Shanti

I was on the computer, trying to figure out where I'd like to go for my birthday. To make a long story short, I was amazed to find permits available for The Wave. So I am the happy owner of two permits in January.

Outside of the fact that the weather might not cooperate, any suggestions/recommendations for this, including where else to go during one week in early January. I'm thinking maybe southern Utah.

Thanks in advance.

BTW, there's other permits still open for January for anyone who might want to go.

spirobulldog

Get GPS coordinates. There are actually two areas of the wave and other sights along the way(arches,etc).

checkout www.naturalbornhikers.com website
They have a good description for their version of the hike

Bill_H

I've been to the Wave several times in December, usually my wife and I were the only ones in there, which was nice. Couple of times maybe one other small group showed up for a while. Easy hiking in the cooler weather, compared to summer, and it's low enough that it wasn't really cold.

While in that area you could also check out the Old Pareah movie set, the entrance is about 6 or 7 miles west of the turn-off to Wire Pass that takes you to the Wave. It's marked by a roadside marker and pullout on your right as you head toward Kanab (I *think* it's between mile markers 33 - 34 on highway 89, while the Wire Pass turnoff is nearer marker 27, from ancient memory). Several movies ("Outlaw Josey Wales" w/ Clint Eastwood, for example) and TV commercials were filmed there and the area is an excellent example of the layered multi-colored Chinle rock formation that forms the Painted Desert. Free. Good place to bring a picnic lunch.

Basically you can do a lot in northern Az & southern Utah in the winter IF there isn't a big snow storm, which can shut the roads at higher elevations. I like to be flexible (ie, no firm hotel reservations etc) so I go to lower elevations during a storm in winter to avoid driving on icy roads, then go to the higher stuff once roads are cleared for best photos.

North rim of the GC will be closed until May but the other parks are open (though Bryce often gets snow because of the elevation). The Moab area, especially Arches & Island in the Sky and Needles units of Canyonlands is good, as is the south rim of the GC. Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly are also interesting to photograph, especially if there is snow.

There are actually two areas of the wave

I think what Spiro means here is that there are two units to Coyote Buttes (there is only one wave). You would get separate permits to hike the two areas. The wave is in the northern unit. There is some scenic stuff in the southern unit (a few miles down the dirt road to the parking area) but nothing like the Wave and the Swirl in the northern unit. I don't think I've ever seen anyone else down there.

Helps to have 4-WD to get the best access in Coyote Buttes South unit. You wouldn't want to get stuck in the sand there in the winter.

Floridafran

Shanti,

Congrats on scoring a permit.

My husband and I hiked to the Wave 5 years ago and loved it. But it was mid-May and hot. As long as it doesn't get too cold, you'll be much better off than we were in that respect.

I second the recommendation that you have a good hand-held GPS that you know how to use. (Make sure it has good batteries. I'm the type that takes extras.) We prefer one that leaves breadcrumbs. That was a handy feature at the Wave because, unless things have changed, there isn't a trail in the traditional sense. On the map the BLM gave us with our permit it calls the dashed red line you follow "a route, not a trail."

Also, even though it will won't be hot, you still need to be sure to stay well hydrated. Harder to do in cooler weather because you're apt to think you don't need it. The BLM ranger told us to take salty snacks along because they'll make you drink more.

As for other things to do in the area. We loved Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend. Farther away you have Arches, Bryce, and the south rim of the Grand Canyon - all in different directions. I find it hard to go wrong in that part of the country - it's all so beautiful, and different from what I see every day.

If you're hiking alone, be sure to have someone who knows your schedule. Give them a time you'll call to check in and let them know you made it back out okay. Not that anything is likely to happen to you, but a turned ankle or fall could leave you stranded. As Bill-H said, at that time of year you could be the only one out there. If you haven't called your contact on time, they should have the phone # for the BLM office so someone can go looking for you.

Have a great time. It's an awesome place. I wandered around forever just looking at, and photographing, the intricate patterns in the sandstone. We want to go back one day in cooler weather.

Shanti

Thank you for all the suggestions. I've googled your recommendations and have quite a list of places that I'd like to visit. Good thing I've got some time to plan this trip.

Currently, I use my iphone for directions while driving - do you recommend any specific hand held GPS units?

spirobulldog

NO, I meant a 2nd wave. Also Hamburger Rock, Top Rock Arch, Melody Arch, and a few other minor things to see.

I must admit I haven't hiked The Wave, but I have read about it a lot in hopes of hiking it in the next year or two.

http://www.thewave.info/http://www.n...yoteButtes.htm
http://photo.net/travel-photography-forum/00K9L4
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mumbleyjoe/3301238229/
http://www.oceanlight.com/lightbox.p..._usa__location

spirobulldog

http://www.thewave.info/

This link has the best info

I messed the link up on that post earlier--_sorry Try that one then natural born hikers

Bill_H

NO, I meant a 2nd wave.

Spiro, from the link I see what you mean, but this rock is generally called "The Swirl" or something similar by the pro photographers and it's only 30 or 40 yards west of the Wave, so not a separate area at all. I've never heard it referred to as the Second Wave before, but anyone can give it a name I guess since there is nothing official.

The 3rd highly popular spot for photographers is right at the entrance to the Wave as you first walk up to it, http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilcptop40/4500910412/ for Jack Dykinga's great photo (usually doesn't have water in it and that's Jack's walking stick, I think). I was fortunate enough to do a 5 day hike down Paria Canyon to Lee's Ferry with Jack several years ago, he's a great photographer (only landscape photog I know with a Pulitzer Prize).

