Glen Canyon NRA: Reflection, Cottonwood, Llewellyn Canyons Backpack April 25-28,2016

John Morrow

Member
Joined
May 22, 2015
Messages
1,060
This is a little travelled area near the end of the Hole in the Rock road that departs south out of Escalante Town traversing a long plateau above the Escalante River. 55 miles down the road is a joint unmarked trailhead for Davis Canyon and our backpack.

I met Kimberly, Linda, Barbara, and Robert in Escalante at the Escalante Outfitters for dinner and planning. Then we were off down the "H in the R" Road. We started with a dayhike loop of Brimstone, Spooky, and Peek-a-boo slot canyons (TR to come). Then our backpack began. This trip includes rim camping obove Reflection Canyon and Lake Powell and explorations of Cottonwood and Llewellyn Gulches.
Day 1: Long mesa walk to Reflection Canyon/Glen Canyon (Lake Powell) junction.
Day 2: Reflection to Cottonwood Gulch with exploration of Cottonwood to Lake Powell.
Day 3: Great dayhike loop of Llewellyn and Cottonwood from a basecamp in Cottonwood.
Day 4: The exit out of Cottonwood back to the trailhead.
This trip turned out to be a fairly epic! Llewellyn gave us all we could handle (and more!) but we left with a sense of Pride and accomplishment, with plenty of fun thrown in! We somewhat accidentally entered the realm of semi-technical canyoneering as the chokestone drops and dryfalls forced us into rappelling to continue through, while a waist deep keeper hole required partner assist to escape. Don't do this one solo right now.
Here's the story in photos:

Hike to Reflection Canyon:

IMG_6574 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6578 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6586 [1024x768].JPG
IMG_6608 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6620 [1024x768].JPG


Arriving at Reflection to camp and explore.


IMG_6628 [1024x768].JPG
IMG_6631 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6648 [1024x768].JPG

Day 2: Moving on to Cottonwood Canyon:


IMG_6654 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6656 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6661 [1024x768].JPG

Descending into Cottonwood Gulch. We established a camp for the next couple nights and explored the canyon in the afternoon and evening.


IMG_6667 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6671 [1024x768].JPG
IMG_6669 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6673 [1024x768].JPG
IMG_6676 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6687 [1024x768].JPG

Day 3: The incredible Llewellyn Gulch/Cottonwood Gulch Loop. Exiting Cottonwood is Class 3 slickrock scramble fun. Descending Llewellyn we did three rappels of less than 20 feet even though we anticipated being able to downclimb all. There were plenty more down climbs over chokestones and a very long narrows to enjoy. To complete the loop back to camp we walked up on the pleasant mesa between the two gulches. Good stuff.


IMG_6716 [1024x768].JPG
IMG_6720 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6722 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6726 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6727 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6731 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6733 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6735 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6737 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6740 [1024x768].JPG
IMG_6753 [1024x768].JPG
IMG_6761 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6763 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6797 [1024x768].JPG

Day 4: Racing the impending T-storms back to the Trailhead in order to not get stuck in the slick red clay of the H in the R Road for days on end.

