Red Breaks Big West Fork

alene

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Feb 24, 2012
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Several months ago I saw on the internet a picture of something labeled the "cosmic ashtray," also called the Escavolcano. I was intrigued by the formation and learning it was somewhere out on the Grand Staircase made it all the better, I'm in love with that place, ever since doing a two-month archaeology dig there when I was an undergrad. I looked into it a little, but having an infant at the time, was trying not to tease myself about taking a trip.

Fast forward to October and my sister pinecone and I are trying to plan our annual no-children getaway. As mentioned, this happens usually just once a year (something we desperately need to change but is so so hard) so we were looking for something intense. We are both excellent hikers and very experienced in canyons and rugged trails with obstacles. We wanted a challenge but time is never on our side, we could really only afford a day-hike. When I started reading about Red Breaks I felt like I had struck gold. I had done plenty of the others down Hole-in-the-Rock Road, but this slot promised to be one of the most scenic in the area, and a continuous slot for much longer than most. Not only could we hike through the slot, then we could make our way over to see the Escavolcano mentioned above.

Sunset from Boulder mountain on the drive down


A buck in the trees


I rounded up a few friends and we planned to meet at the trailhead early on the morning of our hike. When they arrived I noticed that one of them had brought his parents-in-law. I have no desire to discriminate, but I did send these guys the route description beforehand and I thought it was clear that some climbing would be involved and the hike could be long and difficult. However, I wasn't going to tell them they couldn't come and so I told myself that they must be prepared.

It quickly became apparent that they weren't however. My route description mentioned 9 obstacles, but they started counting rocks that merely required putting a knee up to climb on and over. I felt frustrated, but this was early in the day. My friends were a bit apologetic, but figured there wasn't much that could be done besides helping the older couple out. And so we went along. We all marveled at the narrowness of the slot and beauty of the canyon walls. But most awesome was the feeling that we were someplace most people never venture, doing something not technical, but physically demanding nonetheless. Climbing over rocks, stemming canyon walls, this is the kind of stuff I live for.

Trish and April



me getting dirty


April sporting her Backcountrypost.com shirt, Joyce, and Paul


The split




The dryfall at the entrance to the Big West Fork


Looking down the dryfall


our party in the Big West Fork



As we met more challenges, my friend Paul had to break out some rope and my webbing to help his in-laws. Paul is a super-buff guy so I think they really were relying on him when they decided to come along. He was able to get them over huge obstacles and the tightest of squeezes. And he saved April and I from what presented itself as the worst obstacle of all--a tarantula in the narrow canyon! He actually picked it up with his bare hands and then held it in his hat while on top of a rock so we could walk under and leave it far behind us.

these kinds of obstacles were not mentioned!




so beautiful it warms my heart!


the floor here was about an inch wide


a bit of a corkscrew


The canyon started heading up and up and up and tighter and tighter and tighter. One of our older companions kept asking if we should turn around, and if I was really sure that this canyon would open up. I felt a bit angry at this, I felt like they didn't trust me, and like they shouldn't have come because they were making it so much more difficult than it had to be. Part of me thought it wasn't fair, this was my one trip for myself, I didn't want to be held back. And yet, I kind of was impressed that as a group we were getting a couple of nearly 60-year-olds to see one of the greatest slot canyons I've ever seen, and I just have to give them some credit for even having the desire to come. I know I'll still have that desire always, and I hope I stay in good enough shape to make it possible.





in the slot


false dead-end




When we came out of the slot and checked the time we knew we'd be racing to get back before dark. We quickly nixed the plan to see the Escavolcano, but figured we had to head that direction in any case since we couldn't go down the Main fork, and not knowing much about the Northeast fork. At this point I think I began to get really irritated with a particular member of the party. I get along with most everyone quite well and it made me mad at myself to feel this way, but I really didn't know how to handle it. I felt like he just kept questioning me about the quickest way back and I really didn't know, which in turn made me feel stupid, irresponsible, and frustrated, and then more angry at him I guess. I was following my GPS to find the dirt road we would hike back on to the trailhead. But although I entered the waypoints and route myself, maps don't translate well to me when I look at what is in front of me and it my inexperience with GPS made me feel unsure of myself. Sometimes it would completely flip around and point me the opposite direction which I knew wasn't right. I felt pressured, like my friends were upset, and we were all really tired.




We made our way over three major drainages, each time the one hiker asking me if it wouldn't be easier to just hike down that. Finally April could make out the sandy track in the distance and shortly after we saw some four-wheelers zipping by on it. I honestly felt saved. I hadn't screwed everyone over. I knew we were probably very close to the Escavolcano, but we had no time to spare.

