Escalante

Escalante, Utah 

37 46.254 N 111 36.447 W, 5872 feet altitude

Yesterday was Libby's turn to get dehydrated (mine was back in El Centro, CA).   One thinks that one is drinking plenty, but perhaps not.  It sneaks up on you.   Anyhow, by yesterday noon, she was feeling really under, so we stopped and got a motel room.   (p.s. She feels better this morning.)

Where we stopped turned out to be a delightful place.  Escalante is a tiny town of about 1000 people.  It sits in the middle of fantastic scenery, surrounded by public lands both north and south.   The climate is nice and there is adequate water around.  The badlands region around here was the last uncharted area of the USA until 1870.

Escalante seems to survive mostly on the trade of people using this town as a jumping off point for back country adventures of one sort or another. Judging from the signs in the motel and around town, there must be oil drilling nearby also.  (Nobody wants the oil workers to try to wash their clothes using Escalante facilities).

Escalante was founded by Mormons in 1876.   It is very charming.   I wouldn't mind living here.   I don't think I would be bothered being a non-Mormon minority in a Mormon town.  All the Mormons I ever met were wonderful people that one would be proud to have as friends and neighbors.    But that's just speculation, the life afloat is our plan.

A clump of Mules Ears along the sidewalk

Nermo's is the only place in Escalante to eat.

The Escalnate Chamber of Commerce