White Pocket, Pt. 1

Last Wednesday (9/14) Dad and I took a trip out to White Pocket. I've heard about it for quite some time now, but never have taken the opportunity to ride out there. It's kind of like the Wave's poor step-brother and doesn't require a permit to visit (yet!) so I thought we'd go there before we had to start jumping through hoops or worse yet, not be able to go at all.*

*Sidetrail #1: Canaan Mountain, anyone?

White Pocket is the name of this butte that rises above the surrounding area and is so named for a depression on top (you can find it on Google Earth). And, obviously, the formation is white. This is the only picture I have with the sun on it. A storm was moving in and the rest of the pictures were taken in overcast conditions.

As we approached, the white formations rose out of the landscape like giant white breakers crashing against the butte.

To get to White Pocket, we took the House Rock Valley road south from 89 and drove twenty miles south to an unmarked** junction. On the way down we had to cross Buckskin Wash which was flowing with 8-12 inches of water. There was a car parked there, but nobody around. I hope they weren't down in canyon, because later on it rained like cats and dogs.*** Anybody caught down there would probably end up in the Colorado!

**Sidetrail #2: Unmarked except by those little spindly road markers that gives the BLM road number but gives no info as to where the road leads. Fortunately there's some good directions to be found on the internet with GPS markers. Even so, we still took a couple of wrong turns.

***Sidetrail #3: If you're interested in the origin of the phrase 'raining cats and dogs' see this article here.

This and the following pictures are examples of the fantastic rock formations. I need to go back someday when the light is better and we are able to spend a little more time.

Kinda reminds one of Checkerboard Mesa in Zion National Park, although on a much small scale, obviously.

The slickrock rises right out of the sands. Here dad is venturing out onto the rocks after walking several hundred yards through the sand from the parking lot.****

Sidetrail #4: Don't get me started here. I know it helps preserve the 'natural' experience to have to be able to hike in, but come on, give people at least one site they can drive right up to. The Wave requires a lenthy hike (and a permit), ditto for other sites nearby (the entire cliff around the area is wilderness area, for example) and you ought to have at least one place where people who are, for one reason or another, unable to physically get around well, can go and enjoy these kind of areas. End of mini rant.+

+Sidetrail to sidetrail#4: I will admit that if there was easier access to White Pocket, it's a sure thing that irresponsible ATV users and campers would quickly mar the area with trash, rubber marks and damage on and to the formations, etc. It's a sad fact that a few idiots can ruin it for everyone else.

For more, see White Pocket, Pt. 2.