slot canyons.

After we packed out of Coyote Gulch, we set up camp in an abandoned corral. It got a little windy that night, so the corral turned out to be a cozy spot to spend the night. We got a little "sandblasted," but we were already good and dirty after three nights in a tent. We spent the next day exploring a couple of slot canyons in the area: Peek-a-Boo and Spooky.

Slot Canyons are narrow canyons, obviously formed by wind and water. The light filters in through the slit of sky and makes the rock glow red and orange. I love that you can see exactly how the elements rush through the canyon, swooping around corners and carving out smooth curves in the rock. Some slot canyons are so narrow that you can hardly shimmy your way through.

We had a funny story while trying to navigate the canyons. After a beautiful walk through Peek-a-Boo, we tried to hike the short distance to get to Spooky. It was supposed to be a loop. After an hour of trudging through the sand, we dropped into what we thought was Spooky. But, some things seemed a little too familiar. When we emerged at the end of the canyon we discovered that after our adventure through the desert we had only made a very wide circle and hopped right back into Peek-a-Boo. Karalee and I decided that we never want to see Peek-a-Boo Canyon again--we had seen our fair share of it.

Somehow, Sam convinced me to go ahead and take a quick look at Spooky before we left. Spooky Canyon turned out to be one of the most amazing geological sights I have ever seen, and we hiked the entire canyon. It was a very, VERY narrow canyon. If there was someone coming in the opposite direction, you had to find a little divot in the rock, press your body back, and let them pass somehow. Some parts required sucking in your gut, and trying not to scrape your nose along the rock. Some parts required you to shimmy and climb up over a sharp turn. And, some parts really were quite spooky, when the canyon seemed to envelope you, and the light dimmed. It turned out to be the best choice we made all day--we loved Spooky Canyon.

We had so much fun on our trip this last weekend. Sam has a whole list of places that we are going to hit up this summer. If you want to join us, let us know! We are sure looking forward to that trip in late June with the Pinegars!

Ps. Sam and I are aware that we are dressed the same. It was not planned. We promise.