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Dave Beedon | profile | all galleries >> Places >> Utah >> Moab (environs) >> The Goose Neck >> Ascent to the Goose Neck's Mesa tree view | thumbnails | slideshow | map

Jetboat ride to the Goose Neck | Ascent to the Goose Neck's Mesa | Evening Walk on the Goose Neck's Mesa | Night Shots at Camp on the Goose Neck | Morning Shots in Camp on the Goose Neck | Morning Mesa Hike on the Goose Neck | Descent from the Mesa to the River | Jetboat Ride back to Potash

Ascent to the Goose Neck's Mesa

OK, I've been dropped off on the bank of the Colorado River, made my way through a jungle
of tamarisk trees, and arranged my equipment so I could carry it with the least trouble.
Now to gain some elevation. From my staging point near the river bank I walked north along
the edge of the tamarisk, following a level animal path that was liberally decorated with
feces, some of which seemed fairly new. In five minutes I stood at the base of The Slope
Of Destiny, the hillside I planned to ascend to reach the mesa of the Goose Neck. In spite
of the awful weight of my backpack, I was EXCITED!

Come with me as I climb to the fulfillment of a four-year-old dream...
.
.
Tamarisk jungle between me and the river
Tamarisk jungle between me and the river		 View to the north
View to the north		 Vegetation, boulders, and strata
Vegetation, boulders, and strata		 Calling cards
Calling cards
Turn left at the whitish boulder
Turn left at the whitish boulder		 Bamboo and Dead Horse Point
Bamboo and Dead Horse Point		 Smile City!
Smile City!		 Will it go?
Will it "go"?
Near the top of the easy part
Near the top of the easy part		 View from the big stained boulder
View from the big stained boulder		 Dead Horse Point State Park---again
Dead Horse Point State Park---again		 Stained boulder below
Stained boulder below
Grassy bench represents success
Grassy bench represents success		 Conglomerate on the traverse
Conglomerate on the traverse		 End of bench; turn right
End of bench; turn right		 Onward and upward!
Onward and upward!
Where I've just been
Where I've just been		 Vegetation, stone, and muddy river
Vegetation, stone, and muddy river		 Getting there...
Getting there...		 One more section to go
One more section to go
I smell a summit
I smell a summit		 Twenty more steps...
Twenty more steps...		 !!!!! SUCCESS !!!!!
!!!!! SUCCESS !!!!!		 Gravel bar 400 feet above the river
Gravel bar 400 feet above the river
Flight deck and superstructure
Flight deck and superstructure		 Mesa is relatively flat but not level
Mesa is relatively flat but not level		 Canyonlands National Park beyond the grassy mesa
Canyonlands National Park beyond the grassy mesa		 Shafer Canyon in distance
Shafer Canyon in distance
Terrain detail at north end of mesa
Terrain detail at north end of mesa		 Boulder is 7 feet (2m+) tall
Boulder is 7 feet (2m+) tall		 Two-tone
Two-tone		 Campsite in view
Campsite in view
This view crosses the Colorado River three times
This view crosses the Colorado River three times		 Blowing smoke
Blowing smoke		 Camp site on the Goose Neck
Camp site on the Goose Neck		 View from camp to the northwest
View from camp to the northwest
Rock and tent
Rock and tent		 Crack of mystery
Crack of mystery		 Two cars on Shafer Trail
Two cars on Shafer Trail		 Duffel bag far below
Duffel bag far below
River bench and sandbar
River bench and sandbar		 Waiting for me
Waiting for me		 Left behind and not missed
Left behind and not missed		 Hearts on the helmet
Hearts on the helmet
Tilted mouth near the river
Tilted mouth near the river		 A thousand points of pain
A thousand points of pain		 Tilted landscape near the river
Tilted landscape near the river		 Rock bench of yesterday
Rock bench of "yesterday"
Mesa Boy has a snack on the rocks
Mesa Boy has a snack "on the rocks"		 Equipment
Equipment		 A grab shot
A grab shot

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