powderglut
In search of Fresh
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2012
- Messages
- 367
We saw some really cool pictures in an Edward Abbey picture book back in winter 1978-79. "This place looks awesome!!" So it goes 34 years ago, I first hiked into Coyote Gulch with my wife and friends, and... yes, a dog. We also had campfires and, the best part.. we had it all to ourselves for 4 nights. Not a soul did we see.
So... A friend from Salt lake said it was her dream to visit this place forever, and would I be willing to backpack in and join her. All the pictures on the internet showed this place to be as pretty as I remembered it. Alrighty then. I guess I better go see it once more before they start selling tickets or start a lottery. "Honey, we're going to backpack Coyote Gulch." " Yah Right!!" 4 more skiing buddies from Steamboat and we have the crew. Now.. this is not exactly a spring chicken crew, but.. we all believe in "motion is the lotion" to stay young. I also told them I had a route that would get us in quick. We'd set up base camp, and then, do all day hikes. Sold! "Oh, there is this Crack in the Wall we have to get thru."
We drove down on a Sunday 7-1/2 hours from Steamboat Spgs Co. (Sorry IntuitiveCat, I meant to stop and talk coming thru, but my wife figured it was time to get this ride over with.) We stayed in Escalante that night, and then went down Hole in the Rock rd to our predetermined campsite (Thanks Nick). Set up camp and then cruised over to Devils Garden for a couple of hours.
Coming over Boulder Mt.
![IMG_4244.JPG IMG_4244.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10431-0b941eab6317750f3fef96406fde0f56.jpg)
Base Camp
![IMG_4292.JPG IMG_4292.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10432-a5d80df9d1954427178dcd3a67f24929.jpg)
Base Camp
![IMG_4295.JPG IMG_4295.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10433-87434338bc4281b23f85c0441789e043.jpg)
Devils Garden
![IMG_4263.JPG IMG_4263.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10434-2bb42d08d991acdf7699bc27634f068f.jpg)
Devils Garden
![IMG_4271.JPG IMG_4271.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10435-ddeacb16899c71f2df038a5b83bfb818.jpg)
The Devil's snake
![IMG_4267.JPG IMG_4267.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10436-1f5698e88e4edda0235d622329afae26.jpg)
Devils Garden
![IMG_4279.JPG IMG_4279.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10437-6a9f34d4e58266f27ed080ba8c4afcc6.jpg)
Sunrise at Camp
![IMG_4299.JPG IMG_4299.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10438-dafd948c6164b951b08aa3c7d9cc05ad.jpg)
Next day. The rest of the crew is not due until tonight. We head over to the Egypt TH to try and hike to Neon. We get a late start. Oh well, first night in the tent. We drop down the slickrock and get drawn a little north and end up between Fence Canyon instead of our intended B-line rt. Do we just drop down to the Escalante and head downstream to Neon? We've got our backpacking trip tomorrow. We choose to eat lunch above the confluence of both Fence Canyon's and then return back up to the car.
Egypt slickrock trail
![IMG_4312.JPG IMG_4312.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10439-e1cea1889add691227e35a89c0a7f4ac.jpg)
Lichen covered Bunny Rabbit formation
![IMG_4314.JPG IMG_4314.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10440-ea284dc490d6c0818b6c332473133ad6.jpg)
Upper and Lower Fence Canyon Confluence
![IMG_4325.JPG IMG_4325.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10441-83fe016a2a7aa9c6b3b536b4cd2231da.jpg)
Lower Fence
![IMG_4328.JPG IMG_4328.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10442-644857850c0f771828396be6b68adfad.jpg)
Lunch
![IMG_4334.JPG IMG_4334.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10443-83b263ee3c232a8afb325d94c7152d3b.jpg)
Upper Fence
![IMG_4336.JPG IMG_4336.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10444-0633b4222c53802822c7ca7b7d094829.jpg)
Back at camp, the others show up and set up. We fix up fajitas for everyone and have a few beverages. Everyone is quite pleased to be out of the snow and camped at this really nice camp spot. Get a good nights sleep and get ready to hike into the Coyote the next day.
