Capitol Reef Rambling 2 | Remote Arches, Spring Canyon, & Cohab Canyon

[@Acrossutah]

Happy New Year! ✨🎉

[@lynnnorthrup8914]

Thank you taking me back to some of my favorite memories of hiking Lower Spring Canyon and Cohab Canyon. I’m still hiking but getting a little too old to do those guys. I was in my 70’s when I did them and probably too much for me over a decade later. Still going but not as fast or as far. Thanks for taking me along. That 360 camera is pretty cool.😀😀😀😀😀👍👍👍👍👍

[@Acrossutah]

That's awesome -- thanks for sharing your experience and kudos to you for still getting out there (even if not as fast or far!) Cheers! 🌞✌

[@tangenttrails]

“…crazy beautiful…” It sure is! Thanks for sharing another wonderful adventure, Jamal.✌️

[@Acrossutah]

Glad you agree. 👍 And thanks again for watching and the comment! 🌞✌

[@Desertkns60]

Another great one! The owl footage was amazing as was the big horn sheep❤ Happy New Year and please take care of your knees!

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! Yeah, it's funny as of just a few years ago I rarely saw owls OR bighorns on my hikes, and now I've had a few great encounters with them both. Happy 2025! 🌞🎉

[@harryjames2299]

Thanks. We enjoyed following along!

[@Acrossutah]

Awesome -- glad to hear it. Thanks so much. 🌞✌

[@Shargur]

Your owl there is probably a Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis) and your flower on day 6 looks like Wyoming Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja linarifolia). Neato! Thanks for taking us with you. Also, welcome back to Utah!

[@Acrossutah]

Cool -- thanks for the added info! I used to try and look up everything afterwards -- but that can be tricky so it's always great to hear from viewers who have knowledge re: the flora/fauna. Thanks for watching and the comment! 🌞✌

[@Southwest_Trailblazers]

“Rambling”! I like the sound of that. Sorta perfect for what we do in the desert!

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! Yeah -- it seemed to be the perfect description for what I did on this hike (and really my favorite thing to do in most locations!) Thanks for watching and the comment. 🌞✌

[@JudithLongthorn]

Happy New Year from a wet and windy UK. I hope your knees settle down and you can keep on with your hikes. I love the videos they allow me to enjoy the wonderful scenery I'm not going to be able to see again in person.

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! Hold on tight over there -- I saw a report about how bad the winds have been for you guys! Thanks again for watching and cheers to a happy 2025! 🌞🎉

[@dirtyjarhikes]

Ringing in the new year with Mr. Shadow! 🎉

[@Acrossutah]

Haha -- that's great! It's a funny thing though... he never seems to make it out to join me on New Year's Eve! 😉 Happy 2025 to you two. 🎉✌

[@StereoSpace]

I'm not sure why, maybe those blue skies and the golden light, but that one of the most beautiful videos you've ever produced.

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks -- so glad you liked it. The skies were pretty great for this trip. I was testing out a new camera/settings on this hike and I think that helped -- though the bright colorful landscapes coupled with the shadows of the deep canyons can still be a challenge to capture. So much to think about while out rambling! 😉✌

[@Karen-dq8nw]

You lucky dog, a Mexican Spotted Owl!! That was a treat. I can't complain; I live in a beautiful place. But your videos do give me itchy feet. Good luck with the knees!

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! Yeah, I felt pretty fortunate to have him visit me at such as close distance. I hear you re: itchy feet -- working on the videos makes me want to get back out there myself! Thanks again for watching and the comment. 🌞

[@KevinMoltner]

Another great video! The owl encounter was awesome! Happy New Year Jamal!! Looking forward to your adventures in 2025 :)

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! Yeah, the owl encounter was really cool. I've heard them in the distance before at night, but never that close to my camp Cheers and Happy 2025! 🎉✌

[@beat2609]

Thank you for taking us along on your wonderful hikes to remote places I could never get too.

