Bunch O' N. San Rafael Swell summit scrambles April 10-12, 2021 (now w/rock art)

John Morrow

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"To Do in 2021" for me had included backpacking in the Saddle Horse/Virgin Spring canyon system. Well, it'll have to wait as we got a bit of summit fever with light daypacks as an alternative.

Maps help out (full size for printing in Flickr):


Overview
by John Morrow, on Flickr


Bottleneck-Cane
by John Morrow, on Flickr


Sids Mtn
by John Morrow, on Flickr


Pinnacle WldHP
by John Morrow, on Flickr

Pics help too: Full set on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/23557848@N03/albums/72157719071771778


April 10:

Bottleneck Mesa followed by a hike to Cane Wash along the river.
Bottleneck Mesa has two short scramble pitches. Mostly it is chinle slope. However, the Mossback member forms a short vertical wall that has to be surmounted. A scree slope leads intuitively to the shortest bit of Mossback. A Class 4 move is required to get up it. There was a fixed rope dangling. A couple vertical imbedded rock flakes aid as foot perches. Then the second is a lesser issue, getting through the Wingate at the summit where it is thinnest (Class 2-3).


With the Bottleneck
by John Morrow, on Flickr


final scramble
by John Morrow, on Flickr


Window Blind Peak
by John Morrow, on Flickr

With time left in the day and no shade in camp we opted to hike the river trail to Cane Wash.


Along the River
by John Morrow, on Flickr


Little Grand Canyon
by John Morrow, on Flickr


river bottom
by John Morrow, on Flickr


April 11:

This turned out to be a big day of 14 miles. We could not quite make it to the official TH in my Subaru (or could walk it as fast) when the access road went through endless chinle rivulets. A really nice old cattle trail makes it up onto Sids Mtn from Cane Wash. It begins as an old mining road. Kelsey calls it "No Man's Mountain Trail". Udink has good info on it I believe. Then it was a loop on top connecting any number of Class 2 breaks in the west slope of Sids Mountain proper, then onto Swazy BM, exploring the head of Long Hollow, returning across the flats. Lots of rock art to be found.


Trail to Sids Mountain
by John Morrow, on Flickr


Switchbacks up
by John Morrow, on Flickr


Saddle Horse Canyon below
by John Morrow, on Flickr


rim
by John Morrow, on Flickr


Kofford Cabin area
by John Morrow, on Flickr


vastness of Sids
by John Morrow, on Flickr

April 12:

Having such a good view of Pinnacle and of a potential route up the north slope of the Highpoint of Sids Mountain Wilderness, we decided to give these a go. Same issue presents itself: get through the Mossback Member (accomplished by finding scree slopes covering the underlying band; and get through the Wingate of the summits: see Canyoneering the N Swell, S Allen for Pinnacle). Both were very fun and on the HP there were several Class 2 weaknesses in the Wingate.

Pinnacle:


tomorrow's objective: 7010
by John Morrow, on Flickr


Pinnacle 7010
by John Morrow, on Flickr


Sids Wilderness HP distant
by John Morrow, on Flickr


traverse to west and climb
by John Morrow, on Flickr


looking northeast
by John Morrow, on Flickr


Sid's Mountain Wilderness Highpoint:


Up the chinle to wingate base
by John Morrow, on Flickr


Sids Wilderness HP ahead
by John Morrow, on Flickr


a broad walk
by John Morrow, on Flickr


David finishes final scramble
by John Morrow, on Flickr


looking south
by John Morrow, on Flickr

Full rock art set:




Alcove 2
by John Morrow, on Flickr



Alcove 1 hmm BCS?
by John Morrow, on Flickr



L Hollow 9
by John Morrow, on Flickr



Sids 5
by John Morrow, on Flickr



Cane 2
by John Morrow, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
You've given me almost longs lists of things to see and do...if only that area were a little closer.

Tell me about it, balzaccom! I am obviously still there mentally, spending all this time on these reports! A pleasure relived.
 
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