Shhhhh.... It's Edmaier's Secret

Paria River Valley

When I started this blog many years ago, my intention was to document all of the wonderful places I visited within the Colorado Plateau region.  While I was reasonably faithful at first about creating posts, it soon became apparent that producing the kind of in-depth content I prefer takes time; and as any older person can tell you time is a commodity that has a vanishingly short shelf life.

As much as I would like to just ignore everything else and sit down for a spell to catch up, I am resigned to finding a few moments here and there to hammer out a post.  So here in my latest installment I'll cover another slice of a most amazing place.

Edmaier's Secret 

I've spent a fair amount of time along the Arizona-Utah border working as a guide in the area of the Grand Staircase - Escalante and Vermilion Cliffs National Monuments.  This region was for many years unknown to the majority of visitors, most of whom are focused on the large National Parks surrounding the area - Bryce, Zion, and the North Rim of Grand Canyon.

The pandemic changed all of that, as people who had been told to stay indoors and away from crowded places discovered that being outside was an effective antidote to quarantine and isolation.  Even so the area is vast and for the most part roadless, and except for more well known features such as the Wave and White Pocket there is lots to discover without having to negotiate crowds.

One such place is Edmaier's Secret, which despite the name is really not unknown.  This large area of fins and sandstone formations is named for German photographer Bernhard Edmaier, who supposedly identified them from a small plane.  Located just outside the permit area of North Coyote Buttes (home to the Wave), reaching the area requires a relatively easy hike, although once you arrive you'll want to do some exploring which necessitates a fair bit of scrambling.

Buckskin Gulch

Also in the immediate area is Buckskin Gulch, one of the narrowest and deepest slot canyons in the southwest.  I won't cover the Gulch here as it is one of those places where you'll have lots of company, being very well known and somewhat easy to reach.  I mention it specifically because getting to Edmaier's Secret requires starting at the upper (northern) trailhead for Buckskin Gulch, located on House Rock Valley Road.  The route follows the same trail for about 2 miles before diverging from the wash that leads to the Gulch. 

From the trailhead the path drops into a shallow canyon, meandering from side to side trying to stay out of the sandy washbottom.  In spite of the overall lack of anything resembling grass, this is cattle grazing country, and browsing cows have created their own network of trails.  Not to worry though; as long as you follow the canyon bottom getting lost is unlikely.

Visually the first couple of miles is not particularly interesting, although wandering in the confines of a canyon anywhere is a fine way to spend the day.  Vegetation is typical of a high desert environment, with juniper, pinyon pine, rabbitbrush, sagebrush, and prickly pear cactus being most obvious.

You'll know you are getting close when the trail begins to parallel a barbed-wire fence, as shown in the picture above.  Shortly after this point the trail will return to the wash bottom, and a tributary drainage will appear on the left.  Follow this drainage as it approaches the sandstone ridge that rises above and to the east.  Once the wash reaches the base of the formation there is no path other than the one you choose.

Crossbedded fins

The most common feature of the Navajo Sandstone landscape is something called a "fin", which is an exposed remnant of lithified sand, representing a period of time in what used to be an Eolian sand dune desert from around 190 million years ago.  

Eolian (also spelled Aeolian) refers to the process by which wind erodes and transports material, specifically in this case grains of sand.  

Over hundreds of thousands of years wind shaped the sand into massive dunes, with silicates compacted and cemented together in discrete layers.  At the end of this geologic era the dunes were buried by thousands of feet of overlying sediment from nearby mountain ranges worn down by relentless wind, water, and time.  During this period the transformation of the sand into sandstone was completed through the process known as diagenesis.

Millions more years passed during which erosion stripped away deposited sediment, revealing the now fossilized dunes.  Once exposed the same forces began to work on the sandstone, carving and shaping the rock.  The fins exist because select layers are more resistant due to higher rates of compaction and a greater concentration of minerals bonding the grains together.  

Despite this enhanced cohesion the vestigial layers are exceptionally fragile, and great care should be exercised when walking among them.

As mentioned earlier, there is no path or specific destination.  The entire western exposure has many areas of fins, as well as other visually appealing formations.  The following images provide a sampling of what you can see if you are willing to explore.

Looking south towards North Coyote Buttes

Looking north towards Buckskin Mountain

Caprocks of slightly harder material form toadstools

Fossilized footprint of an eroded sand dune

The more time you have the more you'll discover.  While covering a fairly large area, the majority of interesting formations can be seen in about 6-8 hours.  I recommend contouring to the south, climbing higher and essentially criss-crossing the slope if you see something that piques your curiosity.  If you have the time stay until the sun starts to descend into the west - the shadows and fading light make for better pictures.

Anyway you do it you'll have uncovered another "secret" gem in a land of immense riches.