Arches National Park's Wall Arch Collapses

Park's 12th largest arch collapsed in the middle of the night with no witnesses and no injuries

On August 3, Wall Arch was one of the more prominent and accessible sandstone arches in Utah's Arches National Park. At 71 feet high and and 33 1/2 feet wide, it was the 12th largest of the 2,000-plus arches known in the park, according to the National Park Service. Sometime on the night of August 4, Wall Arch came tumbling down, blocking a section of the Devil's Garden Trail beyond Landscape Arch. Fortunately, the collapse did not occur during the day, when visitors frequent the trail. (The park service's before and after photos appear below.)



"Not being a geologist, I can't get very technical but it just went kaboom," chief ranger Denny Ziemann told reporter Tom Wharton of the Salt Lake City Tribune. "The middle of the arch just collapsed under its own weight. It just happens."

Wharton also wrote, "Ziemann said the trail closure extends from Double 0 Arch to Wall Arch. If the rest of Wall Arch falls soon, the Park Service will clear off the trail to make it passable. If it continues to teeter over the trail, it may be a while before the trail reopens."

The park service itself reported that "On August 7, 2008, representatives from both the National Park Service Geologic Resources Division and the Utah Geological Survey visited the site and noted obvious stress fractures in the remaining formation." The trail is currently closed because debris has not yet been removed -- a tricky operation under any circumstances, but even more so in an area where motorized vehicles are generally not used.

Recognizing that natural phenomena are attractions in their own right, park service and the Moab Area Travel Council officials put a positive spin on the loss of one the park's most iconic arches, describing the event as a rare opportunity to see "geology in action."

Quiet Policy Changes at Colorado's Shrine Mountain Inn

We discover the need for more BYOs at popular backcountry hut

With my husband and/or friends, I have been to Shrine Mountain Inns four times in the last two years -- three times in summer for peak wildflower season (Indian paintbrush and other blooms, top right), once in late winter. I love the trio of easy-access log huts anytime. With flush toilets, showers, and hot and cold running water, Walter's, Jay's and Chuck's represent real backcountry luxury.

In winter, when it is necessary to ski or snowshoe in with a heavy pack loaded with cold-weather gear, food and drink, the route is mercifully short (about 2.7 miles from the Vail Pass parking area) and straightforward, and is an area with minimal avalanche hazard. In summer, it is possible drive up the Shrine Pass Road, pass through the private property gate to the Shrine Mountain Inns and pull practically to the door. That means it's no sweat at all to take a cooler loaded with eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables and whatever meat or other goodies you might want to grill, a couple of bottles or wine, and other "civilized" food and drink.

Six of us -- three who had been to Shrine Mountain Inns before and we thought we knew the drill-- drove in yesterday. We were all looking forward to the tranquility of the backcountry, an overnight at Walter's (center, right) and some hiking amid the splendor of midsummer wildflowers. We brought relatively sumptuous foods and wine. but we didn't bring sleeping bags or bedding, because up until a few months ago, quilts were supplied.

Sherry, the long-time hut keeper, had a stash of sleeping bags -- for rent at $10 each, including a cotton liner. I suppose if any of us had read the info page on the website carefully, we would have brought our own, as we routinely do for other huts in the 10th Mountain Division Hut System, which handles bookings for the privately owned Shrine Mountain Inns.

Sherry wasn't sure whether the quilts would be back for the winter season, so if we go up again then, we'll be sure to inquire when we book. If the policy hasn't changed, next time our sleeping bags will come with us. In summer, so will real wine glasses and decent kitchen knives. Hut kitchens are equipped with a miscellany of yard sale-style cooking implements, dishes, mugs and glasses, which is part of their charm. Still, next time, especially in summer when we can drive right up, I will also bring at least one paring knife and one chef's knife. And if we have wine, I'll bring wine glasses. Since we took the trouble to bring reasonably good wine, it would have been better with wine glasses instead of jelly glasses, water tumblers and coffee mugs.