IMG_6803 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6805 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6806 [1024x768].JPGIMG_6807 [1024x768].JPG
What a trip, and adventure, this was for all of us! Great challenges, fantastic scenery, and wonderful company made this a Top 5 desert classics for me!
There was plenty of evidence of the "Old Ones" (ancestral pueblo and Fremont peoples). I'll add some rock art pics later.
PM me if you ever want details of the required gear, canyon entries/exits, and drops.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6720 [1024x768].JPG
    IMG_6720 [1024x768].JPG
    84.1 KB · Views: 160
  • IMG_6722 [1024x768].JPG
    IMG_6722 [1024x768].JPG
    85.8 KB · Views: 159
  • IMG_6727 [1024x768].JPG
    IMG_6727 [1024x768].JPG
    94.2 KB · Views: 175
  • IMG_6731 [1024x768].JPG
    IMG_6731 [1024x768].JPG
    94.3 KB · Views: 158
  • IMG_6733 [1024x768].JPG
    IMG_6733 [1024x768].JPG
    108.6 KB · Views: 159
  • IMG_6735 [1024x768].JPG
    IMG_6735 [1024x768].JPG
    123.9 KB · Views: 158
Last edited:
These canyons hold a special place in my heart. I hope one day in the future folks can walk down one, packraft the Colorado, then walk up the other. Thanks for sharing this with us.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
fossana Stevens/Fold Canyon loop (Glen Canyon NRA) Backpacking 21
hatchcanyon Glen Canyon NRA -Purple Hills Off Road 1
T Amazing Discovery in Utah-Glen Canyon Trip Planning 65
TrailScot Lake Powell and the 'return' of Glen Canyon General Discussion 24
Nick Floating Glen Canyon On The Water 3
o2bav8 Kayak Adventure on Glen Canyon Hiking & Camping 4
gnwatts Glen Canyon, 4-1-16 On The Water 6
Nick Floating lower Cataract into Glen Canyon Trip Planning 2
Nick Glen Canyon Rising General Discussion 28
Nick Time to tear down Glen Canyon Dam? General Discussion 61
Nick Glen Canyon, March 2015 On The Water 7
Tres Westbrook Canoeing on the Colorado - Glen Canyon Dam to Lee's Ferry On The Water 4
IntrepidXJ 1963 Glen Canyon Trip - Ken Sleight General Discussion 0
Nick Before Lake Powell / Memories of Glen Canyon General Discussion 0
Nick Glen Canyon, August 2014 On The Water 13
Outdoor_Fool Yellowstone - Glen Creek Loop Backpacking 6
balzaccom yosemite Glen Aulin Backpacking 3
Nick Winter in the Glen Hiking & Camping 4
Nick Labor Day in The Glen On The Water 5
J Reflection Canyon Trip Planning 3
fossana Found: prescription glasses near the top of the Flipoff Canyon approach General Discussion 5
Spud Salt Creek Canyon question Trip Planning 11
B Buckskin gulch/Pariah canyon Carpool Trip Planning 0
TractorDoc Paintbrush Canyon / Cascade Canyon Loop -- Grand Teton NP September 11, 2023 Hiking & Camping 9
Kullaberg63 15 day canyon route Backpacking 13
Titans Tricked in the canyon! Hiking & Camping 5
TrailScot Dayhiking the Under-the-Rim Trail - Bryce Canyon NP - October 2023 Hiking & Camping 4
Janice Such a GRAND Canyon - Deer Creek / Tapeats / Thunder River Backpacking 21
M Mee/Knowles Canyon Loop, Grand Junction Colorado Backpacking 4
OldBill Short hike at the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania Hiking & Camping 1
S Paria Canyon- Whitehouse to Lees Ferry, Oct 18 to 21, 2023 Trip Reports 0
scatman Yellowstone's Thorofare, Headwaters of Thorofare Creek, Majo Pass, Younts Peak, Bob's Canyon, and Cub Creek - August 9, 2023 - Days 7 through 10 Backpacking 34
scatman Yellowstone's Thorofare, Headwaters of Thorofare Creek, Majo Pass, Younts Peak, Bob's Canyon, and Cub Creek - August 9, 2023 - Days 1 through 6 Backpacking 56
A Bowdie Canyon Trip Planning 10
TheMountainRabbit Silas Canyon (Popo Agie Wilderness) - August 2023 Backpacking 3
J Paria Canyon - One Day Trail Trip Planning 10
Bob The New Grand Canyon Trip Planning 1
WhozWutz Invite Horse Canyon Needles Meet Up (Members Only) 1
BJett Part 3 - Tour de Canyon Country. Lower Escalante Loop Hiking & Camping 0
BJett Part 2 - Tour de Canyon Country. Swell Times Hiking & Camping 0
BJett Part 1 - Tour de Canyon Country. Cedar Mesa. Hiking & Camping 8
Gretchen Millward Trachyte Creek via Woodruff Canyon, April 2023 Backpacking 9
F Grand Canyon hermits rest to granite rapids to bright angel Trip Planning 10
gnwatts Stillwater Canyon On The Water 11
shredhiker Kings Canyon July 2022 Kearsarge, Rae, & Sixty Lakes Backpacking 8
J Info needed: Bown's Canyon, Long Canyon Trip Planning 8
Gretchen Millward Cheesebox Canyon, Oct. 2022 Backpacking 14
Stickerbumper Fold Canyon Middle Exit Trip Planning 9
Janice Professor Creek / Mary Jane Canyon - mid April? Trip Planning 0
D Horseshoe Canyon or San Rafael Swell? Trip Planning 9

Similar threads

Back
Top