Freezing but wonderful Bryce Canyon: my favorite!

I only visited 30 of the 63 National Parks in the US but, so far, Bryce Canyon remains my favorite. Especially in winter with the rich palette of colors include white snow, contrasting with the red rocks and blue sky. And the brittle aspect and impression of fragility of the hoodoos, this canyon which looks like temporary dentelle ready to be washed out by erosion and the elements, wind and rain, if not earthquakes. Million year-old yet, in this age of severe human impact on our planet, you have to wonder how long this natural show will last. You see, I'm sold!

It was my third visit and, this time, I wanted to go down the canyon, not just stay on the ridge. It was a family trip again though so I had to start super early, like before sunrise. And, although it was April already, and Spring, technically, the temperature was close to 20F when I left the hotel, yikes! If you follow my blog and adventures, you know I fare poorly when chilly. By the way, there was a freezing breeze to make things more interesting.

Thinking I would warm-up with speed, I left with only a pair of racing gloves, leaving my bigger fleece gloves in the room. Poor choice. Ever quarter of a mile, in the dark, I had to stop to put my bottles down and blow air through my gloves as my fingertips were badly hurting. And the more I was stopping, the colder I was getting...

Sunrise was scheduled for 7:05 am. I left the hotel in Bryce Canyon village at 6 and my initial plan was to run straight to the end of the Bryce Canyon amphitheater, at Bryce Point, 7 miles away. With the slow progress, I decided to change plan and aim at meeting Agnès and my cousins/aunt at Sunrise Point instead, making a detour through Fairyland Point to then run along the entire ridge of the canyon, before plunging into it at Bryce Point, on Peekaboo Loop Trail.

While I did manage to get to Sunrise Point by sunrise, I wasn't getting warmer after the Sun rose because a thin layer of clouds maintained the low temperature. It helped a bit to get the extra pair of gloves but I needed way more than that bit to be able to run normally. To make the matter more interesting, the ridge trail was covered by icy snow on the steep way up to Inspiration Point, then Bryce Point. The Brooks Pure Grit worked wonder in these conditions, it's just that I was too cold to keep moving.

The wind was strong at Bryce Point: on one hand the views of the amphitheater were stunning and I had to remove my gloves to take pictures. On the other, the cold was unbearable. I wouldn't fare well on Mount Everest...

The plan was for me to be back to the hotel by 9:15 to grab breakfast and it was already 8 am. I ran a couple of mile on the road then heard the Park Shuttle coming: I waived at it, on its side of the road and, zip, it didn't stop. I appreciate I wasn't at the parking lot stop but, geez, I was freezing. Cold. Damned! A few minutes later, a car came through and I waved at it too: two girls driving, I understand the reluctance to pick a stranger. At that point, I called Agnès for a pick up...

The following Relive.cc flyover includes pictures from all the key points: Faryland, Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration and Bryce Points. Click on this link or the image below.

10.7 miles and still no running below the ridge, that will have to wait for next time. And more time than a touristic touch and go!