silver falls and choprock

[regehr]

a buddy and I plan to do the Silver Falls / Choprock loop, hopefully with an excursion to the Golden Cathedral, this coming Saturday-Tuesday, October 4, 5, 6, 7. if you happen to be in the same region and see us, please say hi!

 

[fossana]

Please report back on the water situation. We've at least been getting some rain in SW UT.

 

[regehr]

Please report back on the water situation. We've at least been getting some rain in SW UT.

yeah I'm expecting plenty of surface water and not resorting to drinking from the river. but we'll see!

the Escalante flow gauge shows some recent activity

 

[regehr]

the GSENM road report was last updated in March. guess they got DOGEd. love to see the efficiency!

GSENM-Road-Condition-Report | Bureau of Land Management

*****WEATHER RESOURCES***** Visit Monument Travel Advisories to help plan and prepare for your next adventure. Attention Monument Visitors, The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Road Report is typically updated weekly, more frequently if road conditions warrant. However, we regret to...

www.blm.gov

 

[Janice]

the GSENM road report was last updated in March. guess they got DOGEd. love to see the efficiency!

GSENM-Road-Condition-Report | Bureau of Land Management

*****WEATHER RESOURCES***** Visit Monument Travel Advisories to help plan and prepare for your next adventure. Attention Monument Visitors, The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Road Report is typically updated weekly, more frequently if road conditions warrant. However, we regret to...

www.blm.gov

I saw that old report, too. This one (https://www.nps.gov/glca/learn/news/road-conditions.htm) is newer, but still too old to be helpful. I called today to find out about conditions and left a message. Given the fact that tomorrow is Oct. 1, I'm guessing I won't get through to anyone any time soon...

 

[Bob]

Generally, with no reports the roads are usually decent

 

[fossana]

The monsoonal rainfall has been spotty here (SW UT). I've seen some unexpected sections of local desert get arroyoed out; other stream beds w/in a few miles are still completely dry.

 

[regehr]

Please report back on the water situation. We've at least been getting some rain in SW UT.

Silver Falls canyon seemed wet -- small pools started appearing about halfway down and persisted sporadically all the way to near the Escalante. We needed to make some time after a late start on Saturday and didn't checkout Emigrant Spring.

Choprock felt drier-- no water below the confluence with the technical (south) fork, but there's a large (perhaps perennial?) pool below the big dryfall a half mile up the technical fork. Then, just a few breakouts of surface water in the lower half of Choprock. Some of it very clayey and nasty.

Escalante itself was running turbid and warm, we spent a very pleasant hour soaking in a sunny spot near the mouth of Choprock on Sunday afternoon. Were not interrupted by packrafters. In fact, didn't see anyone at all between Saturday and today.

Quite a bit of traffic on the Burr Trail through Long Canyon, then very sparse on the eastern side. The "Little Bone" food truck on the premises of Hells Backbone Grill / Boulder Mtn Lodge served up an excellent lunch for us and seemed to be doing a solid amount of business.

 

[fossana]

Nice to know there's a food truck now.

 

[regehr]

randomly, we walked a chunk of the Overland route south of Choprock, this was super nice although we didn't push all the way to Neon Canyon