Mokis and Me

 A few years ago, I spent 3 weeks around Moab, Utah building trails and hiking. A local told me about a Moki trail just outside of town and I went looking for it. The first set of Moki steps  I found were on a shallow angle slab, like the photo at left. These steps led up to a flat, dry creek bed, which I followed for a few yards to another cliff.

There were more steps leading higher. I climbed those and reached another plateau that led to an even steeper cliff.

 

 

This cliff had a big, dead tree leaning against it. But no more Moki steps. Dead end, darn. But I noticed it was possible to climb up the tree – at least partway - using the dead branches. So I did. After 10 feet of tree climbing, there were no more holds on the tree. That was it; I’d have to go down. I reached out onto the cliff face, and voila, more Moki steps. I climbed up to another plateau. And walked up the dry wash to the steepest cliff yet. I went up a few feet but then got too nervous to continue. There were more steps above me and more plateaus to walk. It’s still waiting there for you to find.