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks for "following along", Beat! 🌞✌

[@joycemoulis4392]

What a New Year's Eve treat! Loved it all Loved the owl...i have one that visits outside my bedroom window. Always a thrill to hear Beautiful hiking thru lower spring canyon!!! Thanks for taking us along! Hope knees heal....Happy New Year and happy hiking in 2025!🎉😊

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! I was actually hesitant to publish these two videos over the holidays, but it seems that that was a good time for many to watch. I was excited to hear/see the owl. Until recently I really never saw them in Utah. Thanks again for watching and the comment. 🌞✌

[@utahdan231]

Happy New Year. Have a lot of wonderful hikes and a lot of energy to do it.

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks so much. Fingers crossed I have the time/energy/health for some more fun adventures in 2025. Thanks for watching and the comment. 🌞🎉

[@westcoastislander6699]

What a pleasant surprise to see this pop up on New Year's Eve! What have you got on your feet? Those aren't the old trusty boots. Thanks for taking us along for the adventure once again. Happy New Year!

[@Acrossutah]

Glad you liked it. And yeah... I tried out some new boots on this hike. I wanted something lighter while keeping the full-size boot instead of going all the way to the cross-trainers/running shoes that long-distance hikers love. I enjoyed them for the easy canyon walking, but for the scrambling sections I still would have preferred a more robust boot. (I wore my old boots through Sulphur Creek in part 1 and made the switch at Chimney Rock.) Thanks again for watching and cheers to 2025! 🎉✌

[@joyouslily2982]

Very cool 🦉 footage!! Good view of bighorn too but I was almost sure he was gonna charge you 😅

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! And yeah... that's what was going through my mind too re: the bighorn! Plenty of space though, so there's wasn't a problem. Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌

[@jerryphillips7330]

Glad you got to see Hickman Bridge. Camping at the Fruita Campground is one of my favorite campsites. I love the homemade pies served by the rangers in the Gillford house next door to the campground. Next time at Fruita( Capitol Reef) hike to Cassidy Arch. The only arch in all the National Park system that you are allowed to climb and stand on top.

[@Acrossutah]

Yep -- it's a great campground. I got lucky and snagged a cancellation a few days before my arrival as I didn't plan on staying there originally. I'd hoped to get a pie too -- but they were already closed when I finished my hike. Thanks again for watching and sharing your experience. 🌞✌

[@richardb.7054]

Enjoying this so much, it brings back very fond memories of my hike through Spring Canyon.

[@Acrossutah]

Very cool. It's hard to believe that 2022 was actually my first hike through this canyon. For some reason I had the impression that it was not that great so I never gave it a shot, but that was so wrong. Thanks for watching and the comment. 🌞✌

[@CanyonsCalling]

Great owl! Great arches! Happy New Year!

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! I appreciate you for "following along" in an area that I know you know well. 🌞👍 Happy 2025 to you as well! 🎉

[@michaelfoley6670]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, following along with you is the next best thing to being there myself! And what is it with you and owls? You lucky ba$/@%… also, I’ve never come across a bighorn sheep - super cool ! Thanks for what you do! Now ice and ibuprofen CHEERS, Michael

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! That is kind the goal -- to allow others to share the experience. AND... yeah, I've been very lucky re: owls and bighorns the last few years. It's crazy that before 2022 I'd rarely seen either on my hikes, and now I've had several memorable encounters. Thanks for watching and the comment. 🌞✌

[@danieljack2360]

All the Best to you this year Jamal. I have enjoyed this Christmas break up here in Uinta county. Split Mountain, Red Fleet and McCoy Flats are place I leaves boot prints and clear away litter. I have said it before but, it's worth repeating, the acoustic guitars on your soundtrack send me soaring. Thank You so Much.

[@Acrossutah]

That's great. That's some nice country up there -- though I bet you have a bunch more snow than southern Utah. Glad you enjoyed the music -- it's taken a while to find tracks that I think work well (and are worth using more than once.) Thanks again for watching and the comment. 🌞✌

[@martinforrester8249]

Thanks for another memorable story, Jamal. Always such relaxing viewing. Happy and healthy New Year to you.