These, of course, are minor blips on a wonderful 24 hours. We arrived in the early after, hiked the Shrine Mountain Trail with its wondrous wildflowers, put in many hours working on one of the most vexing jigsaw puzzles any of us had ever seen (bottom, right), lingered over a relaxing dinner and after a leisurely breakfast the next morning, packed up to leave -- refreshed relaxed and happy. It is amazing how much of an escape 24 hours not too far away from can provide -- even under gray skies.

We drove back down to I-70, got off in Frisco to a convenient trailhead and hiked the North Tenmile Creek Trail from the outskirts of town into the Eagles Nest Wilderness. More wildflowers. We capped the short getaway with margaritas and a late lunch on the deck of a restaurant called the Boatyard in Frisco. The drinks hit the spot, the food was fine and it was a suitable re-entry from the high-country hut.

Tributes to Cowboy Culture

The iconic West lives on in museums showcasing Western art, rodeo and entertainment

When I was in Oklahoma City recently, I spent not-enough-time in the National Cowboy & Western Museum, one of the wonderful institutions throughout the West commemorating, memorializing and sometimes romanticizing the cattle and the cowpokes who have worked them under the big blue dome that covers the Western prairies, valleys and canyons. A montage of cowboy and television cowboys provide a "hey, remember that!" pop-culture connection to what is a far more comprehensive display of American West -- Anglo, Hispanic and black cowboys at work; rodeo as a social connector for ranchers on the West's vast open lands and as entertainment; the US Cavalry; the art of the West; excellent children's interpretive sections, and even beautiful gardens. The image below shows the rear of the museum, as seen from the gardens.

As a born-and-bred New Englander, I continue to be captivated by Western art and culture. In addition to the National Cowboy & Western Museum, here are other excellent museums with significant permanent, rotating and visiting exhibitions that celebrate and enlighten about various aspects of the American West:

• Buffalo Bill Historical Center (five museums, including the Buffalo Bill Museum, the Plains Indian Museum and the Whitney Museum of Western Art), Cody, WY
• Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, Golden, CO
• Cheyenne Frontier Days' Old West Museum, Cheyenne
• Colorado History Museum, Denver
• Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa
• The Journey Museum, Rapid City, SD
• Leanin' Tree Museum and Sculpture Garden of Western Art, Boulder, CO
• Mormon Museum, LDS Museum of Church History and Art, Salt Lake City
• National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque
• National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, WY
• ProRodeo Hall of Fame, Colorado Springs

I've enjoyed visits to and been fascinated by them all

Placido Domingo to Perform at Chichen Itza

Gala concert worth a cultural journey to the land of the Maya

I never was fortunate enough to hear the Three Tenors in concert. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras and the late Luciano Pavarotti sang at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome in 1990, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in 1994, near the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 1998 and in Yokohama in 2002 in junction with soccer's quadriennial World Cup finals, plus selected sites around the world.

One of these three incomparable tenors, Placido Domingo, is scheduled to headline a gala concert on October 4 at Chichen Itza on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula to celebrate the revered Mayan site's 20th anniversary as a UNESCO World Heritage site and the first anniversary of its selection as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. A stage will set up in front of the giant Pyramid of Kukulkan (aka, El Castillo), flanked by the remnants of 1,000 columns and inspiring the name, "Placido Domingo in Chichén Itzá: The Concert of the Thousand Columns." Tickets are $50 to $1,000 and may be purchased through Ticketmaster in Mexico.

For Placido Domingo, this concert will be something of a homecoming. has a special fondness for Merida where Born in Spain and raised in Mexico, he made his debut recital in Merida beside his mother, Pepita Embil, a well-known zarzuela performer. Over the years, he has headlined a number of charity events to benefit victims of natural disasters. Proceeds from this concert will be used in the ongoing restoration and conservation of Chichen Itza, as well as the development of services in the surrounding Maya communities.

