White Christmas at Bryce Canyon!

We spent the night before Christmas Eve at Bryce Canyon's North Campground after narrowly missing our chance to drive to the end of the canyon as the rangers shut it down in advance of the approaching snowstorm. Scouting out our spot before sunset, the campground was mostly empty . . . but come dusk, quickly filled with campers parking anywhere they could find space. Even saw some brave souls camping in the snow in their tent!

The Beach House has been running well, though I have already ordered some upgrades to better utilize the upgraded electrical system (my laptop is giving me warnings about low battery now) and the sun is beginning to rise so it's beginning to lighten . . . time to get outside!

Nonetheless, I am excited to take Keisha out for a walk on Christmas Eve as they have a dog-friendly trail (rare for our National Parks) from Sunrise to Sunset Point. I am excited to hit the trail early on Christmas Eve, I went to bed early after a nutritious can of refried beans (camping alone has it's advantages and disadvantages) and was up and ready to hit the trail as soon as it was light enough to see my way. As the sun rose, it burned off some of the clouds and we were joined on the trail by other visitors. In particular, I was fascinated to hear the story of one of the volunteer rangers who was providing information to travelers in exchange for lodging and board . . . sounded like a version of Work Camping, but where she is provided a small apartment in exchange for spending the day helping out and educating visitors. In the summer months, she is a rafting guide and is able to stretch her income through the winter for the past few years by volunteering.