Forum Index > Trip Reports > OTBP Dayhikes Across Southern Utah; April 4 to 8, 2018 Day 5 added!
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John Morrow
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Location: Roslyn
John Morrow
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PostSun Apr 08, 2018 7:01 am 
April 4; Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, The Gulch Wilderness Study Area: Wow, sad chills realizing what happened on this day 50 years ago. Had he lived.... Well, I have been about as indecisive as I can be this trip. Annoying myself some. Am I this bad with partners? Don't anyone answer that. But I finally decided to keep it to dayhikes until I start a Canyonlands backpack next week. This was an exploration outside Boulder Town, UT to look at teh possibilities for a future backpack in the area. Plus some Navajo sandstone domes were present for scrambling and I'd have a chance to view some of the deeper canyon of Deer Creek. A short version of the Deer Creek approach is now featured in Rick Stinchfeld's new book, "Beyond Capitol Reef". I extended it into the neat slickrock expanses of the plateau between The Gulch and Deer Creek. I'll let the map and pics explain...
Deer Creek GSENM
Deer Creek GSENM
Side canyon into Deer Creek
Side canyon into Deer Creek
Descending into Deer Creek
Descending into Deer Creek
Deer Creek, wet feet wade and thrash
Deer Creek, wet feet wade and thrash
Climbing out of Deer
Climbing out of Deer
Cattle trail out
Cattle trail out
The Gulch/North Escalante Canyons Wilderness Study Area, UT
The Gulch/North Escalante Canyons Wilderness Study Area, UT
crazy stilted boulder
crazy stilted boulder
water and pine slickrock basin
water and pine slickrock basin
Another pretty slickrock basin
Another pretty slickrock basin
Peak 6209' next
Peak 6209' next
The Gulch, North Escalante Canyons Wilderness Study Area, UT
The Gulch, North Escalante Canyons Wilderness Study Area, UT
Yet another slickrock basin
Yet another slickrock basin
Class 4 by the two little bushes
Class 4 by the two little bushes
Along the return route
Along the return route
Great little draw returns to Deer Cr
Great little draw returns to Deer Cr
Cross Deer Creek
Cross Deer Creek
I will add that the scramble of Peak 6209' entails some 15 feet of Class 4 that I could not find anything easier to avoid. In the picture of the crack with bushes, locate the two small bushes in the middle. Either do the crack directly or move out right onto mod angle crossbedded slickrock face as I did. The descent is exciting, I recommend sticky sole shoes for sure. April 5; Capitol Reef National Park, "Capitol Tanks Draw" and Peak 7040. Peak 7040' is an awesome endeavor. Worth my third visit to Tanks Draw (my informal reference). Please leave no trace if you head here. I feel a bit guilty posting. Note the obvious gully on the east side of the peak. Class 3, no problems, and mostly solid hugging climber's left. Then to get through the carmel formation cap I chose a zig zag route. Straight ahead from the gully top is a dihedral up a moderate angle face. It looked inviting but quite blank above. Avoiding that 40 foot high face I went far south (left) for 400 yards where the face lessens. This, on a wide sloping dirty ledge. Then up the short easy face and a equally long traverse back to the right to find a way through the cap. It is very apparent.
Tanks Draw dryfall bypass (go higher)
Tanks Draw dryfall bypass (go higher)
Idyllic Tanks Draw
Idyllic Tanks Draw
"The stem crack"
"The stem crack"
looking down
looking down
upper Tanks Draw
upper Tanks Draw
the sand flat
the sand flat
Peak 7040', my destination
Peak 7040', my destination
Class 3 gully (hug left)
Class 3 gully (hug left)
Seldom traveled canyons below
Seldom traveled canyons below
Famous Navajo domeland
Famous Navajo domeland
George Benchmark
George Benchmark
Crazy scarp
Crazy scarp
The route up gully and zigzag ledges
The route up gully and zigzag ledges
Last look
Last look
return
return
one of my favorite canyons
one of my favorite canyons
lots to see
lots to see
at the tanks
at the tanks
little bridge
little bridge
April 6; Capitol Reef National Park, South Fork Sheets Gulch exploration and fail, then Sheets Gulch. First, it was up the pretty lower Sheets to the arch.
Sheets Gulch
Sheets Gulch
First Sheets slot
First Sheets slot
Sheets arch
Sheets arch
Sheet Gulch mid canyon
Sheet Gulch mid canyon
Just past the arch I located the entrance to the S. Fk. which begins inconspicuously as a slotty impassable dryfall. Easily bypassed out of Sheets on the left with a staircase climb, I entered and found the first mile enchanting.
Start of S. Fk. Sheets
Start of S. Fk. Sheets
S. Fk. Sheets Gulch
S. Fk. Sheets Gulch
nice little canyon
nice little canyon
broad bottom spot
broad bottom spot
gets a bit tighter
gets a bit tighter
