Grand Gulch Pt 2 - Todie to Sheiks loop

fossana

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
855
Logistics
Start/end: Todie Canyon trailhead / Sheiks Canyon trailhead (could be done in either direction, with or without a shuttle)
Mileage: ~19 miles
Difficulty: class 3
Navigation: Map/GPS may be useful. No signage in the canyons.
Filterable water: seasonal in Grand Gulch other than the intermittent springs
Designation: Grand Gulch Wilderness Area
Fees: $2 per person per day, or $5 for 7 days (self-service day use permits)
Nearest town/gas: Mexican Hat or Blanding, UT
Date hiked: 12 May 2019
Audio accompaniment: Preet Bharara's
Doing Justice
Notes: The ~7 miles of dirt road connecting the trailheads were mind-numbingly dull. Bike shuttle recommended. The old two-track main road bypass is not suitable for anything wider than an ATV. The road damage just before the Sheiks trailhead is significant, and impassible to most vehicles.

Approximate Route
map.png

Trip Report
After my Slickhorn loop and a decent night's sleep, I felt up to a longer hike. I had previously done Bullet Canyon to Sheiks Canyon loop; this time I decided to check out the northern section of Grand Gulch by linking up Todie Canyon to Sheiks. I parked just before the Sheiks trailhead and made the long walk through the skiddish cow herds to the Todie trailhead.
DSC01168.jpg DSC01170.jpg


The Todie Canyon trail follows the rim a ways before dropping down a third class boulder field into the canyon.
DSC01175.jpg DSC01178.jpg DSC01183.jpg


Todie quickly made up for the scarcity of ruins on yesterday's hike. A complex set of granaries sat high above the canyon bottom. A few were accessible with a bit of exposed scrambling, but the bulk were out of reach without some 5.7+ moves on sketchy rock. I opted out.
DSC01186.png DSC01189.jpg DSC01200.jpg


There were a few more isolated ruins in lower Todie. Once in Grand Gulch proper I headed down canyon and stopped by some of the multi-level ruins.
DSC01210.jpg DSC01218.jpg DSC01222.jpg DSC01231.jpg

The vegetation was thick with the recent rains. The canyon was relatively quiet given the number of cars I saw at the Kane Gulch trailhead the prior day.
DSC01232.jpg DSC01237.jpg DSC01241.jpg DSC01237.jpg

I passed Coyote Canyon and turned up Sheiks. Near the mouth of the canyon is the extensive pictograph panel that contains the "Green Man". At the nearby spring-fed stream I stocked up on water in preparation for the steep climb out.
DSC01245.jpg DSC01247.jpg DSC01251.jpg

The trail climbed through some chossy third class sections and bypassed a water chute before leveling out.
DSC01258.jpg DSC01272.jpg DSC01275.jpg

Near the top of the canyon I stopped by Yellow House ruin with its well-preserved roof. Before long I was back at my car. I made it to Stan's in Hanksville just in time to grab a coffee shake before driving the rest of the way home.
DSC01284.jpg DSC01286.jpg
 

Attachments

  • DSC01243.jpg
    DSC01243.jpg
    2.4 MB · Views: 80
Last edited:
I was there a few weeks ago and also opted out of the 5.7 traverse around the blocking granary and thought, "dang, the ancient ones did this?" Perhaps a ladder but I didn't see any post holes, maybe the edge has eroded? Yet, Kelsey has a photo of himself beyond the sketch traverse.
There is much to see in Todie for anasazi geeks, working the ledges and along the mesa rim. Thanks for the great report. I am amazed at the time you put into the details.

Denied!
DSC00496.JPG
 
Last edited:
I was there a few weeks ago and also opted out of the 5.7 traverse around the blocking granary and thought, "dang, the ancient ones did this?" Perhaps a ladder but I didn't see any post holes, maybe the edge has eroded? Yet, Kelsey has a photo of himself beyond the sketch traverse.
There is much to see in Todie for anasazi geeks, working the ledges and along the mesa rim. Thanks for the great report. I am amazed and the time you put into the details.

Denied!
View attachment 78121


And when you and @fossana opt out, then the rest of us know, that it's totally impossible!

Nice @fossana - lovely canyon, the ruins and the pictographs are stunning. Thanks for sharing. Glad you had such a great week-end away.
 
I was there a few weeks ago and also opted out of the 5.7 traverse around the blocking granary and thought, "dang, the ancient ones did this?" Perhaps a ladder but I didn't see any post holes, maybe the edge has eroded? Yet, Kelsey has a photo of himself beyond the sketch traverse.
There is much to see in Todie for anasazi geeks, working the ledges and along the mesa rim. Thanks for the great report. I am amazed at the time you put into the details.

Denied!
View attachment 78121
A 1000 years of erosion can change the access easily
 
I was there a few weeks ago and also opted out of the 5.7 traverse around the blocking granary and thought, "dang, the ancient ones did this?" Perhaps a ladder but I didn't see any post holes, maybe the edge has eroded? Yet, Kelsey has a photo of himself beyond the sketch traverse.
There is much to see in Todie for anasazi geeks, working the ledges and along the mesa rim. Thanks for the great report. I am amazed at the time you put into the details.

