Trip Report - Summer Vacation in Utah and Colorado! [Picture heavy]

This is a follow up to this thread.
Help me plan my vacation loop! (CA, AZ, NV, CO, NM)

As promised, here's my trip report with lots of pictures.
We decided to do the following loop:

• Los Angeles (start)
• St. George, UT (6 hour drive)
• Zion National Park (1 hour)
• Cañon City, CO (11 hours)
• Golden, CO (2 hours)
• St. George, UT (9 hours)
• Los Angeles (6 hours)

Arrived at Snow Canyon State Park Campground in St. George, UT. We knew it was going to be hot but not 110F hot. Put up our tent and waited until the evening before we started climbing.

Our beautiful campsite (one of the best I've been to).

The Circus Wall - Illegal Alien


Dropped by The Narrows at Zion National Park to get away from the heat.










Woke up early the next day for Keyhole Canyon (aka Starfish Canyon). This has all the "Zion Experience" in just a few hours.

The approach.




In the canyon.




Cooooold swim.


Then we hit up the Lower Emerald Pools immediately after. Feels like a scene out of Hollywood. It's beautiful here.








On our way to Cañon City, CO for Shelf Road. We stayed at the Banks Campground.

Shelf Road - Cactus Cliff. AWESOME climbing here. I don't see too many crack climbs on sport. I see why this area is so popular now.




Cactus Cliff - Almost French Area - La Temperatura de Shelf




Cactus Cliff - Almost French Area - Oscar De La Cholla




Cactus Cliff - Green Pillar Area - Alexi's Climb


Cactus Cliff - Green Pillar Area - Ian's Climb


My god. I'm a belay god.


And my favorite climb of the entire trip (Sorry for all the butt pictures).
Cactus Cliff - East - Crynoid Corner


Hopped in the car the next day and drove to Golden, CO for our first rest day.

We visited the Spyderco Factory Outlet and took a tour of the Coors Factory (A MUST DO... And it's free! Did I mention 3 free beers or all you can drink soft drinks?)









Copper kettles are used so the beer does not absorb a metallic taste.


Testing lab. A job I'm sure that everyone wants...


Packaging.


3 free drinks! Blue Moon, Colorado Native, Coors Banquet, and so much more. Bring the kids! They have soda too.


We also hit up Clear Creek Canyon. Summer thunderstorms kept raining us out.

Clear Creek Canyon - High Wire Crag - Poker Face


Clear Creek Canyon - High Wire Crag - Cracker Jack






Rained out that fast..


And that's all folks! Hope you all enjoyed. I appreciate all your input in helping me plan this trip. I think I got the areas down pretty well so if you need help with some approach beta etc, feel free to drop me a line. Would love to return the favor.

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Looked like a lot of fun. How did the long drives treat you?

Thanks for sharing

sean.haynes wrote:Looked like a lot of fun. How did the long drives treat you? Thanks for sharing

Took turns driving so it wasn't too bad. The drive to and through Utah and especially Colorado is breathtaking. Some of the highways in Colorado parallel some strong flowing rivers through mountains making for an awesome drive.