Cold mornings are sometimes hard to get up for. It’s just too easy to stay indoors. For me, Dec. 12 was not one of those days.

After looking out the window and seeing fog on the nearby cliffs, I decided it wasn’t a day to keep warm and sip a hot beverage. I put on some warm clothes and headed out, and I was not disappointed.

Some local landmarks were hidden or shrouded in fog. Once the fog cleared, the views of the red-rock landscape of the Page/Lake Powell area opened up, revealing a winter beauty that is rare in these parts.

My first stop was the Wahweap Overlook on Highway 89. Some old timers still call it Beer Can Hill, as it was unofficially known before the National Park Service put up a sign and gave it a name.

From the overlook, there is an expansive view of Utah and Arizona, including Lake Powell, the Kaiparowitz Plateau, Tower Butte and Page. Today, Navajo Mountain, or Naatsisʼáán, was hidden in a cloud, with only the snow-covered base showing.

Looking toward Page, the snow level was obvious. Manson Mesa, where Page is located, was snowy, but the base of the mesa was dark from the moisture. When sandstone and sand get wet, the colors are darker and more intense, providing even more contrast with the snow. The Page Waterfall that can be seen from Glen Canyon Bridge didn’t disappoint as it drained most of the City of Page.

A stop at Waterhole Canyon revealed a slot canyon dusted in snow. Impossible to enter at the bridge, it is only open with a Navajo tour guide. Today it was closed, and Randy Lane, who has worked at Lake Powell and in the Page area most of his life, was repairing a fence near the canyon. Bundled up for the crisp morning, Lane said he likes to keep busy and this slower time of the year is a good time to do some maintenance.

The highlight of the drive was the view from what some locals call the Little Cut, about 10 miles south of Page. A wide spot next to the highway reveals views of Vermilion Cliffs and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments, Grand Canyon National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Lake Powell is still visible in the distance.

Just above the snow line, the formations were highlighted in white. An ancient juniper, curled from years of weather, was made even more interesting with the snow. Above the juniper rose cliffs and buttes that are usually red, but against the snow they appeared even darker red than usual.  

In this area, the sandstone outcroppings resemble scoops of reddish-orange ice cream or stacks of pancakes, but now Mother Nature had added a frosting of snow. Dry plants, normally overlooked, drew attention with the frosting of snow against the dark red earth.  

The snow melted quickly once the sun came out of the clouds. By the end of the day, it was mostly gone.

Perhaps later this winter, Mother Nature will bless us with more water in the form of snow, so we can not only enjoy the beauty but also benefit from the moisture. The winter snows and rains help produce a spring bloom, so let’s keep our fingers crossed!

For now, it was time to go home, warm up and have a late breakfast.