The Saddle

Melanie and I went on a hike together this morning over the Tuacahn Saddle.  I don't know if I can count the amount of times I've heard our Desert Cliffs guests say they love this hike and that it's their favorite.  In fact, many times our return guests will request it and if the weather and conditions are suitable, we are happy to oblige.

I don't know if I can pinpoint exactly why it is everyone loves this hike so much.  It could be the fabulous views from the saddle, looking down onto Tuacahn and Snow Canyon.  It could be the heart-pumping scramble to the top.  It could be the arch, Fern Gully and pools of water on the decent.  It could also be the sea of sand that sculpts and tones our calves (well the guides love it!).  It could be the possibility of seeing a Desert Tortoise or the Jack Rabbits. It very well could be the combination of all of these things.  I know it is for me.  This hike leaves you feeling accomplished with an "I can do anything" feeling.

We call this hike The Saddle, but it is known in Snow Canyon State Park as Padre Canyon.  If you are a guest with Desert Cliffs, you'll enjoy being guided on this hike with us but if you visit the St. George area on your own, this is should be on your must-do-list.  Check out the Snow Canyon tab above for more info.

We have just posted a poll on our Desert Cliffs Facebook page because we're interested in hearing which hike is the most favorite of our beloved guests!  Go vote!  If you don't see your favorite hike listed, be sure to vote "other" and list the hike in the comments section.

Take a hike!!

Must Do Hikes in Dixie

A lot of people ask me about the hiking in the St. George area.  Kelly Vincent from Utah Dixie Deals asked me some questions about some hikes here in Dixie and has featured my article on her website.

Go here, to read more.

Of course, if you want to be guided on one of these hikes or any others, feel free to come visit us at Desert Cliffs and we'd be happy to take you!

Happy Hiking!

Desert Cliffs Top Ten Reasons to own a Backpack

1.  A backpack doesn't get jealous of other backpacks.

2.  A backpack will cary a ton of stuff - without complaint.

3.  You can pick a new backpack out of a catalog.

4.  A backpack always stays the same size (within reason).

5.  Backpacks never raise an arm and say, "Talk to the hand".

6.  Having more than one backpack is socially acceptable.

7.  A backpack is ready to leave whenever you are.

8.  A backpack doesn't mind if your friends come over - A LOT!

9.  "Backpack Swapping", is not publicly frowned upon.

10.  A backpack never gets tired of shopping.

So grab a backpack and let's...

Take a Hike!

If you are planning to hike with Desert Cliffs, plan on bringing a backpack that can hold a water bladder of a minimum of 2 liters, a packed lunch, plus any other necessities you might need.  A backpack is a good investment and with good treatment, will last many years and serve you well.

Tip:  You can store your water bladder in a freezer between hiking trips.  That will keep bacteria from growing inside!

Spring is here at Desert Cliffs

There is nothing more lovely than hiking in the desert during the Spring!  It's here!  While many parts of the U.S. still have snow, we sure don't.  You really should come now.

Come enjoy the spring hikes with us at Desert Cliffs!

"Indeed, it has affirmed my belief that our purpose as spiritual beings is to follow our bliss, seek our passions, and live our lives as inspirations to each other." ~ Aron Ralston

You all inspire me when you come and share our passion of hiking with us.

Cheryl

MOTHERS DAY RETREAT

Why Mothers Deserve to come to Desert Cliffs Hiking Spa

Mothers deserve to be served beautiful, delicious, healthy meals.

  Mothers deserve to be able to come with their daughters and strenghten the relationship they have with their children.

  Mothers deserve the peace that being in Nature brings.

  Mothers deserve to challenge themselves physically and mentally.

 Mothers are beautiful, and deserve to hike in the most beautiful areas in the world!

Mother's deserve  to have a good time and fine tune their bodies.

Mother's deserve to feel ready to conquer the world after spending a week at our Hiking Spa.

Mother's deserve to feel empowered when they accomplish things they never imagined they would.

Mothers deserve to just have FUN!!!          

Mothers deserve to reconnect with friends, and meet other friends that will last a lifetime.

Why Do I Hike?

