Need Some Queues

[NAYR]

Hey folks. First time forum poster here! I'm excited to find this gem of a site!

Anyway. I'm looking to plan a trip the first weekend in April. We are a group of 13 (college kids) and it's for a class. I was wondering if anyone had some good ideas about turning the Scorpion Gulch hike into a 26-30 mile trip. Or if anyone had any good suggestions about taking this group into San Rafael Swell.

Thanks,

Ryan

 

[Nick]

Welcome to backcountrypost, Ryan!

Scorpion Gulch is about that long already. According to Andrew Alavigne's tracks, it was 23.45 miles. You could tack on a few more miles by exploring up George's Camp Canyon, here: 37.536206,-111.042509. Don't know anything about it, but I imagine at the very least you could setup a base camp there and explore up into it as a day trip.

The Swell is somewhat limited on good backpacking opportunities. Chimney Canyon is nice but not as rich an experience as some place like Escalante, IMO.

Your options are pretty wide open for a trip that length that time of year. Still a little early for the higher elevation stuff like Death Hollow but still doable. Anything else you were considering?

 

[NAYR]

Well. Our group size and lack of abilities throughout prohibit the university to letting us get into any canyoneering style hiking. We have members proposing trips down in Coyote Gulch but I think I'll present that Scorpion Topic and see where the class runs with it. Permitting is an issue sometimes in escalante with a group larger than 12 ppl. And we have multiple vehicles so shuttling is an option. I would really love to see what kinds of Loops, Throughs or Out N Back style trips are out there at that distance in Goblin Valley or something. IDK! haha I've been worshiping the trip reports you guys all have but unfortunately we are limited as we are, as previously mentioned, a class.

 

[Nick]

Just realized this might be George's Camp, not the other one.. not sure, but the other one looks good and explorable.
View Larger Map

 

[NAYR]

PS. Nick You planning that Scorpion trip next week then? If so. Did that group (the one you have their TR posted) do an Out N' Back or did they shuttle? I don't see an access road on their map..

 

[Nick]

PS. Nick You planning that Scorpion trip next week then? If so. Did that group (the one you have their TR posted) do an Out N' Back or did they shuttle? I don't see an access road on their map..

They parked at Early Weed Bench and did a loop from there. The last section is probably about the same so I guess more of a lolli-loop. I may very well do Scorpion next week and after talking more to you, I'm thinking about extending it a day and exploring up that canyon on the other side. I was thinking of going canyoneering instead but I'm a little worried about my knee and all the squeezing and down climbing in the north wash slots. Probably make a decision one way or another this weekend.

But yeah, the big group thing does make things tricky. Coyote Gulch is outstanding and has lots of big campsites. Lots of people too so the big group wouldn't be problematic in that respect. I quite liked the loop-ish route I did starting from the water tank and ending at the ridge trail head via Crack in the Wall. Mileage could easily be tacked on by exploring up to Steven's Arch and/or Steven's Canyon.

A really good point-to-point is to do Death Hollow starting from the BMT air strip trailhead and ending at the Highway 12 bridge over the Escalante river. Early April is a bit early for that hike but doable if you are prepared for it.

A point-to-point combining Harris Wash and Silver Falls Creek is also an option although it's never really struck me as all that interesting. I did part of Harris before realizing we didn't have any fuel for our stove and turned back. I hear the lowest mile or two are better than what I saw.

Another point to point is to go down Harris Wash, then down the Escalante River with some cool stuff to check out along the way like lower Choprock and Neon, not the tech parts but just hiking up to check them out like the Golden Cathedral. Then exit at Fence Canyon or the Neon Canyon b-line route to the Egypt Trailhead. That would be a fun one and probably fits your mileage although I haven't drawn it out. I know TheDunedain did that route last October because we ran into him at the Golden Cathedral on his last day.

 

[NAYR]

Sure do appreciate all the advice! I believe our instructor will be letting design our trip into Coyote Gulch. After receiving your info on Steven's Arch most the classmates were stoked to turn it into a good 3 day with solid miles covered. Also I'm a descendent of Jacob Hamblin so heading to an arch named for him and his badass wild country ways will be a treat for me! Good times!

 

[Nick]

Where did you guys end up going last week?

We ended up doing Llewellyn Gulch & Cottonwood Gulch. Pretty amazing out there but also very challenging. You'll dig that Coyote route. I really want to get up into Steven's Arch next time I'm down there. It looks so impossible to get into it at first glance.

 

[slc_dan]

Sure do appreciate all the advice! I believe our instructor will be letting design our trip into Coyote Gulch. After receiving your info on Steven's Arch most the classmates were stoked to turn it into a good 3 day with solid miles covered. Also I'm a descendent of Jacob Hamblin so heading to an arch named for him and his badass wild country ways will be a treat for me! Good times!

I enjoyed the bit in Beyond the Hundredth Meridian about Hamblin. I pre-ordered this book. From what I've read that's a cool guy to be a descendent of.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1607812347/?tag=backcountrypo-20