Previous :: Next Topic |
Author |
Message |
John Morrow Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 1526 | TRs | Pics Location: Roslyn |
The Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument (GSENM) in southern Utah has become a favorite. Previously, all my explorations (alone or with friends) have been in the eastern Escalante River drainage portion. This trip explored the western portion through "The Grand Staircase" and can be called the Paria River-Hackberry Canyon Loop. Within the National Monument is the Paria-Hackberry Wilderness Study Area and the majority of the hike took place in this 136,000 acre WSA. Kimberly (Rainie Too), who did the bulk of the research for the trip, was joined by and fellow Escalante explorers Linda, Jerry, Robert and myself. We are all becoming annual regulars down here. Gwen, diving head first into her first desert experience, joined us for week two!
Total mileage with side canyon trips added up to nearly 100 miles over 10 days.
download for full size GSENM P-H Loop Overview
This is Part 2 of three parts:
Part 1 here: https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8024030
Part 2: Paria River to Rock Springs/Asay Canyon/Sheep Canyon/Bull Valley-Willis Slot Canyons Loop
Part 3: Round Valley Draw/Hackberry Canyon/Yellow Rock/Paria Box...To come.
Part 2:
This leg continues our up-canyon wade of the Paria River toward our resupply car at Rock Springs Creek Trailhead (really just a corral). Our two side trips were a short loop of Asay Canyon with Asay Bench and a much longer well-known loop of slots and narrows connecting Willis Creek Canyon with Bull Valley Gorge.
Day 4 began packing up camp at Deer Canyon and continuing up the Paria River Canyon to the mouth of Asay Canyon. Good water was found at an established spring called Crack Spring, 3/4 mile down canyon from the Asay mouth.
Deer Canyon petros Deer Petros Paria high alcoves and arches colorful section Passing Lone Rock beehives
Leaving the packs, we explored the lower slot portion of Asay Canyon by the mouth. It dead-ends with a chockstone we could not climb. So we backtracked and did a short fun bypass to re-enter Asay just above the slot. Robert and I descended back through far enough to look at the impasse.
Asay lower slot Paria Hackberry Wilderness Study Area above the Asay Slot bypassing the slot impasse checking it from above
Up Asay was a real treat. Incredibly beautiful canyon shapes and forms with distant white cliffs and lots of hoodoos/beehive formations. Then a second slot section even.
ready to continue Paria Hackberry Wilderness Study Area hoodoos and beehives upper Asay slot slot 2 slot 3
Beyond the slot we had to do some chockstone and slab scrambling to exit onto Asay Bench which we would hike to return to the Paria. A cattle trail, once blasted, descends to the Paria.
above upper slot final narrows scramble exiting to Asay Bench Paria Hackberry Wilderness Study Area cattle trail return to Paria
Back with the heavy packs up the Paria to the junction with Sheep Canyon. The beauty of Sheep Creek Canyon with its high white Navajo sandstone walls was yet another pleasant surprise. 1/2 mile up canyon from the Paria/Sheep junction we settled in on a nice camp bench shaded by cottonwoods and Ponderosa pines.
Onward Sheep Canyon confluence searching Sheep for a camp Bull Valley Gorge mouth where to camp? Ah, camp!
Day 5 consisted of a long and wonderful dayhike loop up Sheep Creek Canyon to Willis Creek Canyon and back via Bull Valley Gorge. Much info exists on the net and in guidebooks so I'll just describe it in pictures.
The morning started up Sheep Creek Canyon past Bull Valley Gorge mouth (returning that way later) to Willis Creek Canyon. Then up Willis though its picturesque narrows after a visit to a nearby petroglyph panel.
Penstemon? Starting up Sheep Sheep Creek deepness, Grand Staircase Escalante NM Favorite panel! curvylines Sheep detail detail Into Willis Canyon narrowing Arch! Willis Narrows narrows narrows 2 opening 2nd Narrows Willis Falls 3rd Narrows 3rd Narrows last view
To return via Bull Valley Gorge we had to walk 1.5 miles of the Skutumpuh Road. Lots of water initially in BVG so we used a fixed rope to do a short rappel at the beginning. A second fixed knotted rope exists to aid in a second dryfall/chockstone descent but was not necessary to use. Then just normal scrambling chockstones and dryfalls to negotiate until it became a walk through.
Bull Valley beginning Rappelling in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, UT Linda descends dark tight portion BVG again slot look Bull Valley Slot A fun descent lighting obstruction At the pickup The famous pickup bridge flood debris opens tightens another tight strtch Kimberly around a dryfall a final narrowing big firs appear Hackberry-Paria Wilderness Study Area; Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. UT Paria-Hackberry Wilderness Study Area, UT
We even found another small petroglyph panel which was a big treat for me!
Another neat panel! detail
Day 6 we packed up the Sheep Canyon camp, returned to the Paria River, and went about four more miles up canyon to the mouth of Rock Springs Creek Canyon. Many more petroglyphs enroute! Then we finished the final four miles to the car at the top of Rock Springs Canyon.
muddy Sheep into Paria High Panel strange designs Another high panel detail 1 detail 2 anything to access art Yet another high panel A Paria River backpack big walls in Upper Paria Nice canyon high sides lone dome panel Into Rock Springs Creek a nice canyon Robert colors in upper Rock Springs
The first two legs were so great I could hardly wait for the final descent down the length of Hackberry Canyon. However, it was so windy and cold with a front coming in, we opted not to car camp at the resupply car and instead stay the night in Cannonville, UT. There we met up with Gwen who'd be joining us for the remainder of the hike. And, wouldn't you believe it, while doing breakfast in town we recognized Lindsay (Marmot) and Gabriel packing in some morning carbs as energy to fuel the rest of their long distance hike of the Hayduke Trail! They had just traced our Paria route and even caught our entry in a register at one of the petroglyph panels! That was so cool.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
|
Back to top |
|
|
John Morrow Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 1526 | TRs | Pics Location: Roslyn |
Oh yeah,
This pathetic administration is trying to do away with National Monuments created by Presidential Executive Order after 1996. Authority that was granted to the Executive Branch in the passage of the 1906 Antiquities Act. This includes Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument created by President Bill Clinton. Presidents of both parties have used this authority to create Monuments.
We have 15 days of comment period to defend them. Please make your voice heard!
The Mountaineers make it easy here:
https://secure.everyaction.com/htgQ_txEoUmCtTwpOmQg9g2
Or here:
https://www.friendsofcedarmesa.org/take-action/
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
|
Back to top |
|
|
Gwen LO Girl-of-the-Month
Joined: 14 Feb 2010 Posts: 1673 | TRs | Pics
|
|
Gwen
LO Girl-of-the-Month
|
Fri May 12, 2017 7:26 pm
|
|
|
Thanks for the reminder to sign, John.
Wow, Part II looks fantastic! Now I see why you all were fussing and fawning over the memory of Asay - really good stuff!
Tomorrow's not promised to anyone, so be bold, scare yourself, attempt something with no guarantee of success. You'll be amazed at what you can achieve. -Olive McGloin
Tomorrow's not promised to anyone, so be bold, scare yourself, attempt something with no guarantee of success. You'll be amazed at what you can achieve. -Olive McGloin
|
Back to top |
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate NWHikers.net earns from qualifying purchases when you use our link(s).
|