Clearwater - Bowdie - Fable Valley - Gypsum - Easter Pasture -8 Day Backpack/Packraft Loop

[George_Washington_Hayduke]

Back at the end of October, @Adventure monkey and I went on an 8 day Canyoneering/Backpacking/Packrafting trip through the lower Cataract Canyon/Dark Canyon/Orange Cliffs area. We began at Clearwater Canyon, and worked our way down to the Colorado River where we packrafted to Bowdie Canyon. We packed up the rafts and trekked up Bowdie Canyon to the exit near the top of the north fork, and made our way to the 4WD road onto of the Dark Canyon Plateau (Sweet Alice Road) and hike to the Fable Valley TH. After a day of exploring the indian ruins, we made it to where Fable Valley and Gypsum Canyon meet and made our way down canyon. Along the way were various drywalls that we had to bypass. Once we made it back to the Colorado River, we packrafted about 3 miles to Easter Pasture Canyon and hiked up all the way to the top and back to my car! We saw tons of rock art, ruins, and some of the most pristine springs and camping. There were no trails most of the time and navigation was tough, we had 10 days worth of food but it only ended up taking us 8 days to complete.

We planned for 10 days out....It only ended up taking us 8 days

Rappel 1 into Clearwater Canyon

Unique double arch below rap 1

@Adventure monkey enjoying the fall colors

@Adventure monkey on rappel

@Adventure monkey in lower Clearwater Canyon

Lower Clearwater

Made it to the Colorado River

Cataract Canyon

Lower Bowdie Canyon

One of the many dry falls in Bowdie Canyon

Another dry fall

This was the most creative dry fall bypass! Up the log, onto the shelf, and then crawl til it opens up.

Bowdie frog

@Adventure monkey getting some free water

Our last camp in Bowdie before we escape to the top

Looking into Bowdie at the top of the exit

It began to snow hard once we reached the road.

It was a long walk to Fable Valley TH

Made it!

My "shelter"

Can you see it?

@Adventure monkey 's shelter

My "shelter"

Made it to Gypsum Canyon

The first of many big dry falls that we have to bypass

Gypsum is very pretty

More bypassin'

We take the easy way if the opportunity arrises

The last big ledge walk

Last camp in Gypsum Canyon

About to put in and float 3 miles to Easter Pasture Canyon

@Adventure monkey cruising down the Colorado River on the Light Water Dinghy

Almost their!

Lower Easter Pasture Canyon

Easter Pasture is basically one big rock slide

Up and up we go

Looking down Easter Pasture

Dry fall bypass in Easter Pasture

Looking down Easter Pasture

Upper Easter Pasture. 3 or 4 miles away from the car!

 

[Udink]

I typed up some inappropriate expletives to describe how awesome this trip was, but then backspaced a bunch. Wow! What a bunch of cool stuff to have seen on this trip.

 

[Titans]

WOW ! You two take dry fall bypasses to an epic level. Awesome video- as always! Incredible ruins too.

 

[Brewhaha]

Fable Valley is one of the most amazing spots I have hiked. I love the loop you did, gonna have to revisit.

 

[Brendan S]

Killer route, and yeah all that bypassing is strenuous as hell (though I did it in July which was terrible idea)

Did you have to swim in lower Bowdie?

 

[George_Washington_Hayduke]

Killer route, and yeah all that bypassing is strenuous as hell (though I did it in July which was terrible idea)

Did you have to swim in lower Bowdie?

Yeah it was so damn hard doing some of those bypasses with such heavy bags, i can't believe you did it in July! Must have been brutal. Next time i raft down Cataract i am going to spend some more time in Bowdie. There were some things worth visiting that we didn't have time to see. No swimming in lower Bowdie

 

[George_Washington_Hayduke]

WOW ! You two take dry fall bypasses to an epic level. Awesome video- as always! Incredible ruins too.

Thanks, glad you liked the video! We were trying to be more talkative in it. The bypasses were insane, they just kept getting bigger and more sketchy

 

[Bob]

Great trip. Fable / Bowdie area is one of my favorite places....
Many years ago we floated from Gypsum to Bowdie ...... Way before pack rafts, we used Walmart vinyl one man floats......
Ythe big Kiva comples in lower Bowdie did you are some of the best.

 

[George_Washington_Hayduke]

Great trip. Fable / Bowdie area is one of my favorite places....
Many years ago we floated from Gypsum to Bowdie ...... Way before pack rafts, we used Walmart vinyl one man floats......
Ythe big Kiva comples in lower Bowdie did you are some of the best.

Yes! The kiva complex was amazing, some of the best ruins i have ever seen. I can't wait to get back to Bowdie to do some more exploring.

 

[Bob]

Ruins and pics in both forks. Did you go to the one near the mouth with the circle....high up

 

[Reef&Ruins]

You are so boss it makes me green with envy.

 

[Deleted User]

Cool toads! Pretty sweet to see the paddles being used to pitch shelter. That is a pretty amazing trip!

 

[fossana]

Inspiring trip report. thanks!

 

[LarryBoy]

Great stuff. Really cool trip. There are very few 17-minute videos that I have the attention span to sit through, but this one was worth it. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Outdoors24]

Awesome video and pictures. Watching your video reminds me that I need to spend more time in the Bears Ears area. Thanks for sharing!

 

[mattvogt7]

Word!

 

[wsp_scott]

Finally had a chance to watch the video (I never watch videos, except for yours). You guys do some kick ass trips, thanks for sharing.

 

[ramblinman]

Thanks for sharing! That talus slope in Gypsum canyon looks wild.

 

[Bob]

Thanks for sharing! That talus slope in Gypsum canyon looks wild.

The ledge walk getting to is interesting as well....

 

[George_Washington_Hayduke]

Ruins and pics in both forks. Did you go to the one near the mouth with the circle....high up

I don't think we saw that one. Next time @Adventure monkey and I raft down Cataract Canyon, we are going to spend some more time exploring Bowdie. So much to see!