Boulder Mail Trail Question

[JeffG]

I'm thinking about doing a short backpacking trip on the Boulder Mail Trail with my family. I've read trip reports that say the decent into Death Hollow is kind of sketchy. Is this going to be too much for my kids? My two youngest are 8 and 12.

 

[audraiam]

JeffG there is some exposure in the descent, I would say it would be a matter of how comfortable you are with the abilities of your kids to follow directions. There is nothing technical about the decent, but you are on a sandstone dome side with a narrow path. I am sure some people with children will chime in if I am wrong, but as long as your kids will be able to focus on the path and be okay with the long drop on one side they should be fine. I don't know if you have seen this report already but this is a fairly representative photo of the trail. The trail is along the brush line on the right. (I know it's not the same but nick and I have taken dogs down with no problems).

 

[Nick]

I agree, it's not techincally difficult, they just need to be on their toes on not running ahead, etc. You really have to pay attention to the cairns and such to follow the right path down. That route into Death Hollow is one of my favorite hikes but it's not quite as good as an out and back since it's like 7 miles in and out just to set foot in Death Hollow. It's a bit long but my preferred route would be down the length of Death and out via the Escalante River, either to the bridge or town trailheads. It's probably a mile longer to the town trailhead but the scenery is better. Plan on 22-24 miles for the point-to-point depending on which route.

This is a shot of the really exposed section dropping in. The chiseled out trail is somewhere up there, close to the line of bushes I think.