Cedar Breaks

About 62 miles north of where we are staying in Hurricane is an area of sandstone formations called Cedar Breaks. It is similar to Bryce Canyon though not nearly as large. We headed north up the highway to Cedar City and then went east on Highway 14 to Highway 142 and Cedar Breaks. Parts of Highway 14 are narrow and windy and even this early in the year there were spots of ice along the road in the narrow canyon.

Going up Highway 14 you get glimpses of what lies ahead. You are looking from below up into Cedar Breaks and the rock formations. This is only a teaser of the beauty that will be found above.

This is a view looking north from the visitor center. Because of the season the visitor center at Cedar Breaks and the associated facilities were closed for the winter. We were on your own.

Why is it closed so early in the season you ask. This geologic marker not far from the visitor center shows the elevation. 10,354 feet. We are up there in elevation and it is cool to say the least. When the first big snow comes they do not keep Highway 142 open to the Breaks. If you want to see them, snowshoe, or snowmobile in.

Hoodoos that you find at Bryce Canyon are also found here. Here is some interesting information on the forming of hoodoos taken from the Internet:

Forces associated with the uplift caused the rock layers to develop fractures known as joints. Rain that falls during the Cedar Breaks summer combines with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, forming a weak acid. As this mildly acidic water seeps into the joints, it reacts with the calcium carbonate in the limestone of the Claron Formation, slowly dissolving it and enlarging the joints. When temperatures drop below freezing, as it does most nights of the year at Cedar Breaks, water trapped in the joints expands. Like a geologic crowbar, the freezing water forces the rocks apart, further enlarging the joints in a process known as frost wedging.

• Over time, this creates thin walls of rock known as fins, left standing under capstones made of harder rock. These capstones act like umbrellas, protecting the fins from the elements and slowing the weathering process.

• Weathering and erosion always prevail; wearing through the capstone, leaving isolated pillars of rock known as hoodoos.

• Undercutting of fins can also form shallow caves and arches.

• Gravity pulls loose rocks from the cliffs and draws them sliding down the slopes. Water from snowmelt and summer rains wash rock and sediment into the valley.

• Occasionally, saturated rock and soil causes entire slopes to fall in slumps or landslides.

We were really surprised to find this Hairy Woodpecker at this elevation so late in the year. She was certainly busy looking for food and with good reason. It was cold.

This image gives you a perspective on the elevation. We are looking west basically down the canyon that we drove up. Cedar City is in the near distance out in the flats.

An interesting line of rock formations, hoodoos, heading west. The surrounding rocks have been eroded by time and the constant wind and rain and freezing and thawing.

Yes the white stuff is snow. Not far from Cedar Breaks is a ski resort called Brian's Head. It opened for the first day of the season when we visited Cedar Breaks. We drove by there and it did appear that they had man-made snow for the few runs that were open, it was snow none the less.

Back at the RV park where we are staying they had this sign, "Weiner Wednesday". About once a month they cook up a bunch of hot dogs and for a dollar you can get several hot dogs with all the fixings.

This image shows the hot dogs. It appeared that you could have basically as many as you wanted to eat for that one dollar, they were not a dollar each. Fun event and an inexpensive dinner.

Come on down and visit Cedar Breaks for some beautiful high altitude country and stop by the RV park for a Weiner on Wednesday.

Let us know if you have any questions. Best Regards - George & Deanna