Feeling as rested as possible, we took a deep breath and started the 5000 foot ascent toward Cedar Breaks. Looking back, I guess it took a lot of effort to ignore the multiple signs warning us that the road was closed, but we decided to continue the climb in silent denial. After 4 miles, we ran into a ranger that confirmed that yes, we would have to wait until 3 PM. It turned out to be a lucky situation, however, since the Rt 14 had been closed for avalanche repair from 7 AM- 7 PM since November, and the work was just ending. We begrudgingly coasted back down to Cedar and hung out in a coffee shop before trying again.
Cedar Breaks was unreal! We all agreed it was the prettiest viewpoint since the Sierras. We saw a panorama of bright red buttes juxtaposed against a cloudless blue sky. The elevation was over 10,000, so we had a chilly descent into Panguitch, another town seemingly maintained by vacationers eager to see the surrounding sites (about half of whom are German, oddly enough). We were generously granted a room by the Panguitch Inn.
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