Very few of us can just bop over to Chichen Itza for the concert and go right home afterwards. The Hacienda Xcanatun, a restored 18th century plantation now an intimate 18-suite boutique hotel on the outskirts of Merida, is offering a Night to Remember Concert Package, starting at $1,370 per two for three nights from $1,700 for two for four nights. The package includes double-occupancy suite accommodations; a Yucatecan fusion feast prepared by the Hacienda Xcanatun 's chef on the evening before the concert with musicians playing zarzuelas and classic favorites; and white-glove transportation to the Chichen Itza for the concert in a luxurious, air-conditioned bus with open bar and canapé service.

The suites feature high, wood-beamed ceilings, hand-carved furnishings, antiques and original painting, and views of exuberant tropical gardens from their terraces. In-suite amenities include a selection of artisanal Maya chocolates and a bottle of red, white, or sparkling wine. Taxes and hotel service charge are additional.

The Hacienda Xcanatun includes two freshwater swimming pools, an intimate spa offering beautyand wellness and holistic Maya treatments, an eight-acre garden. Tennis and golf privileges are nearby. For more information or to reserve, call he Hacienda Xcanatun at 888-883-3633 or Email hacienda@xcanatun.com.

K2 Claims 11 More Climbers' Lives

World's second-highest peak is deadliest of the 8,000-meter Himalayan summits

Not a lot of travelers are journeying to Pakistan for pleasure these days, the most notable exceptions being mountaineers who attempt to ascend K2, at 28,251 feet (8,611 meters) second only to Mt. Everest in elevation. It is also the deadliest of the major Himalayan mountains. According to the keepers of such grim statistics, 284 climbers had summited K2 since 1939 and 66 have perished there, often on the way down.

Eleven people have now been added to those numbers. According to reports, it appears that nine climbers were swept away in an ice avalanche -- likened to a fast-moving glacier five miles up that severed ropes and buried their victims. Two rescuers also died. Among those believed to have died were five Koreans, two Nepalese and one each from Serbia, Holland, Norway and a France -- all brethren on the mountain that claimed them.

As one who is drawn to the mountains in general, I write this in tribute to their skills, ambition and commitment. Himalayan climbing is adventure travel to the max. Sadly, this time 11 did not return.

Thirsty? Pay up on US Airways

There's no such thing as a free beverage on US Airways which now charges for all beverages

When my husband and I flew United's to-be-discontinued Denver-London last March, I was surprised to be charged $5 for a split of very mediocre wine -- surprised because foreign international carriers continue to serve wine and beer gratis. Little did I know that this was the first of numerous fees that airlines would soon begin to impose on most passengers at check-in and now inflight.

Today, with no advance notice, US Airways started charging coach passengers $2 for bottled water and soft drinks and $1 for coffee and tea. Previously, it eliminated pretzel service.

This cheesy nickel-and-diming is disheartening, isn't it?

Denver Art Museum's iPods -- Plus

21st century museum adds 21st century audio -- and light meals now are served across the plaza


No museum in the nation made more of a recent splash than the Denver Art Museum did in 2006 with the opening of the radical Daniel Liebeskind-designed Hamilton Building, a dramatic angled structure clad in titanium. During a recent visit, I noticed the addition of iPod stations (with instructions on how to use the device and seats to plunk down on while you are doing so) to provide interpretation in as modern a mode as the building itself.

Several galleries are currently closed for the installation of new exhibits, but the gorgeous Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism continues through September 7, featuring 40 exquisite mid- and late-19th century French and American landscapes from the Brooklyn Museum’s collection.

The last time I wanted a bite to eat at the museum, there was a small snack bar in the North Tower, the older of the DAM's two connected buildings. The snack bar is no more. Kevin Taylor's Palette's Restaurant has now expanded into that space, and anyone who wants something lighter is directed across the plaza to Mad Greens, whose mid-day specialties are soups, salads and panini.

The museum is open daily except major holidays and Mondays -- except Monday, August 25, when it will not only be open but will be free to show off Denver's cultural side and artistic treasures in honor of the Democratic National Convention.

The Denver Art Museum is at 100 West 14th Avenue Parkway, Denver; 720-865-5000.