Escalante Area Wanderings: Bighorn Canyon

piper01

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Day 3
Bighorn Canyon was near the top of my list of must-do hikes due to its amazing colors, so I made sure to visit it near the beginning of my trip when I still had lots of energy for exploring. I had planned to do it as a loop hike from the Hole in the Rock Road and returning down the Zebra drainage, so I started from the parking area for Zebra.

It was a looong sandy slog: about 1.75 mi to Harris Wash, then another 2.75 mi down Harris Wash to the entrance to Bighorn. I was already regretting not parking at the closer access point that came in from the west.

Colorful cross-bedding always distracts me though, so I just kept putting one foot in front of the other with hope that I would soon be there.
BH_2580_ss.PNG


Finally, I spied the hanging fence marking the confluence with Bighorn Canyon. BH_2585_ss.PNG
I explored the West Fork first as an appetizer. Seeing these folds, I knew it was going to be good.
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I came across this piece of wood that was wedged between the canyon walls.
IMG_2599_Bighorn.JPG

Check out these folds in the sandstone; the beds go from horizontal to vertical!
IMG_2601_Bighorn.JPG

A few turns later, I encountered the battering ram. How did this 6-10ft long tree trunk even make it this far with all the twists it had to navigate up canyon?!?
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I followed the slot until it reached a dryfall, enjoying the cool of the shade.
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Retracing my steps back to the main canyon, I found this iron staining in the rock:
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And more folds:
IMG_2635_Bighorn.JPG

The West Fork detour was only a third of a mile one-way and well worth the time. Soon, I was back at the main canyon and ready for the explosion of colors I knew awaited me. First I saw the reds:
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Then the yellows appeared:
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And more reds:
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It was like upgrading from the 8 pack of Crayons to the 120 count box! Every color came in multiple hues.IMG_2660.JPG

I tried not to drool on the rocks too much, but my jaw kept dropping open everywhere I turned. IMG_2668.JPG


It was butte-ful! (All bow before master of the bad puns! :facepalm:)
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The rocks have definitely been deformed. I found this evidence of compression:
BH_2692_ss.PNG

And this mini pop-up block:
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The canyon narrowed again as I continued on.
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IMG_2695.JPG

Someone didn't color within the lines!
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Geology rocks! BH_2759_ss.PNG

I merrily hiked on until I came to a large dryfall. Hmm...that was what that cairn I passed a few minutes back was for. I retraced my steps and bypassed the fall along the rim, then dropped back into the canyon. Soon, I encountered another large dryfall. By this point the sun was starting to get low in the sky and I had reached my appointed time to start the hike back. I had my headlamp, but I didn't want to be caught on unfamiliar ground in the dark so I decided to skip the loop and return via Harris Wash.

Back to the hanging fence across Harris Wash, now much prettier in the evening glow.
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The walls of the wash were glowing with the last light of day as I hustled back toward my car. I stopped and sat down in one of these human-sized holes to catch my breath, then continued my race against the light.
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The sun won; I had to admit defeat and use my headlamp for the last 10 min of the hike, but by then I was on the flat trail back from Zebra. I had packed up camp that morning, intending to set up further down the road nearer to my next hike. I didn't want to hunt for a new campsite in the dark though, so I returned to Harris Wash Road and set up at a site I had previously seen on a ridge overlooking Red Breaks.

While waiting for dinner to cook, I tried my hand at some star shots. With the light pollution at home I can barely see a dozen stars, let alone the Milky Way.
BH_2806_ss.PNG
Soon the breeze picked up over the high point on which I had set up, so I retreated to the warmth of my sleeping bag, completely exhausted from another great day.

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Great photos! I love Bighorn! I've only hiked up from the bottom. I really need to get back and do the whole thing sometime.
 
I rarely go back to places since there are so many new areas I want to see, but I'll definitely make an exception for Bighorn. I could easily spend a few days exploring the area.
 
Wanna know why you were drooling on those rocks? Because they look like bacon!! Yum! Or is it just me and my bacon-loving brain that sees that? Bighorn is on our list for 2015. Great TR! Thanks!
 
Wanna know why you were drooling on those rocks? Because they look like bacon!! Yum! Or is it just me and my bacon-loving brain that sees that? Bighorn is on our list for 2015. Great TR! Thanks!
Mmmm....bacon. Can I get some pancakes to go along with it?
 
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