piper01
Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2013
- Messages
- 182
Day 4
I woke up bright and early with the sunrise shining into my tent from my campsite off Harris Wash Road. I climbed out of my warm cocoon to take some photos, then promptly went back to sleep. I was tired from the previous day's hike!
Eventually I managed to rouse myself from my slumber, pack up camp, and head for Egypt Bench Road. The road was very rough in areas- definitely a good idea to have a high clearance vehicle for it. Finally I made it to the trailhead and began my descent. The hike began with a strenuous climb down the ridge from the parking area.
I followed the well-cairned Fence Canyon route, which paralleled the canyon along the rim for much of the way. The Escalante River and Neon Canyon looked so far away at the beginning.
I found this small flower with a lone Moqui marble to keep it company.
Eventually the trail descended into Fence Canyon, which was bursting with color.
I admired these crossing lines in the wall of the canyon.
Then I continued the fairly easy climb down to the bottom.
Fence Canyon was filled with trees, grasses, and even flowing water in areas. It was an unexpected contrast with the desert up above!
I found this neat channel-cut filled in with clay between two sandstone bodies.
The stratigraphy kept changing as I descended the canyon; there were no massive cross-bedded dunes at this point in geologic time.
The path wound leisurely among the grasses as I neared the river.
I liked this debris wrapped around a tamarisk branch.
Finally I reached the Escalante River. I followed it for a while, alternating between wading in the water and threading my way through the vegetation lining the banks. I stopped and visited this petroglyph panel before I reached Neon Canyon. It was a shame the historical "cowboy-glyphs" were grafittied directly on top of the petroglyphs when there was plenty of unused canyon wall nearby they could have used for their drawings.
Hunting scene.
I wonder if this was drawn by the same person who did the scene shown in the previous picture. The front legs of the charging animals looked very similar to me.
Continuing on, I admired the desert varnish striping the walls.
I finally made it to Neon Canyon!
The light reflecting off the canyon walls contrasted beautifully with the bright green trees.
I reached the Golden Cathedral as a group of canyoneers was packing up their gear to leave. I had just missed getting to see them rappel down into the Cathedral. The grotto was still in part sun and part shade, so I sat down and waited for the sun to sink lower in the sky.
Finally, I had the Golden Cathedral to myself. Everyone else missed seeing the late afternoon sun glowing through the potholes in the roof.
I caught this reflection looking down-canyon from the Cathedral.
Finally, I had to leave the stillness of the Golden Cathedral if I wanted to finish the hike back before dark. I was taking the beeline route back. I crossed the river, consulted my directions, followed the footprints up the dune, then...nothing. There was no way to climb up from there. I poked around for a bit, then one of the canyoneers who was taking a break while the rest of his group explored Ringtail Canyon helpfully pointed out the cairn hidden in the grass right behind where he was sitting. We chatted for a bit, then I was on my way.
The view back into Neon Canyon from the plateau.
I found a a few cairns on the way back, but ended up mostly picking my own route. I ended up following the south side of Fence Canyon near the end, and had the "pleasure" of climbing back up the steep ridge I had descended at the beginning of the hike.
Don't forget to turn around and enjoy the view when hiking! If I had just looked ahead, I would have missed this gorgeous light behind me.
Looking back towards Neon Canyon.
I made it back to my vehicle slightly before dark, vowing to get an earlier start to my next hike. I love to linger in the late-afternoon light, but two days of racing it back to the trailhead was enough; I was ready for a nice leisurely return hike! I drove back down Egypt Bench Road, found a place to camp, and savored the day.
I woke up bright and early with the sunrise shining into my tent from my campsite off Harris Wash Road. I climbed out of my warm cocoon to take some photos, then promptly went back to sleep. I was tired from the previous day's hike!
Eventually I managed to rouse myself from my slumber, pack up camp, and head for Egypt Bench Road. The road was very rough in areas- definitely a good idea to have a high clearance vehicle for it. Finally I made it to the trailhead and began my descent. The hike began with a strenuous climb down the ridge from the parking area.
I followed the well-cairned Fence Canyon route, which paralleled the canyon along the rim for much of the way. The Escalante River and Neon Canyon looked so far away at the beginning.
I found this small flower with a lone Moqui marble to keep it company.
Eventually the trail descended into Fence Canyon, which was bursting with color.
I admired these crossing lines in the wall of the canyon.
Then I continued the fairly easy climb down to the bottom.
Fence Canyon was filled with trees, grasses, and even flowing water in areas. It was an unexpected contrast with the desert up above!
I found this neat channel-cut filled in with clay between two sandstone bodies.
The stratigraphy kept changing as I descended the canyon; there were no massive cross-bedded dunes at this point in geologic time.
The path wound leisurely among the grasses as I neared the river.
I liked this debris wrapped around a tamarisk branch.
Finally I reached the Escalante River. I followed it for a while, alternating between wading in the water and threading my way through the vegetation lining the banks. I stopped and visited this petroglyph panel before I reached Neon Canyon. It was a shame the historical "cowboy-glyphs" were grafittied directly on top of the petroglyphs when there was plenty of unused canyon wall nearby they could have used for their drawings.
Hunting scene.
I wonder if this was drawn by the same person who did the scene shown in the previous picture. The front legs of the charging animals looked very similar to me.
Continuing on, I admired the desert varnish striping the walls.
I finally made it to Neon Canyon!
The light reflecting off the canyon walls contrasted beautifully with the bright green trees.
I reached the Golden Cathedral as a group of canyoneers was packing up their gear to leave. I had just missed getting to see them rappel down into the Cathedral. The grotto was still in part sun and part shade, so I sat down and waited for the sun to sink lower in the sky.
Finally, I had the Golden Cathedral to myself. Everyone else missed seeing the late afternoon sun glowing through the potholes in the roof.
I caught this reflection looking down-canyon from the Cathedral.
Finally, I had to leave the stillness of the Golden Cathedral if I wanted to finish the hike back before dark. I was taking the beeline route back. I crossed the river, consulted my directions, followed the footprints up the dune, then...nothing. There was no way to climb up from there. I poked around for a bit, then one of the canyoneers who was taking a break while the rest of his group explored Ringtail Canyon helpfully pointed out the cairn hidden in the grass right behind where he was sitting. We chatted for a bit, then I was on my way.
The view back into Neon Canyon from the plateau.
I found a a few cairns on the way back, but ended up mostly picking my own route. I ended up following the south side of Fence Canyon near the end, and had the "pleasure" of climbing back up the steep ridge I had descended at the beginning of the hike.
Don't forget to turn around and enjoy the view when hiking! If I had just looked ahead, I would have missed this gorgeous light behind me.
Looking back towards Neon Canyon.
I made it back to my vehicle slightly before dark, vowing to get an earlier start to my next hike. I love to linger in the late-afternoon light, but two days of racing it back to the trailhead was enough; I was ready for a nice leisurely return hike! I drove back down Egypt Bench Road, found a place to camp, and savored the day.
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