Sunday, May 26, 2019

In the Footsteps of a Million Other People Who Also Had the Great Idea to Hike Kasha-Katuwe on Memorial Day Weekend


After packing out of Bandelier we drove to Kasha-Katuwe National Monument just in time to get in line at the “Approximate Wait Time from this Point 90 Minutes” spot. Which was a pretty accurate estimate. Had plenty of time to eat lunch, put on our hiking boots, and watch the line get longer and longer behind us. 
After 1/2 an hour on line

I considered asking the folks in the Cruise America RV that was about 12 spots behind us if I could use their bathroom, but was too embarrassed.

Fantastic volcanic tuff formations on the hike ...




Followed by a fantastic view from on top 

Bandelier, where we had come from that morning, off in the distance, about 20 miles away as the crow flies and about an hour and 45 min and 84 miles by car.

Saw that “Weather was coming”. Wind picked up and was blasting us just as we got into the slot canyon. A sand and gravel windstorm! Must have gotten 10 years’ worth of wrinkles sandblasted from my face. And as much sand and gravel in my hair as if I had done a headstand at the beach. Wind was followed by a hail/rainstorm. No point in running as we were going to get soaked anyway. Skipped the other hike in the area and decided not to camp that night. Needed a hot shower to wash the sand out of our ears and various other places.


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