As soon as we hit the road it started getting dark. We were treated to another beautiful sunset. We jogged back to the trailhead despite being tired so we could grab the car and pick up our friends who were completely beat. My friend Paul did the same and he ended up going back to get his in-laws sending my sister and I on our way. But they weren't far behind and driving out the Hole-in-the-Rock Road we caught up to each other and all expressed what an awesome hike it had been.

Afterwards I noticed that my shoes broke open because of all the scraping against the canyon walls. Numerous times we had to take off our packs and pass them up or hold them over our heads to get through the tight spots. One of those times I got nailed in the nose with a full waterbottle that swung down. Also my zip-off pants broke so that one leg bottom wouldn't stay zipped on. That was mostly just annoying. It took us about 9 hours to do what we did, but I think a lot of time was spent trying to help the older hikers. Usually April and I were over the obstacles in moments and then passing packs and so forth. I can't wait to do this hike again sometime. It was the perfect intense day-hike I was looking for and it would be awesome to do with my husband Tyler too sometime since he was on daddy-duty this time around.



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Congrats at a successful, if frustrating, trip. I for one know how difficult it can be to haul someone through Red Breaks (well, at least most of the way). This canyon beat me once and some day I'll manage to even the score.
 
From that picture overlooking the route over to the road, it looks like you were pretty close to the Cosmic Navel.
it is just a little bit further to the northeast of where i think this picture was taken.
Red Breaks is a challenge to the uninitiated. i was that frustrating person when i went. it was my first slot & i had to do some problem solving to deal with those obstacles. such a great canyon system & mesa.
glad you got to get out there & thanks for sharing the great TR!
 
Yeah, I figured we were pretty close to it, I had us heading that far east so we could find a safe way to head south toward the sandy track, not knowing which drainages would end up with obstacles going down and such. There was probably a faster way back, but I didn't know better, and though I still would have like to have seen it, we just didn't have time before dark. Some other time for sure!
 
Cool trip!! :twothumbs: We do many back country ski trips. You're only as fast as your slowest member. Just the way it is. Glad you got everyone thru, without too much angst. Sounds like an early start is needed if you want to get thru all the obstacles and see the ashtray. Will do our best not underestimate this hike. End of April early May I'm hoping.
 
Yeah, I figured we were pretty close to it, I had us heading that far east so we could find a safe way to head south toward the sandy track, not knowing which drainages would end up with obstacles going down and such. There was probably a faster way back, but I didn't know better, and though I still would have like to have seen it, we just didn't have time before dark. Some other time for sure!

The only other way I know of to get back to the trailhead is to backtrack down the slots or head down along the rim of the slots via benchtop which then means having to find a way off of the benchtop near the trailhead - Red Breaks is tilted (it is located at a spot where the downslopes of the Circle Cliffs Uplift dome, Escalante Monocline, and Boulder Creek Fault meet) , so the top descends towards the trailhead, but without knowing an established route, and with every drainage except the far east one heading back into the slots, you made a pretty good choice. i remember how the up & down over the benches while heading east wore me out after dealing with all of those obstacles in the slots.
I'm thinking that the next time i go out there i may actually reverse the route - head out the old road & then head down the slots instead of up them.
 
The only other way I know of to get back to the trailhead is to backtrack down the slots or head down along the rim of the slots via benchtop which then means having to find a way off of the benchtop near the trailhead - Red Breaks is tilted (it is located at a spot where the downslopes of the Circle Cliffs Uplift dome, Escalante Monocline, and Boulder Creek Fault meet) , so the top descends towards the trailhead, but without knowing an established route, and with every drainage except the far east one heading back into the slots, you made a pretty good choice. i remember how the up & down over the benches while heading east wore me out after dealing with all of those obstacles in the slots.
I'm thinking that the next time i go out there i may actually reverse the route - head out the old road & then head down the slots instead of up them.
I'm glad you made that point. I was going to ask if anyone had done it in reverse or even thought about it. Might be a little easier to stay on the route.
 
Side note:

i wish everyone would stop using the Cosmic Ashtray name. We, as descendants of colonialists, already have this horrific tendency to desacralize spaces and give them names based on the vanity of individuals, wiping out deeply meaningful aboriginal names, or in this case not even something of that level of importance, but rather, naming it something totally meaningless and of a dingy, nasty quality (when do you ever hear the word 'ashtray' and think of something clean and pleasant?)

I am, in truth, offended by the name.
i don't know who came up with the Cosmic Ashtray name, but i do not know ANYONE locally who uses that name (at least not in Boulder).
It is usually referred to locally as the Cosmic Navel because it resembles an Omphalos (World Navel).
sometimes i do hear the Cosmic Volcano, as well.