Packed up and ready to go. 3 nts in the gulch should be just right. We leave base camp and head for the Crack. We start the hike about 1 PM. Not exactly the crack of dawn, but hey, we're on vacation. The hike is pretty visual compared to Hurricane Wash. We shuttle packs across the the Crack and walk down the sand into Coyote. Oh yes!! I'm back here again. We find a nice spot a ways upstream and set up Coyote camp. Seep water is 5-6 minutes downstream on the wall. Piece of cake! Delicious ground filtered water to keep us quenched for the trip.
Slickrock above the Crack
![IMG_4350.JPG IMG_4350.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10445-11ef17b7ddfd21434fc4f68ede050e2e.jpg)
Huge dome on the lower sandhill into Coyote
![IMG_4354.JPG IMG_4354.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10446-c3446892b5e02e46585428d279209896.jpg)
Coyote Camp
![IMG_4364.JPG IMG_4364.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10447-bbc3d8bbf1d4932d511886ec41f43f6c.jpg)
T-Rex
![IMG_4366.JPG IMG_4366.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10448-1b8c1e396c9f8b21ea0ddf773dc019e8.jpg)
Coyote waterfalls
![IMG_4376.JPG IMG_4376.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10449-f1d1deed9be97c845550f8621483329a.jpg)
Coyote waterfalls
![IMG_4377.JPG IMG_4377.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10450-2807cfcad4ef91f50ccafaeff612a074.jpg)
Coyote waterfalls
![IMG_4384.JPG IMG_4384.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10451-d16f35a4e664cf9b2dcba15834c4b3eb.jpg)
Pictographs
![IMG_4393.JPG IMG_4393.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10452-59cd1ba61f8db1ca5a05cd42b55174ec.jpg)
Wife and I at Coyote Natural Bridge
![IMG_4402.JPG IMG_4402.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10453-248d5e8605b66bf6c11980a5b45f2368.jpg)
![IMG_4406.JPG IMG_4406.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10454-bd83b145744cbd9f71db0814e1c28615.jpg)
Jacob Hamblin Arch
![IMG_4410.JPG IMG_4410.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10455-f86b4c29aab5a1790d59b58c88297e55.jpg)
Deer At the Bridge
![IMG_4417.JPG IMG_4417.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10456-edbd509f91c45312f33d512a11c352ec.jpg)
Coyote Camp
![IMG_4427.JPG IMG_4427.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10457-6b4aeae3d70fbeb76a6844bf940853b1.jpg)
After a lovely day, just taking our time exploring up to Jacob Hamblin Arch, we amble back to camp for dinner. We have seen very few people today. A couple coming the opposite direction and another couple of folks up near the arch. Maybe it's not as busy as people say. Wrong! While doing dinner we start seeing people working their way upstream. Glad we took this elevated campsite on the inside bend. Next morning we see a few more come thru as we get ready to head down to the Escalante. Another stellar day in the canyons. I even manage to get a triple dunking in the Escalante. I am one clean kid. We stop at the seep to fill up on the way down.
The seep
![IMG_4433.JPG IMG_4433.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10458-ea7583756a328631fda36a76868f5eb2.jpg)
Pure desert perfection
![IMG_4434.JPG IMG_4434.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10459-a73c8d833b9b513a3c829683797aa1d7.jpg)
Clean and fresh as a daisy
![IMG_4452.JPG IMG_4452.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10460-45003e6c5535fab54ebafbfd0a599b4f.jpg)
The perpetrators
![IMG_4458.JPG IMG_4458.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10461-78d8d7354aa168c1c6b455b6b0b6e04d.jpg)
Hiking upstream on the Escalante
![IMG_4460.JPG IMG_4460.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10462-1fa808f61e0116e984ed7d843081f9db.jpg)
A last look at Stevens on the way out
![IMG_4353.JPG IMG_4353.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10463-1b9b218ff9cc92b40c626bb128b375be.jpg)
Some of the well over 50-60 people we saw coming in on a Saturday morning
![IMG_4474.JPG IMG_4474.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10464-6195f47e1d41c8552208f0e503e2f504.jpg)
Timing Baby! Go in the middle of the week.
