there’s no<br />
big erosion. People will travel for this,<br />
I guarantee it.”<br />
Hansen added that he has a nephew<br />
who has been a serious mountain biker<br />
his whole life who lives in Salt Lake<br />
City, Utah, but who occasionally travels<br />
<strong>to</strong> Page – nearly 400 miles away –<br />
for his work as an at<strong>to</strong>rney for the National<br />
Park Service.<br />
“He came down when we were just<br />
getting started [on the trail project] and<br />
he looked at what we were doing. He<br />
said, ‘I can guarantee people will come<br />
from Salt Lake <strong>to</strong> ride this and spend<br />
the weekend,’” Hansen said.<br />
Indeed, feedback from Page-based<br />
mountain bikers who have ridden Red<br />
Mesa Rim Trail has been exceedingly<br />
enthusiastic and positive.<br />
“The locals who have gone out there<br />
have said, ‘Wow, these are trails that<br />
we spend three hours driving <strong>to</strong>, and<br />
now they’re in our backyard. This is<br />
incredible,’” Cormier said.<br />
One of those cyclists is Jerod Viers,<br />
who said the Red Mesa Rim Trail is a<br />
great improvement for recreation in the<br />
City of Page.
“Riders of all skill levels will have<br />
fun here, with scenic easy riding on<br />
the mesa and challenging rock and<br />
slickrock below the rim,” he said.<br />
“I love riding the more technical<br />
trails. Normally, riding similar trails<br />
would require a [two-hour] drive <strong>to</strong><br />
the St. George or Flagstaff areas, but<br />
now we have some right in our backyard.<br />
The variety at Red Mesa, along<br />
with the Rimview Trail, makes Page<br />
an excellent s<strong>to</strong>pping point for riders<br />
visiting trails in the Grand Circle.”<br />
Cormier said the new trail system<br />
has opened a whole new door <strong>to</strong> the<br />
biking and hiking communities.<br />
“People who hike have access <strong>to</strong><br />
it, but I really think those people who<br />
are bicyclists will be blown away<br />
not only by the levels of the different<br />
trails, but also by seeing the beauty of<br />
our landscape,” she said.<br />
“I would really like <strong>to</strong> see all these<br />
people who are driving through Page<br />
with bikes on the back [of their vehicles]<br />
s<strong>to</strong>p and spend a whole day just<br />
playing out there. My desire is <strong>to</strong> put<br />
Page on the map in regard <strong>to</strong> that elevated<br />
level of bicycling experience. I<br />
think the Red Mesa Rim Trail might<br />
be the doors that make that happen.”<br />
Trail builder Doug Hansen stressed<br />
that Cormier deserves a lot of credit<br />
for Red Mesa Rim Trail because<br />
she was the one who <strong>to</strong>ok the time <strong>to</strong><br />
make it happen.<br />
“Lynn and the city really need <strong>to</strong><br />
be commended for what they’ve done<br />
because it <strong>to</strong>ok a lot of time and effort,”<br />
he said.<br />
“Not only that, but they were willing<br />
<strong>to</strong> not just have preconceived ideas<br />
of what was going <strong>to</strong> happen but <strong>to</strong> listen<br />
<strong>to</strong> mountain bikers in the community,<br />
leave their ego at the door and<br />
say, ‘These are the guys that really<br />
know how <strong>to</strong> do this, so we’re going <strong>to</strong><br />
do what they say.’ It’s not that way all<br />
the time. The citizens of Page should<br />
know that this is an amazing project<br />
that has happened because their civil<br />
servants did a good job.”<br />
GYM • STUDIO • RETAIL<br />
Your Journey <strong>to</strong> Wellness<br />
Odyssey Fixx -<br />
Pressed juices, smoothies, nutri shots,<br />
espresso, sandwiches, protein shakes,<br />
fruit <strong>to</strong>asts, overnight oats, yogurt parfaits,<br />
pre-workout mixers, redbull mixers<br />
130 6th Ave, Page, AZ | pagefitnessodyssey.com | 928-645-6922<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 31
Page AZ Balloon<br />
Regatta & Street Fair<br />
Every year on the first weekend in November,<br />
the skies over Page, Arizona,<br />
are filled with more than 60 colorful<br />
hot-air balloons during the city’s premier<br />
event: the Page AZ Balloon Regatta & Street<br />
Fair. Weather permitting, balloons take flight<br />
each morning from Thursday through Sunday.<br />
On Saturday evening, more than 20 balloons<br />
participating in the popular Balloon<br />
Glow light up a stretch of Lake Powell Boulevard<br />
in down<strong>to</strong>wn Page. On Friday and Saturday,<br />
following the morning balloon launches,<br />
down<strong>to</strong>wn Page is also the site of a street fair<br />
hosted by the Page Chamber of Commerce.<br />
The fair features food, craft and retail vendors,<br />
bounce houses and children’s activities,<br />
a beer garden, live music and Navajo cultural<br />
shows. The <strong>2023</strong> regatta takes place Nov. 2-5.<br />
Don’t miss your chance <strong>to</strong> visit Page during<br />
this year’s awe-inspiring event.<br />
32 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong>
LIKE AND FOLLOW US ON<br />
816 Coppermine Rd, Page AZ | 928-583-9847<br />
www.bitahniboutique.com<br />
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 33
Fresh Homestyle Cooking<br />
& Live Music Every Night<br />
679 S. Lake Powell Blvd.<br />
Page, AZ. 86040<br />
Phone: 928-645-2519<br />
Sit back and relax with our Boat Chartering<br />
Experience! This is a private <strong>to</strong>ur, where<br />
YOU call the shots. Unlike commercial<br />
<strong>to</strong>urs, you’re in control <strong>to</strong> choose your<br />
favorite destinations. Explore the jaw<br />
dropping sites on the water, in slot<br />
canyons by foot, get your <strong>to</strong>es in the sand,<br />
and take a dip in the lake!<br />
928-307-7144<br />
Our side-by-sides are the perfect way<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>to</strong>ur the alluring sites of Horseshoe<br />
Bend, Antelope <strong>Canyon</strong>, and more. These<br />
UTVs are smooth, comfortable, and<br />
ready <strong>to</strong> take on any off-road adventure<br />
you’re ready for!<br />
34 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong><br />
Our Shuttle service offers a more leisurelike<br />
<strong>to</strong>ur, air conditioned and comfortable<br />
for the whole family. Stretching 25 miles<br />
from Page is the spectacular Toads<strong>to</strong>ols<br />
hike, exploring the many alcoves<br />
and hoodoos surrounding the vast<br />
beauty of the desert.<br />
Swing by our office location inside<br />
Kelly’s Sugar House for all your travel<br />
and lake apparel and fun <strong>to</strong>ys. At the end<br />
of the <strong>to</strong>ur or trip s<strong>to</strong>p back for some<br />
sweet treats and old-fashioned delights.<br />
We look forward <strong>to</strong> being your guides!!!
www.<strong>Gateway</strong><strong>to</strong><strong>Canyon</strong><strong>Country</strong>.com 35
36 <strong>Gateway</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Canyon</strong> <strong>Country</strong>