Choosing such an asinine name (Ashtray) over a sacred one is just plain strange to me, especially considering how special and unique the location is. I know that most of you have heard of it online as the Cosmic Ashtray and are simply repeating the information you've read, but really? we should name such a place as this after an object in which we put out our cigarettes?

So i am asking you all, not as a favor to me, but to the land: no more 'cosmic ashtray' please!
 
I'm glad you made that point. I was going to ask if anyone had done it in reverse or even thought about it. Might be a little easier to stay on the route.
when is it that you plan on doing red breaks? I will probably be heading out there in early spring, or maybe, if there is a warm enough day even this fall (though time is quickly disappearing and the days are getting so short!).
I'll be sure to post what a reverse route experience is like. I really want to do some general exploring of the top end & benchtops without even worrying about the slots. i have a tendency to wander like that in order to create my internal maps of areas, especially in the winter months - lots of benchtop observation of the canyons in order to get a wide view of things. this is one of the many advantages of living in the area - i can get to do this type of thing as a casual dayhike :twothumbs:
 
when is it that you plan on doing red breaks? I will probably be heading out there in early spring, or maybe, if there is a warm enough day even this fall (though time is quickly disappearing and the days are getting so short!).
I'll be sure to post what a reverse route experience is like. I really want to do some general exploring of the top end & benchtops without even worrying about the slots. i have a tendency to wander like that in order to create my internal maps of areas, especially in the winter months - lots of benchtop observation of the canyons in order to get a wide view of things. this is one of the many advantages of living in the area - i can get to do this type of thing as a casual dayhike :twothumbs:
Lucky you! My dream has been to rent a house in Boulder from about mid April thru May, so I could split time between GSENM and Capitol Reef NP.
Our ski area shuts down mid April, so that's proposed time to visit this area. We usually set up a base camp and day hike the general vicinity. We're thinking the Swell, Hole in the Rock, and the sandhills on the UT/AZ border over 10-12 days or so. Nothing definite yet. Just hoping for a fat ski season for now.
 
Good report alene! Makes me wish I'd gone farther up the West Fork now.

Also, I understand your frustration re: the person who continuously questioned your direction. I once got into a huge fight with a good friend who didn't trust my sense of direction. We ended up splitting up on the day hike. He got cliffed out and the next day I had to lead a S&R team to his location and they had to get him out with ropes! To this day he is apologetic and always buys the first round when we go out! I think it's in some people's nature to question everything. The other annoying hiking partner is the person who frequently studies the map/GPS for 10 minutes to make sure he/she doesn't go 5 minutes out of the way!

@IntuitiveCat -- it's funny you mention the name thing as I too really don't like the C.A. moniker. I can't think of another feature that has so many different names attached to it. The geology purist in me isn't too fond of 'The Volcano' either. Cosmic Navel? Hmm... maybe that one will grow on me. Abbey questioned our desire to name things while gazing at the feature which would later become the Chocolate Drops. I guess it will forever happen (I do it all the time!) so the least we can do it come up with something appropriate and aesthetically pleasing. :)

- Jamal
 
Side note:

i wish everyone would stop using the Cosmic Ashtray name. We, as descendants of colonialists, already have this horrific tendency to desacralize spaces and give them names based on the vanity of individuals, wiping out deeply meaningful aboriginal names, or in this case not even something of that level of importance, but rather, naming it something totally meaningless and of a dingy, nasty quality (when do you ever hear the word 'ashtray' and think of something clean and pleasant?)

I am, in truth, offended by the name.
i don't know who came up with the Cosmic Ashtray name, but i do not know ANYONE locally who uses that name (at least not in Boulder).
It is usually referred to locally as the Cosmic Navel because it resembles an Omphalos (World Navel).
sometimes i do hear the Cosmic Volcano, as well.

Choosing such an asinine name (Ashtray) over a sacred one is just plain strange to me, especially considering how special and unique the location is. I know that most of you have heard of it online as the Cosmic Ashtray and are simply repeating the information you've read, but really? we should name such a place as this after an object in which we put out our cigarettes?

So i am asking you all, not as a favor to me, but to the land: no more 'cosmic ashtray' please!
How'd I miss this post?
Navel it is! The AT, is the only name I'd ever heard of it, until Escavolcano.
Sometimes the names we give to places aren't always the most attractive. We have a ski hill we climb and track up, next to an animal vet clinic. It's called "dog doo hill" . Not really appealing, but.. we don't care when there's 10" of new on it.
 
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