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks again for watching and the comment. Cheers and Happy 2025! 🌞🎉

[@DebbieHumphries-jm9ig]

Awsome owl pic

[@DebbieHumphries-jm9ig]

And the bighorn pic as well!

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! Yeah, I was excited to see both. It's funny, but before 2022 I really never saw owls or bighorns on my hikes. Now I've had several really cool encounters over the last few years. Thanks again for watching! 🌞✌

[@jamesappleyard5624]

Another great video. You're setting the bar pretty high with these; great video, editing, music, etc. Is that poison ivy at 19:48? It sure looks it! And thanks for getting rid of that fire ring.

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! I'm not sure re: the poison ivy. I didn't think of it at the time and it appears more "jagged" than what I've seen in the Escalante area. BUT... I know it can have various appearances and it was near water so that would make sense. Thanks for watching and the comment. 🌞✌

[@loricollins3163]

Oh my goodness Jamal your drone with ‘special effects’ had me laughing out loud! Thanks as always for taking us along…take care of those knees! Happy New Year to you and yours!

[@Acrossutah]

Haha -- thanks! Glad you enjoyed that. (I often second-guess my sense of humor when I'm editing my videos!) Thanks again for watching and the comment and cheers to 2025! 🌞✌🎉

[@brcclark6168]

Hey Jamal, lovin the videos,

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks -- I appreciate you for watching and the comment. 🌞✌

[@JohnTheLuck3]

Happy New Year Jamal! All the best for 2025. It is great to see back in action in Southern Utah. Thank you so much for this great series! I hope your knees have recovered since then and you will be back to Utah this spring.

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks so much! They still aren't 100%, but my knees are feeling better so fingers crossed I'll be back out there somewhere come spring! Thanks for watching and the comment. 🌞✌

[@liznavia5869]

Happy New Year Jam!!!🎉🎉🎉

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! And... Happy 2025 to you! 🌞🎉

[@muitorar5641]

Haha, nice drone sound effects 😂

[@Acrossutah]

Haha -- glad you liked those. 😉👍

[@WJr_88]

Happy New Year Jamal. That was a pretty owl... beautiful sound. Love the drone! Thanks for a perfect ending to your 2024 Season. I'm excited to see all of your adventures in your 2025 Season! Thanks for everything!

[@Acrossutah]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the double-dose of Capitol Reef. Technically there's one more 2024 video coming... and then TBD what 2025 has in store. Happy New Year to you! ✌🎉

[@geraenriquez1602]

another spectacular video happy new year Jamal and mr shadow

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! I appreciate you for watching and the comment. Cheers to 2025 for you as well. 🌞🎉

[@just_joc]

Happy New Year Jamal! Loved this Capitol Reef trip so much! It brought back so many memories of my last trip there, saw my first ever big horn right where you were, love Cohab canyon with all the tafoni, Hickman bridge, Chimney rock, Spring canyon, Sulphur Creek, I need to go back! Did you get a pie at the Gifford house? Sorry about your other knee. I hope you are now on the mend. Cheers for 2025 and more videos please!!!☺

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks so much! I did NOT get a pie. 😥 I was hoping to have one to celebrate finishing the hike -- but it was much too late. Next time! And yeah, Cohab Canyon was really nice. It was the fist time for me and I thought it might just be a boring "connector" route to finish the loop, but I really enjoyed it. Cheers to 2025! ✌🎉

[@chuckbeattyo]

14:11 sorry about your knees. Happy New Years. (I eat/snack on salad, greens, for joint pain, seems to work)

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! The knees are a pain (somewhat literally, but more figuratively!) They definitely aren't 100%, but they are better and I'm hoping to get by without surgery -- but we will see. Thanks again for watching and the comment. 🌞✌

[@robertshelton3963]

Hope both your knees heal.

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks so much! There are definitely better now, but... we will see how they hold up on my next hike! I appreciate you for watching and the comment. 🌞✌

[@johnregehr9413]

Love it! At the farthest part of your walk you were near the rim of a canyon that I don't think has a name, that I call South Water Canyon. I've long wanted to get into that one, and also Water Canyon, but haven't prioritized these. Have you been in either of them? It would also be fun to try to connect the area you got to with Paradise Flats, another place I've wanted to visit but haven't yet prioritized. It would be a long, rugged walk with super dicey water sources. Happy New Year!

