Taking off the Chill

With the shortest days of year in the rearview mirror, the sun a little higher and the days a little longer, our orientation toward the sun favors less chilly walks in the great outdoors, and certainly less GoreTex (on a nice day, of course.) One might even go so far as to say it’s actually warm in the sun. Here’s a look at an early-early-season jaunt to a favorite desert getaway, just a few short hours from home. And best of all, this time of year, the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park is sure to be as deserted as it is accessible.

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Shoulda brought the ice skates.
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The crisp, clear days of mid-winter in Canyonlands National Park.
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An ominous January storm sweeps in from the west.
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Fresh graupel snow over delicate cryptobiotic crust.  
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The colorful spires of Elephant Canyon.