Escalante question

[JDWalters]

Hi all,

I am planning a trip for next month and will be going through Escalante. I love how wide open the country is out there, and was hoping to explore some areas that I found on Google Earth that probably don't have trails going to them. There are two areas that I have in mind:

The first is around the confluence of Deer Creek and Boulder Creek. It appears that I should be able to hike over to that area from Calf Creek Campground. Getting a good view of Boulder Creek from above doesn't appear to be too difficult, but getting down and over the creek looks like it might be tricky. My question is, have any of you done this before? I've read TRs about folks going down Boulder Creek or Deer Creek, but they were usually in the creek itself, or in a different area. I am primarily interested in viewing the the valleys/canyons from above. It appears that there is some colorful slickrock in that area.

The other area that I was interested in exploring was a little southeast of Impossible Peak. It appears that there is a road that leads to that area (though how passable the road is, I don't know). I would like to climb several of the mesas around there. I would prefer class III or less climbing -- maybe class IV. I have seen several TRs about Egg Canyon, and that looks like a nice option as well.

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. I wish that I could get to this area more often -- there is so much to see!

 

[Artemus]

Hi all,

I am planning a trip for next month and will be going through Escalante. I love how wide open the country is out there, and was hoping to explore some areas that I found on Google Earth that probably don't have trails going to them. There are two areas that I have in mind:

The first is around the confluence of Deer Creek and Boulder Creek. It appears that I should be able to hike over to that area from Calf Creek Campground. Getting a good view of Boulder Creek from above doesn't appear to be too difficult, but getting down and over the creek looks like it might be tricky. My question is, have any of you done this before? I've read TRs about folks going down Boulder Creek or Deer Creek, but they were usually in the creek itself, or in a different area. I am primarily interested in viewing the the valleys/canyons from above. It appears that there is some colorful slickrock in that area.

The other area that I was interested in exploring was a little southeast of Impossible Peak. It appears that there is a road that leads to that area (though how passable the road is, I don't know). I would like to climb several of the mesas around there. I would prefer class III or less climbing -- maybe class IV. I have seen several TRs about Egg Canyon, and that looks like a nice option as well.

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. I wish that I could get to this area more often -- there is so much to see!

Perhaps you could put up a map with your intended route and destination and we could kibbutz. It would be easier and you could use google maps or caltopo.

 

[JDWalters]

Good idea. I've posted them below. I don't really even know what the area of the second photo is called. There are very few labels to go by when looking for information about it. Thanks for looking at these!

 

[Jammer]

Getting down into Boulder Creek that way is likely to be very difficult. I think Kelsey writes about a method in that area, but I'd have to look exactly where. I tried an alternate method many years ago and got ledged out and then slotted up and was forced to backtrack.

Re: the Egg Canyon routes, I bet getting on top there will be difficult too as that upper rock layer (Wingate?) is often vertical in that area, so you will have to seek out a major weakness. The saddle in the middle of pic 2 is doable though.

Also, to get up to Impossible Peak area from the Upper Gulch, there is really only one direct route and it involves ropes to get up. There is a much longer route around to the north as well. It's probably easier to go DOWN via Boulder Mountain. This is what I did on one of my big hikes. You can read about that part here:

http://www.acrossutah.com/wordpress/boulder-mountain-to-moab-part-1/

 

[regehr]

I"ve been up on Durffey Mesa a few times and it's a great area to wander around. Never been to that southern end, but in GE it looks like there's that one layer of Navajo up high that might be problematic. But if it doesn't go, it's clear you can get down by walking a mile north and then dropping down one of several SW-facing gullies. Looks like a great walk.

 

[regehr]

I have walked down to Boulder Creek from Durffey Mesa and it wasn't difficult, but this was well north of where you're talking about.

 

[Writhdar]

Sections of Hike's 5 & 6 of Steve Allen's "Canyoneering 3" have what you want. Possibly due to continental drift, his starting point mile markers are off.

Hike 6 - start @ MM76.7 on Hwy 12 and follow his route down to Boulder Creek. It meets the creek a ways above the confluence.

Hike 5 --- start at MM 76.4. You do the return leg (in reverse) - he calls it "Exit Boulder Creek". From car, go SE over big ridge, then head down generally SE'erly . Spectacular pouroffs that are easily dealt with on right (ldc). His final drop, which is almost above the confluence, to the creek looks scary to me - there is an easy ramp a little bit upstream.

 

[Writhdar]

question for regehr --- I am interested in access from Deer Creek just above the Deer-Boulder confluence to the slickrock to its east - right looking upstream. Steve Allen mentions some constructed cattle trails that leave the east side of the creek. Do you know where the cattle trails are or other access from the creek (east side of creek - right bank looking upstream)?

 

[regehr]

question for regehr --- I am interested in access from Deer Creek just above the Deer-Boulder confluence to the slickrock to its east - right looking upstream. Steve Allen mentions some constructed cattle trails that leave the east side of the creek. Do you know where the cattle trails are or other access from the creek (east side of creek - right bank looking upstream)?

Sorry, I don't, I haven't visited that confluence yet!

 

[JDWalters]

Sections of Hike's 5 & 6 of Steve Allen's "Canyoneering 3" have what you want. Possibly due to continental drift, his starting point mile markers are off.

Hike 6 - start @ MM76.7 on Hwy 12 and follow his route down to Boulder Creek. It meets the creek a ways above the confluence.

Hike 5 --- start at MM 76.4. You do the return leg (in reverse) - he calls it "Exit Boulder Creek". From car, go SE over big ridge, then head down generally SE'erly . Spectacular pouroffs that are easily dealt with on right (ldc). His final drop, which is almost above the confluence, to the creek looks scary to me - there is an easy ramp a little bit upstream.

Thanks for the information! I don't have Allen's book, but I keep hearing/reading about it. I am leaving in less than two weeks, but it sounds like that might be a good purchase, assuming it arrives in time.

 

[JDWalters]

Getting down into Boulder Creek that way is likely to be very difficult. I think Kelsey writes about a method in that area, but I'd have to look exactly where. I tried an alternate method many years ago and got ledged out and then slotted up and was forced to backtrack.

Re: the Egg Canyon routes, I bet getting on top there will be difficult too as that upper rock layer (Wingate?) is often vertical in that area, so you will have to seek out a major weakness. The saddle in the middle of pic 2 is doable though.

Also, to get up to Impossible Peak area from the Upper Gulch, there is really only one direct route and it involves ropes to get up. There is a much longer route around to the north as well. It's probably easier to go DOWN via Boulder Mountain. This is what I did on one of my big hikes. You can read about that part here:

http://www.acrossutah.com/wordpress/boulder-mountain-to-moab-part-1/

Thanks for the info about both areas! Your description and photos of the Upper Gulch area were some of the only info that I could find -- that photo of the canyon below Impossible Peak only increased my desire to explore the area. Thank you for posting it!

 

[JDWalters]

I"ve been up on Durffey Mesa a few times and it's a great area to wander around. Never been to that southern end, but in GE it looks like there's that one layer of Navajo up high that might be problematic. But if it doesn't go, it's clear you can get down by walking a mile north and then dropping down one of several SW-facing gullies. Looks like a great walk.

Thanks! Durffey Mesa and Sugarloaf look interesting as well. I sure wish I had more vacation time.

 

[JDWalters]

Thank you all for your responses! Unfortunately, I didn't end up exploring either of these areas. It rained for most of the afternoon and even hailed. It was a beautiful area and I hope to get back at some point.