Halls Creek, Moody canyon, Stevens canyon loop ?

[sierrasummits]

Hey there! I think this is my first post! So HI...luv the info on this site!! I was hoping to get some input on a trip that i have coming up in early April. My wife and i are wanting to go backpacking from Halls Creek Overlook to halls creek narrows, up the baker route, down Stevens canyon, up the Escalante river, to middle moody and down the red slide and I'm trying to figure out how many days i should plan on? 6 was my first thought but after looking at it i might go with 7. I know its subjective to weather, ability, and desire to move, buuuut....what would be a conservative estimate if we were hiking for most of the day? It looks like there will be about 12 hrs of daylight that time of year. Thoughts. Thanks in advance.

high.desert.dweller

 

[River]

I can't offer specific recommendations, but I've found more time is always better! There are so many alcoves and side canyons to explore. Sounds like a great trip. Hope you'll share pics when you get back!

 

[slc_dan]

I would look over, and study Steve Allen's route in the area of Stevens. It's in Canyoneering 2, and 3. I would recommend avoiding walking up the Escalante that far. If you aren't walking against the current, which can be exhausting, you'll be bush-wacking like crazy.

I love that area, for that loop I'd look at 7 days minimum.

This guy did it with a shuttle, and took almost that time.

http://trekkingthewest.com/intothefold.html

 

[sierrasummits]

Thanks for your input @slc_dan and @River ! Another member had suggested not hiking in the escalante that many miles as well. He had said going up Stevens canyon and then down fold canyon...( Allen canyoneering 3) to the bobway and then over to scorpion gulch to access the moody canyons. It looked nice and varied the terrain a bit.

 

[River]

Floating down the Escalante is far better than hiking up it!

 

[Kullaberg63]

I was just in the Escalante region for the first time, doing a loop from Hole-in-the-Rock rd.

This is a different sort of river than the other small desert water courses I am familiar with. The stream bed is narrow and entrenched, offering faster, deeper water, even with the lower flows typical of our region. In comparison the upper Dirty Devil is wide with abundant flood plains in an open canyon.

We carried packrafts for the river section. As mentioned by other more experienced BCP members, I simply could not imagine how it would be enjoyable to hike up or down the river for any distance above a mile or two. Maybe in the fall with possibly lower flow.

While there were shallow sections last week, the deep channel goes back and forth from bank to bank and would have to negotiated. In places the water is 3+' deep.

The shores are thick with brush, then end in vertical walls or steep mud banks. A few long stretches of gravelly beaches looked alright for walking.

If I planned a trip without boats, the best way IMO is fully committing to wading: Sturdy water shoes, two poles, everything in dry bags.

Edit: and the flow is going up. Nearly double that of our trip:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=09337500