Back again, looking for different access points for Death Hollow......

J

John Kerby

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Feb 18, 2013
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Ok, have a small group of good teenagers wanting to do death hollow with me next summer after school gets out. About 8 people officially now. Question is, I have heard of other routes to get into Death Hollow without coming from the Boulder Mail Trail. My previous three trips we started at the airstrip, went to sand creek, and accross to the hollow. I have heard other people talk about how to access it without that first, sometimes hellish 1/3rd......I am thinking if there was a less strenuous, just as pretty entrance to death hollow without crossing sandcreek and coming from the airstrip, it might be better. Anything else exhist? I want to take this group through death hollow to the highway 12 bridgehead, but any other entrances?
 
From the top off the gravel road from Escalante to Boulder up at the head of DH. Easy down into the canyon. Some really cool open narrows filled with water to go through. We did it and came out the Escalante river back to the TH near town. Can't remember how many days, probably 5 nites I'd guess. Side hike to the pool up Maime Crk is neat.
 
I haven't done the top-down but I've heard it is significantly more strenuous than the BMT access. A lot of reports indicate the need for wetsuits and dry bagging gear. Maybe not the best route for that kind of group.

I'm sticking with my age old response. Try someplace else. Variety is good.
 
We did the trip in June after snowmelt..... No wetsuits, no dry bags. Water in slot was shoulder deep on me (5'8"). The hardest spot I thought was near the Escalante River. A narrow wet ledge around some small waterfalls. Wasn't really hard but it was rainy and cold, didn't want to fall in. I'll dig some pics up, they are in my ancient archives. Wait...it was probably before dry bags were invented....... :D

As always, we on the forum can give info, but it is up to the individual to determine if they have the skill level needed and to check all sources of information available.
 
I know I can do the airstrip to highway 12, and know my students can. Just curious if there is another route to take them through possibly.
 
Yep, mail trail is the easiest. You could go in that way and hike up canyon or down canyon for how ever many nights or distance you wanted
 
Eh, we'll probably just do the airstrip to the highway 12 bridgehead. My kids and group can do it. Last summer on our trip we saw a 72 year old man hiking OUT of death hollow, back to the airstrip, and saw a small family of a father with 5 teens from 12-18. So I know my kids can do it. Having a parent meeting tonight to give them some info, pics of the hike, and an outline. Really hoping to do this.
 
Some pics. Before the digital age. Trip was June 11, 2001 the second full week in June that year. Wow that was 14 years ago. Don't remember how the snowpack was. They are in order top (Hells Backbone road TH) to around the Escalante River. It's about 30 miles:
86730_05.JPG 86730_09.JPG 86730_13.JPG 86730_14.JPG 86730_22.JPG 86730_26.JPG 86731_07.JPG 86731_13.JPG 86731_18.JPG 86731_20.JPG 86732_07.JPG 86732_09.JPG 86732_11.JPG 86732_14.JPG 86732_20.JPG
 
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Checking this out. Trip is on, very excited. I have done the Airstrip to Highway 12 route twice all the way through, and back in 09 I hiked in to sand creek with three friends, pitched camp, and explored the whole area thoroughly for a few days. Got down in Death Holow, but hiked out. Loved it enough though to go back in 13 and 14 to do the whole hike. These kids will love it. All 17-18.
 
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