Why do I hike? 'Tain't no mystery

wanna have a good Medical history,

Doctor told me Hikin' is Great

Helps them Blood cells Circulate.

Great for the lungs, Great for the Ticker,

Can't nothin' Getcha in Better Shape Quicker,

Feels so Healthy, Feels so sweet,

Pumpin' my arms and Flappin' my Feet,

Moldin' my muscles, Firmin' my form,

Pantin' like a Pack mule, sweatin' up a storm,

Keeps me youthful, Keeps me Loose,

Tightens my Tummy and SHRINKS my caboose,

Beats Bein' Sluggish, Beats bein' Lazy----

Why do I hike? Maybe I'm Crazy!

one of the best things about Desert Cliffs is watching our guests conquer their fears and to see them empowered by their own efforts and successes!! Lovely people come to us...having never hiked before, and by the end of the week...we find them at the tippy-top of Observation Point in Zion!! You can do anything you set your mind to!! Especially with the help of Desert Cliffs!! Count on it!!

Thanks to the Wine Ladies from Toronto, we now have this fun video to share with you! Here's a fun peek into what Desert Cliffs is all about !!!
Enjoy!! And come join us soon!!!

If, when we were young, we tramped through forests of

Nebraska cottonwoods or raised pigeons on a rooftop

in Queens, or fished for Ozark bluegills, or felt the

swell of a wave that traveled a thousand miles before

lifting our boat, then we were bound to the natural

world and remain so today.

from: Last Child in the Woods

by: Richard Louv

The summer hiking in Southern Utah has officially begun!!! We are back in Zions' Kolob Canyon, and we'll be visiting Pine Valley and Knarraville too!!!  Love, love this time of year!!!  Cool breezes, late blooming wild flowers, running streams!!! Its perfect!!!  Lucky guests who choose this this time of year to visit us and hike with us!!!

"Butch Cassidy: [to Sundance] Boy, I got vision, and the rest of the world wears bifocals."

"Sundance Kid: Well, I think I'll get saddled up and go looking for a woman.

Butch Cassidy: Good hunting.

Sundance Kid: Shouldn't take more than a couple of days. I'm not picky. As long as she's smart, pretty, and sweet, and gentle, and tender, and refined, and lovely, and carefree..."

Our guests that have been here will recognize this famous shot!(thats Colosseum in the background..or also recognized as the way into Fern Gully!!) If you have ever hiked with me in Snow Canyon State Park...you have heard my rendition about Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid movie, and the famous waterhole on the spectacular red rock.

The other day I stumbled upon a treasure...an actual photo of said waterhole with Paul Newman falling backwards into it!!! Upon discovering this classic photo I have learned that I was mistaken!!! The tale I told for many years, with great confidence I might add, was that it was the dashing Robert Redford who took the plunge...NOT!! It was ol blue eyes Newman!!! oops!!!

Come hike with us!! See what the handsome cowboys of the west saw!! Some days its almost painless and its always a whole lot of fun!! Who knew burning fat could be so "entertaining?!" And memorable!! And historical!!!

posted by Cindy

“Above all, do not lose your desire to walk.

Every day I walk myself into a state of

well-being and walk away from every illness.

I have walked myself into my best thoughts,

and I know of no thought so burdensome

that one cannot walk away from it.”

-- Soren Kierkegaard 
Walks

No one can really remember the last time it snowed like this in April!!?

But everyone who experiences snow in Zion National Park is always filled with awe and wonder at the beauty it brings to the trails and views!

We cant always guarantee perfect weather in Southern Utah....

but we can always promise unsurpassed beauty and fun, fun, fun!!!

Come hike with us soon and we'll show you what we mean!!

A journey into the wilderness is the freest,

cheapest, most non-privileged of pleasures.

-Edward Abbey

We might have a reputation of being a boot camp...but we have heart. And love what we're doing and we LOVE our guests. So who's to say that we cant take time to stop and listen to the waterfalls and eat an apple for a moment!!! And we'd be nuts not to take a moment to crane our necks and look up!!! Oh the glory of it all!!!


