EVENT DETAILS:
Mansard and Catstair Sites
April 14-15
Brian Storm will be leading this field trip. bstorm@blm.gov, 435-644-1222 for questions.
Friday meet at 9 am in south parking lot of BLM HQ office, 669 S Hwy 89a.
Vehicles with the ability to travel on dirt roads. Hike to Mansard (petroglyph site) is moderately strenuous on a designated trail – roughly 2.5 miles with 900 feet elevation change (one-way) – some hiking in sand and cliff scrambling. This tour takes approximately 6 hours.
Saturday meet at 9 am in north parking lot of BLM HQ office, 669 S Hwy 89a. Vehicles with 4x4 are recommended, travel on dirt roads and through sandy washes. Hike to Catstair is relatively easy on a social trail – roughly ¼ mile – some hiking in sand. Other site(s) will be visited which may include hiking from up to ½ mile to 2 miles. This tour is a full day.
The Mansard Trail is a roughly five-mile roundtrip out-and-back hiking trail accessed from the Vermilion Cliffs Estates subdivision to the east of Kanab, UT. The trail climbs the Vermilion Cliffs to an alcove filled with unique, approximately 870- to 1,070-year-old petroglyphs that have been pecked and carved into the alcove’s sloping, sandstone floor.
From the trailhead, the Mansard Trail ascends approximately 900 feet over a series of switchbacks, offering increasingly sweeping views of Kanab and the plateaus of northern Arizona. As the trail reaches the top of the Vermilion Cliffs, it negotiates a short section of rough stone slabs, which may require a mild scramble. From here, the trail crosses the sandy plateau to arrive at the base of the White Cliffs, where a scenic alcove contains petroglyphs from the Pueblo II period (AD 950 to 1150).
Additional Information Regarding the Organized Field Trips
1. PLEASE NOTE that URARA holds no responsibility or liability for those participating in field trips. Attendance at a pre-trip orientation meeting is required by all field trip participants, where a completed liability waiver and medical consent form will be discussed. Each trip roster will be finalized upon completion of waiver and consent forms by participants. Pre-trip meeting could be held the evening before the Field Trip.
2. Four-wheel-drive is recommended for high-clearance areas. Car-pooling is recommended, and is required for the final leg of some trips.
3. Many of the field trips may involve hiking, easy to strenuous, through rough terrain with substantial brush where one may encounter creatures such as rattlesnakes, so be sure to pack appropriate footwear, hiking clothes with a jacket for that sudden rainstorm, a hat, and sunscreen. Don’t forget your camera. Participants are responsible for bringing along plenty of water to ensure healthy hydration.
4. Plan to provide your own lunch, snacks, and drinks.
Utah Rock Art Research Association 