Soldier Heights Feb 17
A loop from Soldier Pass trailhead through Norm's Notch toward Brins Mesa, returning in the adjacent canyon
1
SOLDIER HEIGHTS
2
Starting from Soldier Pass trailhead
3
4
5
First, we pass Devil's Kitchen sinkhole and check 'our block'. This crack is really widening now.
6
The 'Grand Piano' fell off in 1972
7
8
Through cedar thickets to Norm's Notch
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
There is lots of prickly pear from this point on
22
23
Ice remains in shaded spots
24
25
26
27
28
29
Climbing the Notch
30
31
32
33
In a few thousand years, this will be another climbable slot
34
On top, we take a break
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
This is the way we came up
45
46
Our way down is not as steep
47
48
49
50
51
52
We make our way around one entire point
53
Tafoni weathering of sandstone
54
At this point I fall into a patch of prickly pear...
55
56
This takes some time
57
58
59
60
61
Devils Bridge comes into view
62
63
64
65
66
67
Around the point, and into the adjacent canyon
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
The 'Lost Ruin' reachable only from below
75
76
Lunch one level up fom the big ruin
77
78
79
80
81
Then we go down one level through a long alcove
82
83
Which is in parts colllapsed. Ther are probably ruins under it.
84
Rock mat grows on limestone seeps alomng the wall
85
86
Elaborate rock art, in threee different colors
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
Near the end of the alcove, more moss
100
Back on the public Brins Mesa trail, to return
101
102
103
104
