In a narrow canyon outside the small Utah town of Escalante, adventure guide Rick Greene is exploring a strange frontier so unknown it is considered one of the most mysterious places on earth.
The chasm and the hills in it seem to lead to a desert about 30 meters above the ground, now reduced from about 100 feet to barely a foot in width, and then an oblivion of ravines. Enters the good. There is a certain silence and silence on all four sides here.
As the temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius, the preoccupation with descending into this hidden valley forces the human mind to forget everything.
“No one was interested in the place for a long time,” says Green, who co-owns part of Escalante.
He adds that ‘this is where the last mountain range in America was named Henryus. It is the last home of the rivers and was the last place in the Americas to be explored in the 1870s. Everyone kept passing through it because it was too dangerous.
Today, the Grand Staircase Escalante in southern Utah is one of the most dangerous and inaccessible places in the United States. It is a place full of complex plateaus, mountains, and cliffs that have never been fully exposed to the world or understood by any American citizen, native, or anyone else. For example, this area is larger than some of the US states of Delaware and Rhode Island.
And importantly, it was the last place for cartographers to map the continental United States.
According to Greene, these days there are hundreds of ravines and valleys between the rocks, which are far from being discovered and have never been seen by the human eye.
However, he has conducted the most surveys, about 30, to better understand this quiet and secluded corner of southern Utah.
“There are still many places in the Grand Staircase Escalante that are the most beautiful and rich in beauty,” he said.
From space, this national monument looks like a grand staircase from the Colorado Plateau to the Grand Canyon. On closer inspection, it appears to be an ancient oversight. It covers a land area of ​​1.87 million acres and spans five biozones. This area contains the history of the Anazazi and Fremont peoples.
Designated a national monument in 1996 during the presidency of Bill Clinton, it is a site of deep political concern. Former US President Trump had decided to open up half of the area to development, but President Joe Biden backtracked on the decision in October 2021.
He amended the borders through a Presidential Proclamation and restored the Order of Protection.
The original decree described the region somewhat like this: ‘This high, difficult and remote region, where high plateaus and great rocks exist at distances almost inconceivable to human vision, is the last place on the American continent. was which the map was prepared.’
This monument has a long and dignified human history. It is a place where one can see how the United States represents human endeavors in the West.
Historical accounts of the late 1880s indicate that America’s founding fathers first attempted to map a shortcut to the San Juan River 40 miles from Escalante, but the terrain was too difficult. The cause was later stopped.
A fascinating account of the region is found in Angus M. Woodbury’s book A History of Southern Utah and Its National Parks. During this time some scouts were sent to investigate and secure this difficult area but they returned disappointed after failing in their mission.
The book states that “several ambassadors were sent to Salt Lake City to appeal for assistance, whose task it was to get new routes out of the area through legislation.”
According to Ade Nelson, manager of the Grand Staircase National Monument, the land remains an enigma and a geologic puzzle that will likely never be fully solved.
He explained that due to the difficult and rugged terrain, there are parts of the monument that are not fully accessible and the area may never be fully mapped.
Researchers call the canyons here ‘Science Monuments’ because the area has become a huge outdoor laboratory, every corner of which scientists use to better understand our environment, our history and our planet’s past. are
The unique background of this area has given rise to hundreds of investigations over the past 27 years.
“On average, one new animal species is officially recognized each year as a result of the research done here,” says Bureau of Land Management spokeswoman Megan Crandall.
He further says that ‘in 2020, excavations in the Kaprovets Formation revealed the presence of T2 Trinosaurs, a type of dinosaur, in this area. These traces were so large that scientists had to face difficulties in moving them.’
In addition, geographically, one would hardly expect to find any traces of human population in such oblivions. Yet scattered examples of ancient petroglyphs, traditional campsites, burial sites and granaries dot the landscape.
In fact, it is a treasure trove of Native American culture and folklore. In fact, in the Navajo language, the area is still referred to as Dzilo Buzzidni (the mountain whose name is missing).
Such stories are now unfolding at the Ansazi State Park Museum, located on the border of the national monument in the high-altitude town of Boulder.
Most notably, about 162,000 artifacts have been recovered from the site where the Insazi tribe, also known as the founders of the American West, settled in 200 BC.
Park manager Jamie Skidmore says the Ansazi lived in a place where life was difficult.
He further says that it is a very difficult task to survive despite the lack of water and food. It is not surprising that this ancient community was eventually forced to leave the area due to hardship and drought.
Today, the growing tourist interest in the area is changing the mindset of the people, exposing the beautiful scenery here to more people.
Today the tourism approach is helping to change and the landscape is gradually becoming wider and wider.
Much of the area is difficult to hike and only a handful of trails can be explored via an interactive map.
“These areas are a source of inspiration and learning for some, and a lesson in peace and unity for others,” said Harry Barber, manager of the Bureau of Land Management office in southern Utah.
He further says that every morning I can be seen in some new place. I usually either walk or cycle. I prepare myself for the day ahead. When I go out on one side, I often see others who I only suspect are there for similar reasons.’
The earth is like a teacher, it gives you the opportunity to learn and understand a lot, it can also teach unwanted lessons to travelers who come unprepared. Phone coverage at this location is very poor. Juniper and pine trees spread their branches over you to survive the extreme heat.
It’s a place that reminds you that there are endless and unexpected opportunities for adventure in this part of America. There is a distance, but it is not equal to non-existence.