Peek-a-boo Slot Canyon, June 16, 2021

My third time in Utah had my heart, again, few places have been harder for me to leave.

The day I went to Peek-a-boo Slot Canyon I followed my coach’s guidance and didn’t run at all. I’m happy to take this advice since popping my left ankle at the Grand Canyon was scary, and my ankles have been a point of injury throughout my life. I can’t overstate how grateful I am that the injury wasn’t worse, but I need them strong.

No one makes it a secret that hiking helps the long game when training for an ultramarathon, but I have never prioritized it in my schedule before.
The only time I’ll really slow down is when I have to, and giving an entire day to staying slow, for me personally, drops cold water on the ego and the fun factor.

But, of course, hiking is plenty of fun, and the ego can always use a dunk tank.

More time on feet and growing my hiking game were great benefits to take from the day, as well as pushing through hotter temperatures than I’m used to being around, much less on a hike like this.

Most of this trail is for ATVs and jeeps, so the soft sand that comes with the majority of this trail (https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/peekaboo-slot-canyon-a6ea847?u=i) was ideal for my ankle, and I’m very happy to say no further injury occurred.

But then, all of this is secondary to seeing the slot canyon itself.

To experience this place in-person is almost unbelievable. If the Earth dreams this is what it might look like: sun-baked outside, then a chill in a cleft set apart from the desert, the walls like wind made visible in some places, before carving or crumbling or wearing through layers colored every shade of tawny and orange, red to white, the sounds of footsteps and people who experienced this with me catching short in hollows or echoing down the utterly unique acoustics of each section, at turns tight tunnels and open hallways, all between random, brilliant flares where the ground above is broken and lets the day in, some gaps pocked with chunks of broken trees that have and will be held until they disintegrate between the rocks.

Like any of it wasn’t enough to carry for a lifetime, there was a even a pretty-much-whole rattlesnake skin resting at the entrance.

If possible I can’t recommend visiting this formation enough, hiking in or otherwise.

It did get pretty hot during the day, and I’m grateful to my friends who have helped me learn and develop how to safely adapt to different temperatures while running and hiking. Even more thanks goes to the tons of people riding along the route who asked if I needed water or a ride, I can’t guess how many there were, and it speaks to a solid community that values people in the best way.

A big help was filling my 2 liter bladder to the top with ice, then filling in the space between them with water. The only equipment choice I would’ve changed is bringing gaiters. The sand ran deep for most of the day, which was definitely appreciated by my joints. I do love the red tinge of it, some of it remains in my car as I write this, and I see no reason to change that.

Safe and happy trails, everybody!