10.26 Gooseberry Trail in Canyonlands, a hike down a vertical cliff onto the canyon floor
A scene from the cliffs on Gooseberry trail, Canyonlands . The view to the side as we descend Editor coping very well in tough conditions, almost vertical, sans red pen. Truth be told, I wanted to close my eyes. We try not rate hikes too often as we get it wrong. One of us in particular, can be a little impulsive, emotional and we suppose, immature. As a hint, we are not writing of the editor. That’s as close to the answer we will allow. Today’s hike was a little different from most. Firstly, we were on our own, in a stunning area, which we suppose is not unusual these days. The hike is not a trail but a stony path indicated by cairns placed in an orderly fashion. Being in a national park, it is in our opinion, the most dangerous path we have followed in such a setting. In less than a mile, the descent is 1,400 feet, almost vertically. This says a lot for the designers of the trail—it’s well done. The drop-offs on tight edges raise the adrenaline level but also provi...