Applying for "The Wave"

Does that photo looks familiar?

Yep, that's one of Windows Desktop backgrounds (under Landscapes category) and it's taken at a place called Coyote Buttes North, also known as "The Wave", in Arizona.

I discovered The Wave not because of Microsoft's Windows but while I was at some gift shop in Page, Arizona looking at calendars, souvenirs and post cards. It was right after I saw the Lower Antelope for the first time,  around Thanksgiving of 2010. I was with my friends from Chicago and Canada, that time. 

That time I didn't know it as The Wave yet, I only knew it as Vermilion Cliffs. So armed with this new information, I set out a goal to know more about it. Where it is, what it is, how to get there, etc. That's how I learned that one doesn't just go there, there are procedures and not an easy one at that.

Fast forward, two dear friends of mine have moved to Arizona year 2013 and we planned to travel together to see the Antelope Canyons. I wanted to go back at the Lower Antelope because I was too mesmerized by that place and I want to show it to my husband. I started planning that trip but I have some other agenda in mind, I really wanted to see The Wave. So I went to apply for the Wave permit, online. This was 3 months before our scheduled Arizona trip. If you want to know how that works click me.

Coyote Buttes North, aka, The Wave is an internationally renowned hiking destination. In order to make it fair for everyone who wishes to visit, a lottery system has been put in place. Easy enough? 

Nope.

To preserve the place, they only give 20 available slots per day (atleast, at the time we were applying for permit). 10 they give online and another 10 for walk-ins. I applied for a permit online twice, and didn't get lucky. That didn't discourage me though. I had a plan B. 

My friends in Arizona, the hubby and I still pushed through with our Arizona trip. The plan was go see Antelope Canyons (lower and upper, I haven't been to the upper one yet). Go see the Horseshoe Bend (haven't been there) and then go to Utah. 

The plan B was we will attempt to apply for lottery personally. Yes, walk-in, but we want to have a back-up of the back-up plan (did that makes sense? 😆).

The Wave walk-in permit lottery drawing

When you apply for the walk-in permit, it is only valid for the next day, not on the day you applied. So if for example you applied today, Monday, and you won, the permit is valid for Tuesday. With this, I had to make an itinerary around that situation. Below is how it looked like (for the complete itinerary and logistics click me):




Day 1: Bryce Canyon. Also our 1st attempt on walk-in permit lottery. If we win, we go to The Wave on Day 2, otherwise...

Day 2: White Pocket. Also, our 2nd attempt on walk-in permit lottery. If we win, will go to The Wave on Day 3, otherwise...

Day 3: Grand Staircase. Day 2 was supposedly our last attempt to apply for walk-in permit lottery because we plan to go back to Arizona on Day 4 but we were feeling lucky so we applied again. For the 3rd time.

If you want to see my blog post about the above back up trips, click this: Arizona/Utah pre-winning the permit lottery

Unfortunately, we didn't win on all walk-in attempts. So it was with a sad heart that we left Utah but vowed that we will keep trying until we get it. 

So yes folks. That's 2 online attempts and 3 walk-in attempts. The permit lottery fairy wasn't kind to us those times, lol. That's OK, because we did enjoy our other Arizona and Utah trips. Boy, White Pocket is pretty! And the Bryce Canyon? So out of this world!! You should try visit White Pocket before they start doing lottery permits on that too. I heard their planning to do that because it's starting to get famous as well. 

video inside the lottery room

Before we bid adieu to our friends in Arizona, we hatched up a plan. We would start applying for online permits but we need to time it. We want it during the cold season because we have read about people dying there because of heat stroke. We don't like it during the winter months too because it could be treacherous because of the slippery ice and mud caused by melted ice or it could get too cold.

To apply for online permit for the month of November, one needs to apply 4 months in advance (it used to be just 3 months). In our case, we started applying on July 2014 for a November permit.  We decided we want to do it during a long weekend (so we don't have to take so many days off from work) so we chose around Thanksgiving. When applying you are allowed to have 3 date choices. Ours was:

November 28 (1st choice)

November 29 (2nd choice)

November 30 (3rd choice)

Both me and my friends in Arizona applied for 4 pax. We figured if we both win (which is 8 total), that would be a very good problem and we can just invite more people to come with us. 

Unfortunately, I lost again. My friends on the other hand got it! We were so elated!

We were set to go see The Wave on November 29, 2014, a Saturday, our 2nd choice. The BLM sent my friends the permit a week or so before our scheduled flight. We kind of got worried there for a bit because it was cutting too close to our scheduled departure to Utah, but it all worked out fine.

The hike itself going to The Wave deserves it's own post. So here, I'll just leave you with an image of our permit.

unfortunately, this got blown by the wind on our way to
the wave after the ranger have inspected our permit...

and here are some of our pictures during the hike and at The Wave. The hike towards The Wave, in by itself is already a treat to the eyes.

one of the spectacular views you will see while hiking to "the wave

   

"the wave"!

yep, that's me!
(iphone shot)