We arent kidding about the blue skies and the great climate for hiking!! March 1st brought the most perfect of mornings for a hike into Hell's Hole. (who knows why they named such a spectacular place such a gruesome name...its a mystery!!!) Hell's Hole is anything but a miserable place!!

Happy Trails with a New Hiking Guide!

We have a new paint job on the van, and a new look for the website, and now we would like to introduce you to a new hiking guide. She has been training with us now for a little over a month and is doing a superb job- learning hikes and getting with the "program." We feel lucky to have her on the team!!


"I am Megan Nielson, I love St.George and its spectacular views. I am originally from St.George, grew up here in Dixie. I received my degree from SUU which is in Cedar City an hour north at a higher altitude from here but it sometimes felt like Antartica. There I met my wonderful husband, who happened to be from St.George. Our goal was to move back and enjoy family and weather. Now that I am back here, I have been able to experience the beauty that I never took advantage of as a child. I love my job and feel blessed to have the privilege to be working for Desert Cliffs and the opportunities that it gives me. This experience has helped me to become aware and encircle my mind, body, and spirit."

Our hikes

Sand Mountain, Red Cliffs Extreme, Pecan Trail, Red Mountain Trail, Saddle, Babylon, Stairway to Heaven,Hell's Canyon, Elephant Arch, White Cliffs, Slots, Volcano, Gila, Paradise Rim, Petrified dunes, Anasazi Ridge, Owen's Loop, Moss Canyon, Hidden Canyon, Three Ponds Overlook, Taylors Creek, Angel's Landing, Observation Point, Valley of Fire(not in Arizona), Third Ravine Extended, Mystery Canyon, Island in the Sky.....just to name a few.:)

We love to hike, and we know that it contributes to getting fitter and shedding a few pounds because of the success we have had each week. We love our guests, and we love that we get to know them so well on a personal level, and then we are able to push them beyond what they ever thought possible.

The hikes are endless here in St. George, and we are so excited to hike all the way through the hot summer days in cooler areas right next door to us.

Hell's Hole/Romance Canyon

This hike actually named Hellhole, and here's the proof. This is Melanie looking exhausted, but to be honest, I don't think I've ever seen her exhausted.:)

This Canyon is one of the largest, most narrow and secluded canyons near St. George. In some places, the canyon walls are only about 20 feet wide and 700 feet high.

This is why we added the name Romance Canyon, it was so beautiful and the colors were fantastic.

This is Dave and Anna (Cindy's daughter and soon to be son-in-law). In just a few short weeks the trees in this canyon will be full bloom and gorgeous!

This is where we decided to end the hike. We were following John up this canyon as far as we could go, and because of the extra water it was a little more difficult. Cindy decided to question if John could jump back after he had jumped to this rock.


He did it, and made it to the other side, but we decided that was something we did not want to do:) We'll wait until the water goes down, (soon). We still have not figured out why they named this hike Hellhole.

Too much fun!!

There is so much going on here at Desert Cliffs, the weather outside it just beautiful, and we have been soaking it in. Of course we get great workouts inside like spinning, pilates, body strengthening, circuit, water strength, and more, but we have enjoyed our outdoors this week. Two days a week we extend our hikes, and eat our lunch out on the rocks because it is just too beautiful to leave. I will post pics soon, but until then, check out Cindy's hiking blog to get a tiny glimpse of the beauty we are enjoying this week.

Three Ponds Overlook

We're at it again, because we just LOVE it. Yesterday we headed out to Three Ponds Overlook for the best hike of the year yet.:) It was a high calorie burner, because it is one of the highest mountains in Snow Canyon.
This is the fun crack that we all love because it makes us feel a little adventurous. It is a little tricky, but with a lot of support and a little bit of "I can do it" attitude, it is exhilerating to say the least.:) Now I say that because I am a very careful hiker, but most hiking guides and guests jump over it without even thinking about it.
What a gorgeous day!! Yesterday was really beautiful, we feel so fortunate to have this in our backyard, and we want to share it with you. There is a lot of new ways to move, but honestly the best way to get your body back into shape is climbing some of these many mountains we have here! Of course we do work you out in the gym also, so be prepared to get the jumpstart that you need for the year 2010.