A Snowy Day in Bell Canyon

Jackson

I ❤️ GYE
.
Joined
May 31, 2015
Messages
3,208
This was 2 weeks ago. I decided to try to get to the upper reservoir in Bell Canyon, snow be damned. I had never been in the canyon before, and I learned later that that would keep me from getting to my ultimate destination.

It was nice and cold out that morning, but supposed to be in the mid 50s by the afternoon. The lower reservoir was quite low.

IMG_20171119_082545.jpg

I was trying to make as quick of progress as I could, as I had other things I needed to do that day. The first bit went by quickly. The snow was packed down all the way to the lower falls. From there, I had to walk through very light powder from 4-6" in depth mostly. No snowshoes necessary (which is good because I didn't bring mine). Microspikes turned out to be quite helpful.

IMG_20171119_082833.jpg

IMG_20171119_084036.jpg
I want to know what's under the board that says "Lone."


IMG_20171119_084650.jpg
There was a layer of hoarfrost on top of all the snow.

IMG_20171119_091802.jpg
Pretty granite all over. All the granite on the ground was covered by snow.

IMG_20171119_092629.jpg

IMG_20171119_093422.jpg
Icicles hanging off of some moss on a massive rock.

IMG_20171119_093735.jpg
Near the upper falls.

IMG_20171119_093927.jpg
The falls were rather frozen.

IMG_20171119_094028.jpg
After the upper falls, finding my way in the snow became a bit more difficult. I had looked over a map of the route the night before and that morning, but I hadn't looked closely enough to recall where the trail went at this point. I was able to find my way for a good while, looking for what appeared to be paths and verifying by finding carvings on trees every now and then.

IMG_20171119_095741.jpg
This bridge verified that I was likely on the right track.

Maybe a quarter mile after that, I lost the path. So I followed what were likely game trails and bushwhacked up some steep stretches for a while. Those microspikes were very handy on some icy sections of smooth granite underneath the snow. After doing that for an hour or so, I decided that it was very unlikely that I'd reach my destination and get back when I wanted to. So I made my way to a nice view, cleared the snow off of a rock, and had a snack. It was very pleasant, albeit a little cold.

00000IMG_00000_BURST20171119112431.jpg

IMG_20171119_104426.jpg

IMG_20171119_104803.jpg IMG_20171119_111948.jpg IMG_20171119_112445.jpg

I learned later that I had stayed too far to the east when I lost the trail. I think if I had gone to the next fork of the creek to the west, I'd have found the right path again. I'll be sure to do that next time I'm there. And maybe I'll put a GPS map on my phone too.

There was a surprising number of people headed to and from the lower falls. Can't blame them. It was a beautiful day to be out there.
 
I've never been up Bells either. Looks like fun even though you didn't make it to your goal.
 
Bells is awesome, but always a bit confusing for some reason. Sometime if you have energy push up past the upper reservoir and over the notch behind Bell's Cleaver to Thunder Bowl.
 
Bells is awesome, but always a bit confusing for some reason. Sometime if you have energy push up past the upper reservoir and over the notch behind Bell's Cleaver to Thunder Bowl.

Also you can head west and drop down Big Willow for an "almost loop".

Even in summer you can avoid most of the queue of levi-clad, tennis shoe hikers as soon as you go up the switchback past the first falls.
 
Ditto. Bells is a very confusing place. The beatout down from south thunder is absolutely brutal. Nice shots and a nice hike!
 
Bells is awesome, but always a bit confusing for some reason. Sometime if you have energy push up past the upper reservoir and over the notch behind Bell's Cleaver to Thunder Bowl.
I'd really like to see that sometime. I always see it from the valley and think it must be awesome to be up there in all that granite. Maybe I'll try it on snowshoes if the snow ever falls this season.
 
I'd really like to see that sometime. I always see it from the valley and think it must be awesome to be up there in all that granite. Maybe I'll try it on snowshoes if the snow ever falls this season.