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! You and I think the same way as I'd hoped to explore all that area! Originally I wanted to spend 10 days on this trip and go all the way up to Paradise Flats -- but even before the trip I had to cut that out of the plan due to time. BUT... I still hoped to follow the southern rim of Water Canyon and eventually find a way back down into the upper branches of Spring Canyon to make a loop (even if that meant going all the way around via Thousand Lake Mountain). But days 2 and 3 were really slow going and the lack of water was a concern (and most of what I did find was pretty nasty). Thus I was content to more or less return the way I hiked in and save everything else for another day. Thanks again for watching and the comment. 🌞✌

[@timluttrell1095]

I sure do appreciate your videos. The videography of creation along with your narration make these videos very pleasant and relaxing to view. This channel is definitely my favorite one on KZbin. I just recently acquired a Insta360 camera and am learning to edit video with Davinci Resolve, presently version 9.0. I see you are videoing a lot in 360 but your editing is presenting the video in a flatter, if that's the correct way to put it, presentation. Are you reframing a lot of what you video? This is the way I want my videos to appear except for occasional, full 360 views . Here's to more hiking vlogs from your direction!

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! I absolutely love using the 360 camera footage in my videos. The footage isn't as high quality as a traditional camera, but the unique shots and flexibility while shooting are worth the trade off in my opinion. Also -- the quality has gotten MUCH better in the past 8 years that I've been using various 360 cameras. The other downside (which you'll likely learn if you haven't already) is that working with the footage can be a major pain and time suck! Not only does it take pre-processing and then a powerful computer to work with the footage, but from a creative standpoint it can be tedious to consider all the options (ie which POV for this shot, how wide/narrow, etc.) I've posted a few true 360 videos (for VR), but I really focus mostly on re-framing the footage. I use the Insta360 software for stitching and then Davinci Resolve with the KartaVR plugin for re-framing. NOTE the the newest update to Resolve (19.1.2) essentially BROKE the plug-in so don't update to that version for now. Some day I might actually make a video on my 360 workflow -- but... TBD if I ever find the time. Thanks for watching! 🌞✌

[@timluttrell1095]

Oh no! I just recently upgraded my Resolve from 8.something to 9.1 not knowing that the KartVR plugin for my 360 videos was not compatible. I'm going to have to figure out how to get back to 8. Hopefully, the developers of KartaVR will fix the plugin soon for the new releases.@@Acrossutah

[@claraallen12]

mexican spotted owl ??

[@Acrossutah]

I think so. Two years ago I actually ran into a science team in this area of Capitol Reef who were out studying owls. So it was cool to see one this time around. Cheers! 🌞✌

[@trinidadscorpion3835]

Always enjoy your story telling and videos/photos. Do you lose much body weight on these long hikes?

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! And yes... I lose right at one pound for each day on the trail. My annual big hikes have the nice side effect of allowing me to eat whatever I want for the rest of the year (though that type of body fluctuation is probably not healthy.) Cheers! 🌞✌

[@edmiller999]

But did you get some strawberry rhubarb pie while in Capital Reef?

[@Acrossutah]

No -- unfortunately not. I'd hoped to end the hike with a piece at the Gifford House -- but I got there too late. 😥 Next time! Thanks for watching! 🌞✌

[@hikehound3909]

Nice video! What kind of camera(s) are you using to get your footage & pics?

[@Acrossutah]

Thanks! I change it up from hike to hike, but on this trip I was using a 360 camera (X4) and my phone (Pixel 6 Pro). Most of the "strange" shots are via the 360 camera. Even though the quality is not as good as a traditional camera -- I love the unique shots and the ease of use while shooting (and re-framing later.) Thanks for watching and the question. 🌞✌

[@deanolson5512]

Is your house burning down??

[@Acrossutah]

All good where I'm at, thx. Crazy wind last night and I have some friends I'm concerned about -- but hoping the worst is over. 🤞