When we set the date for our trip with Bill, we were disappointed to find out that there were no permits left for Coyote Buttes South for that week, but we decided to come anyway, since there is so much else to see in the area. Also, there is a new daily lottery to get permits for The Wave as well as for Coyote Buttes South, so we played on Monday and won both – unbelievable! We had to decide where we wanted to go – this time we decided on Coyote Buttes South.

We meet Bill at 5:45 am, and head to the gas station to fill up and get coffee. It is very cold: at the hotel, the thermometer shows 24 Fahrenheit (-4.5 Celsius) already and while driving out to House Rock Road the lowest we see is 6 Fahrenheit (-14.5 Celsius). The cold temperatures help keep the sand more compact and easier to drive through, which certainly helps – we get to Cottonwood Cove shortly after 8 am.

We spend the next 5 hours exploring and photographing the area. There is not a single cloud in the sky, but it is a bit chilly because of the wind – Marco is still wearing his beloved shorts. Nevertheless, we enjoy every minute, it is such an amazing area and we don’t regret having picked this over The Wave.

At 2 pm we start driving back and are at the Navajo Bridge at 4 pm. As the conservationists told us on Monday, some Condors are flying in for the night just before the sun disappears behind the mountains. Our timing is perfect.

Marco did a great job driving us safely through the deep sandy roads.