So many of our visitors wish to experience the “wide west”  and honor the wild and natural yet they want it tamed and preserved for future generations.  You can’t tame it and preserve it at the same time,.  You must choose which parts to “preserve” and which to enjoy and then set some controls in place for oversight and management.  Just like the section of Coyote Buttes, there are only 20 permits to hike “The Wave” each day and sometimes there are  50+ people seeking them.  It’s not a perfect system, but it works, generates money for the agency staffing costs and is part of the management system.  It would be hard to implement such a system on the Hole-In-The-Rock Road because people can go to so many different places.  But Peek-A-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons are very busy each and every day.  Our best recommendations are to get out at first light – you can enjoy the solitude of the National Monument and photograph without people.

Talking about managing the land, it’s about time to plant gardens in Escalante.  You might have to cover tomatoes, etc., at night, but the rest should be fine.  I’m going to adventure into Sunflowers this year.  I have seeds for 5 different varieties and the whole trellis could be full of them by September – My local birds will love that.

Until Next Week -

I’ll do my best to get a copy of the newsletter and share its basic content here.  The most important information from the April 17th edition was the report to the Council by Garfield Memorial Hospital Administrator Alburto Vasques.  He, and Garfield County Commissioner Leland Pollock, reported on a new program available for Escalante and some statistics.  Statistics first – last year the hospital had 350 admissions, 29 births and 2900 emergency department visits.  The hospital is adding 15 beds to the long-term care facility and a discussion took place about assisted living facilities.  The new program is an uninsured patient assistance program – it can reduce your bill by 25% or slightly more if payment is made up front.  Further assistance can be obtained by filling out a formal application for assistance.  Good news for those that travel to Wayne County Clinic.

Councilman Jeff Dunn has resigned from the City Council.  Jeff was recognized and thanked for his role in the construction and completion of the Health Care Clinic building and was the project manager for the City for the Fire Station.  He’s built or repaired a number of the buildings in Escalante.  He was responsible for overseeing the City streets.  We wish him well in his retirement.

Until next week – - -

The skies have been beautiful blue and the afternoons sport lots of clouds.  Perfect landscape photography weather.  If you’re headed this way, bring the sun block and carry lots of water.

Ferry Crossing on Lake Powell

Going to travel to the Grand Staircase?  Don’t hesitate to contact Tracy by email or phone or stop by when you get here.  There are lots to do and not much information out there for the DIY traveler.  Need help with you photography?  Tracy is happy to give you hints, tips and places to explore.

Hole-In-The-Rock Road is the road to the heart of the National Monument and access is only through Escalante.  Garfield County is responsible for keeping it maintained and is doing a wonderful job.  Kane County owns the lower end of the road and has contracted with Garfield to maintain it.  If you’ve heard it’s a terrible road, try again.  It’s worth the adventure.  Our free map of adventures along the road is available at Gallery Escalante – the heart of Scenic Byway Utah State Route 12.  Plan on stopping for a few days or a lifetime. 

Hike- ATV- Horseback Ride - Photography - Explore – Enjoy the Silence   -   http://www.tracyhassett.com

I can see why visitors are always surprised about Escalante’s weather – we were almost 15 degrees warmer than the rest of the county.  And I was surprised to see snow on the ground in Bryce – it’s long since melted off down here.  Although there is still 30 inches on the hilltops north of town and Hell’s Backbone road is still closed.  We’ve talked with several visitors that have been down Hole-In-The-Rock Road and explored the slot canyons.  They loved their experience but indicated they were still pretty mucky.  If we don’t get any more snow, they should begin to dry up if the days stay this warm.

I was disappointed to hear that the Escalante City Council was going to have a work session about possibly allowing two residences on one water meter.  Déjà vu?

If I recall correctly, that’s why we paid an annual fee for our conditional use permit to allow our living quarters off the same water meter as our store until meters were available.  Now that they are available I’m surprised they are discussing this again – especially since 2 on 1’s were not permitted in residential areas at all.

So, I went to Escalante City’s website to read the newsletter the City puts out and was even more disappointed – nothing has been posted there since last September.  Oh well – silly season has started – Spring breaks are coming up and we’ll look forward to seeing our visitors.  We have new maps in partnership with three other businesses and Desert Doc has a new bookmark.  Stop by and get your free copy.

Until next week – - -

“Garfield County exhibits one of the highest unemployment rates in the state due to the seasonal nature of the tourist economy.  Almost 40 percent of Garfield County’s nonfarm employment can be categorized in the leisure/hospitality industry – in vivid contrast to the statewide figure of only 9%.”

In contrast to other Utah counties, the tourist season is barely 6 months of the year.  The public perception of Escalante is we’re desert and it’s too hot to visit in July and August.  The article states “Governor Herbert has outlined an action plan for 2012”, unfortunately tourism marketing for highways 12 and 24 wasn’t one of them.

Three first steps could be taken by Escalante City Council to start the process of expanding the tourism base to eight months. 