Then I hit a 150 foot long slot. Tight, and with a 15 foot high chockstone at the far end I'd have to climb over. Fortunately it was consistent width and with lots of small crossbedded ledges for hand and foot holds. I stemmed it continuously. Unnerving being 15 feet off the deck of water but quite exhilarating.
Uh oh, crazy stem slot
Uh oh, crazy stem slot
through, above the 15' high chockstone
through, above the 15' high chockstone
Unfortunately, 1/4 mile later I was stopped by a dryfall grotto. I tried an exit side canyon back to main Sheets but it didn't go w/o 5th Class. So it was back down to Sheets.
The blocker dryfall
The blocker dryfall
side canyon at dryfall failed
side canyon at dryfall failed
back down canyon
back down canyon
I finished the day returning to, and hiking the length of, Sheets main canyon. Which, despite my second time, is always a gorgeous endeavor.
Back into Sheets
Back into Sheets
Sheets narrows
Sheets narrows
I really love this canyon
I really love this canyon
Lots of Navajo buttes and peaks
Lots of Navajo buttes and peaks
Middle narrows, Sheets Gulch, Capitol Reef NP
Middle narrows, Sheets Gulch, Capitol Reef NP
Big faces in upper portion
Big faces in upper portion
Sheets Gulch; Capitol Reef National Park, UT
Sheets Gulch; Capitol Reef National Park, UT
Into the Wingate and Chinle
Into the Wingate and Chinle
Turn around
Turn around
"Big Cottonwood Spring"
"Big Cottonwood Spring"
Capitol Reef National Park, UT
Capitol Reef National Park, UT
descending
descending
Capitol Reef National Park, UT
Capitol Reef National Park, UT
eased with log placed
eased with log placed
the middle narrows
the middle narrows
lowest narrows
lowest narrows
April 7; Behind the Rocks Wilderness Study Area, Moab. I explored the area for rock art and to locate Michael Kelsey's "shortcut" into Pritchett Canyon. Then I roamed a couple of forks in the WSA with little luck finding rock art but finding possibilities for a longer exploration someday.
Pritchett
Pritchett
Climbing out
Climbing out
Into the "Rocks"
Into the "Rocks"
The heart up ahead
The heart up ahead
Pritchett Canyon
Pritchett Canyon
Pritchett descent gully
Pritchett descent gully
1st side canyon dead end
1st side canyon dead end
Along the jeep trail...entertainment
Along the jeep trail...entertainment
Next side canyon
Next side canyon
Higher in canyon
Higher in canyon
Coming back out...wilderness to be?
Coming back out...wilderness to be?
Wet now
Wet now
art
art
art
art
art
art
Art
Art
For being indecisive, I enjoyed this selection of dayhikes and forgave myself for not doing an ambitious backpack in Capitol Reef. Had last night's rain come a week ago, it may have lured me into the backpack with the increased possibility of finding water. But, I'll have it for Canyonlands! April 8: Stairmaster Trail to crosscountry across Moab Rim to Jeep Trail This hike was in danger of being not "Off the beaten path" but, despite the popularity of the Stairmaster Trail with it's parallel Jeep Trail, I managed a bunch of neat crosscountry travel across the top of Moab Rim to rejoin the Jeep Trail at its Moab Viewpoint. Stairmaster Trail is indeed popular but once I left it I saw no one and never a jeep. I accepted that it parallels the Jeep Trail the whole way.
Moab Rim Pritchett Hikes
Moab Rim Pritchett Hikes
Nearing top of Stairmaster trail
Nearing top of Stairmaster trail
View west
View west
Take these Keyenta rock forms south on along rim
Take these Keyenta rock forms south on along rim
Then the fun began as I found mostly durable rock (Keyenta formation ledges) and crypto free surfaces to run the Moab Rim a couple miles south for great travel and constant changing views. In soft ground I saw little evidence that people do this. Or they are all as careful around cryptobiotic soil as I try to be. Why more people dont' do this is beyond me!
Moab with Arches grandeur beyonds
Moab with Arches grandeur beyonds
Left the jeep trail view north
Left the jeep trail view north
Moving south along rock ribs
Moving south along rock ribs
going's easy
going's easy
view back north
view back north
Keyenta ledges go easy
Keyenta ledges go easy
almost done
almost done
The route
The route
I arrived for lunch at the viewpoint where I'd return partially on the Jeep Trail. Wanting to avoid it, and search for rock art, I hugged the big Navajo Domes and knobs as shown on the map.
At Jeep trail end view at Hidden Valley
At Jeep trail end view at Hidden Valley
view west
view west
neat side canyon
neat side canyon
It included walking along a rim of a side canyon and into it.
Behind the Rocks
Behind the Rocks
Dropping into drainage
Dropping into drainage
Then it was up and back out to Stairmaster trail.
slickrock and arch
slickrock and arch
afternoon La Sals!
afternoon La Sals!
Like I said, the petroglyphs in the area are special!
art!
art!
art
art
art
art
art
art
art
art
art
art
art
art
art
art

