Unfortunately I also haven't been there in many years. In the past though they always had water for all my visits (always in April or May). Based on SAT imagery from 9/2023 they seem to have had water then. I remember seeing a report from last year I think that they were "dry", but the person...
Here's a SAT view rotated 180 so that N is at the bottom:
The Escalante is seen on the left, big fin is seen at top, and sand dune route up to Crack-in-the-Wall in on the right.
❗ on the left is the "steep descent"
❗on the right is the "slanted ledge"
❗above/left of "slanted ledge" is another...
Sounds like a good trip plan and lots of good advice already. Here are my initial thoughts:
-- "planning a midweek backpacking trip..." great plan! Try to stick with it as it really does make a pretty big difference re: crowd size even after spring break (most of my experience is in May.)...
Very very cool. Just based on maps I wouldn't have thought it possible to get down off that big bumpy slickrock into what Steve Howe unofficially named "Blow Sand Canyon". Great place. And I've oft wondered about access down the western side of Golden Throne. A few spots looks tempting, but I've...
Very cool -- thanks for the update and I appreciate the comment/info to my site as well. I haven't been back to this spot yet, but I would like to see it again having more knowledge about all the options. But...I really think I just prefer walking in the creek around the lovely double bend so...
Those photos are all from near the confluence with Buckskin Gulch (the alcove shot is a few miles farther down canyon.) This could be done as a day hike from White House TH -- but I really wouldn't recommend it as it's likely to feel very rushed. Also, unless you hike in darkness with a...
When I did this many years ago I was not able to spot the direct route from the bottom and didn't see any cairns. I was unsure of the location of the route at that time so didn't investigate it too much, but instead just followed the river up to that next gulley to the east (as shown on that...
Wow -- another great hike/report that I missed when originally posted. Good stuff!
What's funny is that I stumbled upon it doing research for my own upcoming adventure re: Lake Canyon and crossing the lake via Hole-in-the-Rock. I found your report and so much of it was similar to what I was...
I know I'm over a year late on this, but... awesome report! I've wanted to walk that ridge for a while now, but never seem to get the opportunity. Thanks for sharing the look at it.
Thanks for the shout-out and... Wowza -- I can't believe the river/lake was that low! I'd hoped to walk along the edge on my last hike through there a few years back and it was still impassable (another hiker told me story of super-scary mud along the way during her attempt.)
Looks like a...
Awesome work UDink!
Inspired by your framegrab I went back and took a closer look and found it myself. I had a gut instinct for the general area, but couldn't track it down. Funny at that time earlier in the day I thought about you and this forum's great "Where is it?" history! Good stuff!
I don't have any personal info, but... I did read Skurka's post about a recent trip (northern Escalante region) and he said it was very dry, but the group was still able to get some scummy water from a few bigger potholes (ie it's not 100% dried up out there.) I don't have much experience hiking...
Very cool -- did you go up into Miter Basin? Over to Crabtree? I'd considered this, but read a report before leaving that the snow was still pretty sketchy at the top. But, in hindsight this seems kinda hard to believe (and a ranger confirmed she thought it was unlikely as well.)
Actually I...
I actually did lose 10lbs on this hike in just 8 days! A few pounds came right back, but still. I talk about it in the video that I have a bad habit of letting myself go a little every winter knowing that when spring comes around I'm crazy active and lose weight fairly quickly (except... not...
After skipping my traditional spring trip to Utah and spending way too much time cooped up in front of the computer, I finally escaped last month for a "local" trip to the Sequoia backcountry. I say "local" because I could do this entire trip self-sustained with only one stop at a gas pump along...
I haven't done Slickhorn for comparison, but the airfield route is far from crazy by any means. It's steep and requires a bunch of scrambling over boulders/steps, but never anything that needs a rope. It might require removing one's pack in a few places, but that's it. Just don't try to do it in...
Curious if anybody has an update on Bull Valley Gorge. I've seen conflicting reports elsewhere online re: whether all/some of the truck fell along with a portion of the bridge last spring.
I know it was also discussed in this thread...