• ·        First, they could create a marketing piece that invites people to “Explore Escalante” year round and spell out what is available to do and when. 
• ·        Second, the state Office of Tourism could promote the 65 fishable lakes of the Dixie National Forest in Escalante’s backyard (we are the second largest city in Garfield County and should get some special attention).
• ·        Third, The City Economic Development Committee could work with all the major news stations to get Escalante on the weather map and get a weather cam installed at the airport.  Cheap year-round access to Escalante that reminds people of the Salt Lake Region we’re here and open for business.

These are baby steps compared to what could be done – but it would be a start.  If tourism could be consistent for the entire 8 months instead of on for three months, off for two and on again for two +, retailers could build inventories, for the fall season and build resources to survive the winter months.  That would help rehires occur earlier because there would be funds available from the previous season and more retailers would encourage more tourism which could bring a new use to the old sawmill property – but that’s for another time.

Today is Groundhog Day and I do believe he is right – there will be six more weeks of winter.  Although Escalante is 90% of normal for snow, there’s always room for more in this vast landscape.  Besides, it will make the spring wildflower bloom of Sego Lilies wonderful.

Until next time.

We’ve lost many of our friends and neighbors this winter.  Graveside services for Jackie Withers are tomorrow.  Larry plans to take their motor home and ramble around the southwest.  The owner of the Gas and Goodies store died late last year.  His estate is in probate and his store is boarded up.  The Hatch’s goodbye party is this afternoon.  They have been a wonderful part of the town.  We wish them the best in their new adventure.  And there are a couple of other families headed out by school year end.

If you’re headed down to hike, it’s getting pretty good.  The canyons are still very cold, but the roads are slowly drying out.  There still snow in the shadows of the North faces, but it’s not too mucky.  Just be prepared.

The first of the season openings happens next weekend with the Circle D Restaurant on Super Bowl Sunday.  After that, they usually open for Dinner Thur/Fri/Sat through Feb and into March.  With their opening, the Subway and packaged muffins, you’ll be able to begin to Explore Escalante.  Here’s to a great year!

But Panguitch had the most beautiful trees.

Returning home – the drive to Panguitch was generally pretty routine.  But once you get to the entrance to Red Canyon – you step into another world.  A world of unusual rock formations and colors.   Where the trees cling to cliff faces and vegetation is sparse.

The snow accents sections that stand in silence as they blend in the rest of the year.  And on Wednesday, the sun was at its lowest point in the sky – shadows seen then will not be seen again for another year.

Right now, we only have one restaurant open (Cowboy Blues) Thursday/Friday/Saturday. Lodging at Prospector Inn, Rainbow BNB, Gandstaircase BNB, and Slot Canyons Inn is available.  And the grocery store, the gas station and Subway are open (except they all close on Sundays). 

Beginning February 5^th we’ll have an additional diner and motel open (Circle D) on weekends. By the middle of March Escalante Outfitters will reopen their kitchen and begin to extend their hours.  They are currently closed Sunday/Monday and they have the coffee bar open but no food.

Gallery Escalante is open Monday through Saturday 9-5.  There are two ATMS in town.  We currently have 10″ of snow on the ground.

Until next week.

Ever the photographer, he was curious about the colors of the fall foliage – so off we went.

All the signs on Hwy 143 said “route open”, but I kept thinking, “yes, but isn’t this the first real storm of the season?”  As we rose in elevation, the temperature went down and the precipitation went from rain, to sleet, to snow.  Being the first snow the road was still fairly warm and the snow was mostly slush – but it wouldn’t take long to turn to ice.  Tracy is a great driver, but nervous ninnie here kept knitting.

Obviously, we made it across and down to Panguitch.  The fall foliage was beautiful, especially with the snow on the lava mounds and the pale golden leaves glowing against the snow-covered limbs and contrasting snow dusted spruce limbs.  Amazing memories and that’s what they’ll be.  No camera onboard.

There was at least two inches by the time we descended and the Utah Commuter Links camera shows about 6” now.  Welcome to winter.  Roads are plowed – they do such a great job of keeping our access open.

Supposed to be nice for Sunday and Monday.  Most of the slot canyons will be wet and mucky, but Lower Calf Creek Falls should be beautiful.  And, of course, the fall foliage is hanging on, but will go quickly with the winds.

Days are warm, nights are cools and monsoons are over.  The Rabbit Brush has finally bloomed – it’s about a month late, and the Sunflowers have turned to seed.  I’ve cut back my Holly Hock and the cherry tomato is still doing it’s thing.  The beans are beginning to dry for seed beans for next year.

According to my friends in the Escalante lodging segment, they are getting booked through the 21^st of October.  While Bryce begins to shut down (they begin to have freezing nights soon) we’re still in the high 40’s and low 50’s at night.  Another 6-8 weeks before the first frost. 

At the Gallery, I’m hanging fall foliage pictures as the Aspen begin their annual show.  I even have Copper plated Aspen Leaf Jewelry.  I’m working on a couple of special orders and have been asked to teach a class on knitting Chemo Caps this Thursday night at the LDS Church.  Everyone is welcome.

The most interesting version of that pin was the one that had been modified.  It read

“Tourism Works – For minimum Wages!”

TaylorTestimony09.13.11

Meeting with the Mayor 09-15-2011