We are currently in Kanab, Utah after a week in Zion National Park. Zion was beautiful as usual and we hiked to new places. We had a couple days of thunderstorms which dropped 3 to 4 inches in the Kanab area and prevented us from hiking in some slot canyons due to flooding. We did manage one where we waded up the canyon to a waterfall. The water was extremely cold making our feet numb, but the narrow sandstone canyon made it worthwhile.

Kanab is in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The Monument is best explored via dirt roads, most of which are currently impassable due to the reicent thunderstorms. One reason we are in Kanab is to be able to hike to a sandstone formation called the wave. It is in a wilderness area and only 20 people a day are given permits. Ten permits are issued in advance on the internet and are grabbed up within a matter of minutes of offerred. The other ten permits are issued the day before you intend to hike. This morning we arrived at the ranger station in hopes of getting a permit and placed our name in the running along with 34 other hopefuls. Each person's name is given a number and the numbers are place in a bingo hopper. Ten lucky people got their number pulled. Tomorrow we will try again.

Check out the wave at this web site

http://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/coyote_buttes/index.html

I've attempted to place some photograps here but the wireless web site I am on is very slow and I can't seem to get the photos downloaded. I'll post some when I'm able.