Hiking Advice -Best Route into Coyote Gulch

C

Chris**

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Hi All, this will be my 2nd time to CG. Going mid-June with 3 non-experienced backpacking campers. Planning 2 nights and 3 days. (For info: my first trek in was via Sneaker Route -long day hike, lighter pack).
Question- with heavier packs, considering some of group are older (but fairly fit) was thinking Hurricane Wash?!?. But has anyone accessed Hurricane Wash from Chimney Rock? Is that recommended? What’s your experience? Not a lot of information on that route out there….Thanks for any shared insights!

Also mid-June biting flies and mosquitoes? Issue or non-issue?
 
Hurricane wash would work, Red Well would also work well for beginners. If I recall, going in from Red Well was a bit less brushy, I went out via Hurricane this week and there was a lot of brush in lower Hurricane. June is going to be hot and buggy, I think.

No experience with the Chimney Rock route. I did a loop from the water tank to crack in the rock, up coyote, partway up hurricane, then followed a side wash cross country back to the water tank. That last bit is not recommended for beginners, took a lot of route finding in very broken slickrock country. I more or less followed Steve Allen's route, though I spent most of that part along rather than in the wash.
 
b.stark said:
Hurricane wash would work, Red Well would also work well for beginners. If I recall, going in from Red Well was a bit less brushy, I went out via Hurricane this week and there was a lot of brush in lower Hurricane. June is going to be hot and buggy, I think.

No experience with the Chimney Rock route. I did a loop from the water tank to crack in the rock, up coyote, partway up hurricane, then followed a side wash cross country back to the water tank. That last bit is not recommended for beginners, took a lot of route finding in very broken slickrock country. I more or less followed Steve Allen's route, though I spent most of that part along rather than in the wash.
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I agree that it will probably be an easier trek into CG via Hurricane Wash. I hadn’t thought about Red Well but will check it out. I have been before and went in the Sneaker /Water Tank route. Although fairly quick it would be a lot especially with heavier packs. I think I was just trying to limit time in the June sun! Of course we will start early. Appreciate the tip about it being buggy. I’ve warned the group…at this point it’s up to them to pack for that possibility. As far as the brush along the Hurricane route thinking long pants might help if we go that way?!? And I think the Crack in the Rock might be a little intimidating for the group too. We are working out the details and have a little time. It may just be a hot trek in- that’s June for ya. Thanks again for responding.
 
We went in at Redwell. I wasn't interested in ropes. Saw one report of heavy sand slog at Hurricane Wash. Nice 2 nighter but took forever to get the sand out of my gear. Wind was whipping the first night. Rangers stopped by to check that we had no campfire and had wag bags.
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Only rope you need for Crack in the rock is to lower a pack... I just used parachute cord.

Long sleeves and pants is a good idea, in my opinion, though shorts at camp are sure nice when it's warm enough for them.
 
b.stark said:
Only rope you need for Crack in the rock is to lower a pack... I just used parachute cord.
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Thought I remembered 150-200' of rope needed and a Class 4 scramble. Something about most will want a rope. Didn't look any farther into it. I stop at mild Class 3. More adventurous than our out and back!
 
OldBill said:
Thought I remembered 150-200' of rope needed and a Class 4 scramble. Something about most will want a rope. Didn't look any farther into it. I stop at mild Class 3. More adventurous than our out and back!
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The so-called sneak route, Jacob Hamlin is probably what you read about?


For Crack: A couple of years ago, I watched a packraft group just walk right up the outside of the Crack with barely a pause, heavy packs still on their backs.
I think it's all just experience with pucker factor. I stood up on the one part, and no way I could just walk that without some deep, deep breaths.

You can lower or raise your packs at Crack without much more than 20-30' of rope.

Opinion: There is good reason a lot of people go down Hurricane. Redwell is also fine, but I feel you are in the canyon with the cows for longer, and I felt it was more a slog at times than Hurricane. Hurricane also spills you into CG just a few bends from where most people go.
 
I did a long day trip from the Chimney Rock TH into Hurricane Wash, down Coyote to below Jacob Hamlin Arch, then back up via Coyote and back up SW to the TH via a loop. The advantage of this route is that is saved a lot of miles and allows you to spend most of your time in the better lower section. If you look at the topo map you can see there is a shallow drainage entering Hurricane Wash SE of Pt 4664; this is a generally straightforward entry but there are a couple of steep sections that might make a beginner nervous. The exit from Coyote above the confluence has a few cairns and is easy, but hot on a June afternoon. In 2022 Coyote Gulch above the confluence with Hurricane was brushy but that can change from year to year.

With careful driving you could get a Subaru Outback to the TH. There is a nice car camping site SW of Chimney Rock if you need a relatively sheltered spot to stage your trip.
 
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