Tooth Benchmark

Bears Ears National Monument

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Time for some peakbagging, or as near as can be had along Comb Ridge. About halfway along where it ripples, there is a benchmark. The "peak" has only very nearly 400 feet of prominence and a few miles north, the ridge starts hitting some higher points. But it is the high point for a while and those points don't have benchmarks. To get there, I just picked a canyon and parked near the bottom of it.

Morning from my new campsite in Butler Wash, about 6 or 7 miles south of the hike.

Getting started. I parked at the first spot along the road. While these side roads are usually fine, I don't feel like risking it. This one gets down into the wash and stops.

So much for fall colors. Three nights in the mid to low teens and a brisk wind has taken the green leaves off.

The road drops into the wash and trail climbs back out the other side. It's a well used trail. It has its own destination and then the canyon presents a difficult obstacle.

A little fall color still remains by this cave of potential.

There's a lot of actual, but still more potential. The caves are numerous.

Caves up high where the moon still remains.

With the thought of continuing up to the high point, I've been watching the ramps along the sides and have already picked one to head up. It is tempting to go ahead and start up an earlier one, but I know that won't work in the long run. A little further will make it a lot easier. Otherwise, I have to make my way between layers on something approaching vertical.

The obstacle from above. An interesting shape of a waterfall, or where one would be.

The lovely ramped sidewalk I took up to get around the waterfall.

It gets me to a huge basin above that could bring plenty of water to the areas below.

The basin above is somewhat broken up and a best route is not clear. Hey, I don't need any best route. Just one that isn't destructive to the life trying to live here and gets toward the benchmark. That isn't all that hard. There is lots of rock to wander.

Somewhere over there is the high point for a few miles. It looks like someone has left cairns, but I'll go my own way.

There tends to be living things trying to get by between the rocks. The south side of the basin sure likes to overhang.

Such cavities in the cliffs! Also quite a bit more to see of the wash and the mesas on the other side.

Eventually, it is just a friction climb up the last bit of hill to the top and the benchmark.

The next peak over with a flat between.

Cavities in the cliffs of the canyon to the north, too.

Pretty sure I'm in a layer newer than the dinosaur footprints, but this might be fossilized stuff out the end of a dinosaur.

Tooth! At the top. Reference 2 has a hole chipped into the rock next to it.

The peak with the benchmark comes nearly to the edge and that sheer drop on the far side. It is quite a unique and incredible view. I can even almost see the monuments of the Valley of the Gods.

The distant Abajo Mountains north along Comb Ridge.

Mesas and more distant mountains to the east and mildly north.

A grand curve of Comb Ridge along the edge of Comb Wash to the south.

The gap of Butler Wash to the southeast.

Fish Creek empties into Comb Wash to the west. This is still high on my list of places I want to hike.

Destination achieved, I could go back the way I came or take a gamble on returning down a different canyon. I think gamble. The way could really be blocked, but there does seem to often be some way around. I pick one to the south and go for it.

I am aiming for the thin canyon to the left of the turtle head sticking out there.

Following the minor washes through the garden.

Lots of rock to follow where it slopes.

Down into a very narrow canyon. This might be more of a gamble than I thought.

The canyon is one of the narrowest slits in the area, but poses no problems. There even are a few footprints in the top and more as I go down turning into another trail. That makes it seem likely I'll be able to continue to the bottom. I almost get there before deciding to play up one side and then the other.

A little more remaining fall color after starting up another ramp.

Strange patterns in the sandstone. What could be causing the circles?

Getting down the friction climb does not work quite so well as up. My shoes are just not sticking. I stick to lesser slopes going up the second time.

There's actually cairns to follow up this one. Well, one cairn near the beginning.

More strange formations in the sandstone. A forest of young trees?

Nearing the top again.

I sort of went up the canyon that was on the right, so head over to go down the canyon on the left. Again, there are a few footprints developing into a trail so that I'm not worried much about being able to get down that way. The top is another particularly large basin ready to catch quite a bit of water should any fall.

Lots of dirt and lots of little washes through them to make my way down. The other side of Butler Wash is getting interesting.

The way down includes climbing up layers.

Where the canyon comes out, I figure trails will cross back to a parking area near my car, but they head south to a parking area a mile from my car. Which annoys me ever so slightly. I keep wondering if I should take one of the old cow paths north instead of sticking to the well trod trail, but they seem to contain soils trying to live again. So along I go, the long way. At least I haven't run out of water again. It will mean there won't be good light to do one more thing that's supposed to be short.

Back in Butler Wash with a long dirt road stroll to go.

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Even the peakbagging includes sites with ruins. Somewhere along the way or along the longer exploration afterward were:

The mortar has washed away from the more exposed wall, or perhaps it had none, but there is still some in the sheltered circle.

A few buildings are tucked away in this alcove.

©2019 Valerie Norton
Written 21 Nov 2019