December 25, 2019

I’m remembering our first Holiday Season in the Southwest. We were living in LaVerkin, Utah, less than 20 miles from Zion National Park.   We had moved out of Florida only six months earlier.

That December 25th we decided to drive through a mostly empty, very cold Zion National Park, getting excited by snowy peaks in the distance in contrast to the roadside stream beds still flowing despite the icy temperatures. As we approached the historic Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel a soft rain began to fall.  If you have ever driven through that tunnel, then you may know that the 1.1 mile drive is pitch dark except for several large hollowed out windows that provide fleeting views of the canyon.   It makes no sense (to me) that these large viewing windows exist because of the traffic that flows through the tunnel. There are no lookout points to pull off the road and park. Maybe these openings were used during the construction process back in the early 1900’s or they were a planned "peekaboo" moment for bypassers. As it happened, there was little to no road traffic on that holiday, much less in the tunnel. So, momentarily, and a bit daringly, we stopped the car and peered out. Imagine that! One of the busiest Parks in the U.S. and that window was in our sole possession for a few precious moments.

Photo Credit: Joe Braun Photography 

Having visited Zion at other times of the year, we knew that emerging from the other end of the tunnel would be something like an IMAX experience. A bit daunting but also exciting. From experience, we knew we must resist the urge to lock our eyes on the orange sandstone cliffs bursting into view and focus on the road that was no longer a straight line.

But on this visit we did not see what we expected.   We emerged from the tunnel into a full blown blizzard!

We were so excited by the sudden snowfall that we parked the car and hopped out like a couple of gaping kids marvelling at some of the largest snowflakes either of us had ever seen.  Then… another surprise!  As we stood in all that snowy white wind we witnessed a small herd of desert bighorn sheep navigating the nearby mountainside, just across the road from us.   No traffic. No people. Just us, the swirling icy snowflakes, and those incredible sheep.  Lots of pics of that day…  including a brief video of the herd. Oh how we loved those rocks, those vistas, the snow, and those sure footed sheep.

We wish YOU a stupendous, pleasant surprise in December 2025…. regardless of how, what, or if you celebrate holidays, holy days, etc...

Tina & Nathan

Vacation 2017

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