For the past 13 years I have been trying to obtain a permit to visit the North Coyote Buttes (think Nirvana for photographers).  Only 20 permits are issued each day so as to protect the delicate environment; 10 through an online lottery and the other 10 through a walk-in lottery held at the Kanab Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Visitors Center.  I have entered and lost the online lottery roughly 80 times. Since arriving in Kanab, I have entered the walk-in lottery every day. Today the stars were aligned, if obscured by clouds, and my number was selected from the bingo ball cage used to determine winners. Weather conditions permitting (the road to the trailhead turns to mud and becomes impassable when wet), I will be visiting the North Coyote Buttes tomorrow. It has been raining and occasionally sleeting for most of the day which I have spent indoors planning for my long anticipated adventure. Temperatures are expected to plummet this evening and remain below freezing for the next 24 hours.  Not the ideal conditions for an all day outdoor excursion but a small miracle in so much as the muddy access road will be frozen allowing passage.

The raccoons were seated next to me at dinner and I thought the gambling theme befitting of today’s post.