Thunder Bowl is pretty cool. It makes a good spring trip when the snow is consolidated.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
kwc Snowy Mountain, central Adirondacks Hiking & Camping 0
RyanP Snowy Range (WY) easy backpacking recommendations? Trip Planning 4
NorthwestWanderer North Cascades - Cutthroat/Granite/snowy lakes passes Backpacking 3
Mountain Wanderer A snowy trip into the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness Backpacking 2
Miya Snowy Miracle on The Strip, Oh Yeah and Valley of Fire Everything Else 12
wabenho Snowy December Walk in the Wasatch Hiking & Camping 7
Ugly Snowy Dawn Traverse on Deer Ridge Hiking & Camping 6
Jackson A Slightly Snowy Sawtooths Stroll Backpacking 16
kimbur96 2 nights in Little Brooklyn Hut, Snowy Mountain Range, Wyoming Winter Sports 4
Eugene Backpacking in the Snowy Range Wyoming August 2016 Backpacking 3
ram A Snowy Echo Canyoneering 15
Jon Carbaugh Little Wild Horse/Bell Canyon Loop Hiking & Camping 7
Scott Chandler Lake Mead NRA-Liberty Bell Arch Hiking & Camping 3
IntrepidXJ Little Wild Horse Canyon & Bell Canyon Hiking & Camping 2
Ugly Bell Canyon Hiking & Camping 5
Slewings Little Wild Horse Canyon to Bell Canyon Loop Canyoneering 8
HomerJ Gear Review Mont Bell U.L. Super Spiral #1 - Sleeping Bag Gear Reviews 0
J Reflection Canyon Trip Planning 3
fossana Found: prescription glasses near the top of the Flipoff Canyon approach General Discussion 5
Spud Salt Creek Canyon question Trip Planning 11
B Buckskin gulch/Pariah canyon Carpool Trip Planning 0
TractorDoc Paintbrush Canyon / Cascade Canyon Loop -- Grand Teton NP September 11, 2023 Hiking & Camping 9
Kullaberg63 15 day canyon route Backpacking 13
Titans Tricked in the canyon! Hiking & Camping 5
TrailScot Dayhiking the Under-the-Rim Trail - Bryce Canyon NP - October 2023 Hiking & Camping 4
Janice Such a GRAND Canyon - Deer Creek / Tapeats / Thunder River Backpacking 21
M Mee/Knowles Canyon Loop, Grand Junction Colorado Backpacking 4
OldBill Short hike at the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania Hiking & Camping 1
S Paria Canyon- Whitehouse to Lees Ferry, Oct 18 to 21, 2023 Trip Reports 0
scatman Yellowstone's Thorofare, Headwaters of Thorofare Creek, Majo Pass, Younts Peak, Bob's Canyon, and Cub Creek - August 9, 2023 - Days 7 through 10 Backpacking 34
scatman Yellowstone's Thorofare, Headwaters of Thorofare Creek, Majo Pass, Younts Peak, Bob's Canyon, and Cub Creek - August 9, 2023 - Days 1 through 6 Backpacking 56
A Bowdie Canyon Trip Planning 10
TheMountainRabbit Silas Canyon (Popo Agie Wilderness) - August 2023 Backpacking 3
J Paria Canyon - One Day Trail Trip Planning 10
Bob The New Grand Canyon Trip Planning 1
WhozWutz Invite Horse Canyon Needles Meet Up (Members Only) 1
BJett Part 3 - Tour de Canyon Country. Lower Escalante Loop Hiking & Camping 0
BJett Part 2 - Tour de Canyon Country. Swell Times Hiking & Camping 0
BJett Part 1 - Tour de Canyon Country. Cedar Mesa. Hiking & Camping 8
Gretchen Millward Trachyte Creek via Woodruff Canyon, April 2023 Backpacking 9
F Grand Canyon hermits rest to granite rapids to bright angel Trip Planning 10
gnwatts Stillwater Canyon On The Water 11
shredhiker Kings Canyon July 2022 Kearsarge, Rae, & Sixty Lakes Backpacking 8
J Info needed: Bown's Canyon, Long Canyon Trip Planning 8
Gretchen Millward Cheesebox Canyon, Oct. 2022 Backpacking 14
Stickerbumper Fold Canyon Middle Exit Trip Planning 9
Janice Professor Creek / Mary Jane Canyon - mid April? Trip Planning 0
D Horseshoe Canyon or San Rafael Swell? Trip Planning 9
scatman North Ridge of City Creek Canyon - February 4, 2023 Hiking & Camping 17
scatman South Ridge of City Creek Canyon - January 28, 2023 Hiking & Camping 4

Similar threads

Back
Top