[John Morrow]

After some rest at Capitol Reef with short musings while stretching legs in varied terrain: Sulphur Creek with the gang:

Sulphur Creek, Capitol Reef National Park, UT

Capitol Reef National Park

Fish Creek Cove rock art hunt:

The cove

Fish Cr waterfall

waterfall closeup

Navaho sandstone buttes

The Cockscomb

Cohab Canyon sunset walk from campground:

Reef sunset

Cohab Trail

Profile the Wingate

The Dayhikes of Escalante: I headed back down to the Escalante to do some day hikes from good roads should the forecasted weather bring wetting rains to the dirt road systems.

Escalante River/Deer Canyon 2 separate dayhikes

May 5: Escalante River Trail upstream from Hwy 12 Trailhead. Up the river trail to find some rock art, arches, and a key junction of a thing called the Bowington Route to be used on a later trip someday.

Escalante River

Escalante River wall

Escalante Natural Bridge

bridge up close

storm coming

alcove shelter

time to walk

aster

can't remember

Navajo sandstone appears

Up the Bowington Route towards the Boulder Mail Trail (a future loop) just a short distance.

Big Navajo walls

Downcanyon on Bowington Route

beautiful

domeland over Death Hollow

Escalante cuts

Bowington Route views

Back down to the river and downstream.

valley floor, Escalante River

Upper Escalante Canyon

May 6: This day was a crosscountry jaunt from Hwy 12 at a place called Haymaker Bench. From the bench I went through a divide and then down an unnamed canyon, known locally as Deer Canyon, to the Escalante and Phipps Wash before retruning the same way.

Descending from Haymaker Bench

Claret Cup

Deer canyon ahead

Escalante domes

Layers of distant rock

Leaving the Panel

Could it go?

I was unclear if a route would go off the Deer Canyon Rim but I found a way through the Navajo sandstone onto Kayenta ledges and in. Next was a side canyon visit to Bowington Arch.

No entry!

That rib will go

Bowington Arch

Hoodoos are a surprise

vertical look at arch

Arch view

yucca flower

After the arch I continued downcanyon. It was surprisingly beautiful and dramatic.

Idyllic Canyon

Oasis

Buttress walls

After some less than dramatic scenery along the Escalante River, I returned and found much awesome rock art along the route.

Fine surprise of a canyon

side draw

slickrock and water

I finished the day with a short slickrock scramble of an unnamed butte Pt 6160'. The NW Ridge is pure moderate angle slickrock. Just because it is there, and it is visible from miles around. Nice 360 degree views of the Escalante Country.

Time to head out

Looking back

South view from Pt 6160'; The Escalante

Boulder Creek area buttes

NW ridge slickrock walk

May 7: Big Horn Canyon to Zebra Canyon. More slot play.

Big Horn Canyon W. Fk upstream, Main Fork downstream

This was a long day of 15 miles because of the unplanned, but worthwhile, sidetrip to Zebra Slot. Starting at Ten Mile Flat on the Hole in the Rock Road it went like this: 1.5 miles down Harris Wash. Up West Fork Bighorn Slot 3 miles. Traverse to head of, and descend Main Big Horn Canyon back to Harris Wash. 4 miles Down Harris Wash 2.5 miles to Zebra Slot. Explore Zebra. Return 4 miles up Harris Wash to car. West Fork Bighorn: Tight slots, some dryfalls to ascend in the slot, then multiple fun friction scrambles around five more dryfalls in the canyon. I did harder scrambles but all had class 3 exits if backtracking a short distance.

Down Harris to cattle fence

Big Horn Forks junction

wavvy

W. Fk first

Into slot going up W. Fk.

W. Fk. Bighorn Slot

tight

Big Horn West Fork

dryfall to climb

fun step up

secure place

Dryfall ahead, Grand Staircase-Escalante NM

Class 5 bypass

Class 5 friction

W. Fk. Bighorn Canyon

stem the water

W. Fork Bighorn Canyon

bypass this, too

bypass a third with steep friction

looking at easy bypass options

a fourth!

a fifth dryfall!

bypass No. 5 with class 4

Looking down (easier ramp further right)

Sixth and final bypass

Across the mesa and enter Main Fork Big Horn Canyon. Descend it back to Harris Wash:

There's Main Fork Big Horn

Find an enrty

This goes!

Sculpted rock

Very colorful Main Fork

Doesn't go unfortunately

But easy bypassing

great lines

shallow Big Horn Canyon slot

big view

what a landscape

Big Horn Canyon

Down to Zebra Slot and the long slog back up Harris Wash:

Into Harris Wash

Into Zebra slot

Classic Zebra

The stripes

Zebra Canyon

Wet on this day (crotch high)

Stem with barefeet

the water waves

Long Harris wash slog

Not happy with me!

The Badger was a pleasant surprise until I was hissed at and stepped toward before turning around and trotting off. Rock Art found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/23557848@N03/sets/72157652459779056 A samlpin':

petro-picto

headless

outline

Faded and clear

much going on

long torso, spear?

Interesting design

peculiar figures

horns and shield

Not sure if these are actually archaic or much younger. They are 6" tall and have that elongated BCS form. 47 I think I counted in all. Lesser visited canyon but obvious as one walks upstream has me doubting they are archaic.

bearpaws

strange

must have had ladder pole

awesome centipede?

Fremont warrior

sun and morphs

elaborate necklace

strange black rays eminate

fine hands

holding hands

[Rainie Too!]

Wow! I think I like the Escalante up there better! More slots, great views.... Think I missed a lot. It is prettier than the loop we did! Hope you enjoyed your peaceful saunterings John.

[John Morrow]

[Rainie Too!]

I think I like Bighorn better than Zebra....at least the color was better.Red breaks next year.

[Abert]

You've gotten some great slot canyon photos this year, John. Funny that I had my first badger in the wild sighting (crossing the Burr Trail Road) just a couple days before you saw yours.

[John Morrow]

Escalante River/Deer Canyon 2 separate dayhikes

Big Horn Canyon W. Fk upstream, Main Fork downstream