Still a beautiful place after all these years!
Featured image for home page:
![slide.jpg slide.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10468-5827e9eef9cc3f1a4728fd8f66ecb716.jpg)
So... A friend from Salt lake said it was her dream to visit this place forever, and would I be willing to backpack in and join her. All the pictures on the internet showed this place to be as pretty as I remembered it. Alrighty then. I guess I better go see it once more before they start selling tickets or start a lottery. "Honey, we're going to backpack Coyote Gulch." " Yah Right!!" 4 more skiing buddies from Steamboat and we have the crew. Now.. this is not exactly a spring chicken crew, but.. we all believe in "motion is the lotion" to stay young. I also told them I had a route that would get us in quick. We'd set up base camp, and then, do all day hikes. Sold! "Oh, there is this Crack in the Wall we have to get thru."
We drove down on a Sunday 7-1/2 hours from Steamboat Spgs Co. (Sorry IntuitiveCat, I meant to stop and talk coming thru, but my wife figured it was time to get this ride over with.) We stayed in Escalante that night, and then went down Hole in the Rock rd to our predetermined campsite (Thanks Nick). Set up camp and then cruised over to Devils Garden for a couple of hours.
Coming over Boulder Mt.
![IMG_4244.JPG IMG_4244.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10431-0b941eab6317750f3fef96406fde0f56.jpg)
Base Camp
![IMG_4292.JPG IMG_4292.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10432-a5d80df9d1954427178dcd3a67f24929.jpg)
Base Camp
![IMG_4295.JPG IMG_4295.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10433-87434338bc4281b23f85c0441789e043.jpg)
Devils Garden
![IMG_4263.JPG IMG_4263.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10434-2bb42d08d991acdf7699bc27634f068f.jpg)
Devils Garden
![IMG_4271.JPG IMG_4271.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10435-ddeacb16899c71f2df038a5b83bfb818.jpg)
The Devil's snake
![IMG_4267.JPG IMG_4267.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10436-1f5698e88e4edda0235d622329afae26.jpg)
Devils Garden
![IMG_4279.JPG IMG_4279.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10437-6a9f34d4e58266f27ed080ba8c4afcc6.jpg)
Sunrise at Camp
![IMG_4299.JPG IMG_4299.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10438-dafd948c6164b951b08aa3c7d9cc05ad.jpg)
Next day. The rest of the crew is not due until tonight. We head over to the Egypt TH to try and hike to Neon. We get a late start. Oh well, first night in the tent. We drop down the slickrock and get drawn a little north and end up between Fence Canyon instead of our intended B-line rt. Do we just drop down to the Escalante and head downstream to Neon? We've got our backpacking trip tomorrow. We choose to eat lunch above the confluence of both Fence Canyon's and then return back up to the car.
Egypt slickrock trail
![IMG_4312.JPG IMG_4312.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10439-e1cea1889add691227e35a89c0a7f4ac.jpg)
Lichen covered Bunny Rabbit formation
![IMG_4314.JPG IMG_4314.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10440-ea284dc490d6c0818b6c332473133ad6.jpg)
Upper and Lower Fence Canyon Confluence
![IMG_4325.JPG IMG_4325.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10441-83fe016a2a7aa9c6b3b536b4cd2231da.jpg)
Lower Fence
![IMG_4328.JPG IMG_4328.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10442-644857850c0f771828396be6b68adfad.jpg)
Lunch
![IMG_4334.JPG IMG_4334.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10443-83b263ee3c232a8afb325d94c7152d3b.jpg)
Upper Fence
![IMG_4336.JPG IMG_4336.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10444-0633b4222c53802822c7ca7b7d094829.jpg)
Back at camp, the others show up and set up. We fix up fajitas for everyone and have a few beverages. Everyone is quite pleased to be out of the snow and camped at this really nice camp spot. Get a good nights sleep and get ready to hike into the Coyote the next day.