Denied!
View attachment 78121
I wasn't going to touch/trust the granary stones, so there were just those flaky edges below.
 
That drop into/climb out of Todie Canyon still brings back memories. Some scary ones, but much better now that time has passed.
Shieks Canyon near the Green Mask has got some crazy boulder hopping from what I recall.
Thanks for TR and for bringing back some memories of trips a while back.
 
That drop into/climb out of Todie Canyon still brings back memories. Some scary ones, but much better now that time has passed.
Shieks Canyon near the Green Mask has got some crazy boulder hopping from what I recall.
Thanks for TR and for bringing back some memories of trips a while back.
Hmmmm... Don't remember getting I to either very tough.. last I went in them was 6" snow on the top
 
Perhaps you are a better hiker than I @Bob. You are the trail master after all. :)
 
Perhaps you are a better hiker than I @Bob. You are the trail master after all. :)
Don't know about that.... Maybe just picked a different way down...lol
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
RyanP Grand Gulch last-minute questions Trip Planning 14
fiber Lower Grand Gulch Pour-off Trip Planning 9
C Grand Gulch Cedar Mesa Utah 11 Day Backpack October 2022 Backpacking 10
TrailScot Dripping Canyon to Grand Gulch, Cedar Mesa, Utah - March 2022 Hiking & Camping 7
H Access to Grand Gulch via Water Canyon Trip Planning 2
D Springs in Grand Gulch 2022 Trip Planning 21
D Grand Gulch Shuttle Trip Planning 4
TrailScot Step Canyon access to Grand Gulch, Cedar Mesa Trip Planning 17
J Grand Gulch (Kane to Bullet) Water Availability Trip Planning 9
gnwatts Grand Gulch, 11-13-20 Backpacking 30
gnwatts Grand Gulch water Trip Planning 6
fossana Grand Gulch Pt 1 - Slickhorn 3rd to Trail Fork loop Hiking & Camping 6
P Grand Gulch Water/Alternative Trip Trip Planning 3
J Grand Gulch Impassable? Trip Planning 8
IntrepidXJ Grand Gulch: Pollys Canyon to Collins Canyon Backpacking 1
IntrepidXJ Lower Grand Gulch Backpacking 5
kansas Hunting in Grand Gulch Trip Planning 3
LarryBoy Water Sources in Lower Grand Gulch Trip Planning 15
Bob Grand Gulch, Short Trip Backpacking 6
Bob Grand Gulch Area Weekend Trip Meet Up (Members Only) 1
Bob Grand Gulch - Moonhouse Backpacking 2
westerner54 Government Trail to Big Man Pictographs, Grand Gulch Utah Backpacking 3
westerner54 Lower Grand Gulch, Below the Narrows Backpacking 3
pixie1339 Grand Gulch Spring Conditions Trip Planning 3
Bob Backpacking into Shangri-la Canyon into Grand Gulch and out Water Canyon Resource Discussions 10
markj Meet up, Grand Gulch- May 8-11. Trip Planning 0
Bob Grand Gulch Meet Up (Members Only) 2
Bob Beta needed Grand Gulch area Trip Planning 6
NAYR Grand Gulch Must Sees. Trip Planning 3
Don Cedar Mesa / Grand Gulch (Mar 6-9) Trip Planning 8
DAA Grand Gulch, 4/27 - 4/30/13 Backpacking 15
Aldaron Grand Gulch Permits General Discussion 19
Nurrgle Grand Gulch Trip Planning 3
pixie1339 Grand Gulch Question Trip Planning 4
desertvic The Grand Staircase Escalante NM needs you! Meet Up (Members Only) 1
TractorDoc Paintbrush Canyon / Cascade Canyon Loop -- Grand Teton NP September 11, 2023 Hiking & Camping 9
D Grand Teton Cascade Loop Trip Planning 1
TheMountainRabbit Request: Grand Teton Ascent Trip Planning 0
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
TheMountainRabbit Ortenburger Lake, Talus Lake, & Glacier Peak (Grand Teton NP) - October 2023 Backpacking 14
TheMountainRabbit Invite Grand Teton NP, October 7th-10th 2023 Meet Up (Members Only) 0
fossana Public comment for revised Grand Staircase Escalante NM management plan (comments open 11 Aug - 9 Nov) General Discussion 11
Bob The New Grand Canyon Trip Planning 1
F Grand Canyon hermits rest to granite rapids to bright angel Trip Planning 10
NorthwestWanderer Backpacking Grand Teton National Park : Fossil Pass,Fox Creek Pass,Indian Lake,Alaska Basin,Hurricane Pass,Ice Floe Lake,& Snowdrift Lake Backpacking 19
dennisrodman A week in the Grand Canyon / Boucher / Hermit / Tonto Trail Trip Planning 4
futurafree Grand Canyon norovirus General Discussion 6
PaulMags Grand - Moab Route Backpacking 1

Similar threads

Back
Top