“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.
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some names
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some names
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PostSun Apr 08, 2018 4:29 pm 
Really nice trip report and pictures John!

somesignaturehere and somesignaturethere
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John Morrow
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PostMon Apr 09, 2018 6:29 am 
I added day five which was along the Moab Rim yesterday.
Moab Rim Pritchett Hikes
Moab Rim Pritchett Hikes
If you notice on the map, someday I'd like to connect the two routes through the awesome fins of Behind the Rocks.

“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.
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wildernessed
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PostMon Apr 09, 2018 6:38 am 
up.gif

Living in the Anthropocene
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GaliWalker
Have camera will use



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GaliWalker
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PostMon Apr 09, 2018 10:13 am 
Stunning scenery! eek.gif up.gif

'Gali'Walker => 'Mountain-pass' walker bobbi: "...don't you ever forget your camera!" Photography: flickr.com/photos/shahiddurrani
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Eric Hansen
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Eric Hansen
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PostMon Apr 09, 2018 6:39 pm 
Behind the Rocks is too cool! Been there and would gladly return

Off trail rambler
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Rainie Too!
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Rainie Too!
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PostMon Apr 09, 2018 7:23 pm 
Tanks Draw just got added to my list. Could camp there forever...... Did you ever make it up the Golden Throne?

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DIYSteve
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PostMon Apr 09, 2018 8:15 pm 
Nice up.gif

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John Morrow
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PostMon Apr 16, 2018 8:45 am 
Rainie Too! wrote:
Tanks Draw just got added to my list. Could camp there forever...... Did you ever make it up the Golden Throne?
Just no way w/o mid to high 5th climbing now that I've viewed all sides, unfortunately. "Northern Throne" was my attempt at declaring a significant consolation....All attempts at a non rappel route circumnavigating the Golden Throne failed, too. Too bad, because that'd make a nice way through that section on the "Grand traverse of the Reef".

“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.
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Sculpin
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PostFri Apr 20, 2018 2:27 pm 
John Morrow wrote:
If you notice on the map, someday I'd like to connect the two routes through the awesome fins of Behind the Rocks.
Good luck, did not work for me. Tried a few routes, hit dead ends, ran out of time. Shoulda just paid the damn parking fee at Pritchett! frown.gif The jeep road up to Moab Rim is great for reading sign. In addition to the nocturnal desert critters making various odd tracks, you will see a gasoline stain on one rock, a red splash of transmission fluid on another, maybe a smear of CV grease... clown.gif

Between every two pines is a doorway to the new world. - John Muir
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