Packed up and ready to go. 3 nts in the gulch should be just right. We leave base camp and head for the Crack. We start the hike about 1 PM. Not exactly the crack of dawn, but hey, we're on vacation. The hike is pretty visual compared to Hurricane Wash. We shuttle packs across the the Crack and walk down the sand into Coyote. Oh yes!! I'm back here again. We find a nice spot a ways upstream and set up Coyote camp. Seep water is 5-6 minutes downstream on the wall. Piece of cake! Delicious ground filtered water to keep us quenched for the trip.
Slickrock above the Crack
![IMG_4350.JPG IMG_4350.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10445-11ef17b7ddfd21434fc4f68ede050e2e.jpg)
Huge dome on the lower sandhill into Coyote
![IMG_4354.JPG IMG_4354.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10446-c3446892b5e02e46585428d279209896.jpg)
Coyote Camp
![IMG_4364.JPG IMG_4364.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10447-bbc3d8bbf1d4932d511886ec41f43f6c.jpg)
T-Rex
![IMG_4366.JPG IMG_4366.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10448-1b8c1e396c9f8b21ea0ddf773dc019e8.jpg)
Coyote waterfalls
![IMG_4376.JPG IMG_4376.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10449-f1d1deed9be97c845550f8621483329a.jpg)
Coyote waterfalls
![IMG_4377.JPG IMG_4377.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10450-2807cfcad4ef91f50ccafaeff612a074.jpg)
Coyote waterfalls
![IMG_4384.JPG IMG_4384.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10451-d16f35a4e664cf9b2dcba15834c4b3eb.jpg)
Pictographs
![IMG_4393.JPG IMG_4393.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10452-59cd1ba61f8db1ca5a05cd42b55174ec.jpg)
Wife and I at Coyote Natural Bridge
![IMG_4402.JPG IMG_4402.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10453-248d5e8605b66bf6c11980a5b45f2368.jpg)
![IMG_4406.JPG IMG_4406.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10454-bd83b145744cbd9f71db0814e1c28615.jpg)
Jacob Hamblin Arch
![IMG_4410.JPG IMG_4410.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10455-f86b4c29aab5a1790d59b58c88297e55.jpg)
Deer At the Bridge
![IMG_4417.JPG IMG_4417.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10456-edbd509f91c45312f33d512a11c352ec.jpg)
Coyote Camp
![IMG_4427.JPG IMG_4427.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10457-6b4aeae3d70fbeb76a6844bf940853b1.jpg)
After a lovely day, just taking our time exploring up to Jacob Hamblin Arch, we amble back to camp for dinner. We have seen very few people today. A couple coming the opposite direction and another couple of folks up near the arch. Maybe it's not as busy as people say. Wrong! While doing dinner we start seeing people working their way upstream. Glad we took this elevated campsite on the inside bend. Next morning we see a few more come thru as we get ready to head down to the Escalante. Another stellar day in the canyons. I even manage to get a triple dunking in the Escalante. I am one clean kid. We stop at the seep to fill up on the way down.
The seep
![IMG_4433.JPG IMG_4433.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10458-ea7583756a328631fda36a76868f5eb2.jpg)
Pure desert perfection
![IMG_4434.JPG IMG_4434.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10459-a73c8d833b9b513a3c829683797aa1d7.jpg)
Clean and fresh as a daisy
![IMG_4452.JPG IMG_4452.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10460-45003e6c5535fab54ebafbfd0a599b4f.jpg)
The perpetrators
![IMG_4458.JPG IMG_4458.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10461-78d8d7354aa168c1c6b455b6b0b6e04d.jpg)
Hiking upstream on the Escalante
![IMG_4460.JPG IMG_4460.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10462-1fa808f61e0116e984ed7d843081f9db.jpg)
A last look at Stevens on the way out
![IMG_4353.JPG IMG_4353.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10463-1b9b218ff9cc92b40c626bb128b375be.jpg)
Some of the well over 50-60 people we saw coming in on a Saturday morning
![IMG_4474.JPG IMG_4474.JPG](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10464-6195f47e1d41c8552208f0e503e2f504.jpg)
Timing Baby! Go in the middle of the week.
Still a beautiful place after all these years!
Featured image for home page:
![slide.jpg slide.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/10/10468-5827e9eef9cc3f1a4728fd8f66ecb716.jpg)