I have a dream...

Exactly! That was what made exploring Aztec Creek and its tribs so much fun. We didn't really know what to expect.
 
Cow looks interesting, only easy in looks to be from bottom. Those do look like huge potholes, does look tough to get to them. Those other coorids were hard to bring up try this: 37.387394° 110.850739°
Looks like a long trek across the slickrock
 
Ah yes... that does look like it could go down there. I'd probably bet on that one more than the upper. Here's a link to those for others:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/37°23'14.6"N 110°51'02.7"W/@37.3870528,-110.8504931,610m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

Ya know, this route wouldn't be too bad to just come up from Halls Creek and then down Long. That would simplify the shuttle. Just get dropped off by boat in Halls and then picked up 2-3 days later in Long. Looks like about 6-8 miles from HCB to the top of Long. Or I guess you could just go out and back from the mouth of Long, but what fun would that be...
 
Nick said:
Ah yes... that does look like it could go down there. I'd probably bet on that one more than the upper. Here's a link to those for others:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/37°23'14.6"N 110°51'02.7"W/@37.3870528,-110.8504931,610m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

Ya know, this route wouldn't be too bad to just come up from Halls Creek and then down Long. That would simplify the shuttle. Just get dropped off by boat in Halls and then picked up 2-3 days later in Long. Looks like about 6-8 miles from HCB to the top of Long. Or I guess you could just go out and back from the mouth of Long, but what fun would that be...
Click to expand...


That would be hella fun to just do as some recon. 1-2 nights.
 
I've been thinking a lot more about this and Dan's To Do post today reminded me of this thread. The west fork of Bowns is definitely going to get some attention from me this year. Kelsey says there is an old cattle trail chipped into the slickrock in the west fork in addition to the known route out the top of the east fork. Might make connecting to something north or west a little easier...

Route lines VERY approximate. I think a night spent in the west fork is looking mandatory at this point. Now it's just a question of whether to do it as an out and back from the bottom of Bowns or a point-to-point. I wish there was a way down into the top of Explorer.

upload_2014-12-8_14-45-38.png
 
Here's something for you to think about, @slc_dan. Steve Allen covers this pretty well in Canyoneering 3. He also says there are at least two exits from Long Canyon. One on the west that sounds crazy scary and one on the east that sounds doable. The Pollywog Bench is calling...

upload_2014-12-10_12-27-7.png
 
Nick said:
Here's something for you to think about, @slc_dan. Steve Allen covers this pretty well in Canyoneering 3. He also says there are at least two exits from Long Canyon. One on the west that sounds crazy scary and one on the east that sounds doable. The Pollywog Bench is calling...
Click to expand...

That does open some interesting ideas! I was totally thinking of that exit/entrance into Longs on the east we talked about earlier in this thread. There are a whole lot of options depending on how much time we have. Looks like most of the point to point opportunities would be closer to Bullfrog though.
 
The Forbidding Canyon point-to-point I was thinking about is out of Wahweap, but yeah, most of the longer stuff I want to do is up north. I'm going to move my boat from Wahweap to Bullfrog later this spring and probably leave it there for the foreseeable future. I know it's only like an hour longer, but I have not been loving the drive to the south end.
 
Both Marina's are great, but to make that drive count, you've got to commit to more time down there for sure. Bullfrog's drive you could spend 1-2 nights and it would seem worth it.
 
I think I have a killer point-to-point worked out for the main fork of Bowns and the seven caves. Get dropped off where the old Black Trail leaves the Escalante, spend a night up high on the Pollywog Bench, then drop into Bowns near Cave 2, explore all the caves, then walk down to the head of Long Canyon where the boat and a cooler full of drinks is waiting. :)

 
Nick said:
I think I have a killer point-to-point worked out for the main fork of Bowns and the seven caves. Get dropped off where the old Black Trail leaves the Escalante, spend a night up high on the Pollywog Bench, then drop into Bowns near Cave 2, explore all the caves, then walk down to the head of Long Canyon where the boat and a cooler full of drinks is waiting. :)

Click to expand...

I have been up on Pollywog Bench twice, but via different access out of Escalante at higher water (3634 feet). Love it up there and want to go back early next spring. Two questions: would the "old black trail leaves the Escalante" be accessible at current Fall 2015 Lake Powell water levels? Is the trail up to Pollywog Bench via "old black trail leaves the Escalante" a walk up steep slickrock with no "airy" narrow ledge precipices? (can't do the airy narrow ledges):(. Thanks for any information.
 
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