Hi all you knowledgeable folks out there! I’m trying to figure out the best new destination for a group of 3 or 4 of us for May 23-29. We’re flyin’ and drivin’ on the outside days and hoping for 5 nights out. Folks that are going are generally strong, fit and apt.
I’ve done a number of these sort of things including Long/Gravel, Full Death Hollow. Those were great. Looking at Steve Allen’s “Canyoneering Two” has me considering versions of “Escalante East’ or “Escalante South’ or Dirty Devil North? or you tell me! Our time is shortish for some of those. Abridged, slightly shorter options of the above would be nice to know about.
Any recommendations, alternatives, bug cautions or good ideas to share.??..not imagining Dark Canyon or Muddy Creek really. Make sense? Any good Capital Reef notions?
Thanks!
David Reid Berkeley CA
RAM
Hey David
Cap Reef wilderness trip can have water issues. It is still 2 months off, but the desert is pretty dern dry right now. Dark Canyon has wonderful options and perhaps could be reconsidered, as it has altitude and flowing water. Nick recommended Sand Creek. Noted for rose bushes but could be combo’d with Death Hollow for a wonderful loop. Same as Dark Canyon. Flowing water and altitude. Escalante South would be a fine choice in late May. Lower altitude, but lots of water in places. More water and more exciting country. Up Stevens into the Ichabod/Beryl area and back could be done in that time frame, especially if day trip is run off of high camps, as it were. Yes i would think it hot around then, which is why perennial streams or high altitude seems prudent. Bugs will be out. It is too local an experience to predict, except that deer flies will be along the Escalante River, but you might find bug free environs camping up high in the late evenings, into the nights, after getting your water.
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “eastslide1” wrote:
Hi all you knowledgeable folks out there! I’m trying to figure out the best new destination for a group of 3 or 4 of us for May 23-29. We’re flyin’ and drivin’ on the outside days and hoping for 5 nights out. Folks that are going are generally strong, fit and apt.
I’ve done a number of these sort of things including Long/Gravel, Full Death Hollow. Those were great. Looking at Steve Allen’s “Canyoneering Two” has me considering versions of “Escalante East’ or “Escalante South’ or Dirty Devil North? or you tell me! Our time is shortish for some of those. > Abridged, slightly shorter options of the above would be nice to know about.
Any recommendations, alternatives, bug cautions or good ideas to share.??..not imagining Dark Canyon or Muddy Creek really. Make sense? Any good Capital Reef notions?
> Thanks!
David Reid > Berkeley CA >
Nick
I would recommend Sand Creek for the Escalante Area. Full wet suits mandatory. Start near hells backbone and end at calf creek confluence at bridge.
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “eastslide1” wrote:
Hi all you knowledgeable folks out there! I’m trying to figure out the best new destination for a group of 3 or 4 of us for May 23-29. We’re flyin’ and drivin’ on the outside days and hoping for 5 nights out. Folks that are going are generally strong, fit and apt.
I’ve done a number of these sort of things including Long/Gravel, Full Death Hollow. Those were great. Looking at Steve Allen’s “Canyoneering Two” has me considering versions of “Escalante East’ or “Escalante South’ or Dirty Devil North? or you tell me! Our time is shortish for some of those. > Abridged, slightly shorter options of the above would be nice to know about.
Any recommendations, alternatives, bug cautions or good ideas to share.??..not imagining Dark Canyon or Muddy Creek really. Make sense? Any good Capital Reef notions?
> Thanks!
David Reid > Berkeley CA >
phil
Woud recommend something with reliable water sources that time of the year, i.e. not just pothole water. Unless things have changed since I was guiding and exploring, May is the driest month of the season and often feels the warmest (no shade from afternoon thunderstorms). The only major loop I did out Steve Allen’s book was a Gulch/Deer Creek/Little Death Hollow loop. We did it in March and it was great but we spent 36 hours searching for water in the last leg.
Lot of great loops out there. Hope you find one that meets your needs.
Phillip
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “eastslide1” wrote:
Hi all you knowledgeable folks out there! I’m trying to figure out the best new destination for a group of 3 or 4 of us for May 23-29. We’re flyin’ and drivin’ on the outside days and hoping for 5 nights out. Folks that are going are generally strong, fit and apt.
I’ve done a number of these sort of things including Long/Gravel, Full Death Hollow. Those were great. Looking at Steve Allen’s “Canyoneering Two” has me considering versions of “Escalante East’ or “Escalante South’ or Dirty Devil North? or you tell me! Our time is shortish for some of those. > Abridged, slightly shorter options of the above would be nice to know about.
Any recommendations, alternatives, bug cautions or good ideas to share.??..not imagining Dark Canyon or Muddy Creek really. Make sense? Any good Capital Reef notions?
> Thanks!
David Reid > Berkeley CA >