From this site the Wave is just a few feet to the left.

sf7307

Wow - I'd never heard of the Wave before. Spectacular! I guess since there are so few permits, there are no "organized" hikes? (Hiking where there is a potential for getting lost makes me very nervous -- I like trails and signs )

InSandy

Good info from everyone.

Bill_H, The old Pariah movie set was burned (again) and has not been replaced. So even though it is a beautiful area, didn't want anyone thinking they would see the set.

spiro, thanks for admitting you haven't been to the wave yet. I kind of thought so from some of your responses and almost asked. I hope you do get a chance to take the hike. It is really wonderful.

spirobulldog

BIll,

All of those link refer to it as the 2nd wave. Wikipedia refers to it as the 2nd wave or The Swirl. So, I guess you are right, it has no official name.

If you google coyotte buttes 2nd wave you get a ton of hits, just like you do when you google coyotte buttes the swirl.

And all this talk about it on here has me itching to actually see it for myself.

Floridafran

Shanti,

In regards to the GPS. I asked my husband, since he is the tecno guy in this family. I learn how to use them but I don't chose them.

We have a Garmin E-Trex which we've had for years. (It's the one we took to the Wave.) He's thinking of getting a Delorme hand held. We have all the Delorme stuff loaded into our laptop and the big GPS and he really likes it. He said you can get a good one that leaves breadcrumbs for a reasonable price and if you're going to to be doing a lot of hiking it's a good investment. He said to get one you can load info into. He found an online site that has a loadable version of the route.
www.withoutbaggage.com/gps/the-wave

Your iphone GPS could work if it doesn't eat up your battery too quickly. My Thunderbolt is a battery hog when I keep my GPS on, so I wouldn't want to rely on it for that long. Also, I don't know if your iphone leaves breadcrumbs. That's a feature I'd want for this hike.

Good thing is - January is a few months off. You have time to check out various GPS devices and decide what will work best for you.

spirobulldog

I think you can actually rent them at a few places.

Bill_H

Hiking where there is a potential for getting lost makes me very nervous

sf7307, just to clear this up a bit, the hiking itself is easy unless it's very hot, at least for the desert southwest, in that this is a short hike (maybe 2 miles ... I can walk it in an hour with a 45 lb pack) and it's not steep, just 2-3 short stretches with maybe a 50 - 100 ft elevation change. Doesn't get much easier than this.

The bit about "lost" doesn't mean "lost" in the sense that you can't get back to your car in the parking lot, doomed to wander the desert until you die, it means you might not find the specific entrance to the wave. I think anyone with even minimal hiking and route-finding experience can get back to their car.

For example several times we've stayed in until last light to photograph the white swirling rock formation 50 yards west of the wave (Spiro, this takes care of the naming problem!), then hiked out in the twilight, with the last half of the hike in total darkness. No problem ... believe me, if you can hike an area in the dark it's not a difficult hike out.

Finding the wave is the problem, getting lost returning to your vehicle should not be a problem.

As for the hiker who died that Spiro linked to, he was almost two miles east of the wave if he fell into Buckskin Gulch. He was probably exploring a different area just for the fun of it, or else he REALLY got turned around by 90 degrees if he was looking for the wave.

BTW, since Buckskin came up, I would strongly recommend it to anyone interested in slot canyons. It's very deep compared to Antelope, around 150 - 200 ft in places, and very dark, and there are a couple of pour-offs up to 6 ft high that you have to negotiate to get to it from the Wire Pass parking lot (same parking lot as for the Wave, you just go straight instead of turning right at the old jeep road to reach Buckskin). Usually people have stacked big rocks up so you can scramble up/down the two pour offs, but every time it rains heavily these get washed away, so check that you can get back up before diving in.

Buckskin gulch is a wild, beautiful place, but often has standing water up to chest deep in some pools and is of course a death trap if it floods, so never do it during the monsoon season. Highly recommended, and no drawing for permits!

Shanti

Thanks again for the suggestions. The Garmin E-Trex is listed for $127 on eBay and, yes, it's fortunate that I have time to do research.

Things seem to be falling into place. Southwest is conveniently having a sale on air fares in January. So far, I know I want to visit Antelope Canyon, even if there aren't any light shafts in January, and Horseshoe Bend. BF has his heart set on seeing Monument Valley. I'm still trying to figure out if we have time to go up to Arches.

I've read that the hike is about six miles round trip but four miles sounds good to me. I'm feeling much better about the hike since I won't be going solo but will still leave info about my whereabouts at wherever we will be staying that night.

And sf, there aren't organized hikes although you can hire a guide to show you how to get there.

InSandy

I don't know about Bill_H, but finding the Wave was actually fairly easy for me. It took me two hours and is indeed a three mile one way hike. But you also want to explore a little once you get there so you might end up adding a mile or so on to the hike. But I agree it certainly wasn't a hard hike. I was nervous about getting back though and was glad to have the backtrack to help me. In the end I didn't need it, but used it once in awhile just to make sure. And in the end I missed the trail back to the parking lot and was walking on down the Wirepass wash to who knows where.

The nice thing about January at Antelope Canyon is there are very few people. Try to see both upper and lower, they are very different from each other and both wonderful.

Shanti

That's what I was thinking about Antelope Canyon. It may not have perfect lighting, but it also won't be crowded. I'll be going back there in June - I'm going to a wedding in Sedona then. I have a feeling that I'll prefer it in December. I try to avoid exploring areas that are crowded.

I'd like to add some exploring to the hike to the Wave, if possible. However, BF has knee problems and six miles is more than he usually hikes. I've got plantar fasciitis, but should be able to handle six miles. I did find this website with info on side trips, just in case we can add a little extra to the hike: http://www.thewave.info/CoyoteButtesNorthMap.html