We took the short hike to the base of the formation.
Then, we drove to the Windows Section of the park. There were half-mile hikes to see several "windows". Here is North Window.
And...South Window
This one is called the Turret Arch.
We were able to find someone to take a family pic at one of the Windows.
The views were phenomenal as you climbed inside the opening of each arch.
We were really lucky with the cloud cover this morning. The temperatures stayed in the mid-to-high 80s while we hiked around. It would have been miserable in the 103 degree temperatures that Moab had been experiencing.
We capped off our visit to Arches National Park with a hike to see Delicate Arch. This is the most famous of their arches and is the arch featured on the Utah license plate. We had two options in order to see the arch. We could hike 1/2 mile uphill to an overlook point, or we could take a 3-mile, very strenuous hike that was mainly uphill over slick rock and not recommended for young children. Since we didn't bring hiking boots and wanted to get to Aspen before midnight, we decided on the first option. As we hiked, Jack was on the lookout for wildlife with his new binoculars.
The hike was beautiful, and we were rewarded with a great view when we reached the top.
Delicate Arch is on the top right of the picture. The tiny dots around and under it are people who opted for the long hike to the base. I was glad we didn't attempt that one after I saw that the arch is precariously perched on the edge of a sheer cliff wall. That would have made me very nervous with the kids. Someone offered to take a family picture. Delicate Arch is on top of Dan's head in the picture.
We loaded back up in the car to head to Aspen. Dan was really excited to see this speed limit sign!
On the drive to Aspen, we passed through Fruita, Colorado, which was the home to Mike the Headless Chicken. He was a chicken who managed to live 18 months after attempting to be decapitated for dinner one night because the farmer accidentally left the brain stem intact. It is a fascinating story that is worth googling. We had a bit of a lunch debacle in Grand Junction due to poor planning on my part, but we persevered with a snack lunch and made it to Aspen. The kids took a much needed respite from the car with a swim in the St. Regis pool.
We ate dinner at Ajax Tavern, which overlooks the gondola up to the ski slopes. It was a bit chilly on the patio of the restaurant. Once again, I earned my mother-of-the-year status by leaving everyone's jackets in Lexington. I meant for us to grab them on the way out of the door, but I forgot amidst the packing chaos. I remembered them when we were halfway to the Charlotte airport. In all fairness, this was the only time we have needed them on the trip.
The gondola was closed to the public for a private event, but the gondola operator let us have a "pony ride" for free around the loading and unloading zone at the bottom of the hill, because she was impressed that the kids brought books to read at dinner. I think she also wanted to give us incentive to come back the next day for a $9 per person ride up the mountain. She clearly didn't know us very well.
After dinner, we walked around Aspen a bit. It is a very lovely town.
Tomorrow, we enjoy the morning in Aspen and take the